Hypertension. Ideas and a Theory.

So, have talked with my husband and his brother (who has a degree in body training, nutrition and all that great fun stuff) and he says that eating the way I am is SUPER healthy, Loves that I'm filling up on clean carbs, but that I need to eat more often. I told him to suck it, I'll eat when I'm hungry and only then, AND that I dont have insane needs to shove food into my mouth over and over again because of blood sugar issues.

BUT~

We also did the 'pow-wow' about my hypertension.

I have NEVER had high blood pressure. After my 4 month stint of my heart working out of control to try and pump what little blood I had in my body THROUGH my body, its been HIGH. out of control high. It was just that I wasn't having it checked very often.

We are thinking that it is possible that my heart was damaged during that time. I did almost die. I should have been dead, but I'm too stubborn to give in. My poor dr doesn't even know what to do with me.

I felt fine today. Went to get my patches, tested my blood pressure and it was 147/89 My HUSBAND had BETTER blood pressure than I did! And he's on medication and ALWAYS high!

If all of my other tests had come back funky, I would have thought that it was because of that, but come on? Are we just seeing the first steps of horrible damage that my heart has caused itself? My blood work is NORMAL. GOOD normal. My dr was in shock of how well my blood work came back. Told me that with better sleep and continued exercise my good cholesterol would continue to go up.

And I know that I am just rambling, but I'm kinda scared and don't really know what to do about it. I'll ask my dr when I go see him with my husband on the 26th (he wants both of us in there) and if I freak out before then, I can always call the office and bug him over the phone. I have my ob appointment on Wednesday, so that will help a bit... We'll see...

Sorry to be so freakish. I have to get it out somewhere...

Its working!!!

So, I've done some major change though my diet in the last few weeks.  Sticking with what I feel works best for me.  and its WORKING!  I'm down 4 pounds this week.
Went to the dr yesterday to get a letter for my landlord so that I can have my dog come live with us as my emotional support service animal.  Its a much needed thing.
I also had lab work done.  its all NORMAL!!!!  My Ha1c is 5.2 (higher than my lowest of 4.5 six years ago)  but lower than the 6.5 it was before I went into the hospital.  My CBC Hemoglobin has gone up another point to 14.5 (YAY!!! This is amazing after being at 3.9)   Said my LDL is a bit low, but that will fix itself with better sleep and continued fitness exercise.
Crappy news... He diagnosed me with hypertension.  My blood pressure was 157/95.  O_o  I had a headache that caused blurred vision for 3 days.  He is prescribing me with a super low dose of Catapres patches for a month, because he imagines that my blood pressure is due to stress and perhaps my birth control pills.  I have an appt with my OB on wednesday.

So, Its moving forward!!!
*YAY*

Its what's for dinner~

I didn't take a picture, it just wasn't so colorful and pretty, and I don't feel very well anyhow.  Still have a headache and still haven't gotten to the store and the pharmacy still hasn't filled or received my prescription.  Even though I've called 4 times and each time they've sent it over and they aren't getting it.  *grr*

BUT~ Dinner~
Butternut squash, boiled gently with spaghetti sauce on the top!  Ground lean beef in tomato puree with lots of seasoning and a bit of coconut amino's.  mmmmm...


I'm ready for bed, but since Joe is not home, and have no idea of when he is going to be home, I can't go to bed and leave the children to their own devices.  So, I will do Brocc's reading with him and keep going till they go to bed...

Confirmed again~ I am a freak of nature.

My dr has once again confirmed that I am a freak of nature. That I am atypical and that my conditions are atypical and that I'm hard to know how to treat. I'm not a bad freak of nature, I'm just odd. He's fascinated with me, and that's good. He also CARES about what happens with myself and my family. He sees all of us.
I've got high blood pressure. Its oddly high, and that's NOT ok since I am on BC pills. Yes, I have an appointment with my ob on next Wednesday to discuss my BC options and have my yearly visit. I'm kinda freaked out by the high blood pressure. I had a friend tell me about her experience with the stuff I'm on, and she got super high blood pressure and all that wonderful CRAP.

