A New Beginning

I am beginning this blog to help me document for myself (and hold myself accountable for) the journey I began a few weeks ago and plan to continue for life. I would be happy if others joined in and accompanied me as it will be a challenging maneuver and sharing the highs and lows can help us all.

Almost a month ago, I became inspired by the Wheat Belly book by Dr. William Davis and also at the same time had been looking at Paleo books and blogs while still maintaining my low carb training intact. Oh yes, I also read "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes, which illustrates folks who look just like me and my ol' wheat belly! Between these similar ways of nurturing bodies, I have begun my travels to the land of better health, and so far I am highly encouraged!

Before, I had trouble with low carb because I had a dire addiction to the comfort of bread and butter. I thought it was fine that I ate whole wheat toast - healthy after all, right?! But I gave up sugar (and processed foods) a long time ago and did not budge in my weight. It was the grains that were getting me, even though I thought they were healthy in moderation. Brown stuff, right? Brown rice, whole wheat. Dr. Davis and Gary Taubes taught me otherwise and just in a short time I have had such a transformation that I know they are correct, for ME at least. I realize not everyone will feel they need this transformation - I certainly probably would not if not for the aforesaid belly!

And I have discovered almond flour, my pale and pulverized savior! As an avid cook I have experimented with different almond flour bread and muffin recipes and made them my own, and this has been so far not nearly as difficult as my low-carb venture 15 years ago. My shorts are already loose and I am in danger of appearing to mimic the youngsters who wear their pants down low with their knickers showing! I am excited, motivated and so much more energetic to tackle this thing, and I have an adorable walking buddy named Poppy to help me achieve the exercise routine that is part of my agenda!

As for me, I am an obese, 51-year-old mother of two wonderful 15-year-old daughters that I adopted from China as a single mother. They are my heart and I want to be here for them as they grow up and have children (no pressure kids!). I have worked for years to eat healthier and healthier (real foods, no sugar) but to no avail on the weight, which is causing or worsening most of my health conditions.

I found out I had diabetes a few years ago - with a fasting blood sugar of 536. This is not good! I also had severe hypertension, and had had it since my 20s untreated, with a blood pressure at one point of 237/134. I walked regularly, ate modest carbs, or what I thought were so, cooked almost everything from scratch yet my ill health and weight persisted.

This year I have added atrial fibrillation to the motley crew of health maladies, which is at times debilitating with my heart feeling like a little person pounding to get out of my chest as my heart jitters around in its own little dance, the left side of my chest bouncing along. I get little sleep now as this is very uncomfortable and at times I cannot drive as I have bouts of near passing out, a brown-out some call it, where the world fades away. There is dizziness and nausea at times, and it comes and goes as it pleases with no pattern except that it is every single day for hours.

I also have asthma, acid reflux, and arthritis. And I have no insurance and not a solid income at the moment. So I need to take my health into my own hands and see what I can do to fix all this.

I had done low carb before and when I did it strictly I did well and lost 16 pounds. But then the kids came along and life got all too busy as I became a full-time mom working full-time from home with a baby. When my baby was 6, we adopted a nearly 7-year-old and I also became a homeschool mom and English teacher to my Mandarin-speaking daughter - a daughter who had been eating noodles every meal of the day and was not anxious to give them up! When with a noodle-eater, it is difficult not to join in with the noodling!

But all that has changed, and again so far I am doing really well. I am occasionally naughty as it is difficult with our very limited budget to make different meals and my kids do not have wheat bellies and do not want to give up their noodles! But they actually love everything I have made with almond flour and I have cut back on their carbs as well with no complaints yet! I will continue this blog with recipes and sharing information and sources and just documenting my progress, or lack thereof. Please join me if you want and follow along!