Happy One Year Anniversary

One year ago I started this blog about my journey through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  It has become a part of my life now and I love to write it each week.  I want to thank all of you who have followed my journey this past year.  It certainly has been an adventure.  You cheer me up when you comment on a story or when I run into one of you and you tell me how you follow me and enjoy reading about me and my family.  It warms my heart and makes me feel special.  Read on; another year has begun.  Here is a link to my first blog – ever!

Welcome Home – Canada

We are back in Canada once again and it is really nice to be here.  It has been cold but not unbearable.  I have walked every day and even been snowshoeing twice with my brother.  There is nothing quite like heading out on a clear, dry, sunny with bluebird sky day and pushing yourself to get up that big hill.  We had a wonderful reward today when we came into a clearing and the most beautiful red, and I mean red, fox went running about as fast as I think he could go, right across the white snow and into the woods.  Truly there is nothing more beautiful than to see nature for real.  I wish we had taken a picture but if we had tried to get out our camera phones we would have missed his glorious sprint across the hillside.

We spent quite a bit of time tracking as we walked through the woods.  We found tracks that were very definite but unclear what they were.  The deer and the wild-turkeys are easy as are the small critters like squirrels and chipmunks and mice.  These tracks that we have followed for two days looked almost like a dog but there were no human tracks to go with it.  The unusual thing was that they did not alternate but the front two were side-by-side and the back two were side-by-side which doesn’t make sense.   You can see the track pattern here but the prints looked like the bobcat.  Will have to go out again tomorrow and see what we can find out.

Health and Wellness Update

Recently I had the results of some extensive blood work.  Found out some interesting things and also discovered that I have some work to do.  Four years ago I took Dr. Mark Hyman’s book “The Blood Sugar Solution” to heart and cleaned up my eating dramatically by following his advice.  I lowered my blood sugar significantly from a Type II Diabetes level to a normal level.  My blood pressure went back to normal and my cholesterol good levels were, and still are, off the charts.  Unfortunately I have a type of bad cholesterol that is inherited and no amount of diet will correct it.  Some medication will reduce the level but it is very difficult to change the make up of the cholesterol.  My blood sugar is still within the normal range but it has climbed some in the last six months.  My weight has been pretty stable but it too is starting to creep up a little bit so – time to take action.  John wants to lose 10 pounds and so I have challenged him to join me in the “10 Day Detox” also by Dr. Hyman.   We are going “sugar free” and we started today!  We will measure and weigh ourselves and monitor our blood pressure and I will monitor my blood sugar and we will do our best to follow the program for the next 10 days.  We will also note changes and any positive or negative things that come up.  So far we have done the morning protein shake and today’s lunch is pictured here, it is the turkey meatballs and they were delicious.  I don’t need a lot of food but I worry that John won’t get enough to keep him from being hungry.  This is going to be an interesting challenge.  Oh, the big thing is that I have to do the shopping and the cooking.  Since John usually does most of the shopping and I have to admit, most of the cooking (dinner) this is going to be the biggest part of the challenge for me.  We don’t eat out here the way we do in South Carolina.  There aren’t as many convenient places to go.  So the eating in will be fine.  Wish me luck!!!!

Stay tuned for an update on our challenge.  You can click on the links above to find out more about the “10-Day Detox” and you just might give it a try yourself.  You can always talk to me about it.  I am happy to answer questions and you can even have a free consultation!  Wishing you a wonderful week.

Louise (out in the cold!)