Tuesday, December 18, 2018

I can't believe it is the 18th already

When I posted I thought it was the 16th.  I stop all the time and have to really concentrate...what is the date today?  What day of the week is it?  We have been retired 2.5 months and are starting to see a natural schedule evolve.  But we wanted it to be organic and not something that we arbitrarily came up with out of fear or other weirdness out of our emotions.

I pray that I may not worry over the limitations of my human mind. I pray that I may live as though my mind were a reflection of the Divine Mind.
Hazelden Foundation

My emotions are tied to my past, I feel like.  So, since I have never been retired before, I wanted to approach it out of honesty and not a picture of what others had told me or what I felt was right because of competing emotions I might not fully understand.  After getting our house, finances, cars and paperwork like insurance, licenses, property taxes, bank accounts, address changes all sorted out...it has been our goal to take it real easy this winter.  Essentially work on our mental health...and physical.  DH has lost about 15 pounds and I have lost just a few, maybe 5 pounds.  But we are trying to focus on eating a balanced diet and not eating too much.  I specifically am trying to eat more vegetables.

For a week now, after we drink our coffee we don't eat till 11 or 12.  Look up the effects of intermittent fasting on our bodies and how we make more HGH if we stop eating at night and don't eat again for 12-16 hour later.  I swear this is helping us immensely.  DH and I both have inflammation type chronic conditions.  I have researched vitamins, herbs and minerals I have been so sick in the past during my working years that I did not know how I was going to keep working. 
Vitamins, minerals, herbs, smaller meals, no dairy and at times full elimination diet have turned my health around.  I take a very expensive probiotic that made the biggest single impact.  I also take a digestive enzyme.  DH does not take this, but he eats more veggies than I ever have and he is taking cod liver oil, vitamin C and D with me and he is seeing results in his cholesterol and has stopped the omeprazole.  Thank you Jesus.  That stuff is linked to many issues and they are even saying possibly dementia.

It is nice to be able to make a fresh home cooked meal at leisure at least once a day from fresh ingredients.  Yesterday I roasted in the oven 1 large butternut squash, 2 acorn squash, 2 onions, 1 sweet potation and 1 regular potato.  I spread out about 6 - 10 garlic cloves and drizzled with olive oil.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Bake at 400 for 45 - 60 min.  I also separated all the seeds and roasted them with salt and pepper.  Then I let the vegetables cool slightly, scooped all the insides out, put it all together in a soup pot and simmered with about 6-8 cups of broth.  Then I added sprinkle of cayenne pepper and double sprinkle of curry powder (not sure how DH would like this) and some black pepper.  Then I pureed it with my immersion blender.  I use this gadget all the time.  mostly to blend soups.  But you can also whip cream, make pudding and smooth gravy with it.  He LOVED this soup!  We did garnish with the toasted seeds and some vinegar

Just holding steady is a victory for me, given my activity level and stress are way down.  But this will be 3rd week of 2 yoga classes and I will be golfing today.  I used to just force myself to do yoga or workout classes right after work.  It is much harder going after a day relaxing at home.  But I am adapting.

What are you going to do today to take care of yourself?

6 comments:

  1. Boy, I wish I had your resolve. What a healthy meal you made. I need to do better myself. For now that I have lost all my weight, now I have to work to keep from losing more. Didn't think I'd ever say that.

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    1. It comes and goes! Just trying to balance out all the junk I have eaten since...wait for it...Halloween!

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  2. The best thing I think I do to take care of myself is my daily 6 mile walk. It is just about good for everything.

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    1. That is inspiring. I do yoga 2 - 3 times a week and walk 3-4 miles the other days! I love walking!

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  3. It seems like just yesterday that you retired! Taking it easy this winter sounds wonderful!

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