Another quick flyby. I took DGS to work and I have to go back and get him here pretty soon. He is going to learn you can't depend on other people. I think he is popular because he has a car, but now that he can't drive his, no one wants to help him out like he does others when he is able to drive. I remember I had a car between Thanksgiving and Christmas when I was in college. I had more friends the few weeks I had a car. I wasn't crazy I knew they weren't real friends. They weren't friends before I had the car and quickly disappeared when I came back to school without it. He lets his school work go etc because he wants to be with his friends. The kid he thought would work Mon and today was a no show. It was optional as to whether they worked or not and his friend is spending the spring break studying. I hope he begins to see how things work and I will definitely be glad when he gets his insurance so he can get his license back do this running for himself. He goes back to live on campus Sunday night.

I am happy to say that the ticker is correct again and I hope I am passing through as I go downward. I could see 227 any time now. Haven't eat out this week has helped a lot. My fbs was back down to 157 this morning so that is good too. So keeping the fiber between 25 and 35 g with an occasional 40 g is working. Trying to get the sodium down. I finished off the low fat cheese and am eating the full fat now. Just have to look at the labels for sodium more these days.

I looked at the oops bread too. Thinking about trying it. I saw one that is made with psyllium so I'm thinking you might could put flaxseed in it for fiber and have more control over the sodium.

Carol Sue I thought of you yesterday when I read an article somewhere online. I think it was on MSN.com telling people "eat this instead" type thing. It said to eat eggs for breakfast because it will keep you full longer. I know my DS who is a trucker driver says that he has learned that when he eats a breakfast with eggs that he can go longer without having to stop to eat. I've gone back to eating my eggs again and I am into Jimmy Dean's less fat sausage patties. I only eat one patty a day and I add 1 some times 2 slices double fiber bread and SF/HF Polaner preserves for 8 to 13g of fibers.

Hope everyone has a nice day. I've got to get going so I can get ready to go get the kid. Just found out as I started this post that I have to go get him and I've got a kitchen to clean up before I leave.

Another article from the Healthy Living Newsletter today that I thought y'all would like.

8 Foods That Help Lower Cholesterol

By Arthur Agatston, M.D., Special to Everyday Health

From beans and legumes to red wine and chocolate, food and drink can help you get your cholesterol levels down.

My patients often ask me if there are any foods that can help with reducing high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This is the so-called "bad" cholesterol that can cause artery-clogging plaque to form in your coronary artery walls, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. My answer is a qualified "Yes," since high LDL can be the result of many factors, including poor genes, obesity, and lack of exercise. For this reason, not everyone will react to dietary changes the same way, and optimal LDL levels are different for every individual.

Frequently, too much LDL is the result of a diet rich in saturated fats (usually from animal foods such as beef, butter, lard, and whole-milk dairy products) and trans fats (found in processed and fast foods). Eliminating these foods from your diet is a good first step in improving your LDL. Then try adding some or all of the following LDL-lowering foods every day. If you're already on a statin, dietary changes may help you reduce your dosage, but never reduce or stop taking a statin drug (or any other heart drug) without first consulting your doctor.

Beans: Pintos and Garbanzos Stand Out

All types of beans and other legumes — pinto, red, white, navy, black, garbanzos, limas, and lentils, for example — are excellent sources of soluble fiber, which binds to cholesterol-laden bile salts in the small intestine and promotes their excretion along with waste. When this happens, the liver must use more cholesterol to produce more bile salts, therefore lowering the amount of cholesterol in the body available to make LDL. Studies indicate that consumption of as little as 1/2 cup of cooked beans per day can lower LDL cholesterol by an average of 8 percent. Pintos and garbanzo beans seem to have the best effect.

Apples: Fiber and Antioxidant Rich

As with beans, apples are an excellent source of LDL-lowering soluble fiber, primarily pectin. Research also shows that eating an apple a day (or better yet, two) can slow the oxidation of LDL cholesterol thanks to antioxidant polyphenols found primarily in the skin (so don't peel them). Antioxidants are important because when LDL cholesterol interacts with free radicals to become oxidized, it is more likely to promote inflammation and plaque build-up in the arteries.

