Category: Health & Well Being

A Little Perspective…

Throughout the course of my life, I’ve had to put up with a lot of misinformation and “helpful” suggestions from friends and family regarding how to better manage my Diabetes. Over the decades, I’ve had people try and tell me how to adjust my diet, my exercise regiment and even my insulin and medication dosages; all in the interest of trying to help. Surprisingly enough, 99% of the time, this unsolicited advice has come from folks who are neither Type-1 Diabetes themselves, nor do they have someone close to them who is (besides me, of course).

One of the big problems with how I’ve managed my Diabetes throughout the decades is that I almost have an invisible illness. People don’t assume I have Diabetes to look at me. I have sight in both my eyes, although the injections don’t make that easy, all my organs are clear and function normally and I have all my limbs and appendages without ever requiring amputation. Admittedly, this is pretty rare for someone who was diagnosed over 40 years ago and has suffered through some of the complications I have, as a child. This can make it pretty easy to assume that your granola-crunching ways may hold the key to healing me. But it doesn’t.

For example, quite some years ago I had someone I was associated with, who tried to convince me that if I switched to eating only vegetables (not becoming a vegetarian, mind you. Simply eating nothing BUT vegetables) I would no longer be Diabetic and would no longer require insulin injections. I can just read my tombstone now: “Here Lies The Blogging Buddhist. Died With A Turnip In His Hands…” Cue the sad music… This approach obviously wouldn’t work, for a wide variety of reasons. But it’s a good example of how I’ve often received “advice” from people who know nothing about the condition I live with. Here are a few more…

I Have This Diet That Will Heal You! First and most importantly, there is no diet that heals or reverses Type-1 Diabetes. This is often a common beliefs because in some rare cases, diet and lifestyle changes can help reverse the effects of Type-2 Diabetes. The problem is that Type-1 and Type-2 Diabetes are significantly different conditions, basically only similar in name. My body’s own immune system is attacking my insulin-producing cells, resulting in my condition. There is no diet that can repair or reverse that. Keep your tofu, natural diet alternative shit off my plate! I’ve already taken insulin for the carbs.

Can’t You Just Exercise More And Eat Less? You Wouldn’t Need Insulin Then, Right? Ah, the age old question… If insulin reduces your blood sugar levels, can’t you just consume less sugar to keep it from rising and exercise more to balance it out? No. No, I can’t. There are many reasons why this can’t be a thing and why people who became Type-1 Diabetic usually never survived beyond two weeks, prior to the 1920’s. Insulin is hormone and it performs several functions within the body.

The main functions and the important ones, include controlling your body’s blood sugar levels by helping sugar enter your cells to be used for energy. Energy… You know, that shit you need in order to stay alive? Yeah, that. Insulin also helps the body to store the excess energy for later use and helps to balance out your body’s weight and metabolism. Without insulin, a whole mess of nasty shit starts happening inside your body, resulting in a slow, painful way to die. So, no, Karen! I can’t just exercise more and eat less.

It can be easy to misinterpret or misunderstand someone else’s condition, especially if you’ve never experienced it or had a family member who has. What’s important to realize is that most people with Type-1 Diabetes have received professional medical care for their condition and know what they need to do. Some random diet you’ve found in a magazine or fitness ideas without the benefit of how the condition actually affects the person’s body won’t be helpful. And believe me when I say, we’ve heard them all before. Food for thought… ☯️

On The Run Doesn’t Have To Mean Without Fun…

Growing up, my household had a bit of a wash, rinse and repeat approach to meals. For the most part and being raised by a French Acadian mother meant that feeding a group of people involved tossing meat, potatoes and veggies into a giant pot and boiling it until it became mush. usually served with dinner rolls and pickled beets, this was also the ONLY meal my grandmother ever served; a testament to a leaner time when wartime families had to feed a dozen people or more at every meal.

