Product Review – The Complete Guide to Fasting – Healing Your Body through Intermittent, Alternate Day and Extended Fasting

TITLE: “The Complete Guide to Healing Your Body through Intermittent, Alternate Day and Extended Fasting” by Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore.

Author: Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore.

Publisher: Victory Belt Publishing, Inc. Las Vegas

Where to Purchase: This book is available at many book stores and online. I personally purchased it on Amazon at a price of around $20. This is well worth it.

I purchased this book in mid-December of 2016 when I became so disgusted with myself and my diabetes that I determined to do SOMETHING. I researched and found this book by Dr. Fung and purchased it right then and downloaded it and read it straight through. I purchased a hard copy later so my friends and family could look at it also. I began fasting the next day.

Before mid-December, 2016, I was injecting 182 units of insulin daily. Then I began my adventure with Intermittent Fasting (IF). Within 78 days of starting IF, I was down to injecting under 10 units of insulin a day and I had lost a lot of weight (from 260 to 227 pounds).

Read how my fasting story started here.

Dr. Jason Fung began promoting this new way of eating after finding that intermittent fasting worked for his patients and many patients lost a great deal of weight, decreased many of their medications and became free of their insulins with normal blood glucose readings by using his methods.

You can read testimonials from several fo Dr. Fung’s patients on his website. “Intensive Dietary Mangement”

The dangers of diabetes and periodontal disease

Image of tooth brush and paste

Taking Care of Your Teeth

For the nearly 30 million Americans who have diabetes, many may be surprised to learn about an unexpected complication associated with this condition. Research shows that there is an increased prevalence of gum disease among those with diabetes, adding serious gum disease to the list of other complications associated with diabetes, such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.

Image of diabetic pricking finger Emerging research also suggests that the relationship between serious gum disease and diabetes is two-way. People with diabetes, like myself, are more susceptible to serious gum disease. Serious gum disease has the potential to affect blood glucose control and contribute to the progression of diabetes. Research suggests that people with diabetes are at higher risk for severe oral health problems, such as gingivitis (an early stage of gum disease) and periodontitis (serious gum disease). The reason for this risk, is that they aremore susceptible to bacterial infection, and have a decreased ability to fight bacteria that invade the gums.

I have receding gums and my dentist and I have talked about it. Many people have gums that are pulling away from their teeth. This condition can encourage bacteria growth at and below the gum line. Eventually, the gum tissue and even the supporting bone may deteriorate and the damage become irreversible.

So What Do We Do About This?

I’ve been a diabetic (type 2) for years now and as I age, I really do NOT want to lose my teeth. I see my dentist regularly, usually twice each year for cleaning and a checkup. But what else can I do?

Here are a number of things I can do:

Brush my teeth after meals (brush tongue and gums while I’m brushing the teeth). This will get rid of the bacteria that form plaque on my teeth and gums and causes them to become inflamed.
Floss every day to get out all the bacteria and food particles stuck between my teeth.
Choose a plague reducing mouthwash and swish some around the mouth after brushing and flossing to remove all of the particles between teeth. (Don’t swallow the mouthwash – spit it out)
Make sure you choose a great dentist or even a periodontist, who will check your teeth and gums for the start of periodontal disease and start treatment early.
Avoid food with sugar and sodas with sugar.

Some other things I try to do is “oil pulling”. This is swishing a small amount of virgin coconut oil around in my mouth for as long as I can (20 minutes is recommended) but I rarely can hold it that long. Do not swallow the oil after swishing it around – spit it out. Some naturalists claim the lauric acid in the oil prevents tooth decay.

My dentist has also recommended I use an electric toothbrush to clean my teeth.

An Electric Toothbrush has these advantages?

It helps control and stops too aggressive brushing by sounding a warning tone when you are pressing too hard.
It has a timer to warn the user when 2 minutes (which is the dentist recommended time to brush your teeth) has passed, or it may simply turn off.
It removes up to two times the amount of plaque than a regular toothbrush.

The chances of gum disease can be significantly lowered when plaque is removed and prevented from building up. You can do this better using an Electric Toothbrush.

What is the Best Electric Toothbrush for Gum Disease?

Some of my dentists have recommended the Oral B Pro electric toothbrush. So that is the one I purchased and use. Of course, there are others on the market to choose from as well.

Oral-B Pro 1000 Electric Power Rechargeable Battery Toothbrush with Automatic Timer and CrossAction Brush Head

Oral-B Electric Toothbrushes are designed to gently but effectively clean the surface of your teeth, which helps to remove plaque buildup without causing irritation. In fact, some Oral-B Electric Toothbrushes include a special message or gum-care cleaning modes. In addition, only Oral-B Electric Toothbrushes have a visual pressure sensor that alerts you when you brush too hard, to help promote healthy gums.

Claimed benefits:

The Oral B removes 300% more plaque along the gum line than a regular manual toothbrush
Clinically proven superior 3D Cleaning Action oscillates, rotates and pulsates to break up and remove 300% more plaque than a regular manual toothbrush
Senses when you brush too hard with the pressure sensor. It is also rechargeable with 1 mode- Daily Clean
In-handle timer pulses every 30 seconds to let you know when to switch areas of the mouth
Compatible with Oral-B Brush Heads for every Oral Care need: CrossAction, FlossAction, Precision Clean, 3D White, Sensitive Gum Care, Deep Sweep, Dual Clean
The Oral-B Pro 1000 provides a clinically proven superior clean vs. a regular manual toothbrush. The professionally inspired design of the CrossAction brush head surrounds each tooth with bristles angled at 16 degrees, and 3D cleaning action oscillates, rotates, and pulsates to break up and remove up to 300% more plaque along the gumline than a regular manual toothbrush. The pressure sensor lights up if you brush too hard to prevent harmful over-brushing and there is 1 mode, plus an in-handle timer to help you brush for a dentist-recommended 2 minutes. Best of all it’s brought to you by Oral-B – the #1 brand used by dentists worldwide.