My headache is getting worse today and I still need to get to the pharmacy to pick up my perscription before I crash. and, I need to cook dinner. and do everything else that I need to do. *SIGH* I cant get a headache. Its not allowed! *stomps foot* Should get started before I cant move.

Its what's for dinner...

Yes, my desk is a mess, but dinner is OH SO GOOD!
Bacon wrapped chicken tenders, roasted mini peppers with cream cheese and spinach and butter head lettuce salad with ranch.   Yes, I know that ranch isnt primal, but guess what?  I don't care.  O_o

My dance

I am a belly dancer.  I am also a costumer.  I use belly dance as fitness, stress relief, social time and really TONS of fun!  It makes my brain and my body both work.   After a few years of not really doing any dancing I've jumped back in with both feet first.  Two classes most weeks, lots of dvd practice and basic drills.  I noticed last night, while in class, that I've forgotten how to improvise to music.  O_o WHAT THE HELL?

I've danced for large crowds, small crowds and on a dance floor in a club.  My body ALWAYS knew what it was doing!!!  I realize that it is something that I am going to have to work on, and continue to take classes and drill and work with dvd's.   Showing my audience the music with my body! 

Its almost embarrassing how, in my brain, I want to emulate someone else, and just copy what others are doing instead of thinking for myself.  It could be my major ATS and Tribal background coming to the forefront, but I've done all sorts of dance, solo dance a big part of it.

I remember long time ago when I felt that I had a bunch of costume, and never enough dance to fill it.  I could kick myself now.

So, I am re-teaching my body and my mind the movements of dance. I'm fueling my body with amazing whole food and have TONS of energy and brain power to work with and I will continue to work on and move forward with my dance and someday soon, get back on stage. 

It is a true love, and I won't let it fall to the wayside.

NEED MORE SLEEEP! Buternut Squash Chips!

I'm not getting enough!!!
Even when I drug myself into stupidity, I'm only getting 5-6 hours a night. and those are broken hours. Ive been taking small naps in the morning. I don't function during the day without them!
My workouts have suffered for it, but I've tried to do some stuff, and I'm just NOT energized.
I have noticed that I don't have to take as MUCH medication to fall asleep, that is a good thing. now... to get to the point where I don't HAVE to drug myself to sleep... I'm tired, but my stupid brain just wont shut down. It keeps talking to me and telling me about this or that or whatever and really I just wanna scream. I can be super tired, go lay down to go to sleep and be wide awake within minuets.
hence the pills. Xanax is a miracle for me.

Had to enter in my own raw broccoli slaw in the sparkpeople tracker! Apparently the one that is currently in the tracker is mixed with mayo or something. I weighed out the 3 oz and realized it would fit into one cup. SO~ I put that in, so that its a bit more accurate.

Added a small smoothie to breakfast to help with my carbs, I've not been keeping them high enough, and its killing me. I can only fit so many veggies into my belly!!! And fruit is an important thing to have in our diets. Its full of fiber and vitamins and other good stuffs. I really love that I am NOT afraid of eating fruit and veggies and having carbs in the higher levels. I'm energetic and feel good. What I am eating is whole real food and so full of natural energy and nutrition.

Butternut Squash Chips from A Couple Cooks Blog

I think that I am going to make some of these~  Crunchy has been in my brain for a few days...
They would be amazing with cinnamon, or spicy chili powder and lime juice!

I'm in love with Broccoli Slaw!

Its good on EVERYTHING! I've had it in my salads, just raw on my plate, out of the bag... Tonight I sauteed some up in butter and could honestly eat another helping of it, alas my daughter ate the rest! I'm going to start getting the carrot slaw too. Its a convenience food, but sometimes that's all it takes for me to eat more of it. Its not like its highly processed with added ingredients. I've always preferred the stems of broccoli to the florets for the texture alone!
I can honestly see me using this instead of zucchini as 'noodles' for pad thai, or spaghetti, or anything!