As grateful as I am for having had the opportunity for a warm plate on my table growing up, there’s no arguing that it seriously influenced how I choose to consume my meals now, as an adult. Throughout school, I was always burdened with the same ol’ peanut butter sandwich without the benefit of adding jelly, due to the sugar content. It became tedious and boring and i usually dreaded lunch time as something to get through as opposed to a period to sit, enjoy a meal and contemplate the events of the day. Things have changed…

As an adult, I find myself dealing with the same challenge of bringing lunch for myself that doesn’t involve something generic and won’t throw a significant curve ball against my blood sugars. I usually have breakfast AND lunch at work, which allows me to get to work a bit early so that I can get a jumpstart on my day. This morning for example, I had a leftover boiled egg from yesterday’s potato salad. carb-free and filling enough to get me through my morning, it was a good option.

So what about lunch? The big problem I had during my youth is that the classic sandwich poses logistic issues that, from a flavour standpoint, can’t be ignored. If one makes their sandwich first thing in the morning and includes all the constituent parts, t you run the risk of having things sit and meld together in a way that may cause your bread to get soggy or the flavours of certain ingredients to change, once they absorb some of the others. Refrigerating a sandwich over several hours will also tend to alter the flavour and let’s be honest, who really thinks a cold sandwich is tasty?

The alternative is simple; be willing to do some assembly DURING your lunch hour. I’ll use yesterday as an example. I packed a large, flour tortilla into a sandwich bag. provided they’re fresh, they’ll be plenty flexible and will fold nicely. Then, pack some shredded cheese and your preferred sauce in small, reusable containers. Then, I chose my meat, which on this occasion was some very lovely slow cooker chicken that my wife had prepared the day before. Keeping all these ingredients separated prevents the flavours from mixing with one another, come lunchtime. Another thing you prevent is needing to heat the meat portion of your meal with condiments that likely shouldn’t be nuked. Ever try reheating fries that already had ketchup on them? It usually doesn’t go well…

The benefit with allowing yourself some time to assemble your meal at lunch time is you’ll get a better, fresher tasting meal and you have the opportunity to heat up your protein without heating up your wrap or condiments and sauces. This can apply to a number of different meals. Today, for example, I’ve brought a small bowl of homemade chili with a container of cheese. Sprinkle a bit of buffalo sauce in that bad boy after heating it up, mix in the cheese and allow the heat of the chili to melt it just a bit and you’re off to the races.

So, this all rather feels like a first world problem and it begs the question, why am I bringing it up? Well, for a number of reasons. The first being that just because you’re having a meal at work doesn’t meal it should be an enjoyable experience. Fast meals intended to be jammed down your gullet so you don’t starve during your shift shouldn’t be the norm. I say this while fully acknowledging that some folks only have a brief window for meal breaks. I, myself, never had a scheduled meal break while I was a police officer.

That being said, and something I learned a long time ago, is that a rushed, stressed meal period will also affect one’s blood sugars. Although every meal can’t be a pageant, being able to take the time to actually consume your meal without rushing and having a hot alternative in front of you can have a significant impact on one’s blood sugars. Given everything else that’s affected by Type-1 Diabetes, it should be no surprise that event he way you consume your food can have an impact. Just something to consider. Food for thought, pun fully intended…☯️

Mellow Out With Some Melatonin…

This is one of those posts where I need to be very clear in that I am in no way a medical professional and everything outlined below is strictly my opinion and what I’ve noted from my own experiences. It’s important to consult and discuss any new supplementation with your doctor or medical practitioner before starting to take it. This is especially true of anyone with Type-1 Diabetes since, as you know, just about everything affects us in some given way, shape or form. Moving on…

I’ve had some recent experiences with Melatonin supplements and I thought I would share my personal findings, since it seems to be all the rage these days. I say these days, but Melatonin has been researched for decades and first started to be used as a nutritional supplement in the 1990’s, with it becoming licensed for use in Canada in the early 2000’s. You can find some at just about any pharmacy and many retail outlets and it will usually come in gummies or pill form.

