This yellow flower reminds me of a "happy" flower.
 |
| The Dahlia. Just the perfect thing to gaze upon on a rainy Vancouver day! |
Please be sure to check out more beautiful flowers by clicking on the badges below.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Macro Flowers ~ October 21, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
A Wee Bit of Good News
Every third month I go to a diabetes workshop run by my doctor and the medical clinic's nurse. I missed the last workshop and so it has been six months already since I was there last.
At the workshop we get a little education and each member of the group is provided with their updated cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and weight numbers. We are also given any shots we might need.
I was a bit anxious over my numbers as the last time I went my blood sugar was a little higher, again. My blood pressure was also a wee bit elevated. I had also gained weight since the last workshop I attended.
I was happy to find that my blood sugar levels have in fact improved and I am nearing normal. My weight has returned to where it was, however my blood pressure has gone up a bit more. I'm not sure if it was hidden salt in the breakfast I ate and the coffee I had within half an hour of being tested, the white coat syndrome or just rushing to get to the clinic on time. They let me rest awhile when I told them I felt my blood pressure was high and that it didn't usually get that way. Sure enough my blood pressure was elevated. I guess this is what they call prehypertension. My blood pressure is not yet at the level considered high but it has been elevated more than not, on my last several visits to the clinic and something I need to get a grip on. Now.
I think if I continue with my new dietary habits, get more fibre and get a bit more exercise and practise deep breathing, my blood pressure should come down. I guess my real challenge is that I continue to have leg and mobility issues and that affects my ability to exercise or even get around as well as I need. But assuming I can do some light exercise and all the other "right things", my blood sugars should also continue to improve in addition to the blood pressure.
I also asked my doctor to reduce the cholesterol medication I have been on. I asked for it to be halved since I feel it is too high. The medication is causing cramping in the legs and the problem seems to be getting worse after months of no side effects. She agreed to reduce my dosage. I guess we will see how this affects my cholesterol levels the next time I get a full blood work up next year. I am really hoping by then that I can go off this medication altogether.
At the workshop we get a little education and each member of the group is provided with their updated cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and weight numbers. We are also given any shots we might need.
I was a bit anxious over my numbers as the last time I went my blood sugar was a little higher, again. My blood pressure was also a wee bit elevated. I had also gained weight since the last workshop I attended.
I was happy to find that my blood sugar levels have in fact improved and I am nearing normal. My weight has returned to where it was, however my blood pressure has gone up a bit more. I'm not sure if it was hidden salt in the breakfast I ate and the coffee I had within half an hour of being tested, the white coat syndrome or just rushing to get to the clinic on time. They let me rest awhile when I told them I felt my blood pressure was high and that it didn't usually get that way. Sure enough my blood pressure was elevated. I guess this is what they call prehypertension. My blood pressure is not yet at the level considered high but it has been elevated more than not, on my last several visits to the clinic and something I need to get a grip on. Now.
I think if I continue with my new dietary habits, get more fibre and get a bit more exercise and practise deep breathing, my blood pressure should come down. I guess my real challenge is that I continue to have leg and mobility issues and that affects my ability to exercise or even get around as well as I need. But assuming I can do some light exercise and all the other "right things", my blood sugars should also continue to improve in addition to the blood pressure.
I also asked my doctor to reduce the cholesterol medication I have been on. I asked for it to be halved since I feel it is too high. The medication is causing cramping in the legs and the problem seems to be getting worse after months of no side effects. She agreed to reduce my dosage. I guess we will see how this affects my cholesterol levels the next time I get a full blood work up next year. I am really hoping by then that I can go off this medication altogether.
This bit of good news made my day.
 |
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!
Monday, October 17, 2011
A Delightfully Refreshing Juice
I experimented today and it led me down an interesting path.
While I was out at the supermarket buying mushrooms for my stir-fry veggies, I decided to pick up some watercress, guava and small, fuji apples
Tonight's juice consisted of all of the above, plus some spinach, parsley and two small green pepper.
