Eliminate This

So there's a new step to take in the war against my less-than-stellar health - an "elimination" diet.  I'll start this after Mom comes to visit over President's Day weekend (so I can actually eat out with her).  It's meant to kind of reset my system and help identify foods that are causing me trouble...but it won't be easy (or potentially won't be pretty either).  Here's the nitty-gritty of it...

Days 1-4
Vitamin shake before breakfast
Days 5-7
Vitamin shake before breakfast and before dinner
Days 8-14
Vitamin shake before each of the 3 major meals
Days 15-17
Vitamin shake before breakfast and dinner
Days 18-21
Vitamin shake before breakfast

The vitamins and etc in the shake are meant to "detox" the body (especially during the 3x/day period) - that will be the ugly part, I think (just interpreting the information in the packet I was given).

Now for the food (or lack thereof) part of the diet...

Days 1-7
No dairy, eggs, shortening, foods containing gluten, tomatoes and tomato sauces, corn, peanuts and peanut butter, alcohol, caffeine, soy products, beef, pork, bacon, hotdogs, sausage, shellfish.  No citrus.
Drink lots of water.  I can have herbal teas, sugar-free fruit juices (diluted with water 50/50), and vegetable juices.  I can eat foods from rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat or tapioca (which I actually shouldn't have).  I'm supposed to eat fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, fish, chicken, turkey, and lamb.  If using an oil, it should be olive, canola or flax seed.
Days 8-14
Eat nothing.  Just kidding, but it seems like it.  During this week I'm supposed to not just cut out the ones I listed above, but for these days also not eat the fish, chicken, turkey, and lamb - i.e. no meat at all.  "eliminate all animal products"  Ugh!  I like meat!
Days 15-21
Go back to the do/don't of the first seven days, but during this time, add back in some of the other foods to see if my body freaks out - e.g. dairy for a day, then gluten for a day, etc.

There's actually a more comprehensive list of do and don't eat.  For example, no white potatoes (gah!), but it's okay to eat bananas...which bother my system, too.  *shrug*  The example menu has things on it like bedtime snacks of rice cakes with almond butter, mid-afternoon snack of a handful of cashews, and practically naked salads for lunch.  One carrot stick for a mid-morning snack?!  Really?!  Really?!
Dr. Miller says I'll feel much better after doing this.  I suppose I'll have to take his word for it until I actually put myself through the torture and come out the other side.
The good news is that I supposedly could lose some weight during the three weeks.  I wouldn't mind that, but seems like a helluva way to go about it!

So, that will be the next adventure.  Stay tuned for the reports when it starts in the latter half of February.

Concert Details!

I am so excited to be doing some more singing!  :)

Here is the official, complete (and correct) information for the Hymn Festival and concert at Grace Lutheran on Saturday (February 2).  I hope a few folks can make it! Pass the information along to others you think might be interested who don't read my blog.

 

http://www.1011now.com/starcitybuzz/headlines/Linc oln-Organ-Showcase-Presents-David-Cherwien-in-Concert-186892502.html

 

 

Inauguration Location

I didn't see the inauguration today, but I am seeing clips of it all on TV tonight.  What's neat about it to me is that I recognize the places they are walking by on the way to the capital building.  I looked up at the television and said, "I've been there!  I've crossed that street!"  And that makes me smile.  Couldn't care less for the reason it's on the news, but it is pretty cool to know that I have walked literally where presidents have trod.

Hungry

I had to eat the other night but am poor and haven't been able to go grocery shopping for at least two weeks, so I got inventive.  It was a can of Progresso soup, some sliced up sausage I browned first (after finding it in the freezer...wonder how long that was in there), and rice.  Heated up the soup and rice in the microwave (had to add a little water to have enough liquid to cook the rice), then threw in the meat, stirred, let it sit for a bit, still burnt my tongue, but, say, that stuff wasn't half bad!  I will have to keep that in mind and maybe try it again with some different soups.  This one was lentil.  It probably would have been good to use chicken, too.  And it was all free of the plethora of things I can't eat, so bonus!  :-)

Looking at it again now, I'm kinda' hungry for it!

