Diet and food

[Marguerite]

A favourite after-school treat in Australia - celery sticks spread with Vegemite. To get the Vegemite exactly right (spread very thin) you need to use a finger, not a knife to spread it (a knife would spread it far too thick). In that quantity the celery flavour mostly swamps the Vegemite, but the salt in the Vegemite is just the right amount for the celery. The combined flavour is very popular here.

In that amount, the salt content is fine, even for low-salt diets. You'd use a lot more salt using a shaker.

I'm glad you're enjoying the brown rice. It IS filling, isn't it?

From all the info I've been given - the fastest way to fix a fatty liver is to lose weight.

The glucose tester - they keep making them simpler and simpler. Since you, like me, probably learned back when it was complicated, it could take a bit of fiddling with it to work out how to test it.

What sort of glucose test strips are used now? The ones I remember, you could also read them off a scale on the side of the bottle.

The other problem I remember - you need to have an easy and reliable technique for doing the finger-prick. I could never do my own finger, manually. I had to use one of those little snappy gadgets, where you press a button and the little machine ambushes your finger for you. I could do someone else's finger manually, just not my own. It was as if there was an invisible barrier between the lancet, and my target finger.

One more reason to avoid diabetes!

Marg

 

[dreamer]

well, LOL, I have been playing with this meter all evening. LOL. Now mind you when I was still working, I used an entirely different type meter, and sad truth is I HATED sticking people..LOL. I really thought I would do fine doing my shots, but- I found I depress plunger SO slowly! Yeesh! I do not ever mind getting shots from anyone else, but, noone here will do mine, so it takes me some time, and so I feared the lancet for the glucose meter....especially becuz I always felt the lancets can hurt more than a shot or blood draw. Maybe that does not make sense, BUT.....what can I say?

So, the meter is a very very plain simple (cheap cheap) one....Partly chosen becuz I paid out of pocket for it and the strips, and also chosen for the cheap strips for it. The meter gives me a digital number....
as for lancet? LOL- I just finished....LOL- and yes, I kept moving my finger away..yes it is a triggered thingie---LOL and I had to set my finger on table becuz I kept pulling my finger away, too funny, and to my surprise, it did not hurt at all, thought I had missed yet again! LOL.
Well, maybe if I do too many eventually it will hurt more, but this one did not hurt at all. YAY!
BUT......to calibrate the test meter- it was not coming up right, I cleaned the whole thing and you have these control fluids to double check. It took a bit to get it to be right......but now I am not sure it IS right becuz......2.5 hours post dinner, it says my level is 63. Um, I do not think so! UNless I have too much insulin and am not useing it or whatever.....
So, at the moment I am once again angry at darned GP......frustrated......and LOL. How goofy.
I am not gonna worry about it much, tho-----becuz I FEEL ok. SO maybe it is just this machine, LOL. Or my lack of knowledge in useing it.
This whole entire situation is just....well, interesting, I guess. LOL.
I also got a couple more books etc about nutrition etc. SO before I go to sleep, I am gonna try to learn more. Seems I was seeing something about too little fat?

I keep saying- so much to learn, and everytime I think I have learned a little more, I learn I have even more than I realized still to learn, LOL. Nutrition is such a HUGE subject!

That Vegamite does sound .....interesting.....

Hey, I was thinking all week hwhat a bummer it is that it is hard to find turkeys when it is nott a holiday and lo and behold, today my grocery did have them! On special sale, even. SO Sunday we are haveing turkey. Not a full blown meal deal, but- we are gonna have turkey. Thats one food the whole family loves, and I do not baste it with butter and I only like white meat..LOL. I really like it shredded on a lettuce salad.

 

[Marg's Man]

Dreamer,

Give the Vegemite a miss unless you get a chance to sample it for free. In the States it's only available as an (expensive) import to supply homesick Aussies.

Marg and I have had many international visitors and NONE have like it. To my mind it tastes a bit like soya sauce but only if you put the right amount on (whatever it is that you are eating). Use too much and it tastes just what it looks like - a cross between axle grease and salt.