Watercress and other cabbage greens are among the most highly nutritious vegetables. They provide an excellent source of vitamins B6, C, manganese, and carotenes. Greens in the cabbage family also provide a very good source of fiber, iron, copper, and calcium. The greens are also a very good source of vitamins B1, B2, and E. Greens like these provide almost three times as much calcium as phosphorous. Great news because high intake of phosphorous is linked to osteoporosis. As a member of the cabbage family, watercress also has anticancer properties. Caution. If you have hyperthyroidism you should avoid eating watercress because of its high iodine content.
I bought the guava today because it's ripe scent was wafting under my nose as I stopped near it to pick up some bananas. Watercress has a bit of a sharp taste so I thought guava would be just the thing to tame it down. Guava is a tropical fruit that has a green rind, white or pinkish flesh and small seeds. It is preferred by many people over oranges because it has more Vitamin C. The nutritional content of guava includes calcium, potassium, iron, folic acid, nicotinic acid, Vitamin A and B, Vitamin C and fiber. All these minerals and nutrients are great for the body.
Guava can help with many health issues, including: constipation, colds and coughs, controlling high blood pressure, weight loss, improve appearance of the skin, improve poor circulation, and battle type 2 diabetes by lowering blood glucose. Not to mention, it's taste is so tantalizingly different from all other fruits I've eaten.
While I was out at the supermarket buying mushrooms for my stir-fry veggies, I decided to pick up some watercress, guava and small, fuji apples
Tonight's juice consisted of all of the above, plus some spinach, parsley and two small green pepper.
Watercress and other cabbage greens are among the most highly nutritious vegetables. They provide an excellent source of vitamins B6, C, manganese, and carotenes. Greens in the cabbage family also provide a very good source of fiber, iron, copper, and calcium. The greens are also a very good source of vitamins B1, B2, and E. Greens like these provide almost three times as much calcium as phosphorous. Great news because high intake of phosphorous is linked to osteoporosis. As a member of the cabbage family, watercress also has anticancer properties. Caution. If you have hyperthyroidism you should avoid eating watercress because of its high iodine content.
I bought the guava today because it's ripe scent was wafting under my nose as I stopped near it to pick up some bananas. Watercress has a bit of a sharp taste so I thought guava would be just the thing to tame it down. Guava is a tropical fruit that has a green rind, white or pinkish flesh and small seeds. It is preferred by many people over oranges because it has more Vitamin C. The nutritional content of guava includes calcium, potassium, iron, folic acid, nicotinic acid, Vitamin A and B, Vitamin C and fiber. All these minerals and nutrients are great for the body.
Guava can help with many health issues, including: constipation, colds and coughs, controlling high blood pressure, weight loss, improve appearance of the skin, improve poor circulation, and battle type 2 diabetes by lowering blood glucose. Not to mention, it's taste is so tantalizingly different from all other fruits I've eaten.
 |
| The result, a light green, creamy and refreshing drink. |
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Good Eating Continues
I made some awesome veggie soup today. I put a cup or so of pearl barley in a pot with about 8 cups of water. While I waited for this to boil I cut up one pork loin chop and fast fried the chunks. Then I cleaned, sliced and chopped the following vegetables:
- 2 small onions
- a few stalks of celery (the last of them from the middle part)
- 2 skinny carrots
- about 1/4 of a small head of cauliflower
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 medium russet potato
- a few broccoli florets
- 6 radishes cut into thick slices
- small amount of chick peas left over from my hummus
After the water began to boil I put in the onions, celery, carrots and pork cubes and boiled them all until tender. I added some light soy sauce and Himalayan crystal salt sparingly as flavouring. I didn't add too much because I wanted the taste to come from the vegetables.
