Where have you been?

I'm back... "So, where have you been?" you might be asking. I've been doodling and wandering. I've been trying new things and hiding out. I've been to the emergency room, the doctor's office, and the drug store so I've been dealing with a few health issues which I will briefly tell you about later in the blog.

I don't think I can even get it clear in my head where and what I have been doing but here is where I am now: The night before last I watched a movie on Netflix called "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" by Joe Cross, a guy from Australia who came to the U.S. to travel around doing a documentary about his 60 day juice fast. I watched it again, last night and I feel really motivated to try this out. But first...

In my last blog post I was trying out the "Potatoes Not Prozac" potato before bedtime bit to see if it really did make me feel better. Oddly enough it did, but my blood sugars began to run high again. Of course I was not properly monitoring the blood sugar thing so this was unbeknownst to me (of all people). I had begun to substitute sweet potatoes and to use red potatoes for a break in the routine. I really don't remember what else I was doing with my eating. I was mostly sticking to the salads but having pizza a couple of times a month. I would also go to Golden Corral and the Hong Kong Buffet which is across the street from the mobile home park I live in, a couple of times a month.

At the time of my last entry I was also still on unemployment which was coming to an end and I was getting a little stressed that I had no idea how I was going to support myself when that simply disappeared. The one good thing that happened is that God came through with His promise and I got approved for SSDI. So now I am no longer unemployed, I am now retired. Thank God!!

To make a long story short on June 16 I discovered that I have a blood clot in my right leg which goes from a little above my ankle to my knee. The good news is that it is in a superficial vein and not a deep vein which means there is no danger that it might break off and go to a lung. The other good news is that the doctor at the emergency room told me it was "tickling" a deep vein so it was caught just in time. I gave myself 4 shots of a heparin like drug (I had two in the emergency room over the course of a two day period for a total of 6 of these shots and still have the bruises to prove it :). I am now on warfarin which is a blood thinner to help dissolve the clot. I was given a 30 day supply and my doctor has given me a whole list of natural things to take to boost the activity without taking more warfarin.

Then about six days later I got an attack of gout in the middle toe of my left foot. Doc gave me some medication to take for that but only until the pain and stuff is gone. And I am supposed to eat cherries. My blood sugars are better now and the inflammation (which is the cause of these health problems) is going down.

At that time my doctor put me on yet another "program" to try out. I was motivated to try it because of the health issues but over a short period of time I am finding I'm not sure I like the results. Part of the program was to re-introduce dairy and fruit which I have done, but I don't like the way it makes me feel and the ankles have swollen again. So I am looking at doing a vegetable and fruit juice fast which they call a "reboot" on the Fatsickandnearlydead.com web site.

Because of my track record I am a little worried that it might just be another "try-it-for-a-few-days" program that I give up on, but I won't really know if it works for me until I try it. I am reluctant to decide how many days to do it for and kind of want to do it for a few days just to try it out. I did the "test" at the web site and was advised to do the "Reboot Entry Program" but that turns out to be different than what Joe and Phil did in the video.

In the video Joe consulted with Dr. Furhman and got the "go ahead" to do the fast. What he did was to use a Breville juicer to juice all kinds of fresh raw vegetables and fruits into a liquid diet for 60 days. In that time He lost a lot of weight by juicing and simply traveled about talking to people on his documentary. He happened to meet a guy named Phil Staples in a Winslow, Arizona truck stop parking lot and interviewed him on the documentary. Phil had the same skin disease that Joe had and they kind of connected because of that common territory. It is a rather rare disease and Joe had never met anyone else with the same malady which is an autoimmune disease that makes the skin break out in a rash and blisters that is painful and itchy. It is not shingles because it can erupt anywhere on the body at any time. They were both put on prednisone to try to control it but were taking lots of drugs and the disease was not going away.

Phil was not ready to try the juice fast, but Joe offered to help him if he decided he wanted to try it. A short time later (perhaps weeks or a month or two -- I don't remember) Phil gave Joe a call and asked him to help him to try out the juice fast. Joe, who was back home in Australia by then, flew back to Iowa where Phil lives and helped him to visit a doctor and get set up on the program. He stayed with him until Phil knew how to use the juicer and how to do the program, and then went back home. They kept in touch on the phone.

