Day 28 Getting close to the end.

Hello, again,

Day 28 and my blood pressure is 149/89. This time when I measured three times in quick succession, the numbers did change, but not so significantly as they did yesterday, right after I had drunk my pomegranate juice. I have wondered if perhaps the P-juice was the BP lowering influence that was causing the decrease. Either way, while today's numbers are still high they are still not as high as when I first started out on the program.

Here are the statistics:

Today BP: 149/89
Blood glucose: 136 after eating 2 hard boiled eggs, and a couple of handfuls of nuts
Weight: 343.24

Before Day 1 blood pressure was 168/99
My blood glucose was 115 after a handful of nuts, but no breakfast
Weight: 352

So my blood pressure has come down out of the extremely high range into the moderately high range and it seems to be staying there for the most part, going back up only occasionally. The daily blood glucose changes so quickly based on what has been consumed and what time of day it is, that I do not see consistent improvement there. The only time I saw a vast "deprovement" was when I added in the whole grains and fruit, which I later wrestled out of the picture, again. One thing I have noticed in the blood glucose area is some lower numbers on occasion that I had not been getting before. My weight loss has been sustained at 8.75 pounds, although I had reported slightly more previously, so there has been a great deal of fluctuation up and down in the 1 to 2 pound range.

To be fair the program does say that it is a diabetes healing program, and not a weight loss program. It does imply though, that weight loss will be part of curing diabetes, and in the statistical boxes found at the end of most chapters which report on an individual patient's progress, weight loss is one of the statistics that is reported. I assume these particular patient numbers were chosen because of the improved numbers in all areas, including weight loss.

I have to say that I am feeling a little overwhelmed today, with the addition of the strength training, and the green drinks, and at today's title which is adding supplements. My budget is one that cannot start increasing purchases of green drinks and supplements right now.

So. I guess the best idea for me is to do what I can do, and add the rest when I can. I have also not been purchasing organic veggies (they are so expensive), although I have been not only purchasing but eating more veggies. So I am thinking that perhaps my participation has been flawed by that, and perhaps I would have seen more improvement had I done that. I have made small changes, though, and more fresh raw veggie consumption is a major one. Doing more aerobic exercise has been another, although I am not really up to 30 minutes per day on that one. I stop when my back and legs start to really pain me, and find that, so far, my maximum is 15 minutes per day. By adding the 15 minutes aerobic to the 15 minutes of stretchy cord, I've often done nearly 30 minutes of exercise per day. That is certainly an improvement over no minutes per day and I expect that to improve if I stick to the program long enough.

I am feeling discouraged today. I am thinking I need to start counting my blessings: The blood pressure has improved, without a new medication. I have lost a few pounds. I am eating better. I have blogged, honestly about my experience and held nothing back that I thought was important. I have also received a few comments from readers of the blog, so it has been noticed.

I think part of my discouragement today is that I stayed up last night until 4 a.m. working on a new dress that I was determined to finish for church today. I paid absolutely no attention to the time and was flabbergasted when I finished the dress and checked the time. I really thought that it was about 1 a.m. and not 4 a.m. Staying up so late was counter productive, since I could not get myself to go to church this morning. I guess I shall wear it tonight when I go. When I joined the church I now belong to last December, I knew that it was an old fashioned church, which was its real main attraction to me. But that means always wearing a skirt in the sanctuary and I have only 3 summer dresses which I rotated from meeting to meeting. So adding one new dress was important to me. I made it from materials that I already had in the house so it did not cost anything but the time to make it.

I also design my dresses myself, because the price of patterns in my size is so prohibitive. Did you know that they can cost as much as $35 per? I am not a super sewer so I do the simplest things I can think of to do.  My basic pattern is to take a 2XX T-shirt and cut off the bottom below the arms and sew on a skirt, with an additional applique or collar treatment to make them differ individually from one another near the neck and face. I also don't need button holes or zippers because everything slips easily over my head, although I may occasionally use decorative buttons as an accent item. What differs the most is the pattern or print of the skirt material and the colors. 

How I use it, depends on how long I have made the skirt. If it is short, I wear it with pants, if it is long, then I can wear it as a long dress. So, while I may not be quite fashionable, at over 340 pounds, I am still neat, tidy, covered, and color coordinated. But sewing, like exercise, is one of those things that I usually procrastinate on, until I get a burst of energy and make something new. Sometimes making one, gives me enough momentum to make another one. Sometimes not. I think I'd like to have another one, so we shall see what happens.

I got out the dumbbells and used the one-pound weights to do some arm, shoulder and back exercises that I had seen, then did my 15 minutes on the Aerofit, plus crunches and cervical traction and feel like I've accomplished something. I broke out in a sweat, but I think that was due to the heat and humidity we are having today. Am looking forward to my shower, but wanted to complete the blog.

On to day 28: Adding some Diabetic Specific supplements. Some of these I had heard of, and am taking, some of them I had not heard of, but all of them have some property or ingredient that has been tested (he quotes the result from many test studies) and proved to either lower blood sugar, help insulin process better, or reverse the numbness of the feet. All of them sound really impressive. He also strongly and repeatedly recommends that we consult our doctors before incorporating them because when combined with prescription medications they have a strong effect.

I have an appointment with my doctor in about 2 days and last time she took a bunch of blood samples for testing. I hope I tested well, and am wondering about the Thyroid workup. I will have to let her know I am not taking the latest BP med and my reasons (see earlier blog for details)  -- in short, I was having to deal with way too many side effects (itching face, thick mucus in the throat, swelling, depression, and anxiety attacks) so I am off of that one too. But am hoping that this time my BP will remain lower as proof that what I am doing is making a difference.

Read "Day 28: Add Supplements" which starts on page 344 to get all the details about which herbs and supplements you can take to aid in your own recovery from diabetes.


Be back soon


--Marcia