Nuts and Seeds: Protein Plus

Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds are all excellent sources of protein, heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. When substituted for saturated fat in the diet, nuts and seeds have been shown to help lower LDL cholesterol (and total cholesterol) without affecting levels of good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Since nuts and seeds are calorie-dense, you'll need to limit your daily intake to about 1 ounce (1/4 cup) and also make sure the nuts aren't salted or coated with sugar.

Oats and Oat Bran: Just a Little Every Day

Oats and oat bran contain beta-glucan, a water-soluble fiber that has been found to help reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol circulating in the blood. Studies show that a daily intake of at least 3 grams of oat beta-glucan may reduce LDL cholesterol levels by 7 percent on average. That's the amount in 1/4 cup of uncooked oat bran (enjoy it as a hot cereal or add it to smoothies and baked goods) or 1½ cups of cooked steel-cut oatmeal. It is also believed that polyphenolic antioxidant compounds found in oat bran, called avenanthramides, can help prevent inflammation and plaque build-up by keeping blood cells from sticking to artery walls.

Green Tea: Loose Leaves Work Better

All varieties of antioxidant-rich tea (white, black, green, oolong) can help lower LDL, but green tea, which is particularly rich in the powerful antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has shown the best results in lowering LDL levels — by about 2 percent. Unlike other teas, which are made from fermented leaves, green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG from being oxidized. While some studies have been done with an intake of 7 or more cups a day, drinking a few cups of green tea daily should help and will keep you from getting too much caffeine. Preparing your green tea with loose tea, rather than tea bags, provides more EGCG.



Red Grapefruit: A 20 Percent Difference

Eating just one red grapefruit daily for a month can help to lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 20 percent, one study showed, most likely due to the liminoids and lycopene found in the pulp. Grapefruit also contains the soluble fiber pectin, which contributes to LDL lowering. Because grapefruit can enhance the effect of certain heart medications, such as statins and calcium channel blockers, if you're on one of these drugs, check with your doctor before eating grapefruit or drinking the juice.

Red Wine: A Toast to Resveratrol

A plant-based chemical known as resveratrol, found in the red grapes used to make red wine, has been shown to lower blood levels of LDL cholesterol. It also appears to protect against coronary artery disease, thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, a glass of red wine with a meal can help prevent the constriction of blood vessels that can follow a fatty meal and lead to atherosclerosis and heart attack. If you don't drink, don't start now: You can get resveratrol from red, black, and purple grapes outright, and from blueberries, cranberries, and even peanut butter. If you do drink, limit your consumption of red wine to one or two 5-ounce glasses a day.

Plant Sterols and Stanols: Watch Your Portions

Plant sterols and stanols, collectively known as "phytosterols," are substances that are naturally present in small quantities in vegetable oil (corn, soybean), nuts, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and even dark chocolate. Studies show that consuming 2 grams of sterols/stanols daily can lower LDL cholesterol levels by an average of 6 percent and perhaps by as much as 14 percent in as little as four weeks. This blocks cholesterol absorption in the small intestine, which in turn helps lower LDL. Because it is difficult to get this amount directly from fresh foods, many products are being fortified with sterols and stanols. These include vegetable oil spreads (choose the light varieties), orange juice, and fat-free milk, among other products. Look at labels carefully, since the calories in many of these products can add up quickly and sidetrack the best of heart-healthy intentions.

Since I am starting back on my exercising, I have switched back to my exercise avatar, but it's still me!

Trish, thank you for posting all the information. Yesterday I made tacos and put some black beans in mine, and did not get the pains. They are not my favorite bean, but go good with tacos. Beans can be added to a lot of foods.