Phil was going to do the juice fast for 10 days to see how it went. At the end of that time he went on to do the 30 days, then went on to do it for 60 days. In 60 days he lost 120 pounds. (I think those are the correct numbers.) The film is kind of amazing and I had to watch it again the next day. Because both of their journeys were documented on film you can see the changes happening in them both. I especially liked Phil's story. When he started the juice fast his face had a rather grey palor to it and when he was done his skin and face was glowing and he looked like he had shed about 30 years along with the 100 pounds. He began to actually look like the young man he really is.

You really ought to take a look at the film, just to see the transformation. I watched it at Netflix, but you can buy the DVD for about $20 or get it at Blockbuster (if you still have one near you) and view it. They also have some testimonials on their web site that are interesting to view but I liked the film the best and think I will watch it again.

So far I have purchased a juicer (from discountjuicers.com) which is being shipped to me. I have also followed my physical therapist's advice and have a couple of swim suits coming too. (I'm not sure what size so I ordered two different sizes to see which one fits the best.) My doctor prescribed physical therapy to get me moving again and wants me to exercise in a pool because it is easier on my body and will also keep the leg with the clot in a state of "compression" while I get moving again. Last Wednesday was my first day in a pool of any kind for about 15 years and I realized how much I missed it. So when the swim suit comes I am going to sign up at an indoor pool close to my house to go and exercise a few times a week in the pool. I will be doing the therapy for another 10 weeks, too.

So. Here I am, about to begin another new program. I'm not so sure of myself as I begin, but the ideas seem to be good. The fruit and vegetable juicing will be similar to the "raw for 30" program in that it will be "vegan." Oddly, enough, going "vegan" was a problem to my mind but juicing does not seem to be a problem. The foods are the same so the results should be the same. I am expecting a full reversal of the diabetes, a lowering of the blood pressure... and this time, some weight loss, too. I'm still feeling reluctant to choose a time table whether it be five days, ten days, or 30 days or even 60 days. I guess I am afraid to begin. I'm afraid I might fail or allow myself to be pulled off track.

You know... putting a voice to the fear kind of puts it in perspective. The only thing I seem to be afraid of is failing. Fear of failure is a symptom of "perfectionism" which harbors the idea, "If I can't do it without failing, I won't do it at all." That kind of thinking is a setup for defeat. I think I have been afraid of being ashamed of myself for not being successful or perfect. But, heck, I've had to walk the "failure" path for a long time. I'm going to take the advice I read from the Heller's book "The Carbohydrate Addicts Lifespan Program" which is this:

If you suddenly were losing weight and not feeling good the doctor would investigate to find out why this is happening. They would not blame you, the victim, they would find the imbalance in your body and attempt to correct it. Why don't they do that when you put weight on? There is an imbalance in the body of the fat person that causes them to overeat. Their insulin is not working properly and the response is to over eat because an insulin overload makes you hungry!! Insulin is the "hunger hormone." So this means that if you are fat it is not your fault, either!! You are not some kind of pig with no self control. You are not lacking in moral fiber or have a low below level character or intelligence quotient. You have an insulin imbalance! The Heller's program is geared to help you level the insulin and live a healthy eating lifestyle and can be found at http://www.carbohydrateaddicts.com/.

I'm going to kick start my program with a juicing "reboot." I am really very tired of trying programs that don't let me lose weight, too. Yes, I do want my blood pressure to be normal. Yes, I do want my blood sugars to be normal. And yes, I do want to have my weight be normal. I think juicing will be a good healthy way to get those things started. I need some good results. I want to feel like what I am doing is accomplishing something.

We shall see. I will be blogging about it as I go. I know I need the support of the blogging experience. So. As soon as I get the juicer I shall begin the program. I have enough time to get my body ready for it by letting go of the dairy (again). I don't have to worry about the grains, they are already gone. I don't have to worry about sugar, it is gone -- except for Stevia. The meat has been minimal so that should not be a problem.

From the video testimonials on the Fat Sick and Nearly Dead web site I can see there is a kind of "withdrawal period" that seems to take from about three to six days. The first three days being the worst. By day four they seem to turn a corner and things begin to be better after that. Based on that it looks like I should do the 10 day fast first. Then I can decide where to go from there.

I also have enough time to get my spirit ready for it.

Ps 103:2-6 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

Looking forward.

Be back soon,

Marcia