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Post by RogueWarrior1957 on Jul 31, 2006 12:32:59 GMT 12.75
Hi Folks, I have to share the results of my latest experiment in the food/dessert department. Since cutting out process sugar and a lot of unnecessary carbs in my diet, it has been months since I've made Jello Instant Pudding. I have switched to the kind with artificial sweeteners, but that modified starch that is necessary to make pudding still makes me watch my portions.
Now that is out of the way, according to the instructions, I added the Jello Vanilla Pudding mix to 3 cups of cold skim milk and beat it with a wire whisk until it was well blended. Then, on a wild whim, I stirred in one teaspoon of powdered cinnamon and one-half teaspoon of pure peppermint extract, whipping once more with the whisk to blend it well. I think I've just discovered my new favorite dessert...although I limit myself to no more than half a cupful, and savor it slowly. The cinna-mint flavor cures the craving for goodies more than anything else I've found. ;D
Paws wanted me to add this as well: I had a doctor's appointment Friday with my primary care physician as a follow up on the BP, weight, and glucose levels. He gave me an attaboy for the 40 pounds lost as well as for my BP and blood sugar being within acceptable range. I don't have to go back to him until October for another blood work to see how my cholesterol and thyroid function are doing. Later on Friday, I had made an appointment with an optometrist to get my eyes checked. It was two years since my last eye exam and I am getting to the point to where I can't see to read. Everything checked out great...no family curse of glaucoma...no macular degeneration...only thing wrong is I'm an old fart and need to wear bi-focals. Last time I tried bi-focals I got drunk as Cooter Jones, got a headache of about 6.9 on the Richter Scale, and threw up. Hopefully the progressives won't be as hard to get used to as the old style. So, all in all, I guess the world and you guys are stuck with my ornery old butt for a few more years! ;D
-Rogue-
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Post by Brikatw on Jul 31, 2006 13:08:49 GMT 12.75
I have bi focals too Bill. The kids and Kathy chuckle when the see me with my head waaaay back reding the screen. What is really funny is when I'm at work and the screen is about 5 ft high and I almost tip over. Congrats on the accomplishments though. I know they come from hard work. I myself am holding steady it seems right now at 150 every morning. I'm sure it;ll start coming in more as soon as my body is sure I have quit smoking. Goodluck bro, I'm gonna try that pudding. Addison ytoo....
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Post by brittonfaith on Jul 31, 2006 13:49:23 GMT 12.75
So now I know it's not just me with a kinked neck with bifocals! Been wearing them since I was 30. When I'm outside, I wear them on the tip of my nose and look over them too. I'm going to have to quit smoking too. No smoking is allowed on the farm - both for safety and insurance reasons. I was open and told Henk I'm a smoker and he animately demanded "quit right now!" Then proceeded to lecture me for an hour about the health risks. My biggest hurdle is every time I hear one of those stop smoking ads on the radio or TV, or pass a certain landmark along the road, I just gotta light up. I've got it down to a science - I can figure 5 minutes per smoke. So if something's in the oven, I can go out to the porch and don't have to listen for the timer - just count butts. Even watched a documentary where they were dissection a smokers lung. Sucked down 4 ciggies while it was on. This was right after he finished chewing me out about using Sweet n Low in my iced tea. Dad & Mike are both such soft spoken guys. I'm not used to having a man lay it on the line.
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Post by Brikatw on Jul 31, 2006 16:44:22 GMT 12.75
My Doctor said it real simple to me. "I fixed you up, now quit smoking or die. " It was taht simple, a few days under the effects of enough happy drugs and we're done with DTs. Really Faith, it's nbeen only a little over a week and I feel the difference. Quit kiddo, This recovery stuff sux. Like they say, it'll give you cancer, yup it did and heart disease, uh huh, sure did. Ain't got but one more strike here.....
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Post by brittonfaith on Jul 31, 2006 16:55:47 GMT 12.75
If Mike just didn't "care" so GD much it would sure make it a whole lot easier! Some guys buy their women flowers or candy. Mike buys me smokes. Says he can't stand it when I pace the floor, and hates it even more because I can be a real bitch when I don't have them ! I even tried trowing away the pack he got me today. He just turned around and got me another one. I think this new boss is gonna be my key. Couldn't figure out why he was so proud of the local hospital up there. Just did a little web search and found out that he's on the board of directors. If I don't quit on my own, he'll check me in and make me.
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Post by RogueWarrior1957 on Jul 31, 2006 17:56:21 GMT 12.75
Faith,
Does chewing gum help at all? When I quit smokeless tobacco, I found that Wrigleys Extra Sugar-free Gum helped take some of the nasty bite off quitting as did grabbing a glass of water and downing it everytime the urge got too strong. The extra water helped flush the nicotine out of my system. But what works for one person doesn't work for everyone. My nephew's wife did the hypnosis thing and swears by that method. She was also given the ultimatum...quit or die. She stopped just like <snap> that after the hypnosis session. That method doesn't work for me because I can't be hypnotized...I'm too hyper to keep my concentration going long enough to become hypnotized.
-Bill-
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Post by Two Tales on Aug 1, 2006 2:24:21 GMT 12.75
Aint quit yet myself...but really am trying..tried the patches (Dr recommended) but with the meds sent the ol' pulse rate through the overhead (171 BPM)...tried the water trick...but because of the enlarged bladder and that treatment (we are working to get it back to a more normal size) was told that wouldn't work...still trying to find a method that works for me...
