Category: Health


Fall Progress


An hour before sunset

Sunset

Just to update quickly my husband is fine.  He had a few polyps that they removed.  The cool part for me was I was able to show support in two ways.  One was to drive him home.

Chris had to fast from midnight Saturday night until after his appointment 1 (or was it 2? Weird I can’t remember now) on Monday.

Anyway,  Easy peasy.  I did heavy Keto Saturday until my normal cut off of 8PM.

I have been trying to work my fast time to the health-inducing autophagy of a 36-48 hour fast.

By the way, here’s the definition of autophagy: 

Autophagy is the body’s way of cleaning out damaged cells, in order to regenerate newer, healthier cells, according to Priya Khorana, PhD, in nutrition education from Columbia University. “Auto” means self and “phagy” means eat. So the literal meaning of autophagy is “self-eating.”Aug 23, 2018

https://www.healthline.com › health

Funny now I think about it. Isn’t that what Autumn is about? Leaves fall to feed the tree next year.

So, after that crazy hour I usually give in as too hungry at hour 24/25. But this was easy sailing. Nothing crazy. No shakes or fainting.  And if it is such a bad thing why did his doctor recommend such a fast for a diabetic who is on more prescriptions than I am. So this seemed a good time to try. I declared it to him. He gave me an out. But I knew love would get me through.

It was fun to watch us both as we gain a confidence in our bodies. We both knew tricks.  He could cheat and have broth or even jello if sugar levels got bad. He did drink some broth.

I knew I could cheat with bone broth or even peanut butter. Though technically those break a fast it is okay for newbies.

No cheating for me. Drinking water, tea, and coffee helped keep me hydrated. I felt badly that my husband wasn’t allowed water or anything on the morning of the procedure. I had to sneak sips when he was busy driving.

I brought a jar of natural peanut butter and two clean spoons for after. We had a two hour trip back so I felt it wise.

We stopped at the Barnes and Noble on the way out. No. Not for the books. I knew they had a nice restroom. All that water needs to go somewhere. I might note, outside of the doctor’s office this was the cleanest and most protective spot I’d ever been to. I plan to go back soon!

My fast lasted 45 hours if you don’t count a spoonful of peanut butter. Today was feast day. Maybe tomorrow I’ll fast 36 again. Weight has fallen a lot since I began this adventure early this year.

Did you notice in the pictures above, that the smaller tree on the right has lost most of it’s leaves except up near the top some stubborn green leaves are hanging on for dear life!


Incredible.

Source: Daycares in Finland Built Their Own ‘Forests’, And It Changed Kids’ Immune Systems


Today was the long awaited consultation appointment for possible cataract surgery.  It didn’t happen.

It has been nearly a year since I was told I had very bad cataracts. One eye (I call my reading eye) couldn’t even see the big black E. But even my good ‘distance’ had developed a cataract. I can still see to drive, and with reading glasses I can read a bit on my phone about 7″ from my eyes. This is still difficult and hurts my hands. Not to mention that every word I type has to be corrected.

So we had this appointment set up during the pandemic. Last week we got a call that I needed to get my Primary Care Physician to send approval.

That’s crazy. I had called my insurance to find the first ophthalmologist. You would think that when the eye doctor referred me to the surgeon it would be okay.

Nope. PCP needed to approve. And she was out of town last week. So yesterday I had to go see her. She said she’d get on it. Don’t worry just go to the eye surgeon.

You know that niggling feeling you get? Yeah. I decided we needed to call before driving two hours only to be turned away.

When I say ‘we’ it is because my husband is a great advocate for me. When I feel overwhelmed he will go to bat.

Hey, Chris:

Anyway, sure enough the fax didn’t make it and by the time it did it was going to be too late for the appointment.

I asked if there were helps for people like me who had trouble seeing. They just said ‘no’. I know there are but you need a doctor to sign off on them.

I’m a baby-boomer. I know I’m not alone in this. We’re not making enough money to have any choices but where’s the help?

Insurance robs me on every check. But where are they when patients and doctors agree treatment is necessary?

Okay, if you made it this far you win. ❤🤗😘🤷‍♀️

Thank you for reading my rant.

But happy last day of summer!

Sunday Meditations


I’ve been trying to reduce my cortisol, um, belly-fat. I’m already eating my intermittent fasting/Keto/low carbs/high fat diet. I’ll know tomorrow how well my progress has been. My husband is sure I’ve lost more than 25 pounds. My clothes are falling off, unless they are the old smaller sizes.

Still my belly seems more than should be at this size. Cortisol is caused by stress. Not that I think my retired life is stressful. But this last year has had its effect. So I’m starting to wake with Headspace Meditations. Either on Netflix or YouTube.

Then after my two days of eye appointments, I plan to add these yoga lessons.

Though we’ve seen clearer skies the last few days I haven’t begun the None2run program, but for now I have to call it walking. My new shoes are begging me to get out there. I didn’t want to start on a rainy or muddy, windy day.

I’m still playing with the hula hoop, light weights, band stretching. Just trying to get ready for real workouts.

One-Liner Wednesday A Funny


One-liner Wednesday is a Linda G. Hill prompt. And um, I’m sorry. My husband shared on FaceBook and I laughed out loud. Maybe the stress is getting to me?

