Well, I completely fell off the blogging band wagon, didn't I? Life got crazy and I had to cut non-essential activity. But an update is in order.
After my failed Chinese herbalism experiment, I requested a referral to the Metabolic Syndrome clinic at my local teaching hospital. The referral was granted, and I was finally able to see an endocrinologist once again. PCOS is best managed by an endocrinologist, but it can be hard to find doctors who are in network and knowledgable. I scored on both accounts, and my life changed!
My doctor reviewed my medications and asked a few questions. She made some changes to dosages and timing, and set me up with a dietician and a physician's assistant with a focus on PCOS. Since I had already been exercising, I was allowed to manage my own workout plan.
Within days, the medication changes were having a huge impact on my life. Sugar cravings were reduced, energy levels increased. My skin cleared up, and I was sleeping better. I started losing weight without any effort. Then the dietician created a custom food plan that was liveable with my activity levels (1900 calories a day), and the weight starting dropping off. This started in January 2009.
By August 2009, I had lost 45 pounds. That's when things really got crazy at work. I was working so many hours, I didn't have time to take care of my life. Add to that an increase in knee pain, and I stalled out. After months of physical therapy, I received a diagnosis of Femeroacetabular Impingement (FAI) and a labral tear in my right hip, which was causing my knee trouble. Now that my hip has been repaired, I'm excited to get back on my journey and continue to lose the rest of this weight!!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The Chinese Herbalist
Welcome to experiment #3! Over the next two weeks, I will be taking herbal remedies in conjunction with my regular medication to determine if Eastern medicine enhances my results. For reference purposes, it's probably a good time to actually share my weight with the public world. This is scary for me - only me and my doctor know how much I really weight. My husband might have a clue, but I never told him, either. (Sorry, hon! Some things are too difficult to face.) I realize that my success, if I ever have any, will have more impact if people actually know where I started. So, casting my fears aside and exposing my ultimate secret for your reading pleasure, I proudly (ok, not really) announce to you that my starting weight when the blogging began was 268 pounds.
Well, that was certainly anti-climatic. The sky did not open up to the sound of angels laughing, nor did anyone say "how could you let yourself go like that?" You may be thinking it, but I can't hear you. That's a good thing, so I'll continue. I've been stuck at 261 or higher since the end of 2005. I want to break past that number. In the recesses of my mind, once I get below 261, the weight will just start to fall off. That may not happen, but one can hope.
Last month, I went to New York City on a business trip. Since my sister lives there, I stopped by to visit her, too. She is a proponent of Eastern medicine and uses herbal remedies to help treat her son's asthma after traditional medicine failed. Now, I have to wonder about one thing...if herbalism and acupuncture have been around for thousands of years, and Western medicine for just a few hundred, how is it that we call Western medicine the "traditional" method? Shouldn't it be the other way around?
Anyway, at my last visit to New York, my sister and I were discussing all of my health problems and my medicine regimine, and she thought I might benefit from Chinese herbs. I didn't commit to trying it at the time, but she broached the topic again during my business trip, and asked me just to try it. I conceded, thinking that it really couldn't hurt (I hoped).
So, off we go. The one she went to for her son is closed on Wednesdays, and my flight was in 5 hours, so we tried another one who was recommended by a friend. The consultation was free, but the herbs were expensive, so it ended up costing the same as my nephew's herbalist.
I sit down with a very quiet, elderly Chinese man to discuss my health. He looks at my hands and my tongue, and tells me I am thirsty. Ok, that's fair - we just walked 2 miles in 90 degree weather to get there. Yes, I'm thirsty...but I could have told him that. I bite my tongue and wait for him to impress me.
He takes my blood pressure and listens to my pulse. He puts my finger in a little plastic case and opens up his laptop. It's all in Chinese - very cool. He goes on to tell me that I get thirsty every day at 3:00 pm, and there are three possible reasons for this. One is diabetes, one is high cholesterol, and one is fire in the liver. I wait for him to tell me that I have diabetes or high cholesterol, because I just had my labs done, and the Western doctors tell me I do not have diabetes or high cholesterol. He tells me the same - it's not those...it's fire in the liver.
Intriguing. My chiropractor told me he thought I might have some liver toxins and encouraged me to do a cleansing program (he's a nutritionist, as well). But I never got around to doing it. Maybe I should. The herbalist explains that there are many reasons for fire in the liver: drug use, alcohol abuse, stress, heavy work (like construction), working with chemicals, or just working too much. I wait to hear that I drink too much and sniff too many chemicals. He tells me instead that I work too much and am under too much stress at home.
Ok, he's been right on everything so far - I work too much, and I am under stress at home due to working too much, and I get thirsty every day at 3:00 pm. Part of me is impressed, and the other part believes that he could have guessed and gotten that right. I was, after all, hundreds of miles away from home, thirsty, and in a hurry to get to the airport.