So, let’s start with the basic question… What the fuck is Melatonin? Simply put, it’s a hormone that’s naturally produced by your oft. When it gets dark out, the body is triggered to produce Melatonin, which signals your body to sleep. This is why you read so many sources that tell you to stop staring at screens at least half an hour before bed; because light reduces your body’s Melatonin production. For the purposes of this post, I’ll be discussing my use of Melatonin supplements, which are artificially created and packaged.

I recently had the opportunity to try Melatonin after my wife purchased some from a local distributor. She had been having troubles falling asleep and thought to try them herself. One night, when I found myself wide awake and on a night off, I decided to give one a try. Hers were in gummy form and contained 2.5 milligrams of Melatonin. I took one about half an hour before I planned on going to bed and spent the majority of the night up. It had done nothing. The following night, I took two gummies, which gave me 5 milligrams of Melatonin. The difference was amazing. I fell asleep nicely and not only did I get a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep, I woke up refreshed and without any grogginess or sluggishness.

Being cognizant of my responsibilities during the day, I chose not to repeat the attempt the following night. That came later, during the next weekend. However, 5 milligrams now appeared to have no effect. I made my peace with the possibility that I had built up a resistance to it, which would be problematic of a hormone one’s body produces naturally. It wasn’t until some time later when I was shopping at a local retailer, that I found over-the-counter pills for 10 milligrams of Melatonin. I grabbed a bottle and brought it to a pharmacist to discuss. We went over the medications I was on and finding no complications or interactions, I bought the bottle and brought it home.

I took a single, 10 milligram pill about half an hour before bed and found myself once again drifting off to a solid night of uninterrupted sleep. It was glorious. As it was the weekend, I had the benefit of repeating the experiment the following night, with the same results. Apparently 10 milligrams is my sweet spot. I’ve made a point to stay away from taking some every night but it’s been very effective for me in helping to reset my proper sleep cycle and get a good night’s sleep. A couple of nights of taking it consistently at the same time and I now get tired and feel the need to go to sleep on my own, even without it.

The important thing to remember is the same as with all supplements. Be mindful of your uses, side effects and any possible interactions with other medications you may be on. WebMD, one of my favourite medical websites, has a great article that covers many of these aspects. You can read it here. Personally, none of the medications I take appear to interact with the Melatonin and my blood sugars have remained consistent. I haven’t experienced ANY of the possible side effects listed for short term or prolonged use. I will note that the instructions on the bottle recommend short-term use.

All in all, I’m reasonably satisfied that the supplement is doing its job; resetting my sleep cycle and allowing me to get a good night’s sleep. It’s also the first supplement I’ve ever taken that doesn’t appear to require continued use to enjoy the effects. I usually only take them on the weekends but my sleep during weeknights appear to be more consistent now. I don’t know. The rest of you will have to try and judge for yourself, considering every person is different. But I have to say that although I hadn’t even heard of this stuff before my wife brought it in the house, I’ll admit that I could have used it to help with sleep cycle years ago. Just remember to be cautious and check with your doctor before getting too far into it. ☯️

A Little Fur Therapy Never Hurt Anyone…

Last weekend, my wife and I took our boys to a local zoo. Local being a relative term… We travelled three hours to get there. but I digress. The point is that with some of the extreme heat we’ve been having in recent weeks, spending long periods of time outdoors has been difficult, given that everyone in our household is fair-skinned and burn like Canadian bacon. So we grabbed the opportunity on a day when the temperatures were a bit cooler.

To be honest, I have mixed feelings about zoos. On the one hand, I’m not a believer of caging any living thing against its will. Although most domestic animals like dogs and cats have it way better than they probably realize, certain animals like birds, bears and large cats don’t belong in a pen, cut off from their natural habitats and relegated to a life of captivity. As a child, I never visited a zoo as my father very much shares those same beliefs. Now that I’m a father myself, I have to admit that there’s a certain benefit to showing all these different animals to my children in a relatively safe environment.

