Thanksgiving And The Post-Holiday Plague!

I consider myself to be very fortunate.  For the second year in a row, my friend Patricia’s mother invited me to their home for Thanksgiving Day dinner with the family.  Since I’m not originally from Florida – I’m from Connecticut – my family lives up north, so the holidays can get kind of lonely at times.

I was really surprised at how much food they had made this year!  I was able to fill myself entirely without resorting to eating meat (except the turkey gravy on my mashed potatoes).  I also had the opportunity to try some new things that I’ve been wanting to taste, like dates and figs (not inside newtons).  After dinner, we had the most amazing apple pie, and I had baked pumpkin spice cookies with cinnamon chips.  They were a little soft (I’m not a terribly good cookie baker) apparently they were well-liked.

Patricia’s mom sent me home with a boat-load of leftovers, and Gabe – a mutual friend who was also there – apparently sent me home with the plague.  He had been sick as a dog the week before the holiday, but didn’t want to miss all the good eats, and decided to come out since his fever broke.  Unfortunately, I caught whatever death-plague he was suffering from, and have been sick since.  I’ve been trying to drown myself in Theraflu since, trying to get over it.  This also meant I missed out on the Star Wars beta test since I was in bed most of the weekend, but that’s a story for another time.

So for now, it’s rest for me, soup, and lots of Food Network.  Here’s hope for a speedy recovery!  Toodles for now.

Bloodwork Results – Where Do I Go From Here?

So yesterday was a rather annoying day of ups and downs regarding getting my bloodwork results.  I thought that being scheduled on a Saturday morning (10:30am) would make things simpler, considering that the one other time I was there on a Saturday they were fairly empty.  I left with plenty of time, stopped off at Dunkin’ Donuts for a bagel and some orange juice, and drove to the appointment.  Upon checking in, I was informed that no, my appointment was not at this particular clinic.  It was at a different clinic twenty minutes away – one that I had only the vaguest notion of how to get to (“Funny, you’re the second person this has happened to today”).  Growing increasingly pissed off, I asked the receptionist if she could call over there to let them know I was on my way, so that they wouldn’t cancel my appointment.  She said sure, and gave me a little brochure with a map of how to get there.  I set out on my journey, bagel in hand.

With a little finagling – and one road detour I hadn’t planned on – I found the place.  The place was nearly entirely empty.  When I approached the receptionist and explained what had happened, she told me she had already marked me as a “no-show”.

“But… the receptionist at the other clinic said she was going to call you.”

“No, nobody called.”

Grrrrr….!!!!

She changed my no-show to show that I was indeed there, and I waited about ten minutes to be seen.  Weight was the same as my last appointment at 202lbs.  Blood pressure was a little high – 120/90 – but pulse and temperature were normal.

The doctor came in, sat down, and started going over my blood test results.  My fasting blood sugar was fine, so no Diabetes.  Very good, since it runs rampant through my family.  My cholesterols were ok – my “good” cholesterol was fine.  My “bad” cholesterol was slightly elevated.  My triglycerides?  That’s where things get a little sticky.  The way she explained it, your triglycerides should be under 150.  Mine were over 300.  The “high” range is 200-499.  Ick.

The second problem we ran into was the thyroid tests she ran.  Thyroid problems run in my family.  A few years ago, I had some bloodwork done and it showed that I tested positive for thyroid antibodies – that means my immune system would eventually identify my thyroid as something foreign, attack it, and stop production of the right kind of thyroid hormones.  At the time, we had no idea when it would happen, just that it would happen eventually.  Apparently “eventually” has arrived.

My thyroid test, which she said should have been under a 4, was an 8, making me test positive for hypothyroidism.  She prescribed me levothyroxine, a replacement thyroid hormone, and I have to take it every morning 1/2 an hour to an hour before breakfast with a full glass of water.  I’ve been told I’ll have to take it for the rest of my life.

Because of everything that turned up, I’ve been running my little fingers mad on the internets, researching what I can about fixing my triglycerides and taking care of my thyroid problem.  It would seem they could be related.  Hypothyroidism can cause elevated triglycerides.  The doctor, however, still wants me to change my diet to reduce my triglycerides.  That means cutting out a lot of sugars and carbs from my diet.  I don’t really consume a lot of sugar as it is, at least, I try not to.  Carbs however are kind of a staple of our diet in the house, and really hard to get around.  It’s frustrating enough trying to find a dietary solution that meets both my needs as someone who wants to go plant-based and Baron’s needs as a more meat-friendly omnivore, now to have to wrestle with this, it’s making it all seem very futile.

