Tag: chronic lung disease

Daily Food Diary – Day 203 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is Day 203 of my Daily Food Diary.  💖🤗

That is a full 29 weeks since I became mindful of my daily diet.   The real story is what does not appear in my diary – everything I reach for, then walk away from  or  each time I pivot and  go with a healthier choice,  rather than my first choice.

I have done temporary Food Diaries in the past (for medical reasons) and I found them to be an  annoying inconvenience – and not particularly useful to anyone.  For two or three days, I could easily deprive myself of anything that might seem questionable to a doctor or nutritionist.  Which of course would  defeat the purpose…

Now,  I  appreciate having this constant nudge to eat mindfully and (relatively)  responsibly.   

It is  bizarre how seldom it is that we seriously consider what we consume.  In that regard, I think we are far more aware of how we nourish our pets and our plants than our own bodies. (Maybe it’s just me.  😔)

This is a supermarket orchid that Dan bought me.   The instruction card said it should bloom once a year.  I have replanted it in a specific orchid potting mix, I water it sparingly, and I feed it a mixture of ground eggshells and dried banana peels.  It has been blooming for three years.  Every  set of blossoms get bigger, last longer, and are replaced by a new set as soon as they fall. 

In retrospect, it seems beyond bizarre that I have been more conscientious about nurturing a  plant than my own body.   (Even if it is a cool plant. 🤔)

Daily Food Diary – Day 203

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1/2) Grapefruit (39)

(1 1/2) c sugar (24)

(1) c Shreddies (200)

Lunch:

(2) oz Rotisserie chicken (100)

(8) Lay’s BBQ potato chips (75)

Snacks:

(1) Coffee Crisp Ice Cream cone (280)

(1) Almond flour/dark chocolate chip cookie (50)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(1) Chef Salad – lettuce, green onions, radishes, cucumber, tomato, olives, ham, boiled eggs, shredded cheese, sunflower seeds, dried fried onions, Black Peppercorn Ranch salad dressing (500)

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) Almond flour/dark chocolate chip cookie (50)

Total net calories:  1146

Net calorie goal:  1229 – 1146 = 83 under

* Highlighted items contain significant collagen or significant contribute to the production of collagen

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 190 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

This is Day 190 of my Daily Food Diary!  💓🎉

This is also Alec’s birthday! 🤗🎂 Alec is granddaughter Genie’s fiance.    She is fortunate to have him in her life and we are happy to have him in our family.  Happy Birthday  Alec!

Prim, Alec & Genie’s friend, Alec, and Genie…this photo is a decade old.  It was the day we met Alec and back when their story was just beginning. (I scared him 😂)

This month, my Daily Food Focus is on collagen production and maintenance…

Last week, I started taking collagen supplements.  It is too soon to see any benefits but so far I haven’t suffered any side effects, so that’s a win.

I have been sourcing out foods that contain collagen or aid in the natural production and maintenance of collagen.   I highlight such foods in my Daily Food Diary.  

I continue to exercise daily (also very important to producing and maintaining collagen).  I do aerobics Monday thru Saturday, light weights and cardio Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and walk with Molly and Dan daily – weather and/or wildfire smoke permitting.  

It never fails to amaze me how few people (with or without dogs)   we encounter on our walks through our neighborhood parks.  👀

Daily Food Diary – Day 190

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) eggs (160)

(2) potato patties (240)

(3) slices back bacon (52)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(1) pear (103)

(15) raspberries (15)

(3) PC’s dark chocolate (106)

Supper:

(6) oz roast beef (328)

(25) French fries (250)

(1/3) c gravy (40)

(1) tbsp horseradish (10)

(1 1/2) c broccoli (90)

Total net calories: 1075

Net calorie goal: 1229 – 1075 = 154 under

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 186 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

This is Day 186 of my Daily Food Diary. 😊

A healthy diet is an important part of the Healthy & Fit Lifestyle that I have been working to adopt over the past Three Years and Four Months. But, it is not the only part.

I  also focus on regular exercise, stress management, adequate sleep, fresh air, and regular lung clearing/deep breathing for my chronic respiratory issues.

Living a Healthy & Fit Lifestyle has led me to living a relatively active life in general.  This active life has resulted in having more strength and energy to tackle many daily chores including deep cleaning tasks around our house.

Living in a small, older home (our house was my husband’s first home) and having a very  large  furry dog (who regularly brings the outdoors in) can make housekeeping around here challenging,  to say the least.