Currently, it is a #1 Best Seller on Amazon and is a well-liked product on Amazon.

You can purchase it through the link below:

Conclusion

It is not a good idea to neglect your teeth – because you risk some serious periodontal disease when you do not take care of your teeth. There are a number of things you can do to help keep your teeth and gums healthy and switching to an electric toothbrush is one of the best.

Note: This post includes affiliate links, which when clicked and a product purchased will give me a small commission (with no increase in price to you).

I enjoy receiving comments and questions. You can leave yours below. – Shirley

Best Products to Treat Chafed Skin and its Pain and Discomfort?

Chafed Skin – Ouch!

Many type 2 diabetes are overweight like me. Some are overweight to the point of obesity. I’ve read that 2 of every 3 Americans are now considered to be obese. There is so much that an overweight person must endure in his/her life, socially, emotionally and physically:

There are the “looks” that a big person receives as they go about their daily lives.
The little comments that can hurt like a knife stuck in your heart.
The discrimination within the job force (Try getting a job as an obese person). Studies show that executives and those who hire tend to have a bias against fat people. Studies also indicate that fat women earn on average $19,000 less than skinny women in the same jobs.
Obesity is now considered a disease and yet many people never realize that when they see a very overweight individual.
The problems of accommodation to a large size in cars, airplanes, theaters and even booths in a restaurant.
The fear that a chair or bench might break under your weight.
Increased risk for many diseases (heart, kidney, stroke, cancer, etc.)
The increased fear of medical visits and tests when the gown isn’t big enough to cover you, or you do not fit in the MRI or you feel looked down upon by medical staff. Some studies even show that medical doctors, nurses, and even medical students tend to perceive obese patients negatively (thinking them unintelligent, weak-willed, lazy and unsuccessful). The obese will often avoid medical care because of negative experiences in the medical arena.
“Myself, I once refused to return to one doctor because of a negative office visit experience where I was forced to undress and put on a paper gown and shorts that were way too small and thus embarrassed during the exam.:

Chafed Agony!

Something th woman crying image at many obese and overweight people have to endure but it is not talked about much is “CHAFED SKIN”.

So what is chafed skin? It is the awful skin irritation that develops when skin is rubbed against skin, as in the folds of the skin. Chafing is usually contracted in the inner thighs and inner glutes; armpits and nipples can also develop chafing although it is less common. Poor fitting clothing and sweating make this worse. So who gets this?

It is not just overweight people who can develop this but athletes with well-developed quadriceps and people with tight bone structures can suffer from chafing, especially long distance athletes (such as cyclists or marathon runners due to the long periods during which the skin is sweaty and rubbing against other body parts or clothing.
Babies frequently get chaffing from wet diapers and rubbed the skin on their bottoms and their upper legs.
Nursing moms can get this from raw and irritated nipples.
Ill-fitting clothes. You can chafe if your sleeves, bra strap, or waistband repeatedly rub on your skin in an irritating way.

How painful is it?

The pain of chafed skin can be an itching or a burning type of pain where your skin feels raw and very irritated. It can even become so raw and sore that bleeding and infection can set in. Movement becomes very painful and even bathing hurts. Sometimes it becomes so painful that a resting position is hard to find.

I’ve experienced many, many bouts of chafed, raw and painful skin in the folds of my body parts. The pain makes it hard for me to think of something else besides my discomfort. Over the years I’ve tried treating my chafed skin with various products and I’ve researched to find more effective treatments time and time again.

Prevention

To help prevent the occurrence of chafed skin you can:

Wear clothing that fits and that wicks moisture from the folds of the skin, choose synthetics – not cotton that can hold wetness.
Stay well hydrated to keep salty sweat to a minimum. The salt in sweat irritates the skin.
Use a lotion on your skin at least two times daily to keep it smooth and healthy
When you notice irritation beginning, bathe in warm water and use antibacterial soap and “pat” the skin area dry or blow it dry – don’t rub it.

Use ointments like:

Desitin Rapid Relief Diaper Rash Remedy, Fragrance-Free Cream, 16 Oz (diaper-rash creams containing zinc oxide are antibactrial)

Desitin acts to:

Heal, soothe and prevent diaper rash as it instantly forms a protective layer on your baby’s or your skin
Hypoallergenic
Fragrance-free
Dermatologist-tested
Its creamy formula goes on smoothly and wipes off easily

Uses: Helps treat and prevent diaper rash; Protects chafed skin due to diaper rash and helps seal out wetness.

Directions: You may prefer to use a soft, wet washcloth to gently clean the diaper/skin area. Warm water should do the job; use a gentle cleanser. Use your wipe or washcloth to gently pat skin, being careful not to rub. If you have already applied a diaper rash treatment at the site, don’t worry about removing any leftover ointment. Clean the soiled, outer layer and leave the ointment on the skin to avoid damaging delicate skin as it heals.

Safety Warnings: This is for external use only. When using this product: do not get into eyes.

Desitin is a well-liked product on Amazon.

Domeboro Cooling Gel Complete Skin Rash Relief

About the product

Contains (1) 3oz. bottle Domeboro Cooling Gel, complete rash relief. Provides fast itch relief plus visible healing by drying oozing rashes, reducing redness, and reducing blistering. It helps give complete, soothing relief from itchy rashes and skin irritants.