Musical Challenges

I had another new musical challenge today.  I was more nervous this morning than I have been in quite some time.  I wish I knew what it sounded like to the congregation.  For the music I did, there was no accompaniment to be found...so I sang a capella.  Actually, I had the recording playing on my tablet with my hands-free set in my right ear and the lead sheet in front of me for the words.  So, really, I was singing along while the congregation heard only my voice.  I don't know if it was because I had to rely on the technology or because I knew there was no instrument to help mask a mistake, but I was I truly nervous.  I have sung a capella before both alone and in groups.  The song was "Surely Your Salvation is Coming" which is verbatim NKJV of Isaiah 62.  It is beautiful.  I only sang verses 1-5, though because that's all the reading was this morning.  You can find it here if you would like to check it out (the artist's singing of course, not mine): http://www.scripturesongsforworship.com/2012/06/isaiah-62-surely-your-salvation-is.html.  Despite the nerves, I'm glad I was able to do it.  The song was pretty, the modus operandi a first for me, and it was a new challenge which is always good to have once in a while.

Again?!

Technical difficulties again?!  Apparently I can now upload pictures to my blog from anything but my computer.  This is incredibly obnoxious since that's the only place from which I get the pictures for my blog.  I was going to update my blog today with pictures from Dad's party, Christmas, et cetera and some goofy boring stuff, but...foiled again!  Drat!  Drat!  And double drat!

That was so fun!

Today was very busy...and more fun than I usually have on a given day.  It probably wouldn't seem fun to too many people I know, but it was worth being utterly exhausted now.

As is quite usual, I started the morning by running very late getting to church.  (That would not be the fun part.)  Even after the rough start, I am happy to say that, for the rest of the morning, I was having a wonderful time sing, sing, singing!  Two excellent worship experiences in a row with people I enjoy being around is a great way to spend a full morning.

Then, this afternoon, I went to a nearby church for the first of the "spring semester" rehearsals for the Lincoln Lutheran Choir.  I haven't sung music on that level in about 10 years.  It was wonderful!  I am definitely going to enjoy this.  The people seem very nice, the director appropriately eccentric, and the music deliciously challenging.  We will have two concerts in April.  Here's the part where you mark your calendars.  On Saturday, April 20th, the choir performs at Christ Lutheran in Columbus.  The time for that one's not set.  The second concert is in Lincoln on Sunday, April 21st at 3:00 at Grace Lutheran.

But wait!  There's more!  At the rehearsal, I found out about an opportunity to sing in another choir on February 2nd - I don't remember where, but I remember the concert is at 7:00.  It will be one afternoon of rehearsal followed by the concert that evening.  I will certainly keep everyone posted.  We're supposed to get an email with details I would hope soon.

I am almost giddy!  This is my soul food, and I am going to gorge myself.  :-)

Just Saying...

Have you seen the Sears Optical commercial (tried to find the link, but had no luck - must be too new) where Gene (presumably the husband), while his presumed wife is bent over looking at shirts, tells a mannequin "Hey, chief! Eyes on your own paper."  The woman stands up and says, "Gene, that's a mannequin" and walks away.  I'm sorry, but if the man I was with, blind or not, decided to defend my honor like that, I'd say thank you at least...still mock him for being blind, but nonetheless be grateful he thought I was beautiful enough for other men to stare at.  Just saying.

Third Health Update

I've been meaning to post this for a while (since before Christmas anyway), but it's been so busy, I just haven't really had a chance...or taken the time, maybe.

So, the final test results came back shortly before Christmas.  There are complicated chemical things going on that I think I barely understand.  I'll try to keep it simple so it makes as much sense as possible (without getting into all the gory details).

Issue:
Cortisol levels out of whack (that's the chemical that regulates sleepiness...or something like that)
Hormones out of whack
DHEA low (it's what keeps the hormones from being out of whack, and the cortisol being out of whack pulls on it, too)

Attempted Solution:
Every night I rub a cream onto my wrist that is supposed to help with my sleep eventually balancing out the cortisol levels.
Drops of nasty tasting stuff on my tongue every day to help raise the DHEA levels.  That should help the hormones straighten out and help the DHEA not be drained by the wacky cortisol levels.
I'm also supposed to go to bed at a regular time every night...at which I really, really suck.

In March, the tests will be done again to see if all the this-that-and-the-other-thing levels have straightened out.  We'll see what happens.  I think I need a job that has nap time built in.  Yesterday I took an hour and a half nap and it felt good.  Today I fell asleep at work and felt guilty.  So, obviously, nap time at work would alleviate the guilt and bring on the good, right?  :-)