Too "cute" not to share! I [jo] recently ordered reduction elements from Lehman's for Tylor & Molly's Berkey [to filter out the fluoride and such since they are on city water], and while I was ordering, I looked around and found the Lodge Cast Iron Mini Wok - it's 9" and has a 2 quart capacity. I just LOVE IT!!! It seems the perfect size for a side veg dish, or for a main meal for one or two people. I have an old, bigger cast iron wok that is just too big for 1 or 2, so I have not really been using it much at all over the last few years. Now I can use this :) :) :)
And then another purchase that showed up at the same time was my Redmond's Real Salt order. I couldn't resist getting the mini shakers, and while I was at it I ordered a mini shaker holder. Perfect for on the go ... Jason at the tire shop will be glad to see some kind of distinguishing feature on the van key instead of just a random key with no chain, no trinket, etc. I mean, who just carries around a key with nothing on it??? Me. But not any more! Now I'll be sporting a salt shaker. ;) I can't even tell you the last time I had a key ring? And WHY do I do that? Not sure.
I ordered other things from Redmond's too ... like a 25lb bag of salt, the little individual paper salt packets [cheap enough to buy some out of curiosity], and their organic seasoning salt blend.
Health update ...
In my last post I mentioned going to get lab work results from my new holistic doctor / NP. I'll share about that now. I'm sure most of you know by now that I've been in some sort of health crisis for the last 10 or so years. I literally just deleted several paragraphs of a recap of the health struggles I've gone through ... details really do not matter, so I'll make a broad, sweeping stroke here and say: at my worst I was not able to even walk to the mailbox & needed a cane, walker, or wheelchair [depending on the activity]. Much more time was spent in bed or in a chair than up and about, and I would have to set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes when I was up because that's all my body could handle. It was CRAZY! My legs were not working much at all, but there were lots of other problems, too. In short, after 5 or so years of seeing neurologists and MS specialists, the MS specialist in St Louis said: Primary Progressive MS. I quit seeing them about 5 years ago, and that's all I'll say about that.
A few months ago a friend told us about a holistic place in Springfield, MO. I set up an appointment and saw the main lady, Keri, for the initial appointment and lots of blood work. I feel like I have come so far on my own ... I mean, I can even walk 2 miles each day!!!!!! Obviously I'm doing SOMETHING right! I still can't quite wrap my mind around it - going from not being able to walk down the driveway to the mailbox, to being able to walk 2 miles. The only thing I need a walking stick for now is on uneven surfaces [like hiking, which I still do not have much strength to hike the harder trails, but I'm working on it!], and I really, really have to be careful walking down anything ... down a slope, down stairs. I HAVE TO watch my feet or I will fall. There is some sort of permanent disconnect between my brain and my feet and they just wont do what they are supposed to in certain situations. Anyway. I went back last Monday [not yesterday, but the Monday prior] for the lab results.
My vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and antioxidant levels are EXCELLENT ... except 2 B vitamins and something else I forget right now. They were all within "normal" or "acceptable" range, however Keri has her own idea of what "acceptable" is, and wanted to see me higher in those 3 things. She said my diet was perfect, and gave me a schedule to follow for intermittent fasting [I.F.]. Her recommended schedule is as follows:
I.F. 5 days a week: 4 of those days are to have a 16 hour fasting window, and the other remaining day a 20+ hour fasting window.
No I.F. the remaining 2 days, but of course be sensible and no snacks between supper and breakfast.
So here's my new schedule:
Monday: no food until 3pm. Monday is my 20+ hour fasting day
Tuesday - Friday: no food until 11am
Saturday and Sunday: no I.F. / breakfast at about 8am
I never eat anything past supper time anyway, so I'm always done eating no later than 7pm.
Some of my hormone levels and 2 of the thyroid tests were a little low - again, still inside the "acceptable" range, but too low in her opinion. She gave me a few supplement suggestions. I'm following her suggestions for supplements and have follow up lab work set for the end of March. Then I'll go back to talk to her towards the end of April to see where I'm at.
SOOOOOOO ... in general I'm definitely on the right track. Even my blood sugar levels, A1C, etc were PERFECT. For those who do not know, I was "boarder line" diabetic for my entire life [meaning, I always tested at the top of "pre diabetic" or just inside the "diabetic" range and the doctors even thought I had Adult Onset of Type-1 Diabetes] up until about 6 or so years ago when I learned how to really control my blood sugar with a lower carb diet. My body did not do well on the keto diet (I did "nutritional ketosis" for about 3 years ... "nutritional" because it was not "junk food keto" ... all whole foods, home cooked, etc.). It did an excellent job of keeping my blood sugars in check, however I just could NOT keep the weight on. My lowest weight was about 95 pounds. So, I say "lower carb" instead of "low carb" or "keto". Some days I just naturally tend to eat hardly any carbs at all, but other days I do have a small amount in a meal or two. I don't avoid them on purpose, but when I do eat them [like rice, pasta, sourdough bread, etc], I have a small portion and don't "pig out" on them. I do really well on this kind of diet :) Lots of veg, good fats, good proteins, some berries each day, and I usually avoid all other fruits except the berries. I hardly ever have sweets [was like that my entire life because sugar makes me sick], but when I do it's just a small amount. And by small, I mean, literally just a few bites.
Anyway, there's a health update for those of you who have been wondering! And another tidbit for the curious: I eat out when I have to, but I really try to eat healthy. It does not always work, and I enjoy the occasional small container of french fries [yum! always a favorite of mine], but here is an example of a healthy road-trip meal. Recently Brianna told me about Panda Express or Panda House or Panda Wok or whatever it's called. You can get a "bowl" a "plate" or a "big plate" or something like that. The bowl is 1 main and 1 side, the plate 2 main 1 side, and the big plate 3 main 1 side. I think I have that correct. The side choices are rice, noodles, or "mixed vegetables". Check out the "mixed vegetables"! WOW! Lots of broccoli, some cabbage, and some kale. I chose the "plate" option so I could have enough for 2 meals.
Well, I guess that is all I have to say for now! :) :) :)
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