I had a great bank holiday weekend socially but it wasn't so successful on the diet front. I went camping for the weekend with some of my work colleagues (there were 18 of us in all). The weather in Shropshire was more like the middle of January than the end of May, it rained and the temperature dropped like a stone overnight. Still it was a great weekend and I got to spend some quality time with some great people.
I took my flax oil and didn't miss taking it but we took refuge in several pubs and cafes where I could not resist the temptation to eat food I wouldn't normally touch. I even ate a cooked breakfast on the last morning only realising later that the egg would've been fried in vegetable oil. Needless to say my insulin had to be increased to cope with all the gluttony.
I previous weeks I was getting annoyed with myself whenever I discovered I had either inadvertently or carelessly (through not reading labels properly) consumed any vegetable oils, but I have decided not to let it worry any more. The constant vigilance and label reading is quite streesful not to mention reporting all my results so I am going easy on myself. Someone else who has already done this cure did so without avoiding trans fats although it was a very slow process. In future I will do my best to avoid trans fats but I'm not going to fret if I slip up any more.
Although I've been eating some meat to raise my iron levels I haven't felt happy about it so I'm glad to say I've found a 100% natural iron supplement called spatone. It's actually a mineral water and comes in boxes of 28 sachets. It tastes very metallic but to me it's preferable to a permanament return to my previously carniverous habits. I like being a vegetarian and notice a difference in the way I feel. I'm sure it's all psychological but somehow I feel lighter and more healthy by not eating meat. I had my cholesterol and blood pressure checked a few days ago - cholesterol was 4.08 and blood pressure 115 over 76. These numbers have never been a cause of concern for me and I attribute this to not being a meat eater.
Looking at my data for May it looks like there's not been any improvment, but I'm not discouraged as I think it's still far too early to tell if this intervention is going to work. I should mention that at the time I started taking insulin (June 06) I was injecting between 12 and 14 units per meal. Due to changes in diet and possibly this cure I am now injecting as little as 4 units. That's some going and I can't wait to see what the diabetologist makes of it (I am due my annual appointment this month).
The other thing to remember about this cure is that it is a cure for 'insulin resistance' not for beta cell failure. This being the case it is unlikely that it will effect a complete cure in my case. As I was advised by the diabetologist that I do have some beta cell failure, it is likely that I am always going to need some sort of treatment. The hope for me in taking this cure is that I will be able to get the medication down to a minimum.
There is one area I feel I could do much better in and that's excercise. All I do at the moment is walk the dog and the obligatory housework. My job is neither sedentary nor active, I would describe it as moderately active with some sitting and driving. I want to start doing some yoga as I've read it has a profound effect on the endocrine system. Some aerobics and weights would also be beneficial but the problem is fitting it all in. I also beleive rebounders or mini trampolines are very good. I am sure that if I get myself motivated on a daily basis I could get off the insulin altogether and lose some weight.
So I'm sowing the seed here to get myself started.
On the flax oil front I've noticed a big difference between brands. Some taste worse than others so if you are having trouble getting the flax oil down try a different brand and try to buy it as fresh as possible. Hemp oil is much more palatable if you really can't stand the flax. You can also obtain omega 3 from nuts and seeds. In particular sprouted seeds and grains are powerhouses of nutrional goodness and life energy (Leslie Kenton Raw Energy 1985). I have bought myself a sprouter (from health food shops) and have started adding sprouts to all my salads. As always read up on it yourself to find out all the benefits.
Thanks for looking in, I'm away for a week in gorgeous Cornwall next weekend so it'll be a few weeks before I post again.
Take care
Carol
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