I really miss my grapefuit and grapefruit juice because of taking statins. When I worked at the pharmacy I read on their website to "avoid drinking a lot of grapefruit juice, such as a quart or more per day." I mentioned that to one of the pharmacists and he still insisted that I should not be having ANY. I used to buy those little cups of grapefruit slices that are only a cup or less, but he yelled at me for it. I wish I knew I was OK having that. I love it because of the tart taste.

So many people tell me that my Smart Balance Heart Right Light is margarine and I should avoid it because of trans fats, but I cannot convince them that it does not have trans fats, but plant sterols that are good for heart health. I just keep doing what I know is ok. I did the research.

Carol Sue I also love grapefruit especially the red/pink ones. However, I read on Webmd, I think it was, where they had people in So. Africa who ate a lot of grapefruit. Those who started taking Metformin began to have dizzy spells and they traced it to the grapefruit. I asked the pharmacist and my doctor who assured me that I could have it, but I am afraid to use it too much. I don't want the dizzy problems. Good for you for doing your exercises. I am having to make myself do mine this week since I have had to run DGS places. I did my 3 miles in 27 minutes Monday then skipped Tues and Wed because I just didn't have the energy. We ate out today so I knew I had to do it. I got carried away watching a program on tv and reading a book that I was shocked to learn that I had done 4 miles in 37 minutes. I have to do at least one more day this week and hopefully I will have the energy to do 2 more days.

My calories and fiber are starting to fall in place. Today's totals are 1673 calories and 44 g of fiber. I've been having a difficult time trying to eat less sodium. I am happy to say that my sodium was 1782 g way less than the 2300 daily allowance. Don't know if I can do that everyday, but at least I know it can be done. I think I forgot to tell y'all yesterday that the ticker below is finally correct and the bouncing that usually takes place after going lower, but this time it bounced in the tenths not lbs. I attribute that to my new way of eating. I can honestly say that for the most part this new way of eating is beginning to really work for me.

Rennie, Fatmad, Ruthie and others

Trish, I agree that you are doing well. We have floundered here for a while, trying this and that, so I'm glad to see you have finally found what works. I know what works for me but have difficulty sticking to it.

I called the PCP for a script to get my bloodwork done for my A1c and thyroid. I know it isn't going to be pretty, but I have to get it done and face the consequences. I have a chart here that shows average BS to A1c, and I think my A1c is going to be around 9. I really hope not, but my sugars have been running really high. They never told me what my A1c was when I was diagnosed and I wish I knew. It has been running around 6-7 since then but recently my BS has spiked and won't come down.

My husband's blood pressure has been up lately and he's blaming it on my cooking. LOL Isn't that how it goes? His weight is up a little and if he loses that, his BP will come down, but he doesn't want to hear that, of course. Since I don't like a salty taste, I do not salt when I cook. I leave it up to each individual to add salt if they desire. My family knows that and is used to it. But he has a tendency to reach for the salt shaker before he takes the first bite. Also, he eats a lot of processed foods which are full of sodium. This is his issue. I have my own to worry about. I care, but it's his responsibility.

Carol Sue I do try to help DH with some things he eats especially what I cook, but I told him when he was diagnosed with diabetes that I would help him make changes but I would not police what he ate. I told him people have always done that to me and I don't like it so it would be up to him to decide what he wanted/didn't want to eat. My previous (now deceased) hubby's doctor told us he could trade things off as he had CHF. I kind of let Tony do that. I do give him advice, but he knows that the final decision is his. They are strange creatures aren't they.

I am so excited about how things seem to be working for me. I've decided that keeping all my numbers within allowed on MFP. I actually have my plan for today and the calories are 1224 and fiber is 35 g and sodium under the 2300. I have to share with you what happened last night to help me decide how to make this work.

I saw an interesting thing on FB about Glenn Beck and what test results revealed about his health. DH looked it up on his website and we read and listened to what happened to him day before yesterday. I feel free about sharing this since it is on his website. He has had a lot of tests run over the years and doctors told him to change his diet. However, this news was a little different for him.