Whether it’s poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, insect bites (mosquito, chigger, spider, bed bug, and bee or wasp bites), Domeboro Cooling Gel provides the quick/effective relief you need to combat itchy, irritated skin from insect bites or rashes.

Domeboro Cooling Gel is a clear, odorless gel that cools on contact for fast, soothing relief whenever you need it. It is effective against the itching and irritation from sources like poison ivy, oak or sumac, mosquito bites, bed bug bites, even athlete’s foot.

The gel comes in a no mess, hands-free applicator making it easy to use at home or on-the-go.

Domeboro Cooling Gel is a well-liked product on Amazon.

Wise Men Healing Balm with Myrrh and Frankincense Essential Oils

About the product:

it relieves neuropathy symptoms, shooting pain, tingling pain, join pain and numbness
The blend of the Ancient Egyptian and Ethiopian rejuvenating formula for modern times.
It contains 100% pure essential oils of myrrh and frankincense with coconut carrier oil.

Ingredients
100% essential oils of frankincense and myrrh in a pure coconut carrier oil.

Directions: Apply twice a day in the mornings and evenings

Safety Warning. In the unlikely event of skin irritation discontinue use. This cream is not edible. This product not been evaluated by the FDA.

Wisemen Healing Balm is a well-liked product on Amazon.

Equate Triple Antibiotic First Aid Ointment

About the product

This product helps prevent infection in minor cuts, scrapes, and burns

1-ounce tubes twin pack

Equate Triple Antibiotic First aid Ointment is a well-liked product on Amazon.

When the skin is not yet raw I use the following:

Tinactin Antifungal Deodorant Powder Spray (if the area is raw, this will hurt)

This is an antifungal power spray for athlete’s foot and it will help relieve itching and burning and is also a deodorant.

Tinactin has a is a well-liked product on Amazon.

Zeasorb Antifungal Treatment powder for athletics foot.

Zeasorb powder is stated to:

Relieve itching, burning, and scaling
Absorb moisture
Soothe chafing
Contains no starch

Product Description: Dermatologist Recommended. Super Absorbent. Zeasorb Antifungal Powder. Miconazole Nitrate 2%. Cures most Athlete’s Foot, Jock Itch, Ringworm. Relieves itching, burning, and scaling. Absorbs moisture. Soothes chafing. Contains no starch.

Directions are to clean and dry area and apply a thin layer to the skin (but not open wounds)

Safety Warning. For external use only Do not use: on children under 2 years of age unless directed by a doctor. Avoid contact with the eyes.

Zeasorb is a well-liked product on Amazon.

Another thing I do to help keep the skin of my feet, legs, thighs, and tummy clear is I will get in my bathtub and fill it with warm water, add two cups of Apple Cider Vinegar and soak for 30 minutes 3 times a week and I use an Anti-fungal Foot and Body wash for my soap.

Although medical evidence is scant, it is widely accepted that apple cider vinegar when incorporated into baths and other skin care regimens help heal the skin and restore its natural balance. Because there’s little risk involved, certain institutions recommend this method of bathing for the treatment of minor ailments.

Here’s the foot and body wash I use:

Antifungal Tea Tree Oil Body Wash, Helps Athletes Foot, Ringworm, Toenail Fungus, Jock Itch, Acne, Eczema & Body Odor- Soothes Itching & Promotes Healthy Feet, Skin, and Nails

About the product

The formula is Enriched with Powerful Essential Oils and Skin Nourishing Botanicals, Which Have Been Used For Centuries for Their Natural Antifungal and Antibacterial Properties – the Tea Tree Oil Foot and Body Soap Has -NO Parabens – Petroleum – Silicone – Synthetic Fragrances or Dyes – Made in the USA – Not Tested on Animals – 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE. Will sooth itchy skin – Infused With Natural Skin Conditioning Aloe Vera, Atlantic Sea Kelp and Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D and E. Blend of Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Oregano, Peppermint & other Oils to Help Soothe and leave the Skin Feeling Soft & Healthy
This body wash is for men and women and will help hydrate, leaving the feet, skin, and nails feeling clean and refreshed. You can use in the Shower or with your Favorite Foot Spa, Foot Bath or Foot Basin
This is ideal for Athletes – Gym Enthusiasts – Teens Who Play Sports – and People who Engage in Physical Activity Which Attracts Unwanted Sweat, Dirt and Bacteria – the wash can be used in conjunction with any topical treatment such as Athletes Foot Cream, Other Antifungal Cream, Spray, Powder, or Treatment

Purely Northwest Anti-Fungal foot & body wash is a well-liked product on Amazon.

Conclusion

In my experience, these above products have helped me tremendously in dealing with the pain and discomfort of chafed skin. I urge you to experiment and see which ones work for you.

Comments

I enjoy responding to comments and questions. Please leave them below. – shirley

Note: There may be some affiliate links included on this page, which, when clicked and a product purchased provides me with a small commission with no increase in price to the purchaser.

Product Review: Book “The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body through Intermittent, Alternate-day and Extended

Product: “The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body through Intermittent, Alternate-day and Extended” by Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore, October 16, 2016.

Purchase: The Complete Guide to Fasting

Cost: Estimated >$21

My Rating:

Target Audience: Health-conscious men or women who are interested in the newer “biohacking” methods and trying new things to benefit their health.

Overview

This is a popular book on fasting – specifically intermittent fasting – cowritten by Dr. Jason Fung and Jimmy Moore.

Who are these guys?

