Anxiety, depression, laziness...Can the nameless wonder change? page 61

[namelesswonder]

I guess the west coast admins are not awake yet (in regards to spam I reported last night).

I got my lab results today. I'll post what I can when it's available, but for now all I have is the salivary stuff.

Free Cortisol Rhythm
6:00 - 8:00AM My result 15, ref value 13-24nM <--Doc said this is a bit low for the morning (which makes sense given my fatigue in the morning)
11:00AM - 1:00PM My result 8, ref value 5-10nM
04:00-05:00PM My result 6, ref value 3-8 nM
10:00PM - midnight, My result 5, ref value 1-4nM <--Too high, explaining "night owl" tendencies.

Overall the doctor said that we need to work on adjusting the morning and evening values. I don't have adrenal fatigue, but the treatment is similar: get to bed before midnight (close to 10PM seems to be the recommended time) and don't sleep in too late. I might have to quit our guild's raid group, I'm not feeling too torn up about that, but I'll wait to decide. I *did* feel better overall when I was getting to bed early, but he told me (and I know from research) that it can take several months at least to really feel much better.

DHEA: Pooled Value 7, ref value 3-10ng/ml. Nothing to worry about here.

Insulin (he said he didn't pay attention to these values, I don't understand how they were measured exactly so I can't say anything about them)
Fasting, 13, Hyperinsulinic (Normal: 3-12 uIU/mL)
Non-Fasting, <3, Depressed (Optimal: 5-20 uIU/mL)

Progesterone: 32, Normal (Optimal 22-100 pg/ml). Seems a little low to me but I guess that can vary from individual to individual? The doctor said it was fine. I'll worry about this in a few months if things don't seem better after the elimination diet and getting to bed early, regularly.

Total Salivary SIgA: 12, Depressed (Normal: 25-60 mg/dl, Borderline: 20-25 mg/dl). I guess this means my immune system is stressed.

Gliadin Ab, SIgA (Saliva): 5, Negative (Borderline: 13-15 U/ml, Positive: >15 U/ml). This measures the antibodies present in those with coeliac disease. Since I haven't been eating grains regularly for over 5 months now, I'm not sure this tells us anything really. I know gluten is bad for me, and that's all I care about for this value.

I'll attach my blood work results when they're available. My iron levels are within normal range, but on the low end (I think 32 with the range being 22-100?), so the doctor wants me to supplement with that and Vitamin C (for absorption). The low levels were a little surprising since I eat red meat regularly (doctor asked if I eat meat at least a few times a week, which surprised me, and then he looked surprised when I said I have meat with every meal!). He suggested that something might be blocking my absorption so it's important to do the elimination diet. My blood work showed elevated levels of the gut bacteria (one of the good kind, everything else was well within normal range), which makes sense with my increased immune response, so he'd like me to take a strong probiotic after a large meal every day (100 billion!). The blood work results also showed elevated levels of yeast, so it's really important that I avoid yeast and eat a low histamine diet in January.

The supplements he asked me to get are available off his preferred pharmacy's website, but I also found the same brand and dose on Amazon for each for a total of $17 cheaper (but it comes out to $100 total). I want to do this right, but hot damn that's pricey! Maybe I should just take the hit for December so I'm ready for the next month. Each supplement will last me at least two months.

[namelesswonder]

Also, some other things worth noting:

My Christmas wine is going to have to be donated (to my mom & sister) this weekend if I don't finish it before Sunday because I can't have alcohol next month. Boo. My vote is for going to see MI$ drunk tonight (local theater, within walking distance)!

I had some hot dogs (Hebrew Nat'l) for breakfast and left the rest for lazy boyfriend (who was able to sleep 6 hrs straight yesterday! hooray!). I might have a sweet potato this afternoon. Dinner will be chicken (marinating in olive oil, salt, pepper, & a little Liquid Smoke since last night) breasts and some mixed veggies, whatever the freezer will provide.

I'm going to do my best, through preparing (read: grocery shopping) for my Whole 30 to eat before the NYE party Saturday night. That way I can just finish off my wine with a cookie or two and start my diet with minimal trangressions!

[namelesswonder]

I am cooking a wee 3lb chicken in my crock pot today. You could say I'm excited. You'd be right.

[edit] What should I do with the giblet bag? Put them in the cheese cloth when I make my stock/broth?

[namelesswonder]

It was delicious. Carcass is falling apart since last night around 2AM when we got home from our NYE party. I had some cookies and am feeling okay today aside from sleeping in for a VERY long time.

Being at my parents' house on the first day of the modified Whole30 is fucking ROUGH, let me tell you. Cookies and clementines everywhere! I need to start getting in the habit of reporting on my food the day after I eat it so it's accurate, heh.

[namelesswonder]

I strained my broth this morning and put it into two jars (one is 16oz, the other is either slightly smaller or larger, not sure since the labels were removed). They're in the fridge until I can skim the fat off tonight and freeze one. I think I'll probably want to water them down, it seems very strong.. I really need to get ice cube trays so they're easier to use when I defrost!

Yesterday: a success!
I had a pork chop and 2 acorn squash at dinner. Still hungry at home, had the carrots out of my chicken broth that was still cooking, plus the heart I think, then a sweet potato with the ghee I made. After an hour or so, I felt better. Today's food will be reported tomorrow.