He went some place there in TX and had tests done and the doctor's actually told him that he is "being poisoned". It turns out the foods he eats are becoming poison in his system. He read off ALL the foods he CANNOT eat. He thought they were going to tell him to go Paleo, but many of the foods allowed on Paleo he can't eat such as tomatoes, bananas, etc. I can't remember all the foods he can eat except that he has to eat range fed beef, etc and his fruits are limited and his veggies are more like greens. No grains, beans, dairy etc. Nothing processed. He put a word out for a chef who can cook for him and even travel with him. DH said to me "He can't even go eat in a restaurant any more. He can't eat hardly anything".

I did notice that he has Neuropathy. I think I've had a touch of this for years, but never find any doctor who takes it seriously I guess because I can still feel things when they test me. His situation helped me to see why it may be necessary to eat less processed food. I do still want to eat some of the double fiber bread, but most of my fiber from now own will come from fruits and veggies. I can't hire a chef to cook for me and hopefully at this time I'm not as bad as Glenn is. But it really shows me why it is important to eat more of a unprocessed low carb diet. I really think eating this way will even lower my sodium intake. So I will be working at eating this way.

Just thought his story was interesting enough to share. I think I heard in years past that he was also diabetic although he didn't mention it this time. I saw some important lessons to learn here.

Have a nice Friday.

I will look into the information about Glenn Beck. My son listens to him on the radio all the time and swears by everything he says.

I got my script from the DR. I was going to go for bloodwork this morning but we have to go to get my GS at 9 AM and that would be too much running around. Monday will be soon enough.

Good morning. Thought I'd better check in before I get kicked out!

I've not been on the scale since I had my tooth appointment. It did not go well as the offending tooth cracked as they were trying to remove it. however, my perio persevered and got it out. Then he did a bone graft, covered it with my gum and a membrane and that was "it". It has to heal completely before he does the implant and that'll be 4 months!

In the meantime, I am not to chew on that side until the stitches come out on April 2 and am on anti-biotics and pain killers. I don't feel that badly but am finding food a problem. There have been lots of soups and overcooked pasta but I did re-discover tapioca and made a pudding using Splenda. That was one of my childhood favourites and a comfort food!

A challenge tonight as I am going out to dinner at my friend Liz's house. They are serving BBQ salmon which will be challenge but I am hoping they will be serving buffet-style so I can take just a small amount and remember to chew with just one side of my mouth.

Sure has been a rough month. Aside from losing my darling dog, I have dealt with three funerals and will probably have another one before the end of the month. I definitely need real spring!

Ruth, I'm sorry to hear of all the difficulties you've been having. It's good that you're getting that tooth taken care of. It's very hard to remember to chew only on one side. I would do my best to eat that salmon! It's one of my favorites!

To All: I was reading the March issue of Prevention magazine and they had an article called "7 New Food Rules." They're not all new, but I did learn some things from it. This is my paraphrased version.

1. Cook real food. We already know that's best...cooking from scratch instead of using processed foods.

2. Buy the best food in the store. From that I learned that tiny tomatoes like cherry or grape have more lycopene, which lowers cholesterol.

Fruits should not be ignored in favor of veggies. They should be equal because fruit has more antioxidants than veggies. This excludes bananas, my favorite.

Whole carrots have more nutrition than baby carrots, and should be scrubbed, not peeled. (I usually buy baby carrots but will try mature carrots.)

Cook bold onions and eat sweet ones raw. (I only buy regular yellow onions for everything.)

Buy bunches of spinach and whole heads of lettuce. The bagged ones have less nutrition.

Eat artichokes. They have more antioxidants than any other veggies, including eggplant and red peppers. (I buy frozen and cook them with my roasted vegetables.)

3. Eat your bacteria. That sounds gross, but they are talking abut salt brined pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi and yogurt.