Marg's Man

 

[Marguerite]

He's right - that's why I keep emphasising, if you ever get a chance to try it, make sure it's spread VERY thin.

Something I meant to mention about testing your blood - if you have to squeeze your finger to get enough blood out of the hole you made, you often can dilute the sample without realising. If you're not getting a big enough drop of blood - sorry, you need to stab again. So if you got a level which seems too low, that could be why.

We used to do glucose tolerance tests as a class demonstration, usually three subjects per class (and often two classes per day). We had a lot of practice and also learned what NOT to do!

Marg

 

[Marguerite]

I was just posting on this in another forum and the comment was made that they didn't think Reductil was available in the US.

This would be very unusual - with all the effort and money a company puts in to develop a new product, they're not going to waste that effort on a tiny market like Australia, as a first run. No, we generally get new stuff much later. Sometimes years later, as with Concerta for example. We've only had that for a year or so.

So I did some digging and found that it IS available in the US, but by the name Meridia.

Here is a link, FYI.
http://www.inhousepharmacy.com/weight-loss/meridia.html

I hope I didn't cause too much confusion.

Marg

 

[dreamer]

Hi Marg and everyone,
I have not used any of those types products, and am hoping i will not feel a need to. Time will tell, I suppose.
I am holding the weight steady.....no gaining, LOL. I am still being very rigid and strict, but I did decide to up my fish/chicken intake slightly, as it had been at 3 oz per day. Now I am doing 4-6 oz per day.
I have now added measureing my waist etc in the morning, as well as checking blood sugar several times a day and trying harder to keep fiber intake high. So far so good....BUT I am finding that the days my pred is lower (alternating days) I feel more pain. I just cannot get the dose lower without the pain and inability to use certain body parts.
I still am not sure my meter is OK, my blood sugar is NOT ever high AT ALL. Not even after my pred. It is holding steady at ALL times at 70-90. My blood pressure seems to alternate some, lower every other day...but the highest it has gone is only 128/86. And it only went that high once. Usually it is 110/76 to 120/80.
Sooooooo, maybe my rigid dieting is working, or maybe my doctor was reading someone elses values or maybe the lab made an error or maybe my meter AND my blood pressure cuff are both wrong? I don't know. MY GPS office has signs plastered all over saying do not call to ask for lab results, they will MAIL them within 10 days...do not call until you waited 2 weeks. Well, I did talk to them by phone, after much phone tag with them not useing the correct phone number, even after I gave it to them AGAIN and told them to use it....and the info they gave me by phone did NOT match the info (sample menu) they sent me in the mail, over a week later.....and remember, they did not say Oh you ARE diabetic, they said I should be ashamed of myself for drinking when I have hepatitis and diabetes. In spite of my chart clearly saying I do NOT drink. AND my chart never said I had ever been diagnosis'ed diabetes or hepatitis before.....so at this point I do not know WHAT to think, except I need a different doctor. ANd am not haveing any luck finding one local to accept Medicare. Yeesh.
I was sitting here remembering the GP being very odd when I went in for my appointment....before he even HAD any values for blood pressure, triglycerides, etc, he was trying to get me to agree to TAKE a statin and a blood pressure medication.....THEN he was not wanting to DO any lab work......
My last visit with him was equally as bizarre, and upset me quite bad. At the previous appointment he informed me I was NOT his patient anymore becuz it had been 2 years since he saw me....well, I have been in the practice, seeing his partners, becuz they were in and he was not, and I had no general problems, and his partners were my specialists at the time. This time when I saw him he was nasty and said well why ARE you here? Yeesh, um becuz aren't there things you do like on an annual basis or every 2 years or something? Um, I am here becuz my rheumy thinks I should see you? I am here becuz my last visit with you you said I let too much time go by in between seeing you?
UG.

So I am still basically on my own, becuz I just have difficulty with him and his strange attitude. While I TRY to find someone new.