Having a clean uncluttered home is important for anyone’s physical and mental wellbeing.  For someone like myself, with multiple respiratory issues – it is crucial.   I cannot breathe in a dirty / dusty environment.  Dust negatively affects my sinuses, throat, lungs – everything!

This weekend our weather has turned cool and wet, and yesterday we had smoke coming down from northern forest fires.  It is giving me the opportunity to stay indoors and tackle some ‘indoor’ chores  that have  been neglected while I have been outdoors enjoying the fresh air and working in our yard and garden lately.

These photos are from my Christmas clean-up, but I’m getting there!  😊

Yesterday, I scrubbed the kitchen floor – including moving the fridge and stove.  That was a bit scary. 🙄
Today it is time to tackle the living room.  👍

Daily Food Diary – Day 186

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

Lunch:

(48) oz water

(2) chicken drumsticks (152)

(15) light salted Lays potato chips (78)

Supper:

(6) oz roast beef (328)

(1 1/2) c mashed potatoes (356)

(1/2) c gravy (50)

(10) asparagus spears (33)

(1 1/2) tsp butter (31)

(2) Yorkshire puddings (208)

(1) tbsp horse radish

Total net calories: 1057

Net calorie goal: 1229 – 1057 = 172 under

* Highlighted items contain significant collagen or significant contribute to the production of collagen

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 170 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 170 DAYS since I began posting my Daily Food Diary! 💃

We have been back home for a few days.  Dan and I are both starting to feel somewhat better.  The forest fire smoke has cleared for the time being, which is a good thing!  Today it is humid and we are expecting a few days of rain, but that will be good for our garden and lawn. 

Our Marzano tomatoes are growing and blooming.

Our Blue Spruce CONTINUES to grow!

It is obvious that we are transitioning into summer.  Last night we had our first ‘Gazebo’ supper.  Daughter Jen and family – Maddy, Prim, Genie and her fiance Alec joined us for pierogies and sausage.  It’s a rather odd picnic supper, but one of those meals that seems to take too much effort to cook for two people.  🤷

Dan and I and Molly have been walking every morning since we got home.   We have been following the sidewalk around our neighbourhood, but yesterday I decided we should take a walk around the ball diamonds near us so that all of us – but especially Molly, could get a better feel for nature. 

Walking the entrance into the ball park, I managed to trip over the one small rock on our path.   This time, I did manage to faceplant but the only thing I hurt was one little finger and my dignity. 🙄

My finger is pretty much healed and my dignity will recover.

I am making an effort to eat better this week.  I am  avoiding sugar, salt, and saturated fats – plus working to meet my calorie goals. 🙂

Daily Food Diary – Day 170

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) peach (58) (1 SVG)

Lunch:

(1/2) c potato salad with radishes & green onions (231) (1 SVG)

(4) slices Piller’s shaved ham (57)

(6) multi grain crackers (7)

Snacks:

(1/3) c mixed nuts (216)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(4) pierogies (213)

(1/4) c onions (15) (1/2 SVG)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(3) oz Drake Sausage (285)

(1/2) c broccoli (27) (1 SVG)

(1) baby dill pickle (2) (1 SVG)

Total net calories: 987

Net calorie goal: 1238 – 987 = 251 under 👍

Fruits & vegetables:  3 1/2 servings

Fruits & vegetables Goal: 7 servings 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 167 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 167 Days since I started posting my Daily Food Diary.  

Yesterday was NOT my best effort when it came to maintaining a healthy diet.  My last few days haven’t been a great effort. But, like everything else in life, I got to decide and I decided to ‘take a break’ rather than make health and wellness my top priority.

I can’t say it was a great decision.   Travelling for a number of hours is hard on my lungs.  I  do not move enough to keep my lungs clear.  Traveling through forest fire smoke, to an  area  enveloped in  forest fire smoke  for a few days,  was not good.  Being negligent  about clearing my lungs, doing my aerobics,  and managing my diet was on me.  But… I stayed accountable and I  take responsibility for the consequences of the decisions I made.

I cannot change the decisions I made, but I can and will get back on track.  And… I will  be prepared to make better choices the next time we go away.  There are some things I cannot control (like forest fire smoke).   I can eat better, do my aerobics and lung clearing, and plan stops for moving around during our trips – even if that means having to do occasional  walkthroughs at malls or big box stores, to avoid smoke or inclement weather.

