HOUSEHOLD TIPS NOT FOUND IN WOMAN'S WEEKLY

[Tizer]

Isn't that a bit extreme? There's no need to deprive yourself completely of such food items. Toast isn't poisonous. Give yourself a treat now and then!

[PanBiker]

I thought that was a bit over the top as well Tiz,particularly as Stanley likes a bit of bread. I loose weight by keeping tabs of my calorie intake and most advice for similar regimes says that you should push the boat out a bit from time to time, an odd transgression makes no difference at all, that's certainly the case in my experience.

[Wendyf]

Erm, he is doing it to help to control his blood glucose not just to lose weight. He is doing a great job, his health is improved and he is enjoying doing it! Why not give encouragement?

[Big Kev]

On the very rare occasion that I eat bread it's just a small slice of a low GI loaf, I can't remember the last time I had toast, bread gives me a blood glucose spike which isn't good. The weight loss I experienced was a side effect of eating a low carb diet to control my BG levels. I can understand why Stanley binned his toaster, if there was only me here I wouldn't need one either

[Marilyn]

We don't eat bread either, and haven't done for years, but we do like Pizza, so that means a dough base.
Looks like none of you will have to tolerate the " National Loaf", should it be reinstated due to war.

I'm told not to stockpile anything you don't normally eat ( because if you don't enjoy something now, you still won't eat it in hard times). While that is true, some things are worth storing for barter!
I expect imported goods will be the first to disappear. Years ago, grocery stores held almost as much stock out the back as they did out the front. They don't anymore due to constant deliveries. It doesn't hurt to store a few things under the stairs - even such basic things as candles and matches ( I discovered only one old raggy box of matches in my pantry when I was rearranging things...and I doubt they would light even with a prayer).
Just think about the panic if household water supply was turned off for a fortnight due to chemical contamination...mayhem and death. A body can go a month without food, but not a fortnight without fluid.

No need to become paranoid of course, but I think that if war happens, it will happen quickly. It's the folk who shop every day and have nothing in their cupboards who will be the first to suffer extreme hardship.
They will be raiding Wendy's poly tunnel and chicken house in the dead of night...

[Stanley]

Don't worry, I am not depriving myself of anything, I had chips recently! Wendy is dead right, I have gone on to low carb to keep blood sugar down. I am not hair trigger on blood sugar like some but definitely in better health and losing weight slowly on the new regime. Thanks Wendy for triggering me off.
Maz, you are quite right, the fast food generation won't stand a chance!

[Wendyf]

You don't know if you are "hair trigger" or not Stanley unless you test with a meter, it's not something you are aware of until it gets dangerously high. Col has been involved with a course in Skipton and the first thing the trainers advise is to use a blood test meter to learn the effect that different foods have, especially the standard "healthy" breakfast of orange juice, cereal and toast compared to bacon and eggs!
Maz, there is no way we could protect what we have now if the world as we know it came to an end, I wouldn't want to have to get guns! Too old to bother now....

[Stanley]

Wendy. I am relying on the fact that even at their worst, my blood sugar was only marginally high and is now 'normal' whatever that is. They kept me on the programme so I can have the benefit of full bloods every six months. Perhaps something to do with the mileage! All the other readings are fine. But thanks for caring!

[Marilyn]

I agree with Wendy re the meter...and have decided to buy Febby one for his next birthday. His last hospital readings were alarming in the evenings...and I am yet to convince him that Chocolate covered Licorice Bullets are not doing him any good in the evenings ( though he maintains he needs them for his bowels!!!!) yes...he took some in his kit to hospital, but I am not sure if they knew about them.
I think a meter is the only way of shocking him enough to ditch the Bullets. Having said that, I cannot see anything else that is glaringly wrong with his diet and we must ( of course) balance that with his once-a-day sin.
Nobody likes to be the fun police.
( hope he forgives me for his birthday present!)

[Wendyf]

Great birthday present! Unfortunately it's the test strips that are costly here if you can't get them on prescription.

