Yoga for Old Broads...

OK, I started my home video Yoga for Seniors program and got through 16 minutes until we had to go down on the floor into lunges. Enough for today :)

So I guess my plan is to try to get a few more minutes each day until I can do the entire 50 minutes comfortably. (may take years :( )

I will then tackle the Yoga for Menopausal Broads. Which looks way harder...

Now if any of you object to the term Broad, remember I am from the generation that fondly remembers South Pacific where the sailors sang "there is nothing like a Dame" and "she's broad, where a broad, should be bro..aaaaaaad!"

At the time, I made Twiggy look well-fed. I wore socks up to my knees to hide my skinny legs, wore long-sleeve shirts to hide my boney arms, and padded bras, stuffed with Kleenex. I wanted so much to be a Broad!

Boy did my wish come true.... It is funny, I still think of myself as that skinny little girl.

Hey Sandy....I dont' know what kind of yoga I am doing.....I went again today. It just feels so good to me because I'm so tense and unflexible but the class just makes me feel so hopeful and appreciative of my body if that makes sense.
However if someone showed me a video of myself I would probably die of embarassment because I'm large and awkward. We did shoulder stands today and I felt like my breast were going to choke me!
Just keep with it and I think you will get hooked. I wish my husband would try it.....I think it would be great for his stress and for his overall health......but no such luck.....yet.

CJZee, I've done a lot of research, and I think your doctor is wrong. It's up to you, but I would not listen to him. If you want to add some oatmeal, I don't see anything wrong with that, but I think it is better to eat primal. Overall cholesterol numbers are not what you need to worry about. Triglycerides are more of a concern than cholesterol. I have a degree in Nutrition and Food Science from years ago, and a lot of what I was taught seems to be wrong. One thing they did tell us, trans-fat is bad, and salt is not all that bad, is the only thing that turned out to be right. Doctors were taught the same things (such as grains should be a mainstay in your diet), and we believed it, but evidence is not showing that to be true. With your HDL at 70 and Triglycerides at 60, that is fabulous!

Thank you for your thoughts. The sad thing is, I thought I was doing wonderful with my bloodwork based on my HDL at 71 and Triglycerides in the 60s. But cholesterol is so complex, there are so many components to it, I don't feel totally qualified to self-diagnose.

I went to this doctor (who is supposed to be sort of an 'alternative' doctor) thinking that he would be more open-minded than my regular doctor who just wants to put me on a statin. But I think this guy just has a different agenda than the traditional guy.

You see, he is wedded to his low-fat, low-carb, low-calorie diet. Of course, I agree with the low-carb part, but not the low-fat and low-calorie part. He told me about how much weight people are losing on his diet and I looked at him like he was nuts and said, "Of course people are losing weight on 1000-1200 calories a day!" He didn't appreciate that.

I think he just wants to publish this diet as a book or a research paper. I also don't think he "heard" me. For example, I told this doctor very firmly when I first met him that I was very happy with my weight loss program, and I was only interested in lowering my cholesterol. On my second visit, he stated that I came to him to help with weight loss -- so he didn't even hear me before when I told him specifically I did NOT want help with weight loss, I was happy with how I have lost 90 pounds on my own plan.

It's really really hard to fly in the face of TWO medical doctors, though, who both seem to think that despite my great HDL and low triglycerides and Pattern A LDL that I still need to work on the 255 cholesterol.

So, in the short term until my mid-November appointment, what I've decided to do is this:
Eat the oat bran.
Use no-fat Fage yogurt and no-fat cottage cheese.
Quit eating eggs.
Use less fatty cuts of meat, chicken without skin, etc.
Eat the 2 servings of fruit per day, sticking with low-sugar fruits.

I am not going to cut my calories that low, but I will try to stick around 1500 or less. That was my previous low, and now I will try to make it my high. In terms of cholesterol, should calories make that much difference?

I am also going to watch my blood glucose carefully. I have done fabulously lowering my blood sugar with the primal diet and don't want to back pedal.

Thanks for your thoughts. I hope I am doing the right thing.

Cravings
 

CJ,

I pray that you do not get any cravings back. It is so easy to stay on Primal with the high fat allowance. I do not know if higher lean protein would be a good substitute.

I will be anxiously waiting to hear how you do because I just know my regular doc will be very upset with my higher LDL and Total Cholesterol numbers that I imagine I have from eating pork steak, bacon etc.