He tells me to take Visily but ups the recommended dosage on the packaging. At $60 a box, I'm not sure I want to take more than the standard dose, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. After I do some research, of course. He also sells me some tea that looks like a small joint without the rolling papers. I'm afraid to bring it to work, but he assures me that it will help eliminate belly fat. I am warned that the tea is bitter, but I should continue to sip it all day. One leaf per day, and in 30 days I will be thinner. I balk at the cost of everything, so I get a discount.
My trip to New York is over. I pack my bags, praying that airport security doesn't confiscate my newly purchased but suspicious-looking herbal tea wrapped in black plastic, and head off to the airport, $150 lighter already.
Up next: What's in an herb?
Well, that was certainly anti-climatic. The sky did not open up to the sound of angels laughing, nor did anyone say "how could you let yourself go like that?" You may be thinking it, but I can't hear you. That's a good thing, so I'll continue. I've been stuck at 261 or higher since the end of 2005. I want to break past that number. In the recesses of my mind, once I get below 261, the weight will just start to fall off. That may not happen, but one can hope.
Last month, I went to New York City on a business trip. Since my sister lives there, I stopped by to visit her, too. She is a proponent of Eastern medicine and uses herbal remedies to help treat her son's asthma after traditional medicine failed. Now, I have to wonder about one thing...if herbalism and acupuncture have been around for thousands of years, and Western medicine for just a few hundred, how is it that we call Western medicine the "traditional" method? Shouldn't it be the other way around?
Anyway, at my last visit to New York, my sister and I were discussing all of my health problems and my medicine regimine, and she thought I might benefit from Chinese herbs. I didn't commit to trying it at the time, but she broached the topic again during my business trip, and asked me just to try it. I conceded, thinking that it really couldn't hurt (I hoped).
So, off we go. The one she went to for her son is closed on Wednesdays, and my flight was in 5 hours, so we tried another one who was recommended by a friend. The consultation was free, but the herbs were expensive, so it ended up costing the same as my nephew's herbalist.
I sit down with a very quiet, elderly Chinese man to discuss my health. He looks at my hands and my tongue, and tells me I am thirsty. Ok, that's fair - we just walked 2 miles in 90 degree weather to get there. Yes, I'm thirsty...but I could have told him that. I bite my tongue and wait for him to impress me.
He takes my blood pressure and listens to my pulse. He puts my finger in a little plastic case and opens up his laptop. It's all in Chinese - very cool. He goes on to tell me that I get thirsty every day at 3:00 pm, and there are three possible reasons for this. One is diabetes, one is high cholesterol, and one is fire in the liver. I wait for him to tell me that I have diabetes or high cholesterol, because I just had my labs done, and the Western doctors tell me I do not have diabetes or high cholesterol. He tells me the same - it's not those...it's fire in the liver.
Intriguing. My chiropractor told me he thought I might have some liver toxins and encouraged me to do a cleansing program (he's a nutritionist, as well). But I never got around to doing it. Maybe I should. The herbalist explains that there are many reasons for fire in the liver: drug use, alcohol abuse, stress, heavy work (like construction), working with chemicals, or just working too much. I wait to hear that I drink too much and sniff too many chemicals. He tells me instead that I work too much and am under too much stress at home.
Ok, he's been right on everything so far - I work too much, and I am under stress at home due to working too much, and I get thirsty every day at 3:00 pm. Part of me is impressed, and the other part believes that he could have guessed and gotten that right. I was, after all, hundreds of miles away from home, thirsty, and in a hurry to get to the airport.
He tells me to take Visily but ups the recommended dosage on the packaging. At $60 a box, I'm not sure I want to take more than the standard dose, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. After I do some research, of course. He also sells me some tea that looks like a small joint without the rolling papers. I'm afraid to bring it to work, but he assures me that it will help eliminate belly fat. I am warned that the tea is bitter, but I should continue to sip it all day. One leaf per day, and in 30 days I will be thinner. I balk at the cost of everything, so I get a discount.
My trip to New York is over. I pack my bags, praying that airport security doesn't confiscate my newly purchased but suspicious-looking herbal tea wrapped in black plastic, and head off to the airport, $150 lighter already.
Up next: What's in an herb?
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Revelations
Ok, I'm a slacker. Focused, dedicated, hard-working...but still a slacker. My intention was to post every few days and keep tabs on my attempts at turning my life around. But I found it hard to find time to post, even though it only takes a few minutes. But I haven't given up! I've just not been sharing it with anyone.
Last time, I was talking about tea and how it helped me realize soda was dulling my brain and giving me stomach issues galore. I also realized during that 2-week period that I eat fairly well while traveling, but I eat like crap while at home. I've got to work on that.
When I'm traveling, I'm more focused on what I'm doing instead of what I'm eating. Everything I do is fun. When I'm home, I'm more focused on what I should be doing. Everything I do is work. While traveling, I eat local foods and try to keep portions small so I don't feel ill. While home, I go for hours without eating and then gorge on huge portions quickly so I can get back to work faster. It doesn't matter if I feel ill because I don't need to move. There's a lesson here...I need to add more fun to my home life. Guess that'll be another 2-week goal!