4. Cut down on meat. Giving up meat and cheese one day a week can reduce your sat fat by 15%.

5. Ditch dieting. If you cultivate habits than become automatic, such as having a protein packed balanced breakfast, eating something green at both lunch and dinner, if you have good habits at home you can socialize and eat freely-without counting calories and without forbidden foods. So eating what you like at a get-together with friends or family is not a no-no. (I would like to add that just make sure what you eat is not a trigger food for you.)

6. Eat your way well. Use foods than are known to heal. Many foods work to keep a good immune system, such as omega 3, celery, tumeric and cumin, parsley, EVOO, and chick peas added to your dish provides lots of fiber that keep you from having blood sugar spikes. They also mentioned smoked black cod, sprouted rye bread, cabbage, cauliflower, miso, and mushrooms as being very important to your health. ( I have cauliflower, mushrooms, and cabbage, but have never tried the others.) Ginger and fennel, walnuts, dark chocolate, kale, whole wheat pasta, chili peppers were also mentioned. Lots of good, healthy food.

7. This rule named 10 people, chefs, nutritionists and other professionals who each had tips and pointers on how to eat healthier.

I used to prescribe to Prevention, but quit because the current issue would be on the news stands long before my issue came in the mail. I have bought a few back issues at Goodwill, but recently decided to prescribe again and give them another chance. There are many good, informative articles in it.

Here I am again with another link fromWebMD. I love WebMD. They have such good information. I signed up for email from them, and have learned so much!

I eat most of these foods, so why am I still fat? Because of the foods I eat with them, that's why.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slidesh...0yNm4PCC9sE%3d

Ok you ALL have been busy and it's late. I will catch up later

Fbs finally back down to 115, it had been in the 130's and I think 145 one day.

Weight is crazy up to 167.2 today but I will make these last days of March 2014 count

Have a great night

I wrote a post yesterday and messed up on it some how. I hit some key IDK what I did, but stopped and never got back to it.

Ruthie Always good to see you when you check in. Miss you and Fatmad when y'all don't check in as this thread was headed up by the 2 of you for so long. Y'all are extremely busy ladies which i also good, so hope you two will always pop in when you can. You are very much missed.

Carol Sue Thanks for the info and website. I get a newsletter from them from time to time, but not much on dieting. DH has looked things up on it and everything seems to be info on joints/arthritis that we get. It mentioned some foods like Greek yogurt that I don't like, but some on the fiber thread add their Polaner preserves to theirs for fiber and I thought of trying it some time. I do love grapefruit and found info on that interesting. I have another website I've been checking out and thought of ordering their magazine called NutritionAction.com. They do have a lot of good information on healthy eating. They claim not to get any funds from federal government etc for their research. I found it quite interesting some of the foods they warn us about, but they also give alternatives to use instead. Example, I've noticed that some foods that advertise even on the boxes that they have more fiber etc, but when you read the label many times they have less than 1 fiber per serving. Nutrition Action will tell you which food does this and then tell you of a food that is a good alternative with less calories, fat (the kind of fat), amounts of protein and how much more fiber. Very helpful. You might want to check it out.

I used to take Prevention. In fact, at one time, they had a diet called the No Willpower Weight Loss Diet. I've never seen it again. I tried it and it really worked. You didn't have to count calories or anything. You started your meal with soup. They said the fat in the soup was good for you and the soup helped fill you and prepare you for other food. You followed that with your main course (protein) and then ate veggies and here's the weird part was that you ate a salad after the meal and finished your whole meal with a slice of whole wheat bread. As I write this, I now see all the fiber I was eating in one meal and the weight was just melting off. I quit taking Prevention magazine because I was into "Health Food Store" guidance/ideas at the time and they stopped trusting Prevention when a bunch of doctors bought it out. They didn't trust the doctors to follow Preventions original protocol. However, the book I told y'all about that tells us to eat fiber to control diabetes is from Prevention magazine. They do know there stuff.