Once this mixture boiled and the barley began to soften, I added all the other vegetables and cooked them just until they began to soften. Then the soup was done. This is perfect soup for the cooler weather we are now experiencing. The days are either filled with wind and rain, or they are a bit mixed with sunshine and cloud and a hint of chill. We are gearing up for winter and if advance reports are to be believed, it is supposed to be a cold one!
While the soup was cooking, I whipped up some batter for some fried bannock bread. This was made with 2 and half cups of whole wheat flour and about 1 and a half cups of white flour. Add a bit of salt and a few tablespoons of baking powder. After mixing these dry ingredients together add just enough water to make a soft but not sticky dough. When the water is all mixed in you can determine whether you need more water, or more flour, to make a nice soft dough. You will have the right consistency when the dough does not stick to your fingers or the counter top when you pull it apart.
Next, roll the dough on the countertop and cut off some pieces off to flatten. After you cut off a piece, flatten it between your hands or press it against the countertop. Then make a few cuts through each piece so that it will cook evenly when fried. Heat some oil in the frying pan and let it get hot, then lay a few pieces of the dough into the frying pan. When the dough begins to rise, which will only take a short while, turn it over carefully so you don't splash oil on yourself or onto the burners. Once the dough is cooked on both sides, place each piece of cooked bread on a paper towel to blot out excess oil.
Tips: Too much loose flour on your dough pieces will burn in your oil and begin to smell so do watch carefully. Also, I find that the mixture with the whole wheat will burn easier than using white flour alone, so don't leave each piece to cook too long on one side. You will know when it is done by seeing the golden brown colour. In my case, you will see the dough is a little more than medium brown. It is not burned, nor does it taste burned. If you like your bread lighter, the oil must be very hot when you put the dough into it or it will take too long too cook or it will not be cooked through when you take it out. Finally, your dough will rise quite a bit due to the baking powder. If you want a bread that is less high, then be sure to roll it out or pat it out more thinly before frying. If you are diabetic like me, limit yourself to one bannock bread at your meal or as a snack. Traditionally this bread is eaten with butter on it or jam, or sometimes both. Enjoy!
I thought I would end this post with something different. It captures in a short video why I am changing my diet and why I'm finally getting serious about finding more and more ways to reduce bad fats, increase good fats, eliminate junk and artificial sweeteners and add more good nutrition through fresh and wholesome foods.
- 2 small onions
- a few stalks of celery (the last of them from the middle part)
- 2 skinny carrots
- about 1/4 of a small head of cauliflower
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 medium russet potato
- a few broccoli florets
- 6 radishes cut into thick slices
- small amount of chick peas left over from my hummus
After the water began to boil I put in the onions, celery, carrots and pork cubes and boiled them all until tender. I added some light soy sauce and Himalayan crystal salt sparingly as flavouring. I didn't add too much because I wanted the taste to come from the vegetables.
Once this mixture boiled and the barley began to soften, I added all the other vegetables and cooked them just until they began to soften. Then the soup was done. This is perfect soup for the cooler weather we are now experiencing. The days are either filled with wind and rain, or they are a bit mixed with sunshine and cloud and a hint of chill. We are gearing up for winter and if advance reports are to be believed, it is supposed to be a cold one!
 |
| This soup was very delicious and the whole wheat fried bread was tasty too! |
While the soup was cooking, I whipped up some batter for some fried bannock bread. This was made with 2 and half cups of whole wheat flour and about 1 and a half cups of white flour. Add a bit of salt and a few tablespoons of baking powder. After mixing these dry ingredients together add just enough water to make a soft but not sticky dough. When the water is all mixed in you can determine whether you need more water, or more flour, to make a nice soft dough. You will have the right consistency when the dough does not stick to your fingers or the counter top when you pull it apart.
Next, roll the dough on the countertop and cut off some pieces off to flatten. After you cut off a piece, flatten it between your hands or press it against the countertop. Then make a few cuts through each piece so that it will cook evenly when fried. Heat some oil in the frying pan and let it get hot, then lay a few pieces of the dough into the frying pan. When the dough begins to rise, which will only take a short while, turn it over carefully so you don't splash oil on yourself or onto the burners. Once the dough is cooked on both sides, place each piece of cooked bread on a paper towel to blot out excess oil.
