A return to personal blogging

Once again I'm starting fresh. If I can't do anything else I can be persistent. Eventually, it'll work for me and I'll have the body and the life I want.

Since the last post I've been working a lot - both for others for pay and on myself. I started following the Simple-o-logy program (more about that later). I also started just really paying attention to what was working, what was not working, and how I knew which was which.

Body issues = health issues

I've primarily been working to figure out what's been making me so tired and sick. I'm closer to knowing after ...
(1) a sleep study,
(2) lots of iron pills for anemia,
(3) a trip to the gynecologist for a look at my fibroids,
(4) having my ears flushed,
(5) multiple trips to my GP doc,
(6) lots of paying attention to how I feel after eating and drinking different foods. Being gluten free is a full-time job.
(7) creating for and showing art in a one-woman show,
(8) doing some soul-searching about life in general.

For reasons I don't fully remember now, I stopped writing morning pages a long while ago. In a lot of ways I miss doing them. Yet, I do remember some of the reasons I haven't yet restarted them. So I'll do something similar here in public.

Why make a long story short when blogging about the parts will help solve the mystery? No need at all so that's what I'm going to do while I finish working through this change of life. I'm reverting to good old fashioned, long-winded, rambling, diary-like blogging. Join me.

Search for Food High in Iron

It's been a week since I exercised with the bowflex. How did that happen? I exercised last Wednesday and planned to work out at the hotel where I knew I'd be on Friday morning. Didn't work. Yesterday was the other scheduled bowflex day and there was really no excuse. I watched the time go by.

I have been in search of fiber and iron. I really need food high in iron right now. I'm back on the iron pills. The doctor told me it takes 3 months of the supplements to get right. The last time I only took them for a month, felt better, stopped. I didn't know about the 3 month rule then.

Anyway, in an attempt to eat fewer calories and get some fiber, which is another thing I feel I need, I made and have been eating my gluten free granola as a meal replacement of sorts.

I made a new batch since the one listed in last Wednesday's post. This second batch has more fiber due to the pumpkin and flax seeds I used in place of the sesame seeds. I also got it together to run the nutritional analysis (on both versions). I did this primarily because I'm super bloated and finally figured out I may now be getting too much fiber.

Per the analysis it seems like I may be borderline. 21 grams daily is the recommended allowance for women. The gluten-free granola has 4 grams per 1/2 cup and the almond milk has 1 so that 5 grams every time I have a bowl and I've been eating 4 bowls a day and not much else.

Plus I realized I haven't been getting all my water in so I'm going to fix that starting today. I saw a cup at Target that's a hydration meter. I almost brought it. I'm sure I will soon. The gluten-free granola doesn't make it unto the food high in iron list. No worries I've restarted drinking lemon juice with blackstrap molasses first thing in the morning.

Question of the Day: Do I have the energy to head to the basement and deal with the bowflex?

gluten free maple-walnut granola and exercise

I exercised first thing. Warmed up by walking fast (2.9 mph) on treadmill while listening to the Greatest Hits of Run DMC for 15 minutes. Then did the bowflex workout. Here's my default breakfast and snack. I have it with almond milk since dairy isn't my friend.I make it gluten free by using gluten free oats.)Also, I've yet to find currants so I usually add 2x the cranberries or use another dried fruit AND I change the seeds from time to time: pumpkin, flax, whatever's on hand or sounds good while I'm at the store. This mix can be expensive - it's worth it taste wise and energy wise - it's nutrient rich and the 1/2 cup serving keeps me energized for hours. The expense comes in with the maple syrup - not that corn stuff that flavored - real maple syrup. The recipe software I'm using estimated the cost at $33 for two batches.

Maple-Walnut Granola
Makes 7 servings
perfect breakfast and snack for type A blood
source: "Eat Right for Your Type" page 127

4 cups Gluten Free Bob's Red Mill Rolled Oats
1 cup Ener G pure Rice Bran
1 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried currants
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons organic canola oil
3/4 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, rice bran, seeds, dried fruit, nuts, and vanilla.
Add the oil and stir evenly.

Pour in maple syrup and mix well until mixture is evenly moistened.
Mixture should be crumbly and sticky.
Spread mixture on a lightly oiled cookie tray and bake for 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes for even toasting until the mixture is golden brown and dry.
Cool thoroughly and store in airtight container.