At this point I’m hoping that the new medication will help my energy levels, giving me the strength to get out and exercise more and hopefully lose the weight that I’ve put on the past few years.  Our current plan is for me to be on the meds for eight weeks.  I go back for bloodwork in six weeks and get seen in eight in order to check the thyroid levels.  I don’t know if they’re going to make me see an Endocrinologist, specifically, or just keep going to the Clinic.  I guess we’ll see when the time comes.  Wish me luck.

Review #4: Larabar’s Lemon Bar Flavour

And now for the last of our Larabar reviews, their Lemon Bar flavour.  Just a reminder, while the bars were sent to me free of charge, the reviews and opinions are 100% my own.

Lemon Bar Flavoured Larabar

Like the Ginger Snap and Apple Pie flavoured bars, Lemon Bar is gluten free, dairy free, soy free, non-gmo, vegan and kosher.  They’ve kept up with the same simple list of ingredients:  dates, cashews, almonds, lemon juice concentrate and natural lemon.  Unlike the other three bars, the consistency of this bar was a bit softer.  Perhaps it was the high liquid content of the bar?  The flavour was very lemony, despite the lemon content being at the end of the ingredients list.  It was hardly nutty or “date-y” at all.

I was a little surprised at the higher calorie content in this particular bar, as well as the higher fat content.  It has a little less fiber than previous bars, but the amount of protein is a touch increased on Lemon Bar.

In comparison to Apple Pie, Ginger Snap and Chocolate Chip Brownie, I have to say that Lemon Bar was my favourite.  The yummy, bright lemon flavour really stood out against it’s date and nut base, unlike the other bars.  If given the choice, I’d choose Lemon Bar over any of the others.

That’s it for my Larabar reviews.  While there were ups and downs to every bar, I think that overall it’s a sound product for someone looking for a good (mostly) vegan snack option.  With another twelve flavours of Larabar available, I’m sure there’s at least one that will appeal to the most picky of eaters.  I’m looking forward to trying other flavours of Larabar the next time I see them at the store.  Thank you, Larabar for giving me the opportunity to review your product!

Review #3: Larabar’s Chocolate Chip Brownie!

Tonight I’ve been kind of down and moody.  What better when in a down mood than a bit of chocolate?  I decided to give Larabar’s Chocolate Chip Brownie flavour a test run, just for the occasion.

Chocolate Chip Brownie Flavourted Larabar

Again, I have to preface that although the bars were sent to me free of charge, the reviews and opinions stated are 100% my own.

Unlike the previous two flavours, Chocolate Chip Brownie is only gluten free, non-gmo and kosher.  The ingredients state that it contains

• dates
• Fair Trade™ chocolate chips
• walnuts
• almonds
• Fair Trade™ cocoa powder
• salt

It may also contain milk from the chocolate chips, which is why this product isn’t considered vegan.

The texture of this product compared to the previous two is pretty much the same, considering that the primary ingredients – dates, walnuts and almonds – are universal.  The chocolate flavour, however, was nice and pronounced.  The chips were hard to find amongst all the nuts, but I’m sure that they added to the chocolatey flavour in there somewhere.  There was no doubting the chocolate in this chocolate bar.  In some cases it might have been just a little bit TOO chocolatey, depending on how much you like chocolate.

Click image above for clarity.

The bar has a few more calories than Apple Pie, but a few less than Ginger Snap.  As with all the bars, there’s a good amount of dietary fiber (5g, 21% DV).  The total amount of Fat is lower than the previous two bars as well (9g, 13% DV).

To sum things up, it’s a very chocolatey bar for it’s small size, and I don’t think I could handle that much chocolate flavour if the bar were sized up any bigger.  Depending on your tolerance for chocolate, this might be a good or bad choice for you.  For me, at this size, it’s a nice “once-in-a-while” treat, but not a flavour I would choose with any regularity.

Three bars down, one to go.  Lemon Bar is our last Larabar up for review.  Keep an eye out for it soon.

Upcoming Doctor’s Appointment, Bloodwork?

Most people who have known me for any length of time know that I get sick pretty easily.  I mean really easily.  If there’s a bug going around, I’ll most likely catch it.  If it took you a few days to get over it, it’ll take me a week or two.  A simple case of a sore throat will put me in the Emergency Room with severe tonsillitis.  It’s always been like this, since I was a kid.  No one has ever been able to come up with a reason why.