Tips: Too much loose flour on your dough pieces will burn in your oil and begin to smell so do watch carefully. Also, I find that the mixture with the whole wheat will burn easier than using white flour alone, so don't leave each piece to cook too long on one side. You will know when it is done by seeing the golden brown colour. In my case, you will see the dough is a little more than medium brown. It is not burned, nor does it taste burned. If you like your bread lighter, the oil must be very hot when you put the dough into it or it will take too long too cook or it will not be cooked through when you take it out. Finally, your dough will rise quite a bit due to the baking powder. If you want a bread that is less high, then be sure to roll it out or pat it out more thinly before frying. If you are diabetic like me, limit yourself to one bannock bread at your meal or as a snack. Traditionally this bread is eaten with butter on it or jam, or sometimes both. Enjoy!
I thought I would end this post with something different. It captures in a short video why I am changing my diet and why I'm finally getting serious about finding more and more ways to reduce bad fats, increase good fats, eliminate junk and artificial sweeteners and add more good nutrition through fresh and wholesome foods.
More of Seton Lake
The other day I featured a few sky photos, taken on the drive from Vancouver to Seton Lake, near Lillooet. I thought it would be good to post more photos of this spectacular area as my submission to this week's Scenic Sunday Meme. I do hope you enjoy them.
I think these photos will give you a sense of the driving conditions and the mountainous terrain.
You can see that there are some extreme switchbacks in the road.
If you look in the far distance, you can see the blue plastic shelters (around the middle of the photo). Those are Aboriginal fishermen of the St'a'imc (pronounced Statleum) First Nation, who have set up camps to do their annual food fishing for salmon.
Here is a closer view...
and here are the fishermen right on the water (below). It can be dangerous as the river is very powerful.
Fishing for salmon may be the
most important part of the First Nation's culture in in this area. The people used different styles of harvesting the fish
including spears, dip netting, and net fishing. This annual fishery is called "food fishing" and is distinct from fishing as a commercial venture, and distinct also from the sport fishery. The annual food fishery is protected by the country's law and is a much fought for right of the First Nation's people.
Much of the salmon harvested in the summer months is preserved for the winter months. Aboriginal people preserve the salmon through wind drying and also through smoking it. Of course, the people also have the option today of freezing it and canning it.
Whatever way you eat it, it is delicious. Thank you for stopping by and reading my post for Scenic Sunday. I encourage you to click on the badge below and join in all the fabulous posts from around the world.
You can see that there are some extreme switchbacks in the road.
If you look in the far distance, you can see the blue plastic shelters (around the middle of the photo). Those are Aboriginal fishermen of the St'a'imc (pronounced Statleum) First Nation, who have set up camps to do their annual food fishing for salmon.
Here is a closer view...
and here are the fishermen right on the water (below). It can be dangerous as the river is very powerful.
Much of the salmon harvested in the summer months is preserved for the winter months. Aboriginal people preserve the salmon through wind drying and also through smoking it. Of course, the people also have the option today of freezing it and canning it.
Whatever way you eat it, it is delicious. Thank you for stopping by and reading my post for Scenic Sunday. I encourage you to click on the badge below and join in all the fabulous posts from around the world.
Photo credits: my brother
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
A Perfect Gift
Hi friends and fellow bloggers, I hope you are all doing well on this last weekend of April. I'm doing well. I'm trying to make the...
-
After some glorious sunny days, it started to rain again as is the norm in our Winter on the West Coast of Canada. It rained qui... -
This is a lovely gospel song sung in Swahili and has special meaning for me. It is special because on my first trip to Kenya a gr...
-
"Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world." -- GEORGE BERNARD SHAW Cli...