Marg, I DID make teriyaki/fresh ginger salmon Fri and it was AWESOME! I also had these frozen vegs that are mixed with beans of different types and assorted vegs- LOW calorie HIGH fiber, low low sodium, and LOL they were on special sale, LOL. I gingered those a little, too. LOL and then stirred in a little bit of the leftover brown rice. (Just a little)
And yes, I cooked it in foil. LOL. Quite yummy!
I am now finding it difficult to go over 1,000 calories, I did not mean to be at or below 1000 but....I get full. The vegs are filling me now. So, I had been keeping a journal of everything, and now I consult it often thru the day to determine what I have already had (which food groups) what I still need.....(do I need more servings of vegs? Did I get enough fiber? Have I had any dairy at all today? how much sodium have I already had?)
Becuz I have now been feeling sated, I have been paying more attention to makeing sure I AM getting a good blend of what I need.....and am now focusing on making what I do eat count.
I have a small notebook, I think at stores they often call them memo pads....it is maybe 4 by 6, and each day I use one page, and have a certain place for morning weight, morning BiPolar (BP), my measurement, and then room for my food diary.....at the end of the day (or next morning) I total up various things, such as calories, grams of fiber, sodium, how many servings from each food group etc. and my blood sugars are on there, too, several times per day, starting with before breakfast and ending at bedtime.It SOUNDS time consuming, but, I am getting the hang of it, and have my own little routine, already. It no longer takes as long as it sounds like it might.
I have been running up and down stairs to my basement (holding both handrails, but putting LOTS of energy into it), becuz it has been nasty cold, flooded alternating with snow---and so far my legs remain unaffected. (YAY) and still at store, I park FAR from doors, and power walk perimeter inside store, as well, LOL.
(with the cart in front of me for balance)

So far I am not weary of the food issue, probably becuz there are so many foods new to me that I am finding that I like, LOL.
I also continue to read more and more, about all the diabetic diets, triglyceride diets, special things for autoimmune disorders etc etc....well, no, not "diet" but healthier eating.

So, I think I am not doing too bad. I am hanging in here, anyway.

 

[Marguerite]

You sound like you're doing really well, I'm so pleased for you.

Glad you enjoyed the fish parcel - next time, try it with chicken. I get chicken thigh fillets, marinate it in teriyaki (with a splash of sesame and garlic this time, as well as the ginger) then I pan-fry it in a non-stick pan (no need to add any more oil).

The sugars in the mirin (or sherry) tend to caramelise and the chicken can go almost black where this happens. I often take the chicken out of the pan and set it aside on a plate, then I make a thick sauce of the marinade/cooking juices, then put the chicken pieces back in to coat them.

After that, the chicken gets sliced thinly and used in burrito salad wraps. You can use slivers of fresh ginger in the burritos also. Leftover chicken goes in the fridge. When hungry I take out half a thigh fillet, slice it thinly, microwave it to warm it, then make burritos again - any time.

The kids love these, I have to stop them eating the chicken on its own and being responsible, eating it with salad and burrito instead.

Your BiPolar (BP) - normal upper limit is 140 over 90 (or it used to be when I was studying). But you sound like your normal is on the low side, 110 over 65 is my usual. So when it goes up to 140 over 90, I worry even though the doctor says it's OK. Not OK for me, buddy!

Your GP sounds like a nut. Or it could be that files are consistently getting mixed up. Personally, I would go in to see them in reception with a copy of your test results (when they arrive), talk to them about what they said over the phone and ask how often they make assumptions like that; could they have been ringing you, but with some other patient's file? They gave you wrong information, by the sound of it, which aside from being upsetting (with what they said) could have led you to make changes in your medications or other aspects of your care, which were potentially harmful.

If they had someone else's file it could well have been that they thought they were talking to a patient who IS someone who drinks when they shouldn't.

Can you switch to one of the other docs in that practice that you were seeing? Or are you just fed up with them and want to move on? If you move on, find someone you are comfortable with and then ask for your records to be sent over (or at least some medical summary).

To find a good doctor, sometimes asking the local pharmacist can be a good start. Ask friends, neighbours.