Dr. Jason Fung is a kidney specialist (Nephrologist) in Toronto, Canada. During his years of treating his patients, he has made detailed observations about diabetes, blood sugar, the body’s reaction to carbs, glucose, and insulin. In 2013, he published a range of theories relating to obesity and diabetes in a youtube series. Aetiology of Obesity YouTube Series.

During the course of treating thousands of patients, it became clear to Dr. Fung that type 2 diabetes and obesity was on an exponential rise and that the standard diet recommended (reducing dietary fat) was definitely not effective. Type 2 diabetes were treated with more and more insulins and their insulin resistance worsened and more insulin was given – it was a vicious circle which didn’t help the diabetic. Diabetes was considered non-curable. Yet many of Dr. Fung’s patients were off insulins (as well as some other medications i.e., for blood pressure) after being treated by Dr. Fung’s team. Weight was lost and health improved as they continued with Fung’s recommendations. He and his patients considered themselves “cured” as long as they continued eating the diet he proposed for maintenance. He started a program called Intensive Dietary Management in which he provided patients with his special treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity that is based on different dietary changes, not medications. He now takes patients via an online program too.

Jason’s Intensive Dietary Management blog provides a lot of information on his theorys and studies and the experiences with his many patients that he treats for different medial issues using his theories about carbs and fasting.

Jimmy Moore entered the low carb and fasting arena in 2004 after a phenomenal 180-pound weight loss enabled him to come off prescription drugs for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and respiratory problems. He is the author and host of the very popular blog Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb and the host of a popular high ranked oiTunes health podcast, The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show, as well as Low-Carb Conversations and Keto Talk. He has interviewed hundreds of of the world’s top health experts and has dedicated his life to helping people get the best information possible about nutrition He’s also a bestselling author of:

Description

This book provides Dr. Fung’s and Jimy Moore’s idead and theories on fasting – specifically intermittent fasting and a low carb diet. Dr. Fung began using a new approach to treating his kidney patients and found that the new method of lowcarb and fasting combined has been successful at removing all signs of type 2 diabetes and several other disorders like high blood pressure for his patients, as well as weight loss and reducing insulin resistance. You will learn how he developed his new theories and methods and how to begin using these methods yourself.

Effectiveness

Dr. Fung’s Intensive Dietary Management website has testimonials from many of his patients that are inspiring and proves his patients are being helped by his methods. I found his book one evening when I was very depressed about my uncontrolled BGLs and purchased it and read it in one night. I fount as i followed his methods for 2 months, I regained control of my blood glucose numbers and finally reduced my insulin injects from 184 units each day to zero and allowed me to lose 20 pounds. Unfortunately, a few weeks after that I became ill and was put on large doses of prednisone which raised my BGL drastically and created such a “hunger” that I fell off his protocol and began struggling with my diabetes again. However, I know now that its works and I’m trying again to follow his protocol and stick with it until my insulin resistance is “cured”.

Benefits

The benefits of practing fasting and intermittent fasting are many.

Here is a link to a discussion about some of the benefits Dr. Fung’s patients have described.

Cost

Very reasonable for under $21.00

In Conclusion

I highly recommend purchasing this book and learning about this new clearly effective approach to treating obesity, type 2 diabetes and more. It has certainly changed my life.

Comments

Thanks for looking at my site and coming to this page. I would also love for you to leave any questions or comments below. I enjoy talking about my experiences online and what has worked or not worked for me. – Shirley

Note: There are affiliate links included in this article which allows me to recieve a small commisison if an item is purchased (to help fund hosting this blog site) – with no increase in cost to the buyer.

Finding the “Fountain of Youth”

Fountain of Youth

Image of a fountain with water spraying

Yes, I know everyone seeks to find the proverbial “Fountain of Youth” and researchers have worked long and spent lifetimes researching what can extend our lives. I was reading recently that some researchers think they have found something like that.

The following are some of the articles I’ve been reading online:

I do take a couple of the supplements referenced in those articles:

Over a month ago I read an article about another study which showed anti-aging benefits from some additional supplements

Niagen

NAD or Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is a coenzyme that is necessary to the mitochondria in our cells. Mitochondria are often called “the powerhouse of the cell.” And the mitochondria rely on an external power source to keep them charged. NAD is that source. As we age we produce less and less of NAD and as a result, our cells do not function as well as they should.

I also read these articles about the product Niagen and I ordered some Tru Niagen from Amazon.

Try Tru Niagen

I also found and read another article (link below) which touted the benefits of NAD and pterostilbene, I searched for the Elysium Health Basis mentioned in the article on Amazon and was taken to the Tru Niagen product which I purchased.

In addition, I ordered a product called Pterostilbene 100mg Capsules, Try it:

ELYSIUM HEALTH BASIS; FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH OR SNAKE OIL

My Results

When both products came in about two weeks ago, I began taking them as indicated on the directions.

I have to admit and agree that my energy level has drastically improved since I began taking these new supplements. I find I sleep longer periods at a time too (I have a history of insomnia and sleeping only 3-4 hours each night, but now I’m sleeping 6-7 hours – AWESOME FOR ME! In addition, I find that I can work at my desk many more hours each day. I read many of the reviews on Amazon before ordering these supplements and found that lots of reviewers indicated they had a great deal more energy. I have reordered another months supply of both of these supplements and will continue using them to see what happens. Both have no record of any side effects.

Comments

I welcome any questions or comments, and I will be sure to respond to your comments and questions. Please leave them in the form below. Also please share this post with your friends who may be interested also.

Note: AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE. You may see links to various products or services in pages or posts in this website. These links are affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you purchase through them. There is no additional cost to you. Thanks. – Shirley

Why I Stopped Eating!