I do not intend to go back to him until I get to goal 'cause I just do not want to hear it. I need to get the weight off!!! I think then it might take a while for my numbers to catch up to the new slimmer me. Of course, I do not know this for a fact, another thing I just want to believe. I can't have abused my body for 50 years and expect everything to be great in a year or so.

I think you have made such great progress with your weight-loss. It would be a crying shame if you stalled or put on weight. Not to mention dealing with emotions such as anger, sadness, desperation and hopelessness (I am projecting). With your numbers, I do not see why he cannot let you get to goal and then reevaluate. I would kill for your HDL and TG. Your blood sugar is in control. I just don't understand.

Now I am getting mad....

CJZee, I understand he's your doctor, so you want to do what he says. Let us know how it works out. :hug: I have pre-diabetes, too. That is why I needed a plan I could do, and that is what prompted all of this research of mine. I wanted to be sure I was doing the right thing. My blood glucose and cholesterol numbers both came back normal, and my blood pressure is finally normal (something I have also had a problem with). I plan on calling the office to find out the numbers since they didn't tell me in their note (what a waste of paper).

Sparky, that is probably a good idea not to go back. I would hate to be put on meds when cholesterol is not really a problem.

Hi Sandy -- you have touched on the thing that scares me most about this plan and that is the mental aspect of it. It is so easy to get demoralized, especially when doctors do not seem to recognize what I view as some great accomplishments with my weight and blood sugar control.

The thing I love about low-carb is the lack of cravings and the feeling that I can eat if I need to without going into that horrible spiral. The foods we eat on primal somehow just do not contribute to "falling off the wagon" as they say.

Everything I have been reading says natural fats are good for you, and they certainly stop me from turning to the carby, sugary enemy. I will not hesitate to drop this "diet" if I seem to be losing control.

Thanks for your righteous indignation and for the "props" on my HDL and triglycerides and blood sugar. Makes me feel a little better. CJ

That's what I wanted to hear!!!

We know our bodies better than the docs. I probably shouldn't be encouraging you but I honestly feel your numbers are great and that cholesterol does not determine heart attack risk. I read that if you do a heart scan on folks whose cholesterol is high, you will catch 50% of the future heart attack victims. If you only check folks who have normal cholesterol, you will catch 50% of the future heart attack victims.

I am going to have a heart scan when I get down to goal as well. That seems to be the definitive screening and even then, you can supplement to reduce your score with extra fish oil, l-carnitine, niacin etc. based on your lipoprotein measurements (the VAP stuff). Those inflammation markers can be reduced by correct eating and supplementation. Sometimes a statin is a last resort but certainly not a first.

I actually feel pretty good about what I am doing.

I just had a MORBID THOUGHT.... Ever since Bob left us, I have been worried that he died. I have tried to find him, looking in directories near Death Valley. Don't know his last name so that makes it a little tough.

I would like all of us to tell our husbands that if something happens, for them to go online (after a period of mourning, of course) and tell the rest of us. With my inflammation, I could technically go at any time :).

I am not afraid of dying 'cause I believe in an afterlife. I am afraid of being in a lot of pain or incapacitated. Losing a leg to diabetes is much more frightening to me.

That's what I wanted to hear!!! We know our bodies better than the docs. I probably shouldn't be encouraging you but I honestly feel your numbers are great and that cholesterol does not determine heart attack risk. I read that if you do a heart scan on folks whose cholesterol is high, you will catch 50% of the future heart attack victims. If you only check folks who have normal cholesterol, you will catch 50% of the future heart attack victims. Hah! I love your encouragement!

I am going to have a heart scan when I get down to goal as well. That seems to be the definitive screening and even then, you can supplement to reduce your score with extra fish oil, l-carnitine, niacin etc. based on your lipoprotein measurements (the VAP stuff). Those inflammation markers can be reduced by correct eating and supplementation. Sometimes a statin is a last resort but certainly not a first. I actually had a heart scan about 6 months ago and my score was "3" which I understand is very low.

I actually feel pretty good about what I am doing. And you should!

I just had a MORBID THOUGHT.... Ever since Bob left us, I have been worried that he died. I have tried to find him, looking in directories near Death Valley. Don't know his last name so that makes it a little tough. I worry about him too. After the gout episode, he just dropped off the board. I especially worry because he said he would rather die than stay fat (not me).

I would like all of us to tell our husbands that if something happens, for them to go online (after a period of mourning, of course) and tell the rest of us. With my inflammation, I could technically go at any time :).
Do you have high inflammation? How do you know?