[Marilyn]

Here too..I won't get any discount for the machine either as I am not Diabetic.
He can buy his own strips with his Diabetic discount afterward!
I have lived with the expense of a Diabetic dog who consumed up to three vials of Insulin a week( no rebate for Diabetic animals) , plus needles at 50p each....I think I need to put the expense into my husband too.
Couldn't save the dog ( much regret) but perhaps I can save hubby.

[Wendyf]

I miss your all seeing eye! Can you find it again?

[Marilyn]

I don't know, Wendy. I'm not bothered, but if I am meant to have it, maybe it will come back. Happy to be "a nothing"

[PanBiker]

I can't define a users avatar, I have been looking to see if I could for Cathy. There is provision in The admin control panel to delete a users avatar but not set one. I'm trying to find where they hide up on the server. I'm fairly sure I have seen yours in the avatar gallery.

[Stanley]

I hadn't realised that Maz and Cathy had lost their avatars until that post....
As for your excellent and valid comments about blood sugar meters. You are quite right of course but one of my defences against the modern world is to disregard the plethora of advice on health and diet until I get evidence from my body that perhaps I ought to be taking notice. When I get that evidence I act, that's why I am on the Wendy regime and benefiting from it. I believe the general principle of keeping blood sugar low but will not be getting a meter until I see the need. Very shortly I shall die and someone will say "If only he had ........" But I refuse to anticipate this, I have seen too many people get into a panic unnecessarily and go to extremes. My version of the liquorice bullets! However I do read all you have to say and take it into account. At the moment I am as fit as a butcher's dog so I must be doing something right! (I look at those of my contemporaries who are not already dead and compared with them I am not doing to badly.)

[Tizer]

...I am yet to convince him that Chocolate covered Licorice Bullets are not doing him any good in the evenings ( though he maintains he needs them for his bowels!!!!)

Dare I ask?...Ahem, what does he do with them, Maz?

[Marilyn]

He scoffs an entire bag, on his own, every week, Tizzy. Buys a new bag every Saturday morning.
He keeps them in a box on the coffee table...and gets a bit cross when the kids visit and help themselves. ( very serious about his Bullets he is)

[Stanley]

We used to call them Liquorice Torpedoes......
Don't think about this one too much but incontinent dogs and fitted carpets are a pain in the bum!!!

[PanBiker]

Our Liquorice Torpedoes are different though having a hard candy type coating, I have never see a chocolate covered one, they do have some funny stuff down under don't they? Tim Tam's, look like Penguin's to me.

[Marilyn]

Ours are Licorice/liquorice on the inside and chocolate coated. Also come in Raspberry flavoured Licorice/ Liquorice on the inside with White Chocolate coating ( very nice but way too sweet for my palate). Febby will take the Raspberry ones if the Milk Chocolate ones are sold out. ( I don't have a sweet tooth at all, so find all sweets/lollies/chocolate, awful).
I shall post a pic. He should have some stashed in his box, as it is only Thursday...

[Marilyn]

I just took a pic....then he offered to suck the chocolate off one to show the Licorice/liquorice.
( gross). But I let him do it. He made sure I handed all the bullets over afterwards, including the sucked one ( double gross). Pics coming....

[Stanley]

[Tizer]

I'm relieved to know that he keeps regular by `taking them by mouth' rather than by an alternative route. Having worked as a dispenser and hand-made suppositories it did make me wonder. Especially because the fat in chocolate (cocoa butter) is used as the fat in suppositories - the `melt in the mouth' properties (a narrow melting range at body temperature) are what also make it well suited to use in suppositories.

[Marilyn]

Less tooth decay I suppose!

One of the reasons I can't stomach the smell of Olive Oil is because I have given too many G&O enemas when Nursing!

[Stanley]

Is that Glycerine and Olive Oil Maz? I'm lucky, I quite like the taste of olive oil, same applies to Cod Liver Oil and have a teaspoon every morning. That can be today's tip, make sure you have your quota of long chain Omega 3 every day. Most of the civilised world's population is deficient and this imbalance of Omega 3 to Omega 6 is an important factor in obesity and other problems. During the war kids got free orange juice concentrate and cod liver oil from the clinic we attended every week. Perhaps that's why many call us 'The last healthy generation'.