Eating has consequences for diabetes

An image of Josiah finally seeing his mom in the ICU — An image of Shirley in Austrailia

If the title of this post caught your attention and you are thinking I’m taking some drastic measures, well, you are right. I’m stopping eating two meals a day and some of the foods that are mainstays of the standard American Diet.

Being a type 2 diabetic for many years is no fun. I deal with blood glucose lows and highs and insulin injections daily, as well as the pain of neuropathy in my feet, legs, and hands. I’ve lost some of my fine motor skills in my hands which makes picking up small objects more difficult. I also suffer from fibromyalgia and degenerated discs in my low back. I am in a wheelchair most of the day. I’ve been in this wheelchair since the fall of 2014 when I developed severe diabetic feet and leg ulcers. It was eight months before these were healed and life was very painful, excruciating even and trying. I’ve been in this wheelchair ever since.

Like many type 2 diabetics, I’m overweight. I wasn’t always overweight. I was actually very normal and active in sports and coaching all through my 20’s and until I turned 34 and became pregnant with my only child. I gained 60 pounds and my back went out – severely. Afterward, could not be active at all and continued to gain weight. At one time I weighed 284 pounds on a 5.5″ frame. In 2016 I found out about the “Whole30” way of eating and ate that way for most of the year. I lost 30 pounds that year. But I still had my issues with uncontrolled diabetes, even though the diet made some improvements overall. It also helped with my inflammation and the pain of fibromyalgia, since I removed gluten and grains, sugar, soy, legumes and alcohol mostly from my diet.

Then I came across a book by Dr. Jason Fung, about how he is curing his diabetic patients of their type 2 diabetes through Intermittent Fasting. It was the middle of December 2016 and I began Fasting the next day. I did very well, fasting anywhere from 24-72 hours a couple of times a week and in February of 2017 my blood glucose numbers were so good I was off all my insulins. My blood pressure was way down, my cholesterol was way down and my weight had dropped from 260 to 240 – a 20-pound loss. I felt great.

Then I got a cold and ended up with a very bad sinus infection. I was given 12 days of prednisone tablets. This sent my blood glucose number skyrocketing and I was hungry all the time. My fasting was impossible to keep up because of the hunger cravings and I had to go back on my insulins again. This was in the summer of 2017 and I have struggled since that time to get back to fasting and eating low carb. Its been uphill and downhill – mostly downhill. Then the holiday season came and I had lots of social activities where I was not strong-willed enough to not eat the candies and cakes and bread.

2018 came around and I tried to go back to eating only one meal a day. I ended up having to eat two meals a day more than I needed. When I cook – I eat. Yesterday I was miserable – my entire body hurt and my BGL was very high (high 300’s and 400’s), I cried a lot and decided I HAD TO get back to my fasting and low carb eating.

A Decision

So I began fasting after dinner last night. Today, January 28, 2018, I kept fasting and only eating one meal a day again (OMAD).

Today was pretty successful with me eating only a large salad for dinner which really filled me up. It was not an extremely low carb meal because it had some croutons and ranch dressing. I did manage to push aside half of the croutons though. When I checked myBGL tonight it was 277, (not good but much better than the 300 and 400’s I’ve been having at night. We’ll see if I can keep this up. I hope to get back to my LCHF (low carb hi fat) eating with no sugar and bread. It may take a few days but that is my intention.

I weighed just now and I weighed 245.0 pounds. I injected 70 units of long-term Lantus and 28 units of short-term Novalog tonight and took my regular 1000 grams of Metformin. I’m curious what my morning BGL will be as I tend to be high in the mornings (dawn syndrome).

Resources

You can read my post about the Whole30 healthy eating plan and access a link to purchase the book here.

You can read more about my decision to start fasting here.

Comments

Thanks for looking at my site and coming to this page. I would love for you to leave any questions or comments below. In addition, I’m open to new topics to research and comment on as they pertain to my own health and experience living with diabetes. Please share your interests and questions in your comments. I also love to hear others’ stories about how they handle their own diabetic issues.

– Shirley

Feel Like a Queen!

How I Feel Like A Queen!

This week I realized that something I’ve been doing for over a year is really making a difference. I turned 64 years of age on the 21st and I when i looked in the mirror, I realized that I really don’t have wrinkles. I used to think that I didn’t show wrinkles because I was just too fat, but after losing 60 pounds and seeing my face thin down, I realized that I don’t have wrinkles like some others my age.

Some things I have going for me is that I have never smoked, and ever since I was around 30, I’ve tried to NOT get sunburned. Before that, I was really into sports and was burned several times during softball tournaments and long practices. But then my Mom was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma and after several major and disfiguring surgeries, she finally died of complications from that supposedly easy to treat skin cancer, I became pretty paranoid about no sunburns for me nor my daughter. Her doctor said it was probably caused by sunburns in her youth.

For the last few years, I’ve been pretty much a homebody in this wheelchair. However this past summer we did take up kayaking (which I loved) and so I do get out in the sun a little but I’m careful and always wear a hat and use sun cream.

My skin is now very soft, smooth and wrinkle-free. And I credit it to a couple of products I’ve been using for over a year.

What Products Do I Use on my Skin?

A couple of years ago, I became a Young Living distributor. I use several of their essential oils in my diffuser and I started using their wrinkle cream about a year and a half ago. Its called Boswellia Wrinkle Cream. According to Young Living, the cream contains pure essential oils like Frankincense and Sandalwood that moisturize the skin while minimizing shine and reducing the appearance of fine lines.