For now, I have a few in the hopper, so I'll finish up my tea experiment and move on. At the end of Day 14, I had a net gain of .5 pounds. Although this is in the wrong direction, I also experienced less stomach pain, bloating, fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, bad breath, tooth scum (is there a word for that?), fuzzy tongue, and headaches. The verdict? Keep drinking tea and avoid soda like the plague.
Experiment #1 Grade: A
On to experiment #2. I was going to do Chinese herbs as my second test, but I think adhering to my Western medicine regimen is more important at the moment. I despise taking pills, so I don't. Unfortunately, all of my medications are designed for long-term results. Every time I stop taking them, I screw up my progress and it takes longer for me to see any change. The challenge here is to figure out how to convince myself to take my pills daily even though there is no obvious benefit. Hmmmm...
For reference, my drug cocktail consists of:
And don't forget the handy-dandy multivitamin! That's a must-have, since some of these medications leach stuff out of my system. Seems like a pretty crappy way to live, taking all these pills every day. Which is why I don't take them. But without them, I'm in pretty crappy shape.
So, long story very, very short: I vow to take my pills religiously for 2 weeks. I almost succeed, and in that time, my weight drops .5 pounds. A step in the right direction, and I am now right back to where I started from when I began this blog. Fabulous.
Verdict? Keep taking the damn pills and hoping for a .5 pound loss every 2 weeks. Maybe with prolonged use, they really will start to work. (Something to keep in mind: the only time I successfully lost more than 5 pounds and kept it off for more than a week was while taking Metformin, Femcon, and Spironolactone on a daily basis. I lost 40 pounds and kept it off for a year.)
Experiment #2 Grade: B-
Coming up: The Chinese Herbalist
Last time, I was talking about tea and how it helped me realize soda was dulling my brain and giving me stomach issues galore. I also realized during that 2-week period that I eat fairly well while traveling, but I eat like crap while at home. I've got to work on that.
When I'm traveling, I'm more focused on what I'm doing instead of what I'm eating. Everything I do is fun. When I'm home, I'm more focused on what I should be doing. Everything I do is work. While traveling, I eat local foods and try to keep portions small so I don't feel ill. While home, I go for hours without eating and then gorge on huge portions quickly so I can get back to work faster. It doesn't matter if I feel ill because I don't need to move. There's a lesson here...I need to add more fun to my home life. Guess that'll be another 2-week goal!
For now, I have a few in the hopper, so I'll finish up my tea experiment and move on. At the end of Day 14, I had a net gain of .5 pounds. Although this is in the wrong direction, I also experienced less stomach pain, bloating, fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, bad breath, tooth scum (is there a word for that?), fuzzy tongue, and headaches. The verdict? Keep drinking tea and avoid soda like the plague.
Experiment #1 Grade: A
On to experiment #2. I was going to do Chinese herbs as my second test, but I think adhering to my Western medicine regimen is more important at the moment. I despise taking pills, so I don't. Unfortunately, all of my medications are designed for long-term results. Every time I stop taking them, I screw up my progress and it takes longer for me to see any change. The challenge here is to figure out how to convince myself to take my pills daily even though there is no obvious benefit. Hmmmm...
For reference, my drug cocktail consists of:
- 200 mg Spironolactone - this horrible tasting pill does wonders for my blood pressure and has an incredible side effect of reducing hirsutism in women. But it takes 6 months to show results, and it makes me dizzy.
- 2000 mg Metformin - these horse pills supposedly keep my blood sugar levels in check, resulting in fewer cravings and providing a slight hope for weight loss. It also makes me feel quite ill.
- 25 mg Hydrochlorothiazide (holy crap, that's a big word!) - this little guy does a great job getting rid of the pitting edema in my legs (that's the fun water retention that allows you to mold your skin like clay...at least temporarily). This is the only instant gratification pill in my whole collection. Unfortunately, it makes me dizzy and sometimes I break out in a rash from sun exposure.
- 300-600 mg Gabapentin - these capsules help relieve my Restless Leg Syndrome, helping me get at least 5 hours of good sleep per night. Studies have shown a link between sleep deprivation and obesity, so maybe lack of sleep has been contributing to my problem. The problem? It makes me very nauseous within 20 minutes of taking it, so I can't take it until I am in bed. If I wait too long, I can't fall asleep. Go figure.
- 1 tab Femcon - regulates my hormone levels so my husband doesn't leave me. Probably the most useful pill I take. :)
And don't forget the handy-dandy multivitamin! That's a must-have, since some of these medications leach stuff out of my system. Seems like a pretty crappy way to live, taking all these pills every day. Which is why I don't take them. But without them, I'm in pretty crappy shape.
So, long story very, very short: I vow to take my pills religiously for 2 weeks. I almost succeed, and in that time, my weight drops .5 pounds. A step in the right direction, and I am now right back to where I started from when I began this blog. Fabulous.