Now, as a 37 year old adult, I’m constantly plagued with feelings of fatigue and unwellness, under the weather and brain fogginess.  When I wake up in the morning, I struggle to keep myself awake, and have to constantly be prodded to keep myself upright.  What’s wrong with me?  I have no idea, but I would love to have answers.

In 2002, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, believed by my doctor to be related to an auto accident from 2000.  My doctor at the time implied that this could be a likely reason for my constant fatigue and malaise, but I’ve always hated the vagueness of my diagnosis.  A diagnosis based on elimination like Fibromyalgia is leaves me with very little faith in it.  It’s easier to believe in something that has concrete test results, y’know?

I take muscle relaxers to deal with the pain from the Fibro when it flares up, which isn’t as often as it used to be, but the fatigue and malaise are still omnipresent, and as of late, worse than ever.  It’s effecting my ability to get anything done in life, from getting up to walk in the evenings, to cleaning my apartment.  I just can’t find the strength or energy to get anything done.  At all.  Ever.

Who's up for a little bloodletting?

Thankfully, I have a new primary care doctor at the Clinic, and she’s ordered some baseline bloodwork.  I’m hoping that maybe some of the tests might show a bit of why I’m so tired all the time.  She’s concerned over the high prevalence of Diabetes and Cancer in my family (both my parents died in their fifties of cancer, and diabetes runs on both sides of the family), so she’s sent for fasting blood sugar, thyroid levels (also runs in my family, and I’ve tested positive for antibodies in the past) and your standard CBC stuff.  My appointment to go back is on Saturday the 19th.  I’ll post a followup blog entry with the results from the bloodwork, and if she has any further ideas as to why I’m suffering these symptoms.

Wish me luck!

Review #2: Larabars Apple Pie!

This week I received four Larabars in the mail for review.  I have to first preface that I’m not being paid by Larabar for the review, and the opinions stated in this review are 100% my own.  I’ve decided to review the four flavours separately, and the second flavour we’ll be reviewing is Apple Pie.

Apple Pie Flavoured Larabar

As a recap, the Larabar is a fruit and nut bar that is gluten free, dairy free, soy free, non-gmo, vegan, and kosher.  Made from “100% real food”, the Apple Pie bar contains no added sugars or preservatives.  It’s only ingredients are dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins and cinnamon.  One 1.8oz bar equals 1/2 of a cup of fruit, and it’s a good source of fiber.  Now on to how it tastes.

I was expecting it to be more… apple-y?  The apple flavour was subtle, and I easily caught both the raisins and the cinnamon.  I’m sure with dates and nuts being the primary ingredients, it was only possible to get so much apple flavour into the bar without using artifical flavours or chemicals.  Like the Ginger Snap bar, the texture was soft and dense, almost brownie or newton-like.  The nuts offer a bite to cut through the chewiness of it.

Compared to the Ginger Snap flavour, there’s a few differences in nutritional value.  It’s lower in calories than Ginger Snap, comparing Apple Pie’s 180 calories to Ginger Snap’s 220.  The total fat is a bit lower (10g, 15% DV), and the amount of fiber is a bit lower as well (4g, 16% DV).  Apple Pie has a little bit less protein as well (4g, 8% DV).  I’m guessing the difference is the addition of two more fruits to the bar in this flavour than in Ginger Snap (unsweetened apples and raisins).

While I enjoyed Apple Pie, I didn’t find the flavour to be nearly apple-ish enough for my tastes.  It’s not a flavour that I would avoid, but I don’t think it would be my first choice of Larabar if given different flavour options.  If you’re into subtle flavours, this might be more up your alley.  We’ll see how the other flavors – Lemon Bar and Chocolate Chip Brownie – compare as far as flavour intensity goes.

Review: Larabars Ginger Snap!

This week I received four Larabars in the mail for review.  I have to first preface that I’m not being paid by Larabar for the review, and the opinions stated in this review are 100% my own.  I’ve decided to review the four flavours separately, and the first flavour we’ll be reviewing is Ginger Snaps.

Ginger Snap Flavoured Larabar

For those unfamiliar with Larabars, they’re a fruit and nut bar that is labeled as gluten free, dairy free, soy free, non-gmo, vegan and kosher.  The package states that it’s made from “100% real food…a magical harmony of fruits, nuts and spices that will lift your vitality and provide energy with every bite.  Simple. Pure. Delicious.”