The full list of ingredients is as follows:

Deoinized Water, Glycyeryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Sweet Almond Extract (Prunus Amygdalus), Glycerin, Levulinic Acid, p-Anisic Acid, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Stearic Acid, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Commiphora Myrrha Oil, Boswellia Carterii (Frankincense), Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood (Santalum paniculatum), Sandalwood Extract (Santalum Album), Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Barley Extract (Hordeum Distichon), Sorbic Acid, Shea Butter, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Wolberry (Lycium Barbarum) Seed Oil, Grapeseed Extract, St. John’s Wort Extract, Kelp Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Extract, Sodium Phytate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Aloe Vera 200x (Aloe Barbadensis), Sodium Hydroxide, and Citric Acid.

†100% pure, therapeutic-grade essential

Contains corn, nut, and coconut/palm ingredients

I use it as directed, on my face and my neck.

I must say, I love how my face feels. Its so smooth and soft and I’ve noticed I haven’t developed any lines on my face or my neck – at least that are noticeable. I’m not a makeup person, so each morning after my shower, I simply use the wrinkle cream on my face and neck and that’s it for the day for my face. I’m fortunate in that since menopause, I do not get acne anymore. Ah, the joy of no estrogen!

The other product I use on my skin is a body butter (Le Beaute Body Butter | Super Rich Natural Body Cream and Moisturizer | Rich in Anti-Oxidants, Vitamins and Pure Organic Shea Butter and Cocoa Butter | Provides 24 Hour Hydration for Skin). I lucked upon this cream simply because my husband picked it out one day when I asked him to pick up some cream with shea and coconut. It purports to help soothe and heal rough, dry skin. I’m diabetic and need to keep from having breaks in my skin that can get infected.

I use that cream on my hands, arms, and legs every morning after my shower. I’m a reader and remember reading about how queens and princesses in the stories were often given special baths and treatments to give them radiant, soft skin. (baths of milk, cucumber, etc). I must admit that when I feel my own skin now, it is unbelievably smooth and soft. Sometimes I think I am treating myself like a storybook princess by using these products. Not to mention, they have a nice smell also.

Lastly, I’ve recently (the last couple of months) began to do apple cider vinegar soaks in my tub. This is for detox purposes and to help my skin. Three times a week, I add 2-3 cups of apple cider vinegar (doesn’t have to be the one with the mother since it is just for outside the body) to my bath water and soak for about 30 minutes. I’ve noticed my feet and legs seem to feel better and are very smooth. I’ve also noticed that a few small skin tags on my trunk are going away. I love it!

Here’s How You can Pamper Yourself

This wrinkle cream can be purchased at Young Living’s website. Boswellia Wrinkle Cream by Young Living. No, its not cheap, but does last a while. If you sign up with Young Living, you get a much better price. Using my ID of 3556236 can help me bunches. You can sign up as a member at the link below and get 24% off the retail price.

https://www.youngliving.com/vo/#/signup/new-start

Body Butter by le Beaute. This is much more reasonable in price at Amazon.

You can also purchase apple cider vinegar in gallon containers for your bath use. Walmart and some pharmacies carry this size. Well, Amazon does too. Here’s a link to a gallon of Heinz Brand

Why not try this yourself for a while. Ladies, you deserve to be pampered just a little each day.

BTW, I’ll add a pic of me after I bathe and use my wrinkle cream in the morning. I’m certainly not a beauty but feel so good then.

Comments

Thanks for looking at my site and coming to this page. I would love for you to leave any questions or comments below. In addition, I’m open to new topics to research and comment on as they pertain to my own health and experience living with diabetes. Please share your interests and questions in your comments. I also love to hear others stories about how they handle their own diabetes issues. I send out a monthly newsletter around the 1st of each month. If you would like to receive that email newsletter, you can sign up here.

Ramping up my weight loss efforts!

A New Year’s Push!

Image of a woman holding loose jeans out

As the new year approaches, I’ve been ramping up my weight loss efforts. I’m concentrating on several methods to enhance my weight loss.

Through Intermittent Fasting (IF)

I’m doing at least an 18:6 fast each day. That’s 18 hours fasting with a six-hour eating window where I eat either one or two meals. I try to eat my last meal around 8 pm at night and then skip breakfast and eat again around 2 pm in the afternoon and another meal around 7 pm. Then fast again.

Whenever I can, I’m doing a 23:1 fast, one meal a day. I eat around 7 pm, then fast all night, skip breakfast and eat again at 6 pm the next night.

I highly recommend Dr. Jason Fung’s book to learn more about how to start intermittent fasting and the many benefits of fasting. This is the book that started me on my journey of IF (Intermittent Fasting) and the loss of 30 pounds during 2017.

The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended

Recently I also purchased a product by Young Living that is helping a lot with curbing my hunger pain between meals. I put 4 drops in an 8 oz glass of water when I am fasting or between meals to suppress my hunger pains. I’m finding that this citrus-like taste really works on cutting my appetite. They have some tea that I’m anxious to try also.

Slique Essence Oil 15 ml by Young Living

Ocotea Oolong Cacao Tea Slimming Spice Tea 25 pouches by Young Living

Autophagy – Healing my Body

Both of the above ways of intermittent fasting can get me several hours of autophagy – a form of cell cleansing which is good for the body.

Autophagy refers to the body’s response to a lack of food (fasting) which stimulates a degradation pathway of components. By digesting its own parts, the cell does two things. First it rids itself of unnecessary proteins that may be damaged or otherwise malfunctioning. Secondly, it recycles those amino acid ‘spare parts’ into new cellular components. This is a form of body detoxing and healing.