Verdict? Keep taking the damn pills and hoping for a .5 pound loss every 2 weeks. Maybe with prolonged use, they really will start to work. (Something to keep in mind: the only time I successfully lost more than 5 pounds and kept it off for more than a week was while taking Metformin, Femcon, and Spironolactone on a daily basis. I lost 40 pounds and kept it off for a year.)
Experiment #2 Grade: B-
Coming up: The Chinese Herbalist
Friday, August 1, 2008
Tea Time
Wow, it's been a little while since I posted. I had intended to have each experiment last about a week and report on how well it is working for me. Things don't always work the same for women with PCOS, and there are few resources out there for women whose primary goal is not to have a baby, but instead just to get healthy. So, since I can't find one, I figured I'd make one.
Anyway, I had to go to New York unexpectedly for business, and didn't have time to post my tea experiment results. So I decided two weeks might make more sense - gives me more time to see results, and I don't have to be upset if I miss my deadline by a day or two. This post is a long one; it covers 11 days of activity. Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, I started out the tea experiment with very high hopes. The tea had smelled and tasted phenomenal, and I dropped a lot of money on it, which is a very good motivator. Tea works into the recommended food plan for women with PCOS, and provides caffeine, which I feel I need to function (at least for now). The recap:
Day 1: I spent a lot of time getting set up for tea - I had to find a spot on my desk and figure out the best timing for going to the break room for water. I don't generally leave my desk very often, so I felt like I was slacking off all day. But the tea was incredible, and I didn't miss the soda. I drank too much Mate Vana (4 cups!) and got the shakes around noon. In the afternoon, I experimented with their recommended iced tea method with the Rooibos Tropica/Jasmine Green blend, and loved every sip. Shortly after drinking the iced tea, I noticed that everything at work seemed to be very clear and sharply defined - as though I had been wearing a veil, and that veil was removed. Interesting.
Day 2: More of the same, but I stopped at 2 cups of Mate Vana. No shakes, no caffeine withdrawal headache. Nice. I realized today that I did not have any stomach pain, cramps, or diarrhea. Was it the soda?
Days 3-5: I am waking up earlier and more refreshed, even though I am not going to bed earlier. I am also not taking my Restless Leg Syndrome medication (naughty girl), but for some reason, I must be sleeping better than usual.
Days 6 & 7: Went on a trip to Chicago and worried about how to maintain my newfound tea-drinking habit while on the road. Found out it's much easier to locate tea and sugar with hot water than soda (at least in the morning)! And traveling is easier when you are not sick all the time.
Day 8: First week weigh-in! Whoa, up 3.5 pounds...not good. What happened, I wonder? I presume I'm taking in fewer calories from less sugar. But I just got back from vacation, and we had been drinking, eating in restaurants, and getting dessert. Plus, I did not exercise at all last week. I did the Danskin Triathlon earlier this month, and I took a short break to decide what to do next. I decided tea was not the likely culprit for my weight gain. I pack my bag and fly to New York.
Day 9: While in New York, I continue drinking tea and avoiding soda. It's honestly very easy to do. If I feel like having a soda, I just get a sweet iced green tea. I'm still getting sugar, but it's sugar, not corn syrup, and it's one teaspoon, not ten (http://www.marshallbrain.com/science/sugar-in-soda.htm). I realize as I write this that I have cut out 27 teaspoons of sugar each and every day. At 15 calories a teaspoon, that's 405 calories per day...gone. Assuming I don't add something to fill the caloric gap, that's a pound every 8.6 days!
Day 10: It dawns on me that I am experiencing increased clarity in thought. I've never had too much trouble with my brain - it's gotten me to where I am today, and I am in a wonderful place. But lately I'd been having trouble remembering things, and simple math calculations began to require paper and pencil or worse, fingers and toes. I'm excited to have my brain back...I sure did miss it!
Day 11: Back home. Can't wait to get to work to have the teas I love! I can definitely tell the difference between loose leaf teas and bag teas, and there is no contest. Back in my comfort zone, I realize there are major differences between my eating habits on the road and my eating habits at my desk. And the differences don't bode well for me.
Up next: Revelations
Anyway, I had to go to New York unexpectedly for business, and didn't have time to post my tea experiment results. So I decided two weeks might make more sense - gives me more time to see results, and I don't have to be upset if I miss my deadline by a day or two. This post is a long one; it covers 11 days of activity. Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, I started out the tea experiment with very high hopes. The tea had smelled and tasted phenomenal, and I dropped a lot of money on it, which is a very good motivator. Tea works into the recommended food plan for women with PCOS, and provides caffeine, which I feel I need to function (at least for now). The recap:
Day 1: I spent a lot of time getting set up for tea - I had to find a spot on my desk and figure out the best timing for going to the break room for water. I don't generally leave my desk very often, so I felt like I was slacking off all day. But the tea was incredible, and I didn't miss the soda. I drank too much Mate Vana (4 cups!) and got the shakes around noon. In the afternoon, I experimented with their recommended iced tea method with the Rooibos Tropica/Jasmine Green blend, and loved every sip. Shortly after drinking the iced tea, I noticed that everything at work seemed to be very clear and sharply defined - as though I had been wearing a veil, and that veil was removed. Interesting.
