aging | home, garden, life

Tags

aging, belly fat, Lectin, lifestyle, pain management, Plant based diet, Quorn, weight gain, Wim Hof

Aging throws many curve balls.

During the past year, I never worked harder. Keeping up with doubled online baking orders, last September my body baulked. My hip sockets froze. Some days I could hardly walk! For a very active senior, gardener AND baker, this was not the scenario I planned.

Last November, I began my fact-finding journey by seeing spine and hip specialists, had injections and x-rays, ablations, months of deep tissue massage, topicals, CBD, and of late, and an MRI, yet to date no medical intervention helped.
Living with chronic pain is exhausting and frustrating, especially when the medical profession is of no help…”all the King’s horses…” Pain Management prescribed a muscle relaxer RX that rendered me stupid. Acupuncture was short lived, as Medicare does not cover such treatments. I felt like I had run out of options!

Still the gardens required weeding, weekly mowing, and with a summer drought/heat/humidity from hell, dragging the hose around to new plant material was frequently required.

As a frequent YouTube follower, I discovered only last week, a crazy/passionate guy named Wim Hof. Since traditional docs kept mentioning inflammation, I did further research on Hof. I took his free mini course and began daily deep breathing exercises when I woke, then braved the cold shower. YES, A COLD SHOWER!!!!

See his link here: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/free-mini-class

I admit I found the deep breathing a snap, but the thought of the cold shower was daunting. As Nike says, “just to it.” After merely three days, I no longer take hot showers! Only two minutes in the cold, while lathering up, I find my body warming up! And when I step out of the shower, NO pain! Yes, crazy Hof may have ended my suffering.

As I continue my research on pain management, I found yet another topic on YouTube describing leaky gut. At my ripe old age, I presume that I have it. Stubborn belly fat and weight gain convince me, despite an active lifestyle.
I checked out three library books on the topic, and have begun a new way of eating. I printed out the free list of lectin free foods (https://gundrymd.com/wp-content/pdf/Plant-Paradox-Shopping-LIst.pdf), gave away all gluten/lectin containing foods, and will let you know what happens. I also began intermittent fasting three months ago and eat at 8 AM and 2 PM. I dont miss the snacks or three meals. Of course the new diet permits chocolate…72%, and Trader Joe’s has the perfect bar…organic, Fair Trade, and 72%.
SIDEBAR: I find Gundry’s podcasts oh-so-slow and too much like an infomercial. His books cause me to glaze over, so skimming is the way to glean the info I am looking for. I will continue to look for lectin-free recipes online.

The following photos show a few of my new food finds at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Kroger. Quorn Meatless Grounds are also sold at Kroger. * See note below.

Quorn…who would have guessed? From the UK, found at WF and Kroger, and a great substitute for meat made from mushrooms and egg whites. **BEWARE**: not all the Quorn products are clean… all others I checked contain SUGAR and other non-desirable additives. Always READ LABELS! I also found decent almond tortillas at Trader Joe’s. Just blister them in a carbon steel pan on low heat. Great substitute for traditional “toast.”

Organic hemp seeds from Trader Joe’s…lightly toasted, yummy on just about anything. The new coconut aminos in BBQ flavor add good flavor to some bland foods.

Lazy moi, WF sells *organic* coleslaw, raw or steamed…good fast gut food.

Modest first gut healthy meal…sliced *green* banana, organic radish, almond tortilla, Quorn Meatless Grounds sauteed with good quality, organic olive oil, a splash of *Imagine* organic veggie broth, and WF slaw is a one pan meal (cover the pan for three minutes and slaw will steam, and grated fresh ginger… topped with goat cheese, coconut aminos, another splash of olive oil, and toasted hemp seed. Voila!

So readers, let me know what you think of my food revelation?
I will keep you updated on my progress. Please share in the comments section and kindly share any links.

Please stay safe, get vaccinated, and wear a mask.

PS: as always, I am never compensated for mentioning items or links. Just want to share knowledge.

Tags

aging, downsizing, home ownership, responsibility

Last week I met with one of my widowed senior clients who, at the age of ninety-three, continues to live independently. As I entered the lobby of her residence, I was greeted by a congenial doorman who directed me to my client. Aided only by a rolling walker, she guided me down the halls to the elevator.

During our three hour project, I realized how simple her life has become. As we purged her filing cabinet, we discarded former home documents, auto sales receipts, maintenance documents, and other home ownership information. All this is behind her and she is free of these tribulations. Outside I noticed the beautiful gardens, full and lush and I felt a bit of envy.

Today my client merely pays rent each month for this dwelling, where all else is managed by the residence, including meals. Ongoing paper maintenance will be limited to her investments, medical statements and reams of junk mail.

Oh the simplicity!

As I gaze into my landscape while the temperature warms above comfort level, I find solace within my air conditioned walls, resigned to my responsibilities of home ownership—until I choose change.

Rising before dawn to check the gardens, I water the few plants that need nurturing, enjoy the voices of birds, and escape the inevitable heat index of the oncoming day.

Yet the visit with my mature client was a reality/mortality check. In time I must choose to nurture myself and select an easier lifestyle—where daily demands are limited to those I truly enjoy. Less responsibility appeals to me, along with the freedom to roam.