Despite everything, we had a good week, quality time with family, and we are back home happy for the memories we made.

First time on a trampoline – just standing up was a win.
And first time on a zipline.
Molly wallowing in the attention of Lucas and friend Emily. 
Dan and Amanda’s deck.  The gazebo holds a huge round gas firepit, next is the lounging area, and the bottom area is the dining area.  The original deck, to the side of the house, houses the hot tub, barbecue, smoker, and flat grille.  

Everything at Dan and Amanda’s is designed to keep their family active and to entertain visitors.  The kids have their zipline and trampoline, a geodesic climbing structure, and a wooden playhouse with a slide leading down to their sandbox.  Their above ground pool needs to be replaced this year.  Dan and Amanda  are in the process  of designing an addition to their deck to build  in the new pool. 

As much as it is all pretty impressive, nothing is designed to impress.  Everything indoors and out is built to be functional (and fun).  

Daily Food Diary – Day 167

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Cheerios (147)

(1/4) c 2 % milk (28)

(1/2) slice home cured & smoked bacon  (42)

Lunch:

(1) Arby’s Dbl roast beef (no bun) (200)

(1) tbsp Horsey sauce (60)

(1/2) Arby’s crinkle cut fries (265)

(1) Arby’s gravy (35)

Snacks:

(60) oz water

(1) waffle sundae w/ chocolate sauce (450)

(1/4) c mixed nuts (180)

(25) lightly salted ripple chips (270)

Total Net Calories: 1680

Net calorie goal: 1238 – 1680 = 442 over 👎

Total fruits & vegetables: 0 servings

Fruit and vegetable goal: 7 servings

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

I had expected more noticeable growth to our plants when we got back – but they are all alive and the flowers, tomatoes, and peppers are blooming. 😊

Daily Food Diary – Day 159 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 159 Days since I began posting my Daily Food Diary.  

It is also my sister Denise’s birthday! 🎂  I do not remember sharing a home with Denise.  I was two years old when she married and moved on to start her own family.  Her firstborn is my niece Teenie (Jeanne Christine) who became and remains  a ‘little sister’ to me. I don’t see either of them as much as I would like,  but they are always  in my thoughts.   💞

Back to my Daily Food Diary….  Every month, I choose one aspect of my diet to focus on.  This month, it is fruits and vegetables.  My goal is to meet the recommendation of the Canada Food Guide and consume 7 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

Of all of the monthly challenges  that I have attempted since starting my Daily Food Diary, I thought this would be the easiest. I love vegetables.  I am not so fond of fruit, but since fruit used in baking counts, I was pretty sure this was doable.

I have met or surpassed my goal most days so far.  But, I am having issues!  

I have been eating more fruit than usual and aside from the expected digestive issues, I am struggling with lung issues.   Sugar, whether natural or processed, affects the abundance of mucus that my chronic lung issues produce.   With mucus the consistency of wood glue, smoke drifting through from northern forest fires, and our uncooperative weather…. I am struggling.   Also, with my sensitivity to yeast, any amount of sugar is too much – again regardless if that sugar is natural or processed.

The vegetables that I have been eating should not be causing me any grief to speak of.   However, many of the vegetables that I have been eating cause gas and bloating.  It isn’t anything extreme, but with my unresolved epigastric hernia (as I wait for surgery), it is a painful PROBLEM.  

So no,  this month is not going as well as I thought it would.  This week I will be pulling back, but fruits and vegetables will definitely be my focus.  I am going to spend some serious time researching lower sugar fruits and less gassy vegetables.  Next week, I will be back on track!

Today, Molly is our big project.  We have to get her brushed out this morning and take her for another bath.  

Daily Food Diary

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(1) tsp olive oil (40)

(1) tbsp milk (8)

(2) eggs (160)

(3) slices bacon (130)

(1/2) tomato (11)  (1 SVG)

Snacks:

(8) oz Clamato Juice (60) (1 SVG)

(25) light salt ripple chips (270)

Supper:

(1) Lean gr. Beef Burger (243)

(1/4) c red onion (15) (1/4 SVG)

(1) tbsp horseradish (7) (1/4 SVG)

(5) lg asparagus spears (16) (1/2 SVG)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(2) Dill pickles (10) (2 SVG)

(1) c brown beans  (246) (2 SVG)

(1) serving Apple crisp (133) (1)

(1) oz raspberry desert bar (133)

Total net calories: 1886

Net calorie goal: 1238 – 1886 = 648 Over 👎

*** In my defense, I do not work out on Sundays, it was too windy to walk, and I had to test one of the deserts I made for son Dan & family. 🙄

Fruits & vegetables: 8 servings

Fruits & vegetables goal: 7 servings

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 157 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

This is Day 157 of my Daily Food Diary. 🤩

It is hard to believe that in less than 157 short days, we went from this….