Day 2: More of the same, but I stopped at 2 cups of Mate Vana. No shakes, no caffeine withdrawal headache. Nice. I realized today that I did not have any stomach pain, cramps, or diarrhea. Was it the soda?
Days 3-5: I am waking up earlier and more refreshed, even though I am not going to bed earlier. I am also not taking my Restless Leg Syndrome medication (naughty girl), but for some reason, I must be sleeping better than usual.
Days 6 & 7: Went on a trip to Chicago and worried about how to maintain my newfound tea-drinking habit while on the road. Found out it's much easier to locate tea and sugar with hot water than soda (at least in the morning)! And traveling is easier when you are not sick all the time.
Day 8: First week weigh-in! Whoa, up 3.5 pounds...not good. What happened, I wonder? I presume I'm taking in fewer calories from less sugar. But I just got back from vacation, and we had been drinking, eating in restaurants, and getting dessert. Plus, I did not exercise at all last week. I did the Danskin Triathlon earlier this month, and I took a short break to decide what to do next. I decided tea was not the likely culprit for my weight gain. I pack my bag and fly to New York.
Day 9: While in New York, I continue drinking tea and avoiding soda. It's honestly very easy to do. If I feel like having a soda, I just get a sweet iced green tea. I'm still getting sugar, but it's sugar, not corn syrup, and it's one teaspoon, not ten (http://www.marshallbrain.com/science/sugar-in-soda.htm). I realize as I write this that I have cut out 27 teaspoons of sugar each and every day. At 15 calories a teaspoon, that's 405 calories per day...gone. Assuming I don't add something to fill the caloric gap, that's a pound every 8.6 days!
Day 10: It dawns on me that I am experiencing increased clarity in thought. I've never had too much trouble with my brain - it's gotten me to where I am today, and I am in a wonderful place. But lately I'd been having trouble remembering things, and simple math calculations began to require paper and pencil or worse, fingers and toes. I'm excited to have my brain back...I sure did miss it!
Day 11: Back home. Can't wait to get to work to have the teas I love! I can definitely tell the difference between loose leaf teas and bag teas, and there is no contest. Back in my comfort zone, I realize there are major differences between my eating habits on the road and my eating habits at my desk. And the differences don't bode well for me.
Up next: Revelations
Friday, July 25, 2008
Teavana
Dear hubby and I are cleaning house over the weekend and we come across old gift cards that must be used before they start losing money (a real scam, in my humble opinion...how is it that a piece of plastic sitting in my drawer is costing the company $2 a month?). But I digress. We decide to hit the mall and have a little shopping spree.
As we walk around looking at all the stores we've never seen before, we come upon one that smells delicious. Teavana, the sign reads. Hmmm, I wonder silently, is that tea from Cuba? Is that legal? (Once again, not so quick.) Hubby asks if I would like to go in. Sure...smells great - besides, I love those little teapot sets. Too bad I don't like the stuff that you make with them.
The shop is gleaming with shiny shelves and teapots, all set up in little groups on trays. It looks as good as it smells, and I'm excited to look at dragon teapots and the beautiful patterns in the glaze. A friend wants to take a pottery class...as I look in awe at the craftsmanship, I want to join her. A teaologist* approaches us and begins asking us what we are looking for - a bit aggressive, but very friendly and helpful. She ushers us to a tasting station.
They have five teas to try: a mate vana / chai blend, a rooibos tropica blended with jasmine green tea, a monkey-picked (for real?) oolong, and two fruity iced teas. I play along and try the teas, but I'm really just being polite.
That's when it hit me. Tea tastes good! No, better than good. This tea is superb!!! I've never tasted anything like them, especially the mate vana/chai and rooibos tropica/jasmine green teas. Why, if it tastes like this, I'll happily toss the soda aside and drink tea every day.
That's exactly what I did. We pondered the gift pack, the teapots, the tea spoons (so that's how they got their name!), and, of course, the tea. Our friendly and attentive teaologist shows me a neat 2-cup pot that is very convenient for work, since you can set the pot on a cup and it drains through a strainer in the bottom. No pouring! I'm excited at the prospect of having easy tea at work. I buy it. And a spoon. And then, it's time to decide on the tea.
This place is like an adult candy shop. The teas are in these huge tins in individual cubbies along the back wall. Various workers grab tins for customers and open them, showing off the gorgeous leaves, flowers, and dried fruit. Then they waft the lid over the tea and give the customers a whiff of heavenly florals and sumptuous fruits. I am transported, finally understanding the name of the store. Teavana, indeed.
We buy a pound of various teas, all individually wrapped in little 2-ounce bags. Very expensive, but if I drink it, it's all worth it. We get a lesson in how to brew tea...we are both shocked to learn that pouring freshly boiled water over a teabag and letting it sit that way until it's cool enough to drink is the main reason our teas usually taste like crap. Ok, I promise to make tea the right way from now on. As long as it promises to taste that good all the time.
