Mortality lightens the load

I have had several moments in my life where I knew I was about to die. (thankfully and obviously it didnt work out that way. !!) but those times were not the life altering moments that one might think they were. I think perhaps a culmination of those events have lead to my attitude this past few years.

I dont have many fears, and I have a "if it doesnt kill me, it will only make me stronger" attitude. So, those things that happened to me in the past have turned into a positive for me.

Now, getting onto material things.... other life events, like moving overseas etc, (LOL) gives a person a different perspective of all their possessions. I have found it interesting that all the 41years of my "life" in "stuff" really isnt necessary. I used to have to typical house full of knick nacks and the latest appliances etc, and now I have sold most, donated alot, and i have the basics, (but all my kids home made stuff), and I much prefer it, so life changing, whether it be medical or otherwise, is a challenge but embrace it,....I found it liberating.
 
Wow Earl, that sounds like a really scary situation. I am glad it worked out well.

You mentioned diet, which is very important, but you didn't mention exercise. I keep an exercise bike in my office, where I use it while I watch left wing political tv programs :). It seems to keep my heart moving, but I have to watch my diet too. :). I think walking can work for exercise too.
 
earl said:
Well, I just got back from emergency angioplasty, which literally saved my life. Was worse than I thought-doctor said 1 block was so bad I probably wouldn't have lived til the originally planned date. I now stand corrected- changing my diet will be a bigger challenge for me than keeping my emotional heart open.:p earl
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Wow earl, that sounds like a close call! I am glad that you caught this in time.

Each day, each breath is a gift and it is so easy for us to forget this.

I know you will be able to do the things you need to to get healthy. I try to walk or bike or do something daily for exercise as well. So often we think that exercise is a luxury that we can let slide, but it is so important for good health. My doctor's number one piece of advice to me a couple of years ago was to get more exercise. Now that my kids are just a little bit bigger this is easier to do.

Mind, body and soul. All need to be taken care of!
 
Earl, I'm so glad you're still with us. That's some scary stuff!

I second (third?) Q on stir-frying. Also, on a similar note, try brown rice with your stir fry. It's a lot healthier than white rice or other starches. I practically live off stir fry.

I'm a snacker (or grazer, if you will) and here are a few of my favorites that are healthy-

For crispy stuff and dips, I recommend Hummus. Mine has no cholesterol or saturated fats and it is very tasty. You can get it with stuff added like chilis so that it is spicy, too. Each week I buy a bag of baby carrots, a bag of snap peas, and a bag of mixed broccoli and cauliflower florets. If you want a carb with some dip, I'll tell you what I do instead of chips (that are loaded with bad stuff). I buy a package of middle eastern flatbread each week and one whole flatbread has only 2% of your saturated fat for the day and no cholesterol. I pop it in the oven for a few minutes on 400 degrees and let it get crispy on the outside, then cut it into wedges.

For sweet stuff, I go with berries. I love berries and they're wonderful for you compared with cookies or other packaged foods. You can also use non-fat yogurt to make smoothies with them, or just plop some on top of the berries. You can smush up berries and freeze them in popsicle containers for frozen treats. Another thing you can do is cut up an apple into thin wedges, put it in a small baking pan and sprinkle the top with cinnamon, a little brown sugar, and oats, then bake for a while until it is tender.

For soups, cook them from scratch. It is super easy to cook soups from scratch, wonderful in the winter, and you'll use WAY less fat and salt than the stuff in a can. I can offer some recipes if you want. The key to most things, including soups, being tasty without lots of fat and salt is to use just a pinch of salt but use lots of spices. You can get a vegetable or chicken base at places like Whole Foods and Trader Joes that is boxed and very tasty, yet still very low fat. My favorite is TJ's Organic Free Range Chicken Broth. One cup has only 2% of your total fat for the day with no saturated fat and no cholesterol. Lots of sodium though, so no need to add salt. I just chop of a variety of veggies, sautee in olive oil with garlic and onion til just starting to soften, then add the broth. One can add brown rice or homemade low-fat noodles if you want to get fancy.

The biggest thing I can offer in terms of food is avoid nearly everything pre-packaged/pre-made. Chances are, anything in a box or can or anything that comes out of fast food (and a good chunk of stuff in sit-down eateries) is way overloaded with fat, sugar, and salt. This is because it has to mask the non-freshness by covering it up with sweet and salty taste. I can't eat out much and I can't eat most pre-packaged items because they contain stuff I'm allergic to. But the byproduct of eating all fresh organic food, and especially a lot of raw fruit and vegetables, is that I also just feel better all the way 'round.

And yes- exercise, exercise, exercise! Aside from brisk walking, swimming can be really good cardio with minimal joint impact.

To your health, earl...

Kim
 
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