We left Regina early enough o reach Saskatoon around the time the zoo would begin to. Open to the public. Our thinking was to hit it up on a weekday so as to avoid some of the larger, weekend crowds. The boys were actually very quiet and composed on the way up. My wife and I had our coffees and breakfast sandwiches; the boys had their drinks and snack foods. It was a clear sunny day and we even enjoyed the entirety of the ride without music. Many would think that doesn’t sound great but it was nice to actually enjoy a quiet ride where there was no ambient noise.

When we arrived at the location, we were greeted at an entry gate where we were told there was a parking fee. This was curious, as one would think that an admission fee should usually include parking. But we were here and it wasn’t a hill to die on. I paid the parking fee. The parking lot was already quite packed but we managed to find a parking spot before making our way to the entrance kiosk. $40 later and we were in. After a long drive, we used a restroom inside a terrarium-style building, where the boys got to see fish, frogs, lizards and snakes. The day had begun quite nicely.

As were walking towards the inner paths of the zoo, I explained to the boys that there was a lot to see and experience and that they should take it all in and enjoy what they were seeing. As I was explaining this, I noticed a play park structure located in the middle of the zoo. I got a pit in my stomach as I realized that if my boys saw this park, all they’d want to do was go play in it. Why they would build one in the middle of a zoo, where the intention was to see animals, was beyond me. I strategically placed myself between the play structure and the boys and ushered them in a different direction.

I thin the boys enjoyed seeing the animals, for the most part. Everyone enjoyed the butterfly house the best, especially since some butterflies would actually land on people. We were less than an hour in when Alexander start pining to go home. I tried explaining that we still had plenty left to see and that we had just gotten there but he was adamant he wanted t leave. He changed his tune when we rounded the corner and walked right into the play structure. Fuck. Of course, now he wanted to go play…

I took Nathan to see a few more of the enclosures but as one can’t control the behaviour of animals, getting them out and visible isn’t exactly a possibility. But we did get to see two grizzly bears frolicking in the water, which was entertaining. We made our way back to the vehicle when we realized we had two hungry, cranky boys on our hands. We made our way back onto the highway for Regina, after handing everyone their respective sandwiches and snacks for lunch.

All in all, it was a good trip and a great experience for the family. Considering they could have gotten fresh air and played at a park at home, I probably could have done without using a full tank of gas and paying money just to have them to do it inside a zoo but at least they got to see some animals. The experience was there, and that’s a what mattered. Naps and a cool basement were certainly enjoyed, after a long day out in the sun. ☯️

Stepping Out Of The Matrix…

As modern parents, trying to raise children in a way that lets them understand that negative actions can have negative consequences can be difficult. After all, the differences in how children are raised these days are significant and obvious. When I was a kid, being “bad” (and I use that term loosely as it’s pretty subjective) usually resulted in my being sent o my room. But these days, sending a kid to their room is the equivalent of sending them off to a spa day, with all the electronics and toys they have.

For our children, the easy solution is the removal of the electronic devices. My oldest, especially, has a Nintendo Switch, a used cell phone that I programmed with his school’s app, which now has a plethora of games and by virtue of our current renovations, his sleeping space even has a small flat-screen with a streaming stick. This means the boy can basically plug in when he wakes up and doesn’t need to unplug unless we force him (or cut the power). The worst part is having a large backyard with plenty of space but yet, getting him outside is a chore unto of itself.

Last Saturday, Nathan once did, or refused to do, one thing or another, which is not all that surprising. At only 8-years old, he’s already turned into an unruly teenager, shirking and refusing even the simplest of chores and tasks. Considering the previous few days saw him barely budge from his bed for food or the washroom and he rarely even bothers to get dressed, my wife indicated that he should get his juvenile butt outside and that the following day (Sunday) would be a device-free day.