As we are selecting, I try to remember what I'm supposed to be drinking. Let's see...green tea helps reduce levels of testosterone in the body, or does it regulate blood sugar? Oolong is supposed to help reduce appetite. Black tea is caffeinated (not a requirement to treat PCOS, just my own personal demon). Spearmint tea definitely reduces testosterone - studies have proven that drinking lots of spearmint tea reduces hair growth in hirsute women. http://www.news-medical.net/?id=22071
I start with green tea and black tea. I have mint tea at home, and the oolong is just not worth the price at this time. I vow to start every day with black tea, drink green tea in the afternoon, and finish off every day with some soothing mint tea. We leave the store, and I am more hopeful about my health than I've been in a long time.
Coming up: Tea Time
*Teaologist = someone who is knowledgeable in tea
As we walk around looking at all the stores we've never seen before, we come upon one that smells delicious. Teavana, the sign reads. Hmmm, I wonder silently, is that tea from Cuba? Is that legal? (Once again, not so quick.) Hubby asks if I would like to go in. Sure...smells great - besides, I love those little teapot sets. Too bad I don't like the stuff that you make with them.
The shop is gleaming with shiny shelves and teapots, all set up in little groups on trays. It looks as good as it smells, and I'm excited to look at dragon teapots and the beautiful patterns in the glaze. A friend wants to take a pottery class...as I look in awe at the craftsmanship, I want to join her. A teaologist* approaches us and begins asking us what we are looking for - a bit aggressive, but very friendly and helpful. She ushers us to a tasting station.
They have five teas to try: a mate vana / chai blend, a rooibos tropica blended with jasmine green tea, a monkey-picked (for real?) oolong, and two fruity iced teas. I play along and try the teas, but I'm really just being polite.
That's when it hit me. Tea tastes good! No, better than good. This tea is superb!!! I've never tasted anything like them, especially the mate vana/chai and rooibos tropica/jasmine green teas. Why, if it tastes like this, I'll happily toss the soda aside and drink tea every day.
That's exactly what I did. We pondered the gift pack, the teapots, the tea spoons (so that's how they got their name!), and, of course, the tea. Our friendly and attentive teaologist shows me a neat 2-cup pot that is very convenient for work, since you can set the pot on a cup and it drains through a strainer in the bottom. No pouring! I'm excited at the prospect of having easy tea at work. I buy it. And a spoon. And then, it's time to decide on the tea.
This place is like an adult candy shop. The teas are in these huge tins in individual cubbies along the back wall. Various workers grab tins for customers and open them, showing off the gorgeous leaves, flowers, and dried fruit. Then they waft the lid over the tea and give the customers a whiff of heavenly florals and sumptuous fruits. I am transported, finally understanding the name of the store. Teavana, indeed.
We buy a pound of various teas, all individually wrapped in little 2-ounce bags. Very expensive, but if I drink it, it's all worth it. We get a lesson in how to brew tea...we are both shocked to learn that pouring freshly boiled water over a teabag and letting it sit that way until it's cool enough to drink is the main reason our teas usually taste like crap. Ok, I promise to make tea the right way from now on. As long as it promises to taste that good all the time.
As we are selecting, I try to remember what I'm supposed to be drinking. Let's see...green tea helps reduce levels of testosterone in the body, or does it regulate blood sugar? Oolong is supposed to help reduce appetite. Black tea is caffeinated (not a requirement to treat PCOS, just my own personal demon). Spearmint tea definitely reduces testosterone - studies have proven that drinking lots of spearmint tea reduces hair growth in hirsute women. http://www.news-medical.net/?id=22071
I start with green tea and black tea. I have mint tea at home, and the oolong is just not worth the price at this time. I vow to start every day with black tea, drink green tea in the afternoon, and finish off every day with some soothing mint tea. We leave the store, and I am more hopeful about my health than I've been in a long time.
Coming up: Tea Time
*Teaologist = someone who is knowledgeable in tea
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
No Soda?!??!
Ok, let's face facts. I'm a soda junkie - some people drink coffee like it's going out of style...not me. I start my day with a Coke and a smile. Sometimes I don't switch to caffeine-free sodas soon enough and I can't sleep, or I get the shakes, but most of the time I'm good. Until that day when I don't get my soda. Then (to quote an ex-colleague)...WATCH OUT!!! I get cranky, irritable, maybe even mean. I get headaches - bad ones. The world stops until I get my fix. Lord help the person who gets in my way as I strive to attain caffeinated nirvana.
Now, of course I know better than to drink regular, full-sugared soda. Believe it or not, I actually prefer the taste of diet soda now - the regular stuff's too sweet. But I sure do love the feeling of the acid burning its cold path down my esophagus. Mmmmmm, heaven.
