Health and Fitness – Page 37 – Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie

Daily Food Diary – Day 24 of 365

January 25, 2025June 25, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Good morning! It’s my 24th day of posting my food diary and I am excited at how well it is going so far!

Anyone who has been following along with me knows that my diet went far off base last fall and I was less than happy with the results of blood tests I had taken in late October. I agreed with my Nurse Practitioner to make the adjustments that needed to be made, and to go for retesting this week. I went on Thursday, received some of the results Thursday night and the rest yesterday.

The only issue with the first set was my HbA1c/Total Hemoglobin (which measures your risk of diabetes). In Canada, a 5.5 to 5.9 means you are at risk of becoming pre-diabetic. In October, I rated a 5.6. This time I had dropped to 5.5. It’s an improvement, but I still have work to do.

The rest of my tests ALL came back with results in the normal range. 😊

I am thrilled with the results but committed to working at dropping my risk of diabetes and keeping the rest of my levels in the normal range.

While diet is my focus here, I also remain committed to working out, getting fresh air, meditating, sleeping well, using my Spiriva and Advair inhalers as prescribed, and drinking adequate water and using my Neti Pot daily to keep working to improve my sinus health.

It sounds like a lot and a big commitment of time and effort. It really isn’t that much of either, especially compared to the consequences of allowing my health to slide.

I love reading self help books and two that have helped me immensely on my journey are: Atomic Habits by James Clear and Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. These books were life changers for me. David Goggins made me realize my potential. James Clear helped me to get organized so I can actually achieve the results that I aim for. 😊

Food Diary – Day 24 of 365

(1) c coffee

(1/2) Grapefruit with sugar

(1) leftover cabbage roll

(24) ounces of water

(1) cup tea

(1) small bowl of caramel corn

(24) oz of water

(12) oz of water

(1) dinner plate of ham, scalloped potatoes, corn, plus a small side salad

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💞🌞

Daily Food Diary – Day 23 of 365

January 24, 2025June 25, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I’m back – and I will be back for another 342 days. That’s a bit daunting, but it is getting to be a fairly locked in part of my morning routine – even when my day is anything but routine.

Yesterday morning I was on a mission to get blood tests done, which resulted in my going to the dogpark for the better part of an hour, eating soup for breakfast, and doing my morning workout at 2:30 in the afternoon. My day, was definitely not routine, but I did get my Daily Food Diary blog posted so yay me! I can get it done.

Speaking of blood tests… I did get some of the results yesterday after. So far, pretty good! Everything was within healthy limits except for my HbA1c/Total Hemoglobin which was 5.5. Anything 5.5 to 5.9 is considered ‘risk to become pre-diabetic’. I consider my 5.5 a fail but my last tests (three months ago) earned me a 5.6 so I have improved. 😊

Speaking of all things medical… My Nurse Practitioner called yesterday. She had reviewed the results from my hernia ultrasound and called to strongly advised me to see a surgeon. After my incident a couple of weeks ago when I landed myself at Emerg, I was quick to agree, so she sent off a referral to a local surgical group. To be honest, I would agree to anything Lara advised. She is that good!

Speaking of health in general… For the third day in a row, our temps were relatively moderate yesterday so I was able to get outside and enjoy some fresh air. Also, for the third night in a row, I was able to get through the night without coughing fits. Post nasal drip is brutal at night, and drinking copious amounts of water during the daytime has done wonders for my sinuses.

**This one was taken at our neighborhood dogpark. The snow is much deeper this year and becoming an issue as the dogs can step over the fence**. **(Molly may have done that the other day – and taken a friend with her. 🙄)**

Food Diary – Day 23 of 365

(10) oz water

(1) sm bowl of leftover wonton soup

(1) pear

(1/2) c raspberries

(24) oz water

(1) c tea

(1/2) sm bowl of nuts

(24) oz water

(1/2) small tray of nachos

(12) oz carbonated water

(8) oz water

*** 78 ounces of water !!! 😳

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💗🌞

Daily Food Diary – Day 22 of 365

January 23, 2025June 25, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Twenty two days in and I am still here and on-target to finish what I started – maintaining my food diary for one full year.