If your prednisone is still needed then hey, it's still needed. Is there any other way to deal with the pain and inflammation? if not, then you may have to just stay on that level for a while longer.

It's funny - when I was on prednisone, it seemed to make my pain worse.

I see my neurologist tomorrow and the GP day after that. My weight is coming off faster now, about half a kilo a day. I actually ate more yesterday and so far today, I also did a lot of reading online to get a better understanding. According to Mayo Clinic paperwork, there is NO correlation between fatty liver and eating a fatty diet! I feel vindicated! But there IS a correlation between being overweight/obese and insulin resistance. Losing the weight should mobilise the fat from my liver and hopefully also lower insulin resistance.

I won't know until more blood tests are done, in a few months' time.

I hate being made to feel guilty for my medical condition, but if I deserve it then fair enough. But not if I don't.

Marg

 

[dreamer]

yes, I bet the parcels would be good with chicken. Tonite we had turkey.....I made something very different to go with it- Lentils! The kids thought it quite amuseing, we have only had lentils in soup- but we all got quite creative with playing with the lentils, LOL

So the day was a wild roller coaster full of interruptions, mini disasters and scheduled events all day etc and meals kept getting interrupted etc....so by now I realized I had only taken in maybe 400 calories. I also did well with blood pressure - and my sugar has stayed low-----
I decided a treat was just the right idea for tonite. I had gotten these 100 calorie packs of cupcake things- and sat down with those and 4 oz skim milk? Ready to treat it as the luxury it was supposed to be?
Joke was on ME! LOL. The cupcakes while made by my fav co- were NOT satisfying AT ALL, LOL- they did not taste "bad" but-----they just were NOT quite "right" So- I wound up NOT eating them, after all, LOL! (a month ago, I woulda ate them anyway)

My blood pressure generally is 130 / 80 at docs office, and has been most of my adult life.....which, I guess NOW - here at least- someone has decided is the new "HIGH" blod pressure? But yes, when I was in school that was not so high....not great but not considered "bad" and thats all it was when I was in GPs office last when he wanted to medicate me for it, right from moment he walked in exam room. BUT now- already......I am getting much lower readings, and not just at home with my cuff, but also at the pharmacy machine, LOL.

My eye doctor today had my chart, shared chart with GP- and eye docsnurse opened it to let me confirm GP had not had me confused with someone else, and on my lab results page, doctor had written for nurse to have me come back for repeat labs in 3-6 months. He had also circled and written on my lab work that the liver and blood sugar were most likely related to my RA/Lupus medications........so I do not know what that twit nurse was talking about when she talked to me.
In any event, the whole thing WAS a strong wake up call......and I AM commited to eating healthier.......and I think so long as I have so much interesting and new to try- it will help me build better habits. so yeah I am still tracking everything, still trying hard.....and trying to remember the focus is not only on weight alone, but everything combined and fats or sugars or calories are not all there is to any of it.

when I was very young, (mom sent me to streets at age 12) I learned hunger is a STRONG motivator to find and keep a job......and it also helped me work however many hours it took to do so-----becuz I had nothing to falll back on.....well, now I think I am finding fear of ill health is also a great motivator sometimes (I still smoke in spite of loseing far too many intimate loved ones to lung cncer and even being their daily need care providers while they were at their ends) I so far (knock on wood) do NNOT feel deprived, I do not pout or grumble and tell the kids, "no, I cannot have that"- instead it comes out a very sinceere nah, I would rather have this. and it is the truth. I really have wanted this instead. I think that part surprises me most.
Ah, but...I KNOW it is still all SO new.....I know my interest will eventually wane.....the excitment will wear off some. But right now, I think my hardest thing is eating when I should----to help prevent not eating something that is not so good for me becuz thats all that is available. Or becuz all of a sudden I am far too hungry to prepare something proper. (remember, I was used to eating once a day, but a very large meal at that time) Soooooo I have been cutting up vegs etc ahead of time, and haveing brown rice or dried beans precooked and at the ready....and it really DOES help- a LOT.

tomorrow me and the kids might experiment with garbanza beans-----chick peas.....