So, one day my chiropractor tells me that the body was never meant to process aspartame. It can make people sick. What? I had heard the theories about sugar substitutes increasing cravings and actually causing obesity instead of helping people lose weight, like the marketing ads claim. But this was new.
So, he tells me, maybe my chronic back, neck, hip, and elbow pain that I've had since I was 14 going on 94 isn't caused by spinal misalignment. Maybe, just maybe, my body is rejecting aspartame and this is how it manifests itself. Unlikely, he says, but maybe. So why not give it a try? Give up soda for a week and report back to me.
Huh? Give up soda for a week? No way!! It's my life blood, my friend, my companion (yes, I'm a loser). I resist. The next week, he asks again. I resist. He asks. I resist. We dance for a few months as I run out of excuses. Boy, he's persistent! I relent. But I don't give up soda. I give up aspartame (win/win, I think).
Turns out he was right. Not about my chronic pain being caused by aspartame, but about my chronic sinus headaches. After four days of no aspartame, I awake head-pain free for the first time in {months, years?} a long time. This trend continues. I am happy. But unconvinced, of course. I must test the theory. I tested the theory three times (I'm slow to catch on). Long story short, he really was right. My aspartame habit was causing me pain, and lots of it.
So I stopped drinking diet soda. But that meant I was drinking regular soda instead. Bad juju. My soda intake ranged from 24-60 ounces a day. That could end up with me gaining anywhere from 30 - 80 pounds in a year! Since I already weigh more than I can admit to anyone (that's a goal for another week), the thought has me desperate.
I try substituting things with Splenda. Yummy! But those drinks tear my stomach apart. I try stevia, but it is bitter. I need a solution that doesn't involve giving up my beloved soda. But none was to be found. I continued to drink sodas with Splenda and deal with the pain (smart, aren't I?).
Last week, as my husband and I are doing some grocery shopping, he notices that my soda is gone from the shelves. All of them. Uh oh. I'm in trouble now. I take it as a sign that my world must change, and start to contemplate my choices. There are few.
I consider living my life once again in a chronic sinus headache-induced pain fog. Ummm, no. How about drinking coffee instead? Yuck! I hate coffee, it tears my stomach apart (worse than Splenda), but the worst part...have you ever smelled coffee breath? I could not do that to my friends and colleagues. How about tea? Tea has caffeine, it doesn't tear my stomach apart, and I don't think it causes horse apple breath. But I just don't like it. I'd been trying to add it to my daily routine for the past year, and I dreaded every sip. Even sweetened teas weren't that great. I was giving up hope, and was about to give up soda, caffeine and all, cold turkey (just like when I quit smoking! Don't know that my husband could take another one of those episodes...), when I found my answer.
Coming up: Teavana
Now, of course I know better than to drink regular, full-sugared soda. Believe it or not, I actually prefer the taste of diet soda now - the regular stuff's too sweet. But I sure do love the feeling of the acid burning its cold path down my esophagus. Mmmmmm, heaven.
So, one day my chiropractor tells me that the body was never meant to process aspartame. It can make people sick. What? I had heard the theories about sugar substitutes increasing cravings and actually causing obesity instead of helping people lose weight, like the marketing ads claim. But this was new.
So, he tells me, maybe my chronic back, neck, hip, and elbow pain that I've had since I was 14 going on 94 isn't caused by spinal misalignment. Maybe, just maybe, my body is rejecting aspartame and this is how it manifests itself. Unlikely, he says, but maybe. So why not give it a try? Give up soda for a week and report back to me.
Huh? Give up soda for a week? No way!! It's my life blood, my friend, my companion (yes, I'm a loser). I resist. The next week, he asks again. I resist. He asks. I resist. We dance for a few months as I run out of excuses. Boy, he's persistent! I relent. But I don't give up soda. I give up aspartame (win/win, I think).
Turns out he was right. Not about my chronic pain being caused by aspartame, but about my chronic sinus headaches. After four days of no aspartame, I awake head-pain free for the first time in {months, years?} a long time. This trend continues. I am happy. But unconvinced, of course. I must test the theory. I tested the theory three times (I'm slow to catch on). Long story short, he really was right. My aspartame habit was causing me pain, and lots of it.
So I stopped drinking diet soda. But that meant I was drinking regular soda instead. Bad juju. My soda intake ranged from 24-60 ounces a day. That could end up with me gaining anywhere from 30 - 80 pounds in a year! Since I already weigh more than I can admit to anyone (that's a goal for another week), the thought has me desperate.
I try substituting things with Splenda. Yummy! But those drinks tear my stomach apart. I try stevia, but it is bitter. I need a solution that doesn't involve giving up my beloved soda. But none was to be found. I continued to drink sodas with Splenda and deal with the pain (smart, aren't I?).
Last week, as my husband and I are doing some grocery shopping, he notices that my soda is gone from the shelves. All of them. Uh oh. I'm in trouble now. I take it as a sign that my world must change, and start to contemplate my choices. There are few.