Today, I am off to our neighbourhood clinic for blood tests. For the past couple of years my tests have come back good, other than indicating infections. That isn’t ideal but an ongoing battle when one has chronic lung conditions.

My last tests were not great. They were a reflection of my allowing myself to get way off course on my diet. That was three months ago. I have been working to get back on track ever since, so it will be interesting to see how well I have done. 🤞

Food Diary – Day 22 of 365

(1) c coffee

(4) slices back bacon

(2) eggs fried in olive oil

(2) potato patties

(24) oz water

(1) c tea

(2) cabbage rolls

(12) oz carbonated water

Note – Keeping a cruet of olive oil on the counter beside the stove has been a simple game changer for me. I don’t fry anything in butter anymore and it is one place where the butter is not missed at all. 👍

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day. 💞🌞

Daily Food Diary – Day 21 of 365

January 22, 2025July 3, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness, Uncategorized

It is Day 21 of my Daily Food Diary. Three weeks since I began recording my intake and sharing it here on JetPack. 😊 (I cannot begin to express my appreciation for those who have checked in and especially those of you who have been regular visitors to my blog. Your support and encouragement goes a long way to keeping me on track!)

My diet still needs improvements, but daily tracking has already helped me to up my water intake substantially in the past few days. This has had two major positives for me.

Number 1 – My between meal snacking has decreased naturally and easily.

Number 2 – My sinuses have improved significantly, which in turn is beginning to improve my sleep and my lung function.

The best thing about building healthy habits is how easily one good thing leads to another. 🤗

Our cold weather snap broke yesterday, so with the our sun shining and feeling good, I went outside to feed the squirrels. I also took Molly’s new Frisbee to play fetch with her. Molly does not play fetch particularly well but I did get fresh air and a bit of exercise (fetching Molly’s Frisbee) in addition to my regular morning workout. I’ll take that as a win!

**An older pic of Molly heading outside not to play fetch.**

Food Diary – Day 21

(1) c coffee

(1 1/2) Cinnamon swirl pancake with cream cheese icing and maple syrup

(1 1/2) slices of thin sliced bacon

(12) oz water

(1) c tea

(12) oz water

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) pork chop

(1 1/2) c Sidekicks Herb and Butter noodles

(1 1/2) c Brussel sprouts with butter, salt, and pepper

(12) oz water

(1) c tea

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💗☺️

Daily Food Diary – Day 20 of 365

January 21, 2025July 3, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Good morning! It is a much better morning today thanks to a significant improvement in our weather. We are looking to reach minus 3 C (3 degrees below freezing) by this afternoon. Much better than the ‘feels like’ minus 39 to 49 that we have been experiencing.

**Obviously, our snow will not be going anywhere today, nor will I be lounging in our gazebo.**

Also, last night I checked my Sask Health account and was somewhat surprised that the results from the ultrasound I had done yesterday morning were already posted. There were no surprises in the results. A hernia repair will be in my foreseeable future.

Food Diary – Day 20

(2) c coffee

(1 1/2) cinnamon swirl pancakes with cream cheese icing and maple syrup ***

(3) Thin slices bacon

(12) oz water

(1) c tea

(12) oz water

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) lg chicken Caesar salad with dried fried onions in lieu of croutons

*** My bad was getting Dan to take me to our nearby Smitty’s for breakfast after my ultrasound. I did eat only HALF of my order – but I saved the other half for this morning.

I love Smitty’s Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes but I forgot to tell the waitress that I don’t eat whipped cream. Fortunately, I was able to scoop it off with my spoon and set it aside, but I felt bad wasting it. **I know our restaurants are struggling with higher food costs and lower sales.**

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day!

Daily Food Diary – Day 19 of 365

January 20, 2025July 3, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It’s a new week and another day of focusing on my health and fitness – and specifically this year nutrition and hydration. Unfortunately, eating well and living active isn’t everything when it comes to staying fit and healthy. Sometimes, it takes a bit of medical intervention.

