Dr. Kendrick is spot on again

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick's blog is a favorite of mine and he is spot on again in this article which reminded me, once again, why I avoid doctors of any kind.

Well I have to see my Pulminary Specialist whenever he realizes that I haven't been in to see him for over 5 years, lmao, as was the case last December. In the last ten years I have gone to a doctor (twice) only to have my bloodwork done and it's come back stellar, whatever that means. Not bad for a 63 year old who is still overweight. I prefer to treat myself with diet and although I haven't completely lost all the weight I would like, I have eliminated almost all my health issues. Usually, I don't care what my cholesterol is, what my blood pressure is, or anything else. These numbers have been assigned by people I don't know and who may or may not be qualified to do so. Am I a skeptic? You bet your ass. Above all else, I do not trust any of the medications that are peddled by drug companies and doctors who have been brainwashed to prescribe them. Same goes for nutritionists and dieticians, who peddle garbage information.

My retirement is proceeding well and the time is flying by more quickly than when I was working and it's surprising me. I prefer to just play it by ear and mood and yet I'm never bored. What I am catching up on is sleep, usually around 10 hours a day, but it seems I need it. My diet is easier to follow as I eat only when hungry instead of at predetermined times, so it's usually only twice daily. There are no forbidden foods at home to tempt me which helps.

As an example of damage that doctors can do is exemplified by my friend who is now a drug addict. A perfectly normal individual who trusts her doctor, 70 years of age, taking statins, blood pressure meds, anti-depressants, pain killers, diuretics and those are the ones I know about. She tried to reduce her pain killers and ended up in hospital with severe withdrawals. Death by doctor will be the real cause of death and the tragedy is I can't say anything.

6 Saturdays and a Sunday

Haven't been blogging much because I really don't have anything to blog about and yet much is happening. In essence, just don't feel like writing.

A while back I wrote a post called "only 599 days until retirement." Well that changed as they were trying to get rid of people where I work due to budgetary constraints and offered me a voluntary early retirement severance package. So now I'm officially retired 1 year and 5 months early and they are paying me for the next 43 weeks of retirement enjoyment. I'm still in shock as this happened relatively quickly but I was certainly ready for it.

August 10th was the beginning of my new and carefree life. I think I've spent 50% of the time since then in my jammies, taken several naps and took up a snack that was one of my favorites when I was a kid (and for those who know me, really isn't a surprise): raw garlic. The vehicle for my raw garlic as a child was rye bread, so I started searching for something I could use that was lc friendly. Then I just ate it raw without anything and that worked well. L love garlic so two cloves is not a big deal.

The second thing I wanted to do was dye my hair purple and couldn't find a dye that colour in my cursory inspection when I went shopping. I'll keep at it. Other interests to pursue are a walking regimen and getting my health back. No temptations here at home, eating when truly hungry (maybe twice a day) and more time for cooking healthier meals is another plus.

There is so much to do, however the first few months I will just rest and think about those endless possibilities. My new week is now composed of 6 saturdays and a sunday, lol. I certainly don't need to plan anything if I don't want to.

Diabetes and Cancer in Canada

Just noticed this article on CBC this morning regarding the sky-rocketing increase in diabetes in Chinese Canadians.

"Diabetes incidence rose 15-fold between 1996-2005 among Canadians of Chinese origin despite lower levels of obesity."

So, the advice we are given?

"Dr. Jan Hux stressed the appropriate action is to pursue a healthy diet that includes whole grains rather than refined grains, eat lots of fruits and vegetables and control portion sizes."

Of course, why didn't I think of that?

Another article recently published is that Liver Cancer in Canada has tripled in men and women since the 1970's. Is that when we really actively started the healthy lifestyle, seed oils instead of saturated fat, lower meat consumption, more healthy whole grains, more sugar, more carbs, more exercise? Blaming it exclusively on Hep B or C or whatever shows they haven't a clue.

I love life

Got home from work, made supper, ate and looked out the window overlooking my balcony. There is a giant evergreen growing 5 feet away, my flower pots are full to overflowing with flowers, there's a bit of a wind, some clouds and the air is wonderful. All of a sudden I choked up, fighting back tears at how wonderful life is (for me) and how much I love life. I still don't like to see the news that shows disasters of nature and the mindless, irrational slaughter of innocent people by people who are crazy, etc. For this moment in time when I look out the window, I feel love, peace, and calm. I love my life regardless of all it's stresses and heartaches.

Besides, I just baked Eddie's flax bread and it's cooling on the counter. Now how much better can life be :)

Preparations for a new beginning

Went shopping this weekend for allowed foods: got bacon, eggs, headcheese, blood sausage, wild haddock, wild sole, wild salmon, pork chops, lettuce, avocados, tomatoes, feta cheese, cherries, borshch, sour cream, liverwurst, rye crispbread. No one was selling chicken livers so I'll head to the Chinese Super Market next weekend. They always have them. Also bought flax meal to try making Eddie's flax bread. I have this huge problem in that I love liverwurst but I like it on rye bread or bread or crackers and hopefully the flax bread will hit that particular spot.

Now I'm all set to start all over again. Set up a weight loss ticker (see above). This is only my 67th time that I'm starting over but I'm not going to stop until I've made it.

I eat when I'm bored and the two times I'm bored is when I'm at Bingo or at work. Now Bingo I have control over, I just don't go. But work is another story. I'm not busy enough not to get bored and I'm eating all the time. I even went into ketosis about a month ago, stayed on track for two weeks and still couldn't do it. At my age and the number of times I've gone on and off plan, I'll need at least four to six weeks to get to that great feeling. Two weeks wasn't enough. I was tired, hungry and not feeling great at all. The sleepiness around 2 pm was unbearable, just as if I was eating carbs all day. Plus I still wasn't sleeping, getting up several times a night. So this time, armed with what I know and food that I enjoy, I will try this again.

Only 599 days till retirement

But who's counting. I've been so busy lately at work mostly but these last 599 days are going to kill me I swear.

Last weekend I've titled "Mother's Day Blowout." There was no one to celebrate with so I said, "piss on it, I'm going to spoil myself." Tried two new restaurants  here in town. Friday night was Cafe de Sol, Mexican food. Now I was able to creatively not cheat by ordering the pork soup and skewered grilled shrimp. Saturday, was at the Zembaba Ethiopian restaurant and I had the minced beef, spinach, mushrooms and home made cheese, goat stew and green salad. Yummm!!!! Bought myself two huge hanging flower baskets for the balcony. Then played bingo 3 times and am bingoed out for the next year or so. Felt I needed it. Oh, and read a book or two.

The Significant Other

In my travels in the blogishere, I come across significant others eating garbage/carbage foods in front of their supposed loved one. Now if you are a significant other and see your partner losing weight, regaining their health, being happier, more energetic wouldn't you at least have the courtesy to eat somewhat like them when you are actually eating with them? You could always revert to eating garbage at other times if that is what you prefer to do.

I am a zero tolerance person I'm afraid. If my partner didn't respect my wishes they would know about it. Yes I'm a dictator and maybe that explains why I'm single, lol. But I believe in this way of eating so much that I figure anyone would benefit from eating this way. I can't see myself hooking up with a vegan for example.

Dictatorships aside, it all boils down to respect. If your partner is struggling with weight and health issues, it's only a matter of respecting their choices and not trying to derail them.