Are we living our dream?

[Medicine Woman]

Well after a week at the fort I am back home. I wasn’t feeling well so I tested and it was then negative. I had chills and DIL checked my temperature which was only 98.2 but I don’t know because I was tired and freezing cold. I forced myself to do anything I thought needed to be done. I went to bed very early and was out in no time and by the time DH called me from the closed visitors center I was in a sweat. I am coughing a bit. I assume I just need to stick to myself for a few days. The middle child did test positive while I was there. Poor baby.
DS called me on FaceTime from field training like he was freezing to death. It’s currently 36F there and 53F here.
We lost all the ducklings and chicks we ordered for last week and we ordered more and they haven’t yet arrived. I swear if we lose again I will just load the incubator and ask for a refund.
Here is my green beans, cucumber, onion and celery with their friend the Venus Fly Trap.
How do y’all like my version of recycling?

 

[Medicine Woman]

I am sure I will eventually turn them in for recycling but if I can get a few meals out of them, I might as well.
I really gotta go in the backyard and take a few pictures of what DH has put together. He said he made a hoop house greenhouse in one day. I hung a batch of clothes and went to it, found my way inside and took a chair and waited for him to join me…all smiles and telling me about his experiences. It’s rather damp and windy and feels colder than it really is but it was okay inside. I told him if it actually makes agriculture easier for older people who have seen better days then it’s awesome. So he spoke about ventilation and ways to keep it warm and we just hung out. It’s framed up with treated 2X8s and cattle panels and covered with clear plastic.

 

[tortoise]

You'll get the most benefit from changing the type of oils/fats you use, reducing your overall inflammation (via reducing sugar), and increasing your HDL (via reducing sugar) IMO. The LDL particles were are concerned about for health risks are the small particles that carry oxidized oils that the body can't use. These lodge in inflamed endothelial walls and cause problems. The problem is two parts - the oxidized oils stuck in LDL particles and the inflammation.

A big thing we can do is to switch to oils/fats that are not easily oxidized. The easiest way to remember is hard fat = good, liquid oil = bad. There are 2 exceptions. cold-pressed, unheated olive oil is good, and cold-pressed avocado oil is good. Avocado oil is more stable than other liquid oils and tolerates heating with less oxidation than others. It's also expensive.

Coconut oil, butter and any fat you can save and render will be the least expensive ways to switch to stable fats that don't oxidize easily. It takes time for your body to get rid of the oxidized fats already circulating in your LDL.

Going low carb will increase your HDL cholesterol. Some people see an increase in LDL too, but that's because the body is using fats for energy and is TRANSPORTING them. That's the large LDL particles. They do not represent increased risk.

Going low carb will reduce your insulin which reduces sodium retention which reduces fluid retention. If you can reduce your insulin you can lose a lot of weight right away which is encouraging. (and it totally counts) but you will "regain" it if you slip up and increase your insulin. ... and lose it when you get back on track and get insulin down. I retain 4 - 6 pounds of fluid when I eat poorly! Larger people retain/lose more. If you feel dizzy or unwell when going low carb, increase sodium consumption. 5 grams a day is pretty normal on a true keto diet. Easing into low carb is recommended whenever possible.

 

[tortoise]

Yeah I can do it but DH and I work against each other on diet. So living with him requires lots of self discipline. He just sits there and starts talking about bread pudding and anything for a sweet tooth. I have been over weight for a very long time but since I have been with him, it’s reached dangerous levels. Plus he is a really great cook.

Tell him your boundary "don't talk to me about junk food" or whatever, and then every time he does, you can walk away. Put ear plugs in your pocket or purse for times you can't walk away, like in a vehicle.

You can't control what he says, but you CAN control what you listen to.

 

[Medicine Woman]

Today was hard. I caught a chill and was tired but I do get tired usually by the 2nd day of cutting out the starches. I am not even on the second day though. I took a breathing treatment and refused some fresh baked bread. I am probably about to boil a bunch of eggs for salads. It’s crazy but it always looked like the starches did me in more than sugar. So poor DH spoke to shut me up when I was talking to DS, about a financial matter (I have always been his financial adviser) and I told him not to interfere with my conversations with my son and I am afraid I hurt his feelings….badly. So now I have to reassure him that he matters to me. A salad and a back rub might help So I think I best plant more stuff from the seed bed. Some of my salad garden is getting big and wants some pebbles. I see flowers about to show up on one cucumber and green bean plant.
Maybe I go for a prayer walk in the dark.

 

[Medicine Woman]

I know it’s getting late but we have to make sure the ducklings have water and then we normally bring Trouble for a run. She got dirty 2 nights ago because she saw a raccoon crossing one of the bridges in the back and I just knew she couldn’t resist. She must have dove for it. By the time she came to the truck her paws were all muddy and I made her come home in the back of the truck. Bad puppy. So we brought her to a much more tight run last night. Probably about to repeat. DH is in the zone. Playing with his phone. He found a special on Ideal. Apparently he can create whatever 15 chicks he wants for $32. Well my eggs are cooling and I have planted 2 milk jugs and a soda bottle with green beans and cucumbers in pebbles and Miracle Grow. I am afraid I must have killed my lettuce and have to start more. Really weird times I decide to get farm chores done. I managed to get a make up appointment for DH with his cardiologist and got after his PCP about a sleep study so he can get a new CPAP. Hoping to get some good going for him. He said he doesn’t feel well so I might be going solo with Trouble.

 

[tortoise]

i really didn't want it, but i also hate wasting food so i will not throw it away

I grew up poor, and this mindset was the main thing standing between me and being healthy. It took a lot of doctors bills to get over it really. My mantra was "I am not a garbage disposal." It took a long time - years.

Now when I'm grocery shopping I'm saying "I'm either going to pay for groceries or doctors."

 

[FarmerJamie]

What's a chaffle? The CH makes my mind veer off to Chaffhay. That comes in a mix for people now?

Waffles made basically with egg, cheeses, no flour. Low carb options

 

[tortoise]

the obvious one that comes to mind is that they're all the same sex.

ooo, good point. Sexing babies can be tricky. I'm pretty good but I've had a few surprises!

 

[tortoise]

So maybe what we need is good record keeping and careful feeding at certain times a day.

I don't want to admit how long it took me to figure out this sentence was about rabbits.