I consider living my life once again in a chronic sinus headache-induced pain fog. Ummm, no. How about drinking coffee instead? Yuck! I hate coffee, it tears my stomach apart (worse than Splenda), but the worst part...have you ever smelled coffee breath? I could not do that to my friends and colleagues. How about tea? Tea has caffeine, it doesn't tear my stomach apart, and I don't think it causes horse apple breath. But I just don't like it. I'd been trying to add it to my daily routine for the past year, and I dreaded every sip. Even sweetened teas weren't that great. I was giving up hope, and was about to give up soda, caffeine and all, cold turkey (just like when I quit smoking! Don't know that my husband could take another one of those episodes...), when I found my answer.
Coming up: Teavana
Monday, July 21, 2008
Getting Started
Albert Einstein is attributed with saying that "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Since I do not wish to be considered insane, it is time to do something different.
This is different.
In my profile, I describe myself as a driven 30-something with PCOS and a fabulous career who is just starting to realize that something must change. It's not entirely true. Yes, I am driven, I am 34, and I do have PCOS and a fabulous career, but I've known for quite some time that something needed to change. I just wasn't ready to face that fact.
I like my life. What I did with my life helped me become who I am and I am happy. But there's a part of me that knows better. Knows that there's a hidden side of me that comes out every now and then, and that side comes with a bitter aftertaste. Because that side wants to be thin, wants to be healthy, and most of all, wants to know what life could become if only...well, if only I were "normal."
For those of you who don't know the term, PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS is a collection of symptoms related to hormone levels. In many cases, testosterone levels are higher than estrogen levels, resulting in irregular menstruation and a plethora of other symptoms. But I'm not a medical professional, and my purpose is not to educate. If you'd like to learn more about it (and I hope you do!), please check out: http://www.4woman.gov/FAQ/pcos.htm
Back to my reason for being here. Something needs to change. I've been on many diets and exercise programs (I finished my fourth triathlon just last week), but none have worked as well as I'd hoped. Is it them, or is it me? It's time to find out.
This blog is my attempt at mixing things up a bit. Trying new things, finding out if they work, learning as much as possible, and being accountable. That last one is tough. It's easy for me to excuse my weight problem - I have a valid medical condition. But making excuses hasn't helped me. Every year, the weight just keeps coming; stealthy, quiet, insidious...2 pounds here, 5 pounds there. My symptoms get worse, and my ability to ignore them gets better. Dealing with it has become a way of life. But now I'm starting to lose it - lose faith, lose hope, lose my grip, my will, my strength...you name it, I'm losing it. Even my hair has started to fall out. That's the last straw. It's time to lose the weight.
I'm starting this journey with one rule: try something different every week. I know what's considered healthy behavior and what's not. So, each week, I will change one thing for the better, and share my observations, my struggles, and (hopefully) my victories. The more the merrier, so if you'd care to join me, strap yourself in...it's going to be a bumpy ride!
Week one goal: stop drinking soda
This is different.
In my profile, I describe myself as a driven 30-something with PCOS and a fabulous career who is just starting to realize that something must change. It's not entirely true. Yes, I am driven, I am 34, and I do have PCOS and a fabulous career, but I've known for quite some time that something needed to change. I just wasn't ready to face that fact.
I like my life. What I did with my life helped me become who I am and I am happy. But there's a part of me that knows better. Knows that there's a hidden side of me that comes out every now and then, and that side comes with a bitter aftertaste. Because that side wants to be thin, wants to be healthy, and most of all, wants to know what life could become if only...well, if only I were "normal."
For those of you who don't know the term, PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. PCOS is a collection of symptoms related to hormone levels. In many cases, testosterone levels are higher than estrogen levels, resulting in irregular menstruation and a plethora of other symptoms. But I'm not a medical professional, and my purpose is not to educate. If you'd like to learn more about it (and I hope you do!), please check out: http://www.4woman.gov/FAQ/pcos.htm
Back to my reason for being here. Something needs to change. I've been on many diets and exercise programs (I finished my fourth triathlon just last week), but none have worked as well as I'd hoped. Is it them, or is it me? It's time to find out.
This blog is my attempt at mixing things up a bit. Trying new things, finding out if they work, learning as much as possible, and being accountable. That last one is tough. It's easy for me to excuse my weight problem - I have a valid medical condition. But making excuses hasn't helped me. Every year, the weight just keeps coming; stealthy, quiet, insidious...2 pounds here, 5 pounds there. My symptoms get worse, and my ability to ignore them gets better. Dealing with it has become a way of life. But now I'm starting to lose it - lose faith, lose hope, lose my grip, my will, my strength...you name it, I'm losing it. Even my hair has started to fall out. That's the last straw. It's time to lose the weight.
I'm starting this journey with one rule: try something different every week. I know what's considered healthy behavior and what's not. So, each week, I will change one thing for the better, and share my observations, my struggles, and (hopefully) my victories. The more the merrier, so if you'd care to join me, strap yourself in...it's going to be a bumpy ride!
Week one goal: stop drinking soda
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