Walking around Waterfall Park with Molly

To this ….

Finished planting garden! ☺️

I am super happy about getting the garden in.  We have some yard maintenance left to do, but it will happen.

This year, I added more perennials to the garden… strawberries, asparagus, and rhubarb.  At this point, we are looking at what will work for our future selves –  what will be sustainable and maintainable.

I love spring, I love our yard, and I love working in the dirt and seeing it come to life .  But realistically, it is getting harder every year and we have to deal with.

My lungs are struggling to deal with what Mother Nature is handing out – especially these days.   Humid days, smokey days, dusty days… Fresh cut grass,  pollen and tree seeds. If it’s not one thing,  it is another. 

Notice tree seeds around the base of steps and by bricks.

After I finished the garden yesterday, I tackled the tree seeds.   Our neighbours on each side of us have one big beautiful tree each  (elm possibly).   In the spring, they shed millions (billions possibly) of seeds, which land in our yard – in every nook and cranny and creating drifts of allergenic plant life on our patios.   Besides the grief they cause my lungs, every seed that finds a speck of dirt will sprout.  By the time we see a sprout, it has roots a foot long – each one a battle to uproot. 

Yesterday, I dragged out the shop vac and vacuumed our patios and walkways….   (I  do the garden by hand).

Shop vacs are not my friend.  They do not follow, they come with long extension cords to trip over.  And best of all, much  like campfires – no matter where I am relative to a shop vac, the exhaust is in my face.  In this case,   the exhaust being fine dust and tree seed bits. 

The good news is I got the bulk of the little beggars.  The rest will ultimately hitch a ride on  our large  fluffy dog and come to live in our house – on floors and furniture and bedding. 

While I feel like I am about one bad day away from respiratory failure, I am doing fairly well.  My blood oxygen was 96 percent this morning.   By the time I clear my lungs, I will be ready to do my aerobics and get on with my day.  My rainy, humid day…😁

Daily Food Diary – Day 157

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1/2) grapefruit (39) (1 SVG)

(1/2) tsp sugar (8)

Lunch:

(1/2) c egg salad (118) (1/2 SVG)

(1) c Romaine lettuce (1/2 SVG)

(18) Onion & Garlic chips (232)

(60) oz water

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

(4) oz barbecue lean ground beef   (243)

(4) oz macaroni salad (258)

(1/2) tomato (11)

(1/2) c onions (30)

(1/2) c mushrooms (23)

(1) tbsp horseradish (7)

*** Total vegetables (1 SVG)

(1) serving Apple Crisp (227) (1 SVG)

Total net calories: 1092

Net calories goal: 1238 – 1092 = 146 under 👍

Total Fruits & Vegetables: 4 servings

Fruits & Vegetable goal: 7 servings

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 150 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 150 Days since I started my Daily Food Diary. 🙌

It is decades since I was first diagnosed with asthma and five years since being diagnosed with COPD and bronchiectasis.  A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with my most recent bout of bronchitis.  I was given and completed a round of antibiotics and Prednisone – which I completed as usual.

Follow up x-rays showed that I still had a fair amount of infection in my lungs – particularly in my left lung.  My respiratory specialist assured my husband and I that it would continue to clear up.

Then we had a round of visits from grandchildren – all from my daughter’s family. Her son Rory came to work up garden planters, her daughter Genie (Genevieve) likewise came to spend an afternoon helping me in the garden, and her daughter Prim came by for supper and a couple of hours of Cribbage.   All in all… I did way too much visiting – specifically talking – and I developed laryngitis.

Yesterday, the smoke from northern forest fires rolled in.  It wasn’t noticeable when Dan and I walked Molly first thing in the morning.  By lunchtime, despite staying indoors and best efforts (and two air purifiers) I managed to inhale enough smoke for it  to be bothersome.  Not only is forest fire smoke particularly bad for compromised lungs, I am allergic to trees and any part thereof.  The smaller the part,  the worse it is. 