Here’s a good article to read by Dr. Mercola about autophagy.

I just got this book and have begun reading it. I’m finding some interesting information on detoxing while reading it.

Autophagy: A Guide on Autophagy and How We Can Use Its Process to Cleanse and Detox For a Healthier Body and Mind (Detox, Cleanse, and Healthy Body Series Book 1)

Sugar is Poison – get rid of it!

I’m cutting out sugar, which is pretty hard with all the social events we are attending right now, but I’m determined to lose weight by the New Year. I recently read Dr. Taubes book about sugar and I am convinced that sugar is poison and a large cause of the obesity epidemic in our culture.

I feel about the sugar industry like I did about the Tobacco industry once – they are using the addictive effects of sugar added to foods to sell products and we are becoming addicted to foods with added sugar because of this. This huge increase in sugar consumption has been part of the rise of obesity in the U.S.

The Case Against Sugar

Deep Breathing

Another thing I’m doing is going back to my deep breathing exercises that I had achieved some success with a while back when I first started doing this and actually lost some weight after reading Greer Childer’s book. You can read one of my previous posts on this here.

Be a Loser!: Lose Inches Fast–No Diet by Greer Childers

“Push to the New Year Weight Loss Campaign”

Would you like to join me on my “Push to the New Year Weight Loss Campaign?” If so, comment below and comment again on January 1, 2018.

Comments

Thanks for looking at my site and coming to this page. I would love for you to leave any questions or comments below. In addition, I’m open to new topics to research and comment on as they pertain to my own health and experience living with diabetes. Please share your interests and questions in your comments. I also love to hear others stories about how they handle their own diabetes issues. I send out a monthly newsletter around the 1st of each month. If you would like to receive that email newsletter, you can sign up here.

When Sitting Hurts!

Sitting Too Long is Not Good!

I’ve spent a lot of time sitting since 2014 when I had my severe bout with diabetic feet and leg ulcers. That is what put me in this wheelchair. Since then, my body has been in the sitting position most of each day. My butt and hips hurt a lot – especially the left side. I had lost the ability to stand straight because of lack of leg strength and shortened tendons and muscles.

I read a good article about the harm of sitting too much. “Here’s what sitting too long does to your body”. I learned that in many ways, your body shuts down after a long time sitting:

Your risks of heart disease and diabetes, go up.
Risk of cancers (colon, uterine and lung) go up.
Digestion and brain function slows down.
Strained neck, shoulders, and back problems are increased.

My Health Push

When I began my health push this year, my goal was to lose weight, get out of this chair, and get rid of my diabetes meds. so far I have lost weight – 25 pounds and can now stand up from my chair pretty easy. I can also stand straighter. I’m still working on the blood sugar meds and walking more than a few steps. I can now use my walker both in the house and outside my home and I’m using it when walking into stores and offices when I don’t have to stand a long time.

Using Walkers to Get off my Booty

I actually have three walkers. A regular one with a seat that I can take when I intend to go walk for a distance and will need to sit down regularly to rest and two identical very lightweight foldable ones. These are great – they take up very little room when folded and are light and easy to use and maneuver.

I liked the first one so much I decided to leave it in the car and purchased another one to keep in the house since its easier to use and fits in tighter places and I have plenty of places to sit down in the house if I need to. These walkers are called Able Life Space Saver Walkers. They are Lightweight, folding and height adjustable adult travel walkers and they have fixed wheels with rear glides. They have rotating wheels you can purchase to replace the fixed ones. Mine are a nice blue color.

I’ve also purchased a carry bag to use with them that comes in handy for carrying things since I have to be holding onto the walker itself.

What Did I do?

I decided to do physical therapy and chiropractic treatments. The physical therapy is over (I did two rounds). I was able to gain a lot of strength in my legs, thighs, and straighten out the shortened muscles in my booty and upper thighs. At times, the PT was pretty painful and I worked up a real sweat every time I went for a session. It was good that the physical therapists pushed me, even though it was not comfortable at the time. Even now that the PT is over, I still do several of the exercises they showed me each day so I can retain my strength and mobility.

I’m currently in a long series of Chiropractic treatments, aimed at reducing the pain in my hips and going down my legs and fixing the spinal curve I had developed. According to my chiropractor, my spine has some curvature issues both in the upper spine and also in the low back area. I will be doing this treatment (over a year) until next August. My 2nd thermal scan showed that some improvements have been made and some days I can really tell that the pain from the left hip is decreased or even almost gone. I love when that happens!

One thing I recently did was to purchase a special cushion for my wheelchair. I read about this cushion when researching things to do to help paint in the hip.

The cushion I purchased was listed on Amazon at $24.99. It is called a “Coccyx Cushion Pillow For Chairs | Pain Relief From Back Sciatica Pinched Nerve Piriformis Syndrome Lumbosacral Spondylosis Fibromyalgia and Bruised Tailbone”. It has been some help for me to use it. I notice I can sit longer periods without pain, so I’m pretty happy with the purchase. I’ll be doing a detailed review of it soon. Meanwhile, you can see it here.

Sitting Exercises

Since I do still spend much time sitting, either in my wheelchair or in my recliner, I’ve found a few stretching and flexibility exercises I can do each day while sitting. I’ve found that doing this each day helps keep my hips and legs from getting too stiff and relieves pain too.

Here’s a nice video workout that includes:

Leg lifts (various ones), leg and arm slides,
Leg and Arms in and out,
Sitting walking, marching and running movements.

Here’s another video workout mainly for the upper body and can include hand weights.

The weights I use look like this:

Comments

Freedom from Diabetes and Chronic Pain

My Water Therapy – why I love it!