Although a good idea on its face, since one should not spend ALL of one’s time on an electronic device, a thought occurred… I told my wife that we should ALL have a device free day. The boys, her and myself. No phones, no iPads, no television, no electronic devices of any sort until we’d had a full day without them. Although initially agreed to as a good idea, some apprehension began to bubble towards the surface. The realization that, as adults, we use our phones for almost everything imaginable, an alarm, a clock, reminders, calendar planner, looking up random information as needed and checking the hours of operation for any errands we need to run, came crashing down unceremoniously.

The idea behind my thinking was twofold. First, it’s difficult to expect children to do something if the adults don’t lead by example. Barking orders is easy. Practicing what you preach is a lot tougher. By virtue of this, joining the boys on a no device day would show them that we’re also capable of it and that it’s no big deal. Second, it would give us the opportunity to indulge in other forms of relaxation or distraction that many people seem to leave behind. We already had a couple of things planned for the Sunday that would take us through the majority of the day.

On Sunday morning, I woke up, checked the time then hid away all my devices and powered down my laptop. As he slept, I grabbed Nathan’s Nintendo Switch and hit cell phone and tucked them away. I powered down the television and headed upstairs. Our device free day had begun. I’ve taken the habit of sitting outside for the first hour of my days off. I find it helps me to start my day calmly, as I enjoy the birds, squirrels and rabbits that run around the neighbourhood. Within minutes, my toddler came outside and joined me. He actually played on some of the structures we’ve bought for the back yard, played with some toys and in the dirt and EVEN sat still for an entire ten minutes with me, which is a rarity.

Our morning saw all of us leave the house together for a Costco trip. All in all, it was a pretty uneventful trip and we stocked up on things we needed for some time. When we got home, we spent the afternoon in a combination of naps and time outdoors. I cleaned out the garage, the boys spent time building a fort and my wife spent some time reading. I even got to dip my nose in a couple of graphic novels I’ve been meaning to get through. It was a fun, calm afternoon. The weather was nice, we got pleasantry of fresh air and the boys got to see that they’re able to spend some time without necessarily being tethered to an electronic device.

Why am I writing all of this? Probably seems like a bit of a boring narrative, right? The point is that it was good for the adults, as well. It allowed our heads to cool and for us to do something other than allow a digital display to dictate our day. By the time everyone had eaten supper, we let the walls down and devices were permitted. As it was Sunday night, laundry and showers for everyone needed to happen and keeping the boys occupied and out from underfoot during this process can be a challenge. But it’s important to remember that there’s a great, big world out there that deserves your time. Once in a while, you just gotta step out of the matrix. Food for thought… ☯️

Time Enjoyed Is Never Time Wasted…

The modern world has made it difficult to simply sit back and enjoy silence. Between work, chores, family obligations and the constant need to be doing SOMETHING, the world has left the concept of simply knocking back and doing nothing behind. The advent of social media has also brought about a phenomenon where people seem to consider it more important ton make hobbies and past times about making money online as opposed to simply enjoying them for what they are.

In recent years, I’ve come to realize that at some point, one needs to step out of the rat race in order to allow the body to heal and recover from the stresses of daily life. As nice as it would be to live a live without stress, thinking that one could accomplish such a thing, especially in today’s climate, is pretty much a fool’s errand. Stress comes in many forms and can have many emotional, mental and physical effects on the body. This makes it all the more important to take time to simply let the silence sink in.

Finding a quiet environment has been difficult for me, considering my children are like two overloaded freight trains that feel it necessary to go head-to-head on the tracks. After a long day’s work, coming home to a constant barrage of noise can make it all the more difficult to relax and let one’s mind cool. That’s why I’ve started to partake of a new practice of sitting by myself, first thing in the morning. This is pretty straightforward, given that it’s the summer season but when I wake up in the morning, I usually grab my energy drink and go sit on the front step