**Visiting the Pasqua Hospital Two Years Ago for a broken arm. 👍**

This week, I am not dealing with anything serious. This morning, we braved the frigid Saskatchewan temps because I had an appointment for an ultrasound of a hernia repair I had done three years ago. (Fortunately, Dan drove me as the streets are solid ice ruts and it was dark, traffic was relatively heavy, AND it is frigid out there). On Thursday, I am going for routine blood and urine tests.

Ultrasounds and routine tests are no big deal – at least not to normal people. Unfortunately, I do not fall into that category. As much as I believe in vaccinations, routine and not so routine tests and examinations, surgical procedures and medications (as a last resort), I struggle. A LOT. I get stressed around doctors, nurses, orderlies, technicians and the like. I cringe at the sight of medical equipment. I get nervous entering medical facilities.

Fun fact… I used to sell construction specialty items to medical facilities. I sold entrance matting, wall protection, privacy curtains, security grilles, and more. My position occasionally involved site meetings. Even meeting in a medical facility to discuss wall protection made me nervous. Go figure!

Obviously, two medical appointments in one week doesn’t make this a great week going in, but I am one down and only one to go.

The ultrasound will hopefully lead to a repair of the repair I had done and the blood tests will show that I am back on track with the improvements I have been working to make to my diet. 🤞😉

Food Diary – Day 19

(1) c coffee

(3) Slices thick sliced bacon

(2) Eggs

(2) Potato patties

(12) oz water

(1) c tea

(1) sm bowl mixed nuts

(12) oz water

(12) oz carbonated water

(1 1/2) bowls wonton soup ***

(2) chocolates

(12) oz water

(1/2) c air fried in shells Frank’s Red Hot sunflower seeds

*** Other than the wontons that Dan made and frozen and the store bought chicken broth – I made the wonton soup by myself. (Broth, wontons, chicken, green onions, sliced carrots, broccoli, sliced mushrooms, baby Bok Choy, garlic, ginger, 1/8 tsp dried hot peppers, soya sauce, sesame oil).

Our dried hot peppers are a mix of peppers from our garden – habanero, ghost, chilli, Carolina Reapers, whatever we have. We dry them and crush them up in our blender. Dan crushes them up in our blender! I did it the first time and got a puff of fine powder when I opened the blender. When my eyes finally cleared and I quit coughing, I decided not to do that again. 🤦

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day!🌞

Daily Food Diary – Day 18 of 365

January 19, 2025July 3, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness, Uncategorized

It has been eighteen days since I began my daily food diary – recording everything that I eat and drink and sharing it here on JetPack.

It soon became obvious that hydration was an area that needed some work, so I have spent the past week focussing on drinking more water than I typically do.

In a few days, I was noticing benefits – clearer sinuses, smoother skin, less cravings for between meal snacks, and more. I know from taking up regular exercise, meditating, and working on my diet, that it will only get better.

I have learned more about myself and proper self-care in the past three years than I have in my lifetime. I have recognized benefits that I never imagined possible – at least not for me. And definitely not in my sixties!

My one regret has been that I did not get my 💩 together sooner.

Recently, I read an article where people like me were referred to as ‘LATE BLOOMERS’. At first I was offended and trotted out my lame old excuses. I grew up before the Internet and all of the information readily available to younger people now, I was always sickly and wimpy – I didn’t know anything else was possible, I was busy taking care of other people!

Then I started thinking about it. We have a large yard and garden. In the spring and summer and into the fall, we have an abundance of flowers. I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate them all.

But late in the season, when the weather has turned cold and our yard becomes a wasteland of Saskatchewan greige, the flowers long gone, there is always that one intrepid little petunia blossom that opens up to brighten my day.

That ‘late bloomer’ is special. I will make a dozen trips out of my way to pay it a visit and appreciate its beauty and resilience, before it fades away. I realized that being a late bloomer isn’t a bad thing.

