Musings From Winter's Dark Side
The January winter peak is in full swing, and now the weather is officially transitioning from the dark side. This is the coldest month that also seems the longest, but if you are a lover of spring and summer you know once we get to February the spring thaw and ice-out are closing in.
The good news is the days are now getting longer though slowly, and the sunlight has returned after being absent for two very cold weeks. In my last post I mentioned my recent doctor visit found my weight and blood pressure had been inching up which is never a good thing. Since that post I have been mindful of my intake, eliminated much salt and sodium, added daily activity, and my blood pressure is now showing progress. My weight not so much.
I read every ingredient on food packages as it is and have been taken back by the sodium levels the industry inserts in that food, along with other things I can’t pronounce or not heard of. Basically, if the food comes in a box or a packet it almost always isn’t good for you. I’ve been sticking to cooking without salt and primarily clean eating, which also benefits my family members. If I were a foodie, the changes might be difficult, but I am not. My daily meal (I eat once a day) has consisted of eggs, meat, vegetables, and a fruit if I want something sweet. In between there are organic chestnuts, maybe some figs and plenty of water. My next step is to transition back into a low carb lifestyle again. Years ago, I did it and within a year lost 70 pounds, but I have since gained it back primarily all in my abdomen.
Because I was diagnosed years ago with PCOS and being Insulin Resistant the doctor prescribed Metformin daily, I am not diabetic. I’m on the fence if I should or shouldn’t take a medication once I dive back into a low carb diet. Metformin lowers the blood sugar and if I go low carb, I worry about my sugar going too low, I already have difficulty with my vitamin B12 levels which it also lowers. My instinct is telling me to not use the medication once my diet changes, nor am I an expert. My oldest son has absolutely transformed physically since moving in and no longer is living on fast food. When he arrived, he was a swollen 215 pounds from gas station food working a delivery job all day and he is now a lean 165 after one year! To show him the difference I took a photo before then after his weight loss and the difference is amazing. It’s scary to think that what is inserted into our western food creates so much damage to our body, not to mention the cost to our wallet all around. Food prices themselves are clearly out of control.
As per usual I am late to the party, and I will stop here to wish anyone who stumbles onto my blog a happy 2026. My hope for this new year is for myself, friends, and family to stay healthy, find happiness, and financially get through life easier than the past twelve months. I may sound mundane and tone deaf in some of my blog posts of recent but in reality, I’m not. I am an animated optimist and a bit of a clown. I don’t lead an exciting daily life, but I do like to get outdoors and explore weather permitting. For now, being stuck in the capsule of cold winter months seemingly repeating myself is where I am at.
In my upcoming blog posts, I will more concentrate on sharing images from my seasonal photography. At the moment it’s a bit geographically limited with weather being the biggest factor, namely the snow and ice keep me from going too far. I don’t want a repeat of last year stepping outside and falling on the ice, but better days are already arriving. Not far from here is a beautiful river where we currently have a family of Bald Eagles nesting, resident winter Snowy Owls, and other diverse wildlife. Tomorrow, I plan on getting out my three older cameras, an Olympus 510, a Nikon 3500, and my trusted Canon T3i. They are overdue for a good cleaning and though they aren’t the best gear they are solid and still have a lot of life left in them, like me.
Comments
Post a Comment