I love ginger, so I was immediately drawn to the Ginger Snap flavour, with it’s simple list of ingredients: dates, almonds, pecans, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.  I noticed that dates tend to be the primary ingredient for most Larabars, and lends itself to a rather interesting consistency somewhere between firm brownies and the filling of a fig newton.  The nuts in the bar weren’t ground down to nothingness, so there was a good nutty texture throughout the entire bar.  As far as the spices go, I was happy that the ginger wasn’t overpowering and tongue-numbing like a lot of ginger products can be, and the clove and cinnamon were nice and subtle in comparison to the ginger.  The ginger could have been a wee bit stronger, but as it was, the bar was fairly yummy in it’s spiciness.

A lot of the nutritional information was a good read – like seeing that the bar was high in protein (5g, 10% DV) and high in fiber (5g, 21% DV).  I think the one drawback to the bar is it’s high fat content (14g, 21% DV).  It’s fairly high calorie for such a small bar – the bar is only 1.8oz., which is smaller than your average granola bar.  I’m attributing most of this to the high content of nuts in the product.  Either way, I personally would rather eat one of these than the sugar laden super processed granola bars you get in the cereal aisle of your local supermarket.

All in all I was pleasantly surprised at the chewiness and pleasantness of flavour I found in the Ginger Snap Larabar.  Healthy doesn’t have to mean dry and tasteless, and Larabar has produced a bar I’m sure that most non-vegans would love just as much as vegans do.  If you come across them, give them a try.  They come in sixteen flavours, and if you can’t find them at your local Whole Food Market or health food store, you can pick them up online at the Larabar Online Store.

Keep an eye out for my reviews of the other three flavours I’ve been sent: Apple Pie, Lemon Bar and Chocolate Chip Brownie!

Overcoming My Fear Of The Dreaded Avocado!

I have to admit to something kind of silly.  Avocados scare me.  I love them, they’re super tasty, amazing in sandwiches and guacamole, and I can’t get enough of them.  However, I have never bought or used an avocado before, because frankly, the thought kind of terrified me.

Yup. Silly.  I know.

I know why avocados give me the creeps.  It’s that they turn brown.  I understand that this happens to a lot of fruits and veggies – apples, for example – but they don’t instill the fear in me that avocados do.  I’m just panicked with the idea of buying an avocado, trying to use it, and not being quick enough with the acid to maintain that nice green colour.

Can you sense the aura of terror surrounding it??

Our most recent trip to the Farmer’s Market had me staring down at the avocado with a dual sense of want and dread.  Baron commented “Do you want some avocados? They’re two for a dollar.”  I gave him my usual noncommittal shrug.  He pressed, knowing how much I like them, and I re-explained to him my fears about working with them.  He then made the executive decision to buy two (they were fairly small).

The first one was sacrificed to the Guacamole Gods.  Baron decided on a surprise fajita night, and made fresh guac for the festivities.  Whew, dodged that bullet!  The second one, however…

We’re a bit scarce on groceries right now, so I decided I’d use the last of the produce on making some nice veggie wraps with the leftover flour tortilla shells from fajita night.  I decided to saute some mushrooms, orange bell peppers and an onion, and add them to some nice cold spinach and orange tomato.  Before leaving for work, Baron commented “You should use that avocado in them, too!”  I think I inwardly cringed.

So I cut up my veg and got the stove going, putting a wee bit of olive oil in the pan and starting the goodies on the heat.  I chopped up the tomato, and got the stems off the spinach.  Then, I stared down the avocado.  It’s a wee thing, isn’t it?  I waited a second or two, and then dug in with my paring knife.  It came apart fairly easily, and I had no problems getting the pit out.  I scooped out the innards with a spoon, put it in a bowl, and started to worry.  I couldn’t remember if we had lime or not to prevent it from browning!  I dug around in our fridge and found a nice half lime, squeezing it into the avocado, while mashing it up with a fork.  Success!

So tonight, I cooked a quickie dinner for myself, and overcame my fear of the dreaded avocado.  I was proud of the fact that I could whip something up that was relatively quick, fairly healthy and meat-free to boot.  Hopefully there will be more meals like this to come, once I get more groceries in my kitchen.  For now, I’ll chalk this up to a another positive learning experience, and one that won’t prevent me from poking through the avocados at the Farmer’s Market!  Bye-bye fears, and hello tasty, tasty avocado noms!