People notice late bloomers – and that’s a good thing, especially for later boomers like me who have special people in their lives – people like grandchildren. They are aware of my efforts to get fit and healthy, they see the results, and hopefully they are inspired to follow my lead, sooner than later, because they deserve to bloom for a lifetime.

Food Diary – Day 18

(1) c coffee

(1) 2 egg omelet with back bacon, mushrooms, onion, and cheese pan fried with olive oil

(12) oz water

(1) c tea

(12) oz water

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) tortilla wrap with filling of ground beef, onion, mushroom, spinach, red pepper, garlic, salsa, and cheese

(1) handful of Touch of Lime tortilla chips

(12) oz water

Total 60 ounces of water! 🎉

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💞🌞

Daily Food Diary – Day 17 of 365

January 18, 2025July 3, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I have been tracking my food and liquid intake for seventeen days. ⭐

It is funny how changing one part of our self-care, automatically affects others. This week, I have been focused on upping my hydration. This has helped to subdue cravings for snacks throughout the day, especially sweet snacks. Mostly relative to improvements in my respiratory system from the increase in fluid intake, my workouts have become easier and better. And the quality of my sleep has improved – sort of.

Monday and Tuesday night, my sleep was typical. Wednesday night was a trainwreck. Thursday night was great! Ten hours of solid, uninterrupted sleep.

Last night started badly and only got worse. My soft sleeping headphones were dead. Since my bedtime routine involves listening to soothing meditation music, I was forced to use my earbuds. I cannot sleep on my back, so every time I even thought of turning onto my side, I had an earbud drive into my brain. (That will wake a body up.) I finally gave up and put the earbuds away. I woke up briefly when Dan came to bed, but managed to doze back off. I had barely gotten back to sleep when Molly, who generally sleeps on my side of the bed, let out a small, quiet ‘woof’. With a normal dog, one could assume she was talking in her sleep and ignore her.

One small ‘woof’ leads to a meltdown complete with racing around the house like a crazed animal, jumping up and off of the furniture, and of course enough barking to wake up every dog and their human on this side of the city.

Last night, Dan cut her off at the pass, by getting up, having a quiet chat with her, taking her for a tour around the house, and finally getting her to settle down on his side of the bed. That was all appreciated, but by that time, I was wide awake. I did manage to get some quality sleep when I finally drifted off some time later.

**Molly had no problem settling back down, as usual.**

There is only so much adequate hydration can do when it comes to dogs and other outside influences but, I continue to focus on drinking water and working on making it a natural part of my day.

Food Diary – Day 17

(1) c coffee

(1) apple

(1) granola bar

(12) oz water

(1) c tea

(2) sm bowls Hint of Lime tortilla chips with salsa

(12) oz water

(3) small battered fish fillets, (1 1/2) c fried, (1) c peas with butter & pepper, (1) side salad with lettuce, onions, radishes, cauliflower, sesame seeds, fried dried onions, and salad dressing

(12) oz carbonated water

(12) oz water

Note:

* (60) ounces of water 🎊

* The fish came prepared and packaged, unlike most of our main supper dishes which are homemade from scratch – mostly in an attempt to avoid yeast or yeast related ingredients

* My afternoon snack was somewhat larger than usual, but being a Friday I did do my afternoon weights workout. 🤗

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💞🌞

Daily Food Diary – Day 16 of 365

January 17, 2025June 25, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness, Uncategorized

Day sixteen of 365. I am still here, although I am running late for the 2nd day in a row.

Yesterday, I was late to the party because I had had a rough night sleep and just finally fell asleep when I should have been getting up.

Last night, I slept like a rock for a solid ten hours. 🤦

**I’m up already! Ok, maybe finally? I love the housecoat Dan got me for Christmas. ❤️**

Another day this week to focus on drinking water. Proper hydration is so important to everyone, but I am noticing more and more how important it is for those of us with chronic health issues.