I am not afraid of dying 'cause I believe in an afterlife. I am afraid of being in a lot of pain or incapacitated. Losing a leg to diabetes is much more frightening to me.
We are all here to get healthy, and we are.

Thanks for your kind thoughts (is your name Candace?) I just want to be healthy. It is frustrating that things that makes so much sense online are not supported by the docs.

This concerns me. There is an article in the November Atlantic that touches on this - biased medical research and shoddy recommendations in order to get published, promoted, blah, blah, blah. I am feeling very stupid and cannot figure out how to post a link, otherwise I would.

Anyway, you know how I feel. I am glad to hear that you will get off this diet if it doesn't feel right. I suspect you'll be back to primal soon. I would love to have your HDL and to have my fasting BG under control. I sense you will do the right thing for you!;)

Chocolate Report

OK, I went to Cost Plus and purchased very important items - chocolate and red wine! Hubby and I had a little chocolate tasting session for dessert last night.

First, we each had a square of the 99% chocolate from Cost Plus. It is their own brand and $1.99 for a large bar. I thought it was good, but I am a dark coffee, dark beer, intense red wine kinda gal. Hubby didn't like it. However, it was so intense that I was easily able to stop at only one-half of a square, even though I ate my whole square.

Then we each had a square of Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's 85% bar. It's roughly the same size bar as the Cost Plus bar and $1.49. This tasted very sweet and fruity after the 99% bar. This is what I usually eat, and if I eat three squares I feel like I have really treated myself.

The final bar that we tasted was the Cost Plus 64% with sea salt. Sadly, this was my favorite and I just about finished it off today. Probably won't be getting another one of those for a while. I love the combo of salty and sweet ... mmmmm.

We saw a bar of bacon and dark chocolate that looked oddly appealing (salty and sweet). I may have to buy it next time I'm at Cost Plus, just to try. :D

Hi CJZee...I've been in your shoes before. It's hard when you look up to a doctor/authority and then come to find that you may know more than they do.

I'm having this problem now. I joined this free health assessment/program that my husband's company has just so I could have a chance at winning a free IPad. Anyway all it consists of is a monthly phone call from a health professional to discuss my health problems. So far I just tune her out because I can tell she is reading from her computer screen and it's stuff I already know about (migraines, perimenopause, etc). This month we move on to my weight and it's all about more grains, less fat, more exercise, less calories. I guess I'll just let her say her schpiel (sp?) and I'll do whatever I want and hopefully have some progress to show her. I guess that sounds rude and I mean no disrespect to this woman but I truly don't agree her.

I agree with most of you on this board that this way of life truly does seem to be the healthiest way to live and the weightloss is bonus.

CJZee, just hang in there and keep us posted.

Sandy, I too often wonder about Bob. If you ever find anything out, let us know. I hope he is doing well.

sf40: Did you ever try those chocolate/coconut oil candies? The recipe is in the primal recipes thread. I make them all the time and think they are delicious. Of course I use stevia in mine though because I need the added sweetness. Just a thought.

Speaking of missing persons...SUSANnnnnnnnnnn!

[QUOTE=CJZee;3526018]I actually had a heart scan about 6 months ago and my score was "3" which I understand is very low.


A heart scan of 3!!!! For crying out loud. That is also amazing!! The guy is in it for a piece of the diet scam money or a testimony for his book. Or worse yet, he actually believes the crap he is recommending. Which means he could harm a lot of folks.

My inflammation markers are high: high C-Reactive protein, High Homeosistene (sp), High Lp(a) - genetic, and high apo thingy. My glucose has been going up as well as my a1c. My HDL is good, could be a little higher. My Pattern is A, large fluffy. My Trygl. bounced all over the place in the past but are now down to 114 and could go lower the longer that I am on Primal. I also had a CIMT (carotid artery scan). One side is clear and the other has some blockage. I am 64 and have the arteries of a 70 year old, before I began Primal. We shall see.

I just finished Dr. Davis's book on Tracking Your Plaque. Because I already know my lipoproteins (all the stuff above). I am putting together my supplement plan to address those markers even before I get a scan.

The Lp(a) is inherited and is the toughest to fix. Bio-Identical hormones are said to be one of the only things to lower the number. So I am going to see my little Asian gyn. tomorrow. She is so tiny and smart. And I trust her to interpret my tests.

One more odd thing. My husband is 70. His testosterone has been decreasing slowly over the years into the way low area of the chart. His last test (he's 75% primal) shows him back into the normal range. Yikes!!!

If all of a sudden my ovaries start kicking out Estrogen, I will absolutely believe this diet is the fountain of youth.