Tag: healthy living

Daily Food Diary – Day 24 of 365

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

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 19 of 365

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

(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!🌞

For the Love of Trees

by annemariedemyen, posted in nature

There are at least a dozen moments a day when I realize I am so absolutely happy to be retired. My favorite moment is when I walk out the door – any day, any time to enjoy my walk around our neighbourhood with Kat.

My favourite thing about our neighbourhood is the proliferation of trees. Trees do so much to dress up a neighbourhood and make it appear strong and healthy. I never get tired of the trees.

Trees forming an arch over our street🤗
Trees shading the basketball courts and the pool.
A little path between one of the ball diamonds and a row of trees. I can actually walk through there without knocking myself out on a tree branch.
Dan prefers this path – it is a bit roomier.
The city cut down dozens of trees in our little golf course last summer. I have no idea why these two were saved but they do stand out.
One little blackbird sitting in a tree.
A random group of trees we pass.

I have no idea how many trees we have in Regina – definitely thousands (several thousands). When settlers first came here there were zero trees – just flat land with a creek (Wascana Creek) sitting beside a pile of bones. (Which is why Regina was originally named ‘Pile of Bones’). I am not sure why the settlers thought this would be a good place to settle, much less be the capital city of Saskatchewan, but I am grateful that they were industrious enough to start planting the trees we enjoy today.