Bill...try some orange extract (or peppermint oil) in a batch of chocolate pudding...palatal delights ;D ;D same thing works for those instant breakfast shakes or even regular milk shakes
TT
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Post by brittonfaith on Aug 1, 2006 2:50:38 GMT 12.75
I think you're on to something with the chocolate & peppermint. Woke up this moroning craving my "BP" (before peeing) smoke. Didn't though. Found a jar of extra dark hot fudge topping in the cupboards and had a big spoonful. MMMMM! ;D It kept the edge off for almost an hour. Just didn't get that menthol kick. I'm going to pick up a bag of peppermint sticks today and see if that helps. Think I may give the patch a try too. With these store bought teeth, gum's out for me. Never was much for gum anyways. I've got a little bit of a rye mouth and gum chewing makes me look like an old cow with a big cud. The water thing with the chocolate won't work for me though. It's that real bitter "smoker's mouth" that I seem to miss. Have always been one to enjoy bitter foods, too (liver, brussel sprouts, day-old coffee). Water's to bathe in.
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Post by Brikatw on Aug 1, 2006 4:01:19 GMT 12.75
OK Kid, this worked for me one time. I started each day with a fresh pack. At the start of the day I opened it. First day I smaked only what was in one pack,next day I toook one out and threw it out the had the rest of the pack and so on. Each day, I would take one out of the pack. Anty left at the end of the day were tossed too. Expensive but it worked. Be careful with the nicotine gums and patches because they are very hard on your heart. My Dr told Kathy he didn't want her to even think about it because it was too dangerous. No matter what you do you gotta quit. Iknow it is against our prinepals to quit ANYTHING so you got to look at it like your STARTING something new. ;D
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Post by Paws on Aug 1, 2006 4:09:25 GMT 12.75
The one less smoke a day thing does help. Do it in combination with a "habit breaking" routine. Ergo, do not smoke when you get up, after you eat, when you have a cup of coffee or just before you go to bed. Whenever you feel the urge to smoke ignore it and grab like a celery stick or something. Then, make yourself smoke when you normally would not do so. That is when you really don't want one. Might even chain two or three. Break the habit and then kick it. Then make yourself rules, like; no smoking in the car, in front of kids, anywhere but a specific spot at home, etc, until the habit, urge, and cigarettes are done. If you falter don't let it bother you just keep on going.
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Post by Brikatw on Aug 1, 2006 10:36:55 GMT 12.75
One more thing, Don't smoke when you get in the truck or car to go, do it when you arrive where your going.
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Post by Paws on Sept 7, 2006 3:35:07 GMT 12.75
Rogie, October is right around the corner! ;D How are we doing? I go bleed tomorrow. I know I've gained back probably a half dozen pounds from sitting around on my butt. Faith, how are the cancer sticks coming?
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Post by brittonfaith on Sept 7, 2006 5:11:00 GMT 12.75
I'm down to just over half a pack a day. Was up to a pack and a half a day before we moved. Tried the patch, but had to quit because it made my heart, liver & kidneys flair up.
No smoking allowed anywhere on the farm. That includes farm houses, yards, fields, sheds, and farm vehicles. That right there puts a real hindrance on finding a place to light up. So, if I think I just gotta have a smoke, it's after dark in the van with the windows up and the seat leaned way back so I can't be seen. And even then, only if I'm dead certain Bonnie is gone and the old lady across the road has gone to bed. Evenings are starting to get pretty chilly so this plan won't last long. Otherwise, I ask Mike if he'd like me to go to town and get him and Rabbit a bottle of pop or a sandwich. That way I'm in my van on my time. Town is so close, I can barely get one smoked.
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Post by RogueWarrior1957 on Sept 7, 2006 13:43:55 GMT 12.75
Phil, Thanks for asking. I think I've stabilized at somewhere around 240 pounds (thats down from 285), but the last time I went to see the doctor, he told me to get outta there and go ride the Harley...said there was nothing wrong with me that a road trip wouldn't cure. I'm supposed to go back in October for another blood draw, but it will most likely be closer to November before I get time to do it with the outage just around the corner. I look lanky!!! Got my prescription glasses for distance yesterday, and had a pair of reading glasses made today using my old frames. I can see! Two pairs of glasses, but I'll never try bifocals again! Those damned things are dangerous! No wonder so many accidents occur...there's no periphial vision at all with those suckers!!! Or maybe that optical lab just doesn't know how to grind the darned things. -Bill-
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Post by Paws on Sept 7, 2006 15:48:06 GMT 12.75
Sounds great man! I've got tri-focals. No problems with them. Of course I've been basically blind my entire life so I would be a very poor judge of how efficient specs are since any improvement at all is wonderful in my shoes.
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Post by brittonfaith on Sept 8, 2006 13:50:50 GMT 12.75
Trifocals? You're not too awfully blind then. This morning, I had to gets Mike's field glasses out to find out that the deer I saw just outside my window was actually two tom turkeys.
I agree whole heartedly with Rouge on not having any peripheral vision with bifocals. I won't admit to how many near accidents I've had when turning left into traffic. Pulled into the path of a truck tooling at 80mph and towing a cabin cruiser today. Have been fortunate so far.
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Post by OLKoot on Sept 8, 2006 15:20:04 GMT 12.75
I had byfocals for years until I had my cataracts taken care of....I had no problems with the glass's, and with the cataracts, it seemed the doc hit it right on the nail with his arithmatic and I'v havent needed glass's since 1997....Feels great....I stopped a two pack a day habit too, but I had to have a quintuple bypass to do it....Its a proven thing that you have severe withdrawls for the first three days, then its over with smoking, but all you have to do is find something to do with your hand and mouth......I did it the easy way, I didnt come out of anesthesia for four days , so I slept thru withdrawls.....
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