Sleep: Since we were out late Saturday and slept in until 2pm on Sunday, I did not sleep well last night and am feeling cranky and exhausted (slightly nauseous too) today. It will not be hard to get to bed early tonight.

Stress: Not doing well. I got very upset last night, likely the aftermath of too many cookies Saturday night plus exhaustion. I started to get very upset again last night about my parents maybe going vegetarian. I wanted to get up and leave when my dad started raving about this vegan restaurant near his work. My mom has not read any of TPB which I lent to her digitally, she apparently has not had time. I don't know if I can loan to the same email address more than once and she's not going to get far in 2 weeks. I got pissed at her because she didn't even look at the list that I made for her (what I can and can't eat) and then went "Oh, you can have olive oil?" No fucking shit, is that not a no brainer? It's not a fucking awful oil!

And if I hear the term heart-healthy one more fucking time...

I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow.

[fpsjosh01]

I don't know if I can loan to the same email address more than once and she's not going to get far in 2 weeks. I got pissed at her because she didn't even look at the list that I made for her (what I can and can't eat) and then went "Oh, you can have olive oil?" No fucking shit, is that not a no brainer? It's not a fucking awful oil!

And if I hear the term heart-healthy one more fucking time...

Time to go make some bacon and chill out.

I get so frustrated too. It's like you're a record on repeat. People got the message and they still think you're crazy. Time to give up and start spreading the butter instead. You can only save yourself. It seems so defeatist to say this, but be honest with yourself, are you really going to change your mother's ways?

I still have to grip the reality that my mother in law is completely ignorant and chooses her lifestyle accordingly.

I completely hear you and wish you the best of luck.

Why don't you just lend me TPB instead? I'll give you my copy of wheat belly in return!

[namelesswonder]

PM me your email address. When my mom's loan finishes I can lend it to you digitally. If you don't have a Kindle, you can still read it on the Amazon cloud service or their computer-based reader software. Looks a lot better on a decent screen size anyway, the images and tables don't really work on the Kindle.

That was an uncensored rant from me, I really just did not want to simplify how I was feeling. Okay, new goal to add to the list: more uncensored ranting in my written journal. It's cathartic! I almost apologized just now for it, but I realize there's no reason for that. I'm feeling okay mentally today, so far, aside from the exhaustion. I feel like I can trust my judgement today. I am not ready to try to talk to boyfriend about food yet though, he accused me of guilt-tripping him about food when I ask him what he wants from the grocery store. I don't really understand that logic and I think it might be better if I just avoid the conversation altogether since he seems overly sensitive about it. He's a big boy, he'll get the food he wants if he wants it. See right there? Working it out. Good job, brain.

I did get some Applegate uncured bacon, think I might need to cook some up this week (and hide it from boyfriend so it can be a snack instead of a meal). I don't think it's really Whole30 approved, but to me it is. It's a very minor transgression in the grand scheme of things. At least it's not sugar or wheat, right?

[fpsjosh01]

PM me your email address. When my mom's loan finishes I can lend it to you digitally. If you don't have a Kindle, you can still read it on the Amazon cloud service or their computer-based reader software. Looks a lot better on a decent screen size anyway, the images and tables don't really work on the Kindle.

That was an uncensored rant from me, I really just did not want to simplify how I was feeling. Okay, new goal to add to the list: more uncensored ranting in my written journal. It's cathartic! I almost apologized just now for it, but I realize there's no reason for that. I'm feeling okay mentally today, so far, aside from the exhaustion. I feel like I can trust my judgement today. I am not ready to try to talk to boyfriend about food yet though, he accused me of guilt-tripping him about food when I ask him what he wants from the grocery store. I don't really understand that logic and I think it might be better if I just avoid the conversation altogether since he seems overly sensitive about it. He's a big boy, he'll get the food he wants if he wants it. See right there? Working it out. Good job, brain.

I did get some Applegate uncured bacon, think I might need to cook some up this week (and hide it from boyfriend so it can be a snack instead of a meal). I don't think it's really Whole30 approved, but to me it is. It's a very minor transgression in the grand scheme of things. At least it's not sugar or wheat, right?

Whole30 worries about paleo, Bacon is obviously not terrible for you, it's not even close. Otherwise you wouldn't eat it. Go ahead, enjoy worry free. You get nearly enough omega 3s in the butter you use. Horray for kerry gold!

I will pm you my email right away. I'm still of course, reading wheat belly, but I have no problem sending it to you via NOOK. (I have a rooted kindle with nook on it *smirks*)

[namelesswonder]

That's awesome! Wish I could do that, but at a glance, it looks like this works only for the tablet/color versions (I have your standard wireless w/ keyboard Kindle). True? No rush on WB, but it'll be a nice way to start my 2012 reading goal. Last year I ready ~36 books. I really want to hit 40 this year!

[fpsjosh01]

That's awesome! Wish I could do that, but at a glance, it looks like this works only for the tablet/color versions (I have your standard wireless w/ keyboard Kindle). True? No rush on WB, but it'll be a nice way to start my 2012 reading goal. Last year I ready ~36 books. I really want to hit 40 this year!

It wasn't too hard. The kindle fire is a great tablet. It freaking broke a plate and is still going. Much better than the 850$ iPad equivalent. (rooted of course)