For myself, with multiple respiratory issues, proper hydration is key to dealing with mucus. The good news is – water works! I have been gradually upping my water intake this week and my sinuses are so much better! I usually sleep well, with occasional wakeups due to coughing fits, most often triggered by post nasal drip. Last night, no coughing – nothing!

My sister Lorraine commented on my post yesterday (as anonymous). She noted that one of the rules for organ transplants (hers was kidney) is proper hydration – two litres a day of water, and double that if you have an alcoholic drink.

Speaking of kidneys, I have had previous issues with kidney stones – for which plenty of water is advised.

This morning, my daughter Jen sent me an interesting post on Instagram, from an account dedicated to those who have EDS (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome – a genetic collagen disorder). https://www.instagram.com/share/p/BAMZdhiVBc

This post notes that not only is proper hydration important but so is sodium, potassium, and magnesium to support cellular hydration, fluid balance, and nerve transmission.

One thing that I have learned the hard way, is that while medical intervention is available during a chronic health crisis, one has to be proactive in maintaining one’s health and controlling one’s flare ups between the crises. Adequate hydration is one such proactive measure that is necessary.

Daily Food Diary – Day 16

(1) c coffee

(3) crumpets with butter and jam

(12) oz water

(1) c tea

(1 1/2) sm bowls chips and sm crackers

(12) oz water

(1) lg taco salad – lettuce, spinach, baked chicken, onions, radishes, cucumber, red pepper, olives, shredded cheddar cheese, dried fried onions, Salsa salad dressing and a few Hint of Lime tortilla chips

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) chocolate

(12) ounces of water

Total water : 60 OUNCES 🎉

That’s it for today! Take care and have a great day! 😊❤️

Daily Food Diary – Day 15 of 365

January 16, 2025June 25, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I am not running on a lot of sleep so hopefully my blog won’t be too painful to follow this morning. Fortunately I typically get a solid night’s sleep, because I do not operate well on a lack of it. 😴

Moving on… Still on the topic of proper hydration, I am passing along some information that my friend Dwight Hyde sent me this week. I strongly recommend visiting Dwight’s blog – http://fadedjeansliving.com He covers a range of topics, most of which are timely and informative. Dwight himself, is a super good guy from Colorado. He is one of those truely solid, down to earth, Americans that we can all relate to.

Dwight, sourced this info on ChatGPT. I haven’t checked it out yet but it is a free app and apparently quite informative.

Staying hydrated is essential for overall health and plays a roll in managing inflammation. Here’s how:

Flushes out toxins: proper hydration helps the kidneys and liver effectively flush out toxins that can contribute to inflammation.
Supports joint health: Water keeps the cartilage in your joints hydrated and cushioned, reducing the risk of inflammation and discomfort in these areas.
Promotes healthy circulation: Adequate water intake ensures proper blood flow, which is vital for delivering nutrients and oxygen to tissues and removing waste products.
Aids in digestion: Hydration supports a healthy gut, which is linked to reduced systemic inflammation.
Balances ph levels: Drinking enough water helps the body’s ph balance, preventing conditions that can lead to inflammation.

I have a couple of my own tidbits to add to the list:

Adequate hydration helps to thin mucus and makes it easier for one to deal with especially for those of us who live with the fun-ness of respiratory issues (such as my own sinusitis, COPD, asthma, and bronchiectasis)
Adequate hydration helps to moisturize dry skin: Although I am still struggling to reach my personal water intake goals, my skin is feeling better already for the efforts I have made. 👍

Daily Food Diary – Day 15

(1) c coffee

(4) slices thin sliced bacon

(2) scrambled eggs

(2) potato patties

(8) oz water

(1) c tea

(16) oz water

(1) sm plate of leftover roast beef with horseradish, potatoes and gravy, carrots, onions, and celery

(12) oz carbonated water

(1/2) bowl of microwave popcorn

(16) oz water

(2) shortbread cookies

I still came up short on my water intake goals with 52 of 64 ounces, but that is better that I have done in the past – and with every reason to keep pressing forward ONE DAY I will crush it!

That’s it for today! Take care and have a great day!💞🌞