Rennie Don't give up and be patient with yourself. You don't have a whole lot to lose and sometimes those are the most stubborn. It will come down, your body is just adjusting itself and if you have yo-yo dieted like I have, I think your body has to know that although you are still dieting that now you are NOT going to starve it. It has to realize that it really is going to get fed. Our bodies or so difficult to understand sometime. Congratulations on the fbs being 115. I would say that is a good sign that you are doing something right.

Well, I changed my ticker. I've now lost a total of 12 lbs this year with a new low of 226.8. I still use MFP because it seems to have a better list of foods on it. However, I did go over to Livestrong when reading an article from there and put in my info and it showed that if I would eat between 1400 to 1500 calories a day that I could (?) lose up to 2 lbs a week. I didn't change the 1670 calories allowed on MFP, but I'm going to shoot for 2 lbs a week. I was going to switch to stricter low carb, but as Hubby #2 would say, "if it works, don't fix it". I can always go less in the future is I need to, but right now I'm keeping my fiber between 25 and 40 and calories within the 1670 calories. FBS has been in 140's this past week. My activity has been good. My goal has been 27 minutes (3 miles) 3 times a week on stationary bike plus about 35 minutes of other activities. I did 2 days at 27 min (3 miles) and 2 days of 37 min 4 miles on the bike. Saturday, I not only did the 4 miles on the bike but walked about an hour shopping as well as my 35 minutes of other things. So overall, I was pleased with my week as well as rewarded for my efforts. Rennie I haven't been able to get down this low in weight in well over a year. I spent most of that time bouncing between 231 and 238. I think my body finally knows it can trust me to feed it when it signals me that it is hungry.

Carol Sue I am back to trying to learn to ONLY eat and give my body fuel when it signals it is hungry (IE) and eat what it wants and stop when satisfied. One of the rules from the article you shared sounded a lot like IE.

Have a great day everybody.

I got my lab work done this morning, so now I will wait for the call from the doctor. I hope he will agree to let me take Amaryl again instead of trying something new. The hospital put me on it in the beginning but he took me off it when my bs was running good with Metformin. I would rather try a generic med like that before I go to something more expensive. I will have to check my bs more often for lows, but I think if I can get the bs to come down, then I can work on keeping it down and getting back off the meds.

Rennie- I think you said you were once on insulin but not now. I thought once you were on insulin you had to be on it for life. I don't trust myself to be on it. I would be afraid to go to sleep for fear I would have a low and not wake up. My son's FIL had a bad low in the middle of the night. Luckily, his wife woke up and realized what was happening and called the ambulance. That scares me so much, but apparently not enough to get me to do what I'm supposed to do.

I hate Diabetes.

Thanks Trish

Carol Sue I was on insulin with my last two pregnancies in 2000-2001 and 2003-2004. I didn't have diabetes after I had them. I was just told to watch it. Then in 2011 I tested high but was told I didn't need insulin which I actually asked for.

I usually exercise on the recumbent bike after lunch when I'm through cleaning up the dishes. Today, I made the mistake of watching a couple of movies with DH and suddenly realized it was after six and I hadn't done anything especially the bike. I was so exhausted, but I needed to ride it. I folded some clothes that I didn't fold yesterday while trying to trying to tell myself that I really needed to do it, however, in reality I wanted to take a nap. I am so proud of myself tonight because I not only decided to ride it and did 4.5 miles in 40 minutes. I was so tempted to go 5 miles &/or 45 minutes, but I have to build up to it because of my knees. I am going to make it my goal to do 45 minutes on the bike and once I reach that I will continue riding 45 minutes 3 - 4 days a week.

I was talking to my oldest son (who has become my cheerleader) Saturday when I rode 4 miles. I wasn't sure I could do the 4 miles, but he told me I could and cheered me on. Then when I did it, he said, "Mama, I am so proud of you and you should be proud of yourself too. Do you realize that there aren't many people your age who can do that?" Sure made me feel so good. I just had to share this with y'all.