Monday, February 24, 2014

Life Catch-Up - some changes

Ahh, Monday. It's so interesting to me - I LOVE reading blogs, I read a lot of blogs, even if I don't comment on most of them. I'm a bit of a voyeur, I love seeing how people live their lives. Well, every Thursday and Friday, I barely get to read any blogs.. only about five or six post close to the weekend. Then Monday comes and there is a veritable flood of posts from every blog I've ever bookmarked and I can't keep up!

It's a weird phenomenon!

Anyway. This morning someone came to our house to test Chris because he signed up for a life insurance policy. That was weird. We will know in about two weeks how everything came up and what kind of rate we will get.

Also - good news! Chris and I became an uncle and aunt last night! His sister had a gorgeous baby girl named Alexandra. I am chomping at the bit to go visit her, but I want to give the new family plenty of time to settle in and settle down, don't want to overwhelm them!

(I also got some baby fever as I cried in joy for his sister... that's another story, though).

I have another therapist appointment tomorrow. I'm glad I do, but I'm not excited for it. I just seem to be going crazier and crazier!!! (not really - just seems that way. I've felt decently centered the past couple of days... but I still get stuck in such a bad head space most of the time. I want to change that!)

I have nothing revolutionary to discuss today. I'm a bit low energy since I was a bit sick this weekend. My weight continues to fluctuate in a range I am not happy with (123-125) and I know I have myself to blame - I am super snacky, especially in the evening, not from hunger, but from emotions and stress. But, hey, that's why I am finally going to therapy, no? I'll continue trying to get it under control.

One interesting change we are probably going to make - Chris is going to lighten up on the paleo a little. His blood pressure is consistently a little higher (still normal, but higher than he'd like) since going paleo. So he is going to substitute oatmeal for eggs a few times a week. It's not paleo, but his body doesn't seem to respond to paleo as SUPER well as mine does. But, he's going to change up just his breakfasts for a while (not going to add in any other types of grains or at any other time of day) and see if it affects a longer term change in his blood pressure.

Off to work for me, going to try and wake up a little, get more focused (mmm coffee).

Namaste, friends.

11 comments:

  1. I can't do whole eggs at all. Impacts my cholesterol immediately. I eat egg whites every day. I buy in carton, only ingredient is egg whites. I eat a small, whole avocado with my egg whites.

    I also do oatmeal on occasion. It is my only grain. I eat it plain (no fruit, no topping, no milk) I add protein powder to level off the ratios (carbs, protein, fat within total calories). protein holds me longer, if I did just oatmeal it would make me carb cycle. I don't do any dairy. I keep my soy to a minimum. So I actually use yellow split pea protein powder, which works well for me.

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  2. I'm sorry but grains raise blood pressure because of the inflammation and the insulin. Going paleo only lowers blood pressure. If he has elevated blood pressure, it's for some reason other than a paleo diet.

    Hope you feel better soon.

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  3. Everyone's body reacts differently to different foods. I really doubt 100% of people have raised blood pressure by adding in oatmeal. I'm glad he's recognized the issue and is experimenting with his body to see what works for him. I hope he has great results, and if this one change doesn't work, he gets to try something different.

    I hope your session goes well!

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  4. See how he goes with the oatmeal - get good oatmeal though, not that instant stuff :) As for cholesterol immediately going up with eggs (a comment made here) - that would be good cholesterol. Eggs don't raise bad cholesterol, only carbs. It is a myth that eating cholesterol raises cholesterol since most of our cholesterol is actually made in our body, not eaten. Oh well... It is the ratio between HDL and Triglycerides that is important and certainly for both Stu and I our ratio is great since going primal.

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    1. Nope, it is the whole eggs and it is the bad cholesterol. I have experimented a couple times now, and it is the eggs. The rest of my food is very consistent. It is the only thing I varied when I tried. I am starting to wonder if this is age related, because several of us in our 50's and 60's have had this happen. It might also be that we have some type of particular sensativity. My good cholesterol is higher than my bad. My bad is normally low (except when I try to add back egg yokes).

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    2. I have a lot of food sensitivities (weird things that trigger migraines, if I don't eat them, I never get a migraines, these are all whole foods, other things that cause acne, huge GI problems, huge female problems, etc). So I think I just have a super sensitive body. But if I eat what is clean for me, then I have no problems. Come to think of it the other women I know with egg yolk problems have a lot of food sensativity issues too.

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    3. Just eat what works for you Vickie - I think we all get to know what we can and can't have if we listen to our body. I would disregard the cholesterol though - it really is a meaningless thing for a woman especially. It bears no relevance to heart disease - inflammation on the other hand does. Did you realise that just as many people have heart attacks with low cholesterol and that older people live longer the higher their cholesterol. We have been conned for sure :)

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  5. I'm with Lynda on this it is the ratio between HDL and Triglycerides that is important.

    "Since around 80% of the cholesterol in the body is actually manufactured by the liver and the cells, relatively little comes directly from the diet. Total cholesterol is however now widely recognised as a very poor indicator of heart disease risk.
    Far more meaningful are the individual components of total cholesterol, known as high density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides. Trig. / HDL ratio is perhaps the single most significant measure of heart disease risk.The lower the triglycerides and the higher the HDL, the better.
    Insulin and glucose combine to raise triglycerides and lower HDL, which is why a low fat, high carbohydrate diet may actually increase heart disease risk. It’s commonly reported that those on low carb diets have lower cholesterol levels and certainly much improved trig. / HDL ratios."

    More details can be found at www.lowcarbdiabetic.co.uk/


    I eat a menu plan that is low carb, high fat, moderate protein. It is carbs, processed foods, sugars that are best avoided.


    All the best Jan

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  6. Who knew that a statement about oatmeal would cause such a stir in your comments? :) I read way lot of blogs too for the same voyeuristic reasons. I am behind currently but it is because I haven't been glued to the computer for the past two days. I call it a win. LOL

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  7. First, congrats on becoming an aunt! I loved being an aunt! Second, it surprises me to hear that his blood pressure has remained high on Paleo. I'm with Gwen, I just thought eating Paleo improved things like that, no?

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  8. Many people have what is called white coat syndrome - just the thought of having their blood pressure taken makes it rise. That said, eggs usually keep you feeling full longer if that is an issue.

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