I didn't have butternut squash with dinner tonight. I forgot about it in the excitement of hubby cooking my london broil super rare (drool) and having that for dinner. I didn't even put horseradish on it. It was SO good! Cant wait to have some on salad tomorrow... The funny look I got from hubby when I told him to cook all three of the smallish top round steaks. (ok, smallish to me). ahahah Told him that I will eat it ALL up! Salad here we come!

Dance class tonight. Struggling with a mild headache. Perhaps my body is detoxing itself from that slice of pizza I had on Saturday. *ugh*
Will be nice to get out of the house...

Re-thinking my meals~

I seem to just not be eating enough during the day and allowing myself to be hungry, when I could be shoving my face full of super healthy nutritionally dense foods.
Breakfast is going to be protien dense, AND include bright tasty veggies. Its how I feel the most satisfied. Lunch will be my general salad with boiled eggs, and chicken breast~
Tomorrows dinner has changed because I got a good price on some london broil (one of my favorite cuts of meat) and I can then eat on that all week long if I cook up the two that are in the package.
I can only hope that this will help to control my evening snack desire. and if I get one, I'll have some easy protein to get my mouth on!

I'm giving myself 7 days on this goal. NO give or take here. I'll be a bit high on protein, but I'll keep up with drinking my water and keep it going. I'm struggling to get my carbs high enough!! and I'm stuffing myself with veggies!

I can do this. I will do this. Time to experiment and I will log my feelings before and after each meal in my notes on the nutrition page.

Snacks?

I need ideas for snacks!
I eat through the day, try to not allow myself to get too hungry, LOVE LOVE LOVE that I don't have severe blood sugar drops that cause me to binge on anything and everything in front of me.
BUT~ I've had a horrible habit of having sweets in the evening. I've been working on breaking it, but making fruit and coconut milk smoothies every once in a while are nice.

I'm finding that I get the 'munchies' at night and honestly dont want to eat veggies. I want nuts and chocolate. Or nuts. Or cheese. I bet an egg would work too. with salt.

Ideas? Snacks? Things that are grain free, refined sugar free and legume free? Apples and almond butter? Something else and almond butter? anything?

I'm staying within my calories and carbs every day. a bit low sometimes. I just dont want to be mindlessly eating and never getting full.

5 days of weeknight meals planned!

I tried to plan meals last week, but it just didn't all happen the way it was supposed to~

I've got 5 weekday dinner meals planned, and I am going to stick with them~

Monday: a "hot plate" idea from Well Fed
Ground Pork, Cabbage, and Apples with some Caraway, mustard powder and paprika.
Salad and some sort of pasta for hubby.

Tuesday: Hot Plate~
Ground Beef (12%) Broccoli Slaw, mushrooms, water chestnuts and "best stir fry sauce ever" (from Well Fed) With Rice for the family. Green Salad

Wednesday: Bacon Chicken (strips of breasts with bacon wrapped round and broiled) sauteed Broccoli Slaw and Chocolate roasted cauliflower. Some sort of side for hubby

Thursday: Spaghetti~ Tomato sauce with ground beef or sausage and zucchini noodles and a large salad.

Friday: Hot Plate Ground Beef, Cauliflower, Red peppers, olives and pizza seasoning. Some side for hubby. Big salad

I feel good knowing what I'm making for dinner, Its takes a TON off of my brain in the evening. One less thing to obsess about! *YAY*

Breakfast and lunch are easy for me. I'm the only one eating here at home. My son has toast (he's not a big breakfast eater) and my daughter eats at school. Both kids eat at school (the joys of free lunch) and then are always welcome to apples and veggies when they get home.

My family is no where NEAR being paleo, but they deal with my strange eating habits pretty well I think! And it fits in with the family meals.