On the verge of Eureka!

Serendipity may have been kind to me this morning. I was feeling the usual discomfiture over my acne, weight, and reproductive issues when I decided to google ‘hypoglycemia’, ‘acne’ and ’skin’ on a whim. There is a connection between all my issues and what I googled!

The condition is called skin diabetes. Our skin is an organ, just like a liver, spleen, or kidneys. It has to metabolize the nutrients we feed it, but, sometimes it malfunctions when it comes to complex sugars. Insulin levels, for some reason, are very low in the skin. The consequence is acne, because the excessive sugars are a buffet dinner for bacteria. This metabolic problem is a tripping wire for a cascade of changes in the hormonal systems in the body, hence reproductive issues, etc.

All of the above is perfectly applicable to my genetics and previous health history. My grandpa had type 2 diabetes; my dad was rejected from the draft because of sugar in his urine. I have passed out a couple of times because of low blood sugar and dehydration. I have all the classic symptoms of hypoglycemia.

The good news is that skin diabetes can be controlled, much like type 2. My weight is still in the acceptable zone, so that is not such a big determinant. The real changes I have to make is with what I eat. Big Serious Changes.

Sugar is no longer my friend, neither are refined carbohydrates, nor caffeine. Buh-Bye High Fructose Corn Syrup!

Nourishing Traditions is the way to go: Good fats, proteins, well-treated grains, fermented dairy, veggies, and fruits.

This will take a while to sink in…

Sample Menu

Because you were so curious to know what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast: 2 small scones (biscuit size) with butter, vanilla yogurt with sliced peaches.

Lunch: Generous cup of taco soup (like chili, but with a twist), and corn chips.

Snack: Power bar. Sometimes I need a little extra food between lunch and when dinner will be ready, especially if I need to cook that night. If I don’t snack, and I feel hungry, I most likely will have a sugar crash.

Dinner: Falafel patties wrapped in two small flour tortillas, Green Goddess dressing, and an apple.

Water was my only drink. No liquid calories!

Yeah, I could do better with veggies. Something in me just doesn’t like eating raw veggies in the winter time. My coworker asked me how I was losing weight. She said, “Is it because you eat such little, bird-sized portions?” I do eat smaller portions than others, but I make sure it is calorie dense, with protein and fat so I feel full at the end.

Monday Updates, with a spring in my step!

Just when I was about to have a nervous breakdown with my business class…it is over! We turned in the group project and presentation today and I also completed the final exam. Happy dance!!

I also walked to work today. It is exactly a mile and a half, door to door according to my pedometer. I just love getting all that fresh air into my lungs (in between car exhaust fumes) early in the morning. It reminds me of when I was a little girl walking to school every day. Children do not get to experience this hardly ever anymore. They have to ride the bus because the schools don’t want the kids getting hurt or kidnapped while walking. The neighborhood I grew up in had “Safe Houses” with placards in the windows where children could run to in case someone tried to steal them. Nowadays, I suppose no one is home enough to commit to being a safe place for children. How sad.

In Diet News, I completely fell off the Lenten train on Saturday while at Uncle Denny’s house. He keeps a wide assortment of cookies and ice cream, just too much to resist! Jeff and I crammed ourselves with sweets to the point of feeling queesy for good measure. I am back on track after all that gluttony! Sweets don’t really taste all that great in large quantities. The scale still measured 125 yesterday and my size 8 skirt feels comfortable today.

Take Your Folic Acid Daily!

So I feel justified in taking an extra daily Folic Acid supplement in addition to my multi-tablet and calcium after reading this report. Let’s see, I’ve been taking it consistently for at least 8 months now, having gone through a bottle and a half. Folic Acid is cheap, about $5 for a 7 month supply. Just imagine all the pain and heartache of prematurity and birth defects might be prevented. All women of baby-bearing capabilities should be taking it!

Attaining Fitness Week

Back Woods Wife is hosting an Attaining Fitness goal for this week. Since baby steps seem to work best for me, here are my goals:

• No Soda! Replace with several cups of green tea throughout the week.
• Walk on Tuesday, or Yoga Booty Ballet dvd if raining.
• Fit in 5-10 minute walks on my work breaks around campus.

My birthday is this week, so I’m not sure how many other workouts or resolutions I can keep. Jeff has something planned.

#13 Health Concerns

Update: The doctor’s visit was excellent. I will need an MRI and more blood tests to narrow the diagnosis options. In two weeks, I should have some answers! We had a great lunch, then visited a bookstore and found this amazing Indian grocery and clothing store. The family who runs the shops are Christians. They were such a treat! The next time we visit the city, I will be sure to purchase a skirt from them. We will settle in with a light dinner and finish watching Pride & Prejudice tonight.

I’m so excited to have new readers here at Veiled Glory! Thank you for visiting and reading my simple bits of life.

Number 13 on my list of 101 things has to do with a doctor’s appointment I have set for early tomorrow morning in Oklahoma City. For many years, I’ve been having a string of odd symptoms, nothing really severe or life-limiting but nagging: acne, hormonal “issues”, etc. 18 months ago, I had treatment for a hyperthyroid condition, only PTU pills for a few months. This past three months, however, I’ve gained over 15 pound rapidly, despite diet changes and exercise. So I went to an excellent GP Dr. who ran some blood tests. The results were “confusing”; the next step is to see an endocrinologist.

The most probable condition I have is a pituitary tumor. These little dudes are benign 90% of the time and can be removed surgically. I’m not worried at all. The fact is that 1 out of 5 people have some sort of pituitary tumor. I encourage everyone to take a look at this site to learn more. If I do not have a pituitary tumor, the next runner up might be Celiac disease, or allergies to wheat gluten. I’m actually more afraid of this diagnosis because I really really love baking!

So, if you think of it tomorrow morning, please pray for me and my husband as we are running the doctor gamut.

#97 - The 1/7th Diet Change

If you had taken a peek at my 101 Things and wondered, “What on earth is the 1/7th Diet Change?” I’ll explain it here.

The basic idea is that I eat “Good” for 6 days a week and then eat whatever I want on the seventh day. When I say whatever I want, I mean cram it all in so I get a little sick of it. For the rest of the week, I can look forward to that one day. A treat becomes a treat again instead of a daily requirement. Sundays are my 7th day.
Here are my “Good” daily food choices:

Breakfast: I’m pretty faithful with this meal, having a protein and a whole grain something. What I would like to add is a fruit instead of juice.

Snacks: Nuts, peanut butter on graham crackers, popcorn, more fruit or a granola bar.

Lunches: Leftover dinners, occasional sub sandwiches, or a run to the health food store for noodle bowls and soy milk sippies. Incorporate a raw veggie or salad here.

Dinners: I learning to cook vegetarian meals but still have one chicken and one beef dish a week. Jeff is flexible eater, bless his heart.

Drinks: I have at least one 32 ounce bottle of water during the work day. We like to have juice on hand but hardly ever buy soda. We also have herbal teas and I have a penchant for Lady Grey tea for a pick-me-up.

Pitfalls: Convenience store ice cream, dark chocolate M & M’s, the vending machines at work, snacking while watching tv or on the computer, fast food.

There you have it! I will work on portions and paying attention to hunger (dietitians may cheer now.) In times past, I would leave a bit on my plate because I was just plain full. Somehow I joined the clean plate club within the last 18 months!

I encourage you to join me with the 1/7th diet change!