One of the habits that I have taken up to help with my diabetes and pain is water exercise. I must say this is one of the few things that is always enjoyable that I do for my health.

Swimming and water exercise is often recommended for those who have trouble with joints and movement. It can be cardio, muscle building, stretching/flexing and extremely relaxing. The resistance of moving in water is over 40 times that of moving out of the water. Also, the body weight is so much less while in the water, that one can perform movements and stretching that is impossible out of the pool.

I’ve read that you can burn 400-600 calories per hour exercising in the water and I know that at times I’ve dropped my BG levels many, many points during water aerobic classes (once I dropped 100 points from before a class to after the class). For this reason, I always take a tube of “rescue” tabs with me just in case I have a low while I’m at the pool. It has happened a few times and I was very glad I had those tablets to take. One thing I noticed when I did have those lows, was my first symptom was not sweating, which is usually the beginning of my low symptoms. You don’t sweat in the water, so the shaking and sinking feeling in my tummy was the symptoms of my blood sugar levels dropping that I noticed. No sweat is another benefit I enjoy from my pool exercising – I’m really not a fan of sweating.

Free from my Body Limits

The best thing about my time in the water is the great sense of freedom I have. As soon as I step into the pool, my body feels so weightless; I can move my limbs and torso in so many ways that are impossible for me outside the pool. In addition, my pain is almost gone when I move around in the water. I can’t even describe how good it feels to not be in pain at last. Sometimes I just wish I could hang onto the side of the pool and take a nap without pain in my hips and legs.

I have a personal routine to my exercise when I’m not participating in a water aerobic class. I step into the pool, walking around a little and doing a few stretches with my “water tube”. I use the tube to help me balance and stand tall when walking back and forth across the pool (water walking).

Only in the water can I stand perfectly upright and those back and leg muscles and tendons finally get nicely stretched. Then I begin doing my laps, which I do on my back with a backstroke. On the back, because I have never perfected the breathing technique for swimming “free style” or front crawl.

I always do 10 labs, taking time at each end of the pool to stretch my back, completing 20 specific power arm exercises at the deep end and doing 10 water squats each time I’m back at the 3′ mark. These water squats are wonderful for building my leg muscles and I’ve had docs tell me that squatting is one of the best exercises we can do. I can really only do squats when I’m in the water, certainly not the really low ones, and I credit all my water squats with my success in building my upper thigh and buttock muscles back so I can now get up from my wheelchair or recliner much easier.

After my 10 laps, I will have finished 100 squats in the water and 1000 arm exercises with the resistance of my water gloves. This usually takes about 40 minutes. Then, I do about 15 minutes of water walking to strengthen and straighten my legs. After that, I will go to the side of the pool and do several leg flexibility movements in sets of 10 or 20. Finally, I will just play around by myself twisting and turning in the water, marching, doing jumping jacks, bicycling, and hopping around. I finish up sitting in the hot tub and doing some final stretches before I hit the shower and go home. This pretty much wears me out and takes about 1.5 hours to complete.

Water Exercise Equipment

I use swim gloves and I really love them and the extra resistance they give me when moving my arms in the water. They are so good at building muscles in both my forearm and upper arms and helping with losing the “bat wings” under my upper arms. I have used swim gloves for so many years now that I feel “naked” if I swim without them.

Using my swim gloves with the webbing between the fingers creates much more resistance for each movement of my arms in the water and also in my shoulders and chest. The intensity of my workout is significantly increased when I wear my swim gloves. I order a size medium in gloves. I have created a Product Review of the gloves I use which you can read (under construction).

I also use a water tube in the pool. I use it to help balance and stand tall when I do my water walking, as well as resistance when doing specific exercises. It is easier for me to push the tube up and down underwater with my arms than using water bells. They tend to hurt my fingers and wrists when pushing and pulling with them. I also “ride” my tube when I do “bicycling” in the water. These tubes can be purchased during the summer in stores like Walmart or Target. I use the larger in diameter ones.

I’m lucky that our recreation center provides tubes, bells, balls, and other water equipment, so I only have to bring my swim gloves and towel and rescue tabs. I notice many other swimmers bring water goggles, swim fins and snorkels when they come to do their laps. I’ve thought about purchasing swim fins, but I’m going to do some research first.

Oh, I shouldn’t forget that I always wear water shoes so my feet do not get abraded against the bottom of the pool. This is important for me as a diabetic. I buy my swim

A Recent Experience

Yesterday, I was at the indoor pool after finishing my routine exercises and laps and was getting out of the pool into my wheelchair. I park my wheelchair near the steps into the pool and leave my “rescue tablets” on the seat of my chair just in case. A lady who had been doing laps in the lane next to me told me that she was surprised that I was in a wheelchair because she had noticed I was moving so well in the water. I told her I loved the water and she said: “I can tell, you look very comfortable in the water”.

She was so right, I feel completely FREE when I’m in the water and there is practically no pain when doing most of my exercises and movements. I feel so much less weighty, my legs and back can move in so many stretches and movements that are totally impossible for me outside of the water.

I can’t truly explain that wonderful sense of freedom I get in the water. It makes me so happy. However, I never realized that other people could notice that freedom from just watching me.

How often to exercise?

I have set a goal for myself of routinely going to the pool 3-4 times each week year-round. I am so fortunate that I have access to an indoor pool that I can go to during the fall, winter, and spring when outdoor pools are closed. At least 3-4 times each week I can enjoy the ability to move my body freely, without pain and disability. WHAT FREEDOM!

Comments

I love to get comments and answer your questions, please leave yours below – Shirley

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