The bottom line is, I am not dying – I don’t even feel that bad.  But, I am pretty sure this isn’t helping to clear up my lung infection and it certainly isn’t helping my laryngitis. 🤦

Until this smoke clears, outside work and walking Molly is off the table.   I am doing housework, relaxing, and eating ice cream – for the second day in a row.  Ice cream is high in calories and saturated fats – but it feels good and is helping my laryngitis to ease off.  So… It is not poor diet, it is good medicine. 😌

*** Thoughts and prayers for all those who are in the midst of these forest fires, those who are fleeing for their lives, those who are losing their homes, cottages, and livelihoods, those who are caught up in forest fire smoke MUCH worse than what we are experiencing.   I truly cannot imagine.   Also, thoughts and prayers for those who have been fighting these fires and those who are on their way to join them in their fight.  💞

https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/home

Daily Food Diary – Day 150

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

Lunch:

(2) oz pork tenderloin (83) (.8 gram)

(1) sm. garden salad (100)

(1) tbsp Kraft French Dressing (60) (1 gram)

(2) tbsp dried fried onions (33) (1.1 grams)

(10) No Name BBQ chips (54) (.3 grams)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(1) Smirnoff Berry Blast (90)

(1/4) c hickory almonds (186)

(1) c licorice tea with honey (21)

Supper:

(2) cabbage rolls  (166) (4 grams)

(2/3)  c French vanilla ice cream (183) (5.8 grams)

(2) tbsp caramel sauce (140) (.8 grams)

(9) pecan halves (59)

Total net calories: 1086

Net calorie goal: 1239 – 1086 = 153 under 👍

Total saturated fats: 20.9

Saturated fats goal: 13.75 👎

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

Daily food Diary – Day 134 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is Day 134 of my Daily Food Diary! Only 231 Days to go until I am a nutritional expert. 😄

After no sleep the night before, I did not make any great strides on my Health & Fitness Journey yesterday.

It gets incredibly frustrating to be tripping along and then have a massively rough day, when you wonder if you are going to survive – much less ever get back on track to bigger and better things. 😬

Fortunately, yesterday wasn’t a total write off.  Dan and I took Molly for a short walk.  As we were passing the dogpark, Dan noticed that Molly’s friend Willy and his human Randy, were there so we stopped to visit.  Ripple, and his human Lyndon, showed up and Molly wasn’t going anywhere.

I left Dan and Molly at the park and came home to do my aerobic workout.  When Dan got home, we headed out to go shopping.

I used all of our Canadian Tire points on bedding plants but I scored big – several herbs, peppers, strawberries, pansies, AND portulaca.

We moved on to Walmart and bought a new coffee maker, a few groceries, laundry detergent AND dog treats.  We picked up dental treats (pricey but not as bad as dental surgery!), bedtime cookies, and general snack treats.

When we got Molly we paid $250.00 for her  plus took her straight to the vet’s for a checkup and her vaccines (another $250.00 ?).  In the past week, we took her to the vet ($442.00), bath at Pet store ($20.00 incl tip), got her a new bag of dogfood ($60.00) and got her treats… ($60.00).   And she needs a new collar. 🤦 Molly dogs are not for the faint of heart!

Healthwise I am hopefully back on track today.  I slept like a rock last night – ALL NIGHT.   This is my last day of antibiotics, three more days of Prednisone, and if we get past this solid rainy day with 92% humidity – I think I will be good to go! 💃

Daily Food Diary – Day 134

Breakfast:

(1) coffee (2)

(1) tsp olive oil (40) (.7 grams)

(1) tsp butter (34) (2.3 grams)

(1) egg (80) (1.5 grams)

(1) slice back bacon (50) (.5 grams)

(1) slice marble cheese (80) (4.5 grams)

(2) potato patties (240)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(1) Lemon oatmeal cookie (68) (.6 grams)

(1) Peanut butter, cream cheese cookie (167) (3.5 grams)

Supper:

(2) x Arby roast beef (no bun) (200) (8 grams)

(1) med Arby crinkle cut fries (390) (3 grams)

(1) Arby gravy (35) (.1 gram)

(1) tbsp Arby Horsey Sauce (60) (1 gram)

Total net calories: 1241

Net calories goal: 1243 – 1241 = 2 under 🙂

Total saturated fats: 25.7 grams

Saturated fats goal: 13.75 👎

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