Monday 26 November 2012

The view from the bottom of the valley...

Well it has been ages since I wrote a blog and there are a number of reasons why... I guess, in part, I didn't think I had anything to say or anything anyone else would find interesting...  I have been doing OK with University and I'm in the home stretch for the Masters...  Health wise I have been kind of bouncing along... not great... not terrible...  I appear to have entered menopause and for the past few months I have felt like I'm permanently experiencing severe PMS...  I've been pretty grouchy, very snappy and a bit paranoid...  I described myself to a friend today and told her that TLOML doesn't seem all that into me at the moment and she said (rightly) "Who would be into that?'

Well I thought I would start blogging again because yesterday I got some not great news and today I have begun the first part of a journey designed to turn my health around... (at least as much as possible).

Yesterday I got the results of a Glucose Tolerance test and it is the first test I have flunked since high school! My baseline fasting glucose was 7.2 (130 for my North American friends), then I drank the sugar drink and 60 minutes later it was 14.3 (258) and after another hour (120 minutes total) it was 13.5 (243)...  The doctor (who I have never named but she took over after Dr McSincere left) said she doesn't think it will be able to be controlled by diet but she wants to give me a month to try and get the levels down and then she will repeat the test (lucky me it cost five needles getting the test done the first time).

So here's the challenge... I am going to start a Primal/Paleo diet.  Taking sugar and grains out of my diet will not be easy but the alternative is most unattractive.

So here goes...  Today, without knowing it, I did the wrong thing by having some cereal for breakfast... no more cereal...  lunch was a hearty ham and eggs which, as counter-intuitive as it sounds, is apparently one of the best things I can eat...  dinner is on the stove chicken, brussel sprouts, broccoli, sweet potato, red cabbage, onion, garlic, chili, ginger, with a dash of wine (not much I promise).  I have ordered Krill Oil and will start that on Thursday.

Well I intend to find a site online to track my progress...  I have a friend in the US who has cured her own diabetes readings with this diet and she is going to coach me online...  I'm going to weigh myself but I'm not sure I am going to share that with you lot...

Wish me luck, I have not really done much with dieting in the past... I did the juice diet for most of a week last year...  I spent a few months on a low fat diet back in the mid 90's...  Still I never had as much motivation as I have right now - today!

6 comments:

  1. Oh, Displaced! :-(

    So sorry to hear that diabetes is on the cards now on top of everything else. And menopause - jeez! With you there, I'm on Crone Street these days. Bugger the hot flushes!!!

    I am more or less on the Clean and Lean diet (except when I cheat and have wine and fruit...umm...that's most days actually) and that's fairly like the paleo diet (which I was on a couple of years ago).

    The paleo diet is pretty good if expensive because meat is pricey, but not having carbs isn't a great idea for diabetics. My mum is diabetic and HAS to have carbs. Oats are fantastic carbs. Much better for you than wheat, easier for your body to digest. Check out online recipes for oatcakes or contact me and I'll send you a link for an easy one you can make. They are sugar free.

    Check out the Clean and Lean diet by James Duigan too as it's perfect for diabetics. http://www.bodyism.com It's a sugar free diet. Fat isn't the issue - as long as you have good fats like avocado and olive oil. Duigan says have greens with every meal. Our usual brekky is bacon (trimmed of fat) and eggs dry fried in a non-stick pan, with a side serving of baby spinach and/or rocket. Fills you up for hours.

    I really hope you can get your diabetes under control without having to go to insulin injections. Fingers crossed for you my friend. May your exploratory month be a good one and may you pass the next glucose test with flying colours..

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    1. Thanks for your support mate it's wonderful always knowing you are in my corner. Clean and lean sounds pretty good but for now at least I am just going to throw myself into doing this Paleo thing... maybe in a few months I will start to mix and match a bit more. XX

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  2. Oh boy, I'm sorry. I'm glad you're writing as I've missed you..but not for this! I'm on a diet too. It's called GAPS ( http://gapsdiet.com/ if you want to look) and it is to help with digestive and psychological symptoms. It's a really weird diet, no starches, no grain, no fiber, no sugar and everything is boiled to within an inch of its life. Everything is homemade so it's a lot of work. But it's helped with my attitude and pain. And I can finally eat eggs! I'm up and around far more than I used to be and I've lost 30 pounds. That makes it easier to stick with because I see results.

    I hope the Paleo diet works and you can stick to it. There are a lot of online support groups for Paleo, so maybe that will help? Keep us posted?

    And I hope things got better with TLOML. It's hard enough being on the other side of pain and if this diet helps, all the better, right? Fingers crossed!

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    1. Kathy!!! Lovely to hear from you! I wish you were blogging too. GAPS sounds similar to this Paleo/Primal thing I am doing and I'm so glad to hear it is working well for you. Anything that makes you more mobile and active is wonderful. Please keep in touch!

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  3. Hey Displaced!

    I have been thinking of you a lot lately, so it was such a great surprise to see you blogging again! However, what a huge bummer that you are having glucose issues. Dammmit. I keep saying that in my next life I demand a great, no issues bod- and it sounds like you are due too...

    Many friends like the Paleo diet, I hope you like it an d it helps. We are going to do low carb in January (need to plan it out first, since it is such a radical shift), since eliminating the wheat seems to be the only thing to help my digestive issues. Will keep you and your efforts in. My thoughts.

    Ah, dealing with the change as well, huh? Fun stuff. The joys of being a girl... ;-)


    I just cannot believe that you are almost done with your studies. Amazing. Will this give you a boost with a career path? I am only asking because every time I think about Paradise where you live, all I can picture is greenery, beaches, and hanging out. In my mind, nobody has to work because Paradise means just hanging out. Totally illogical and ridiculous, but when you are in the first throes of a Canadian winter a girl has to have an active fantasy life...

    So great to hear from you again.

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    1. Great to hear from you too mate! Hard to believe it is getting hotter and hotter here while you are freezing the Boo's feet off! I'm thinking of you too!

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