Life During Pandemic


It has been a crazy week for my family. Last Friday (I think) my son’s significant other notified me that she and her family, and my son had been exposed to COVID. It turns out she tested positive and then became very ill. But even though it was scary, I think her health has kept her less sick than she could have been. Even so she and I have spent a lot of time on messenger chatting. Me trying to keep her a bit distracted from how scared she was, and she trying to help me not be so scared for her and my son. I think that is why I have been less able to blog, or think of anything but this situation.

By the way, my son tested negative, yet he is coughing as of today. Again, he’s pretty healthy so I’m not very worried. My third son had it quite a while ago and is out having fun now. He and his crew got their shots so they can play at the beach with masks on.

I’m saying all this just to point out that the numbers we see on the news we need to multiply all family and friend lists to get to the why the angst of this last couple years has climbed to an all time high. The silver lining is all of us getting to know each other better. And for me it has pushed me to get healthier so I can withstand it all.

I have no doubt that many who will read this have their own stories to tell about how this pandemic is touching them personally. Let me quickly send out a hug to all of you and wish you the solidarity of love and health to get through it all.

Bitmoji Image

Per Linda:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “pin.” Use it as a noun, use it as a verb, use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

Pinterest is a history lesson of my passion over the last few years. Ah, but then so is this blog.

Writing starts and continues as the place I put a lot of energy. But I used to sew. I found the race of pulling the pins before the needle hit them too stressful. Not to mention the ripping what I sewed. Ugh! And sitting in the position of leaning over the machine hurt my back. Sewing fell as a passion.

Crochet became my next passion. I could make hats for charities and spend time creating. But my hands didn’t like the constant positioning.

Then I learned to loom knit. Even ripping, frogging, or tinking projects was fun. More yarn, more chances to improve.

I tried to dry felt but found the constant hand movement hurt so another craft bit the dust.

Now I’m having fun playing my recorders. It hurts my hands sometimes but it seems, if I’m inconsistent (skipping a day here and there) that my hands get more proficient and hurt less. It doesn’t carry with it the fulfillment the loom knitting does. I’m not helping anyone else. But maybe that’ll be something to come?

Drawing has the same feeling. I can get lost, as lost as when writing, in a project. True, I don’t feel the giving feeling there like I do with the knitting but I don’t feel wasteful of my time and energy. I wonder what that is? Should I see how I can expand somehow into something more charitable?

Music is coming alive in me again. What can I do with it? Is it okay to just enjoy the journey? Does it, too need me to pin it to the social magazine (how I think of Pinterest)? I really want to pinpoint my passions to understand how best to approach the ‘work’s of the fun.

And now with health improving, I wonder where that will lead. Hiking, camping? Let’s just put a pin in that.

New Shoes


I’m so tired. But look what I got from our town run!

These are ASICS gel running shoes for my #none2run program. Which will start out as mostly walking.

Now I’m going to bed.

Product Review


I don’t usually review products here. Books, yes. But not purchases. But these are attached to my new lifestyle. With all the smoke and/or heat of this summer the walking/running regiment had to be curtailed as something not healthy. So I thought about how to strengthen my body without getting winded and bringing more smoke into my lungs. Granted our area hasn’t been as affected as other areas my friends and family live in. Still, I needed something to help feel like I am growing a better body. So here are a couple new toys that are not too expensive.

This box was fun. It was in German and English. Yay!

You can see by the pictures what was in it. This box is about two hands long (a little over an octave–it’s already gone out to the trash) and one hand wide. Hard to believe the box held a Hula Hoop. But it was broken down into small arced links. These links interlock. They are metal covered with a soft plastic. The links can be filled with rice or ball bearings to weight the hoop. I am no where near that level. It was a lot of work putting the hoop together and at first I couldn’t even get a whole twirl around. I am up to ten twirls before it drops and I start over. I work with it until I feel the huffing and puffing happen and I know with the air quality I need to stop.

Here Hula is taking a break from this constant trying and falling. A way to show the size all together and to see how cushy the hoop is.

As a person with ADD and terminal wiggle-worminess who finds sitting still a problem. A person whose bottom can’t handle more than a couple minutes of a piano bench I needed something to help with my new position in my music room. And this new toy is supposed to help with my core.

I haven’t used the wobble cushion for stepping on but I could eventually. Right now it lengthens my time on the piano bench. It feels good to sit on sometimes the bumpy side feels better, sometimes the smooth side works better. Sometimes I put a cloth seat cushion on top so the blue cushion isn’t cold against me. It still has the wobbly fun to keep me moving while sitting still in front of the piano, music stand, or computer. It makes my back feel good as I mush around. It works like the balance ball does. It doesn’t cramp my tailbone. I keep it put up in a basket when I’m not using it so that the cats won’t pop it like they did the balls.

For a size comparison. Kali wanted to model with it.

The cushion came with a pump. It is awkward putting in the needle and not poking the underside of the cushion as you puff the cushion up. And you have to be careful not to pump it too full. The more the wobble the better for the bottom that sits on it.

I haven’t used the stretching bands I pick up yet. But this is a gradual set of changes I am working on. I’ll let you know as I learn how to use my time with the new fun toys.

Making Monday


Scrappy socks are nearly finished. Most of the pair are made of the Mani-Pedi crew color yarn. The toes and heels are scraps from the previous pair I made. I’m loving how they are working up.

We lived through the triple digit hot Sunday. Today was sort of hot but not nearly as bad. Tomorrow is supposed to be 72. I might wear jeans and T-shirt instead of shorts and tank-top what a relief! I might take a nice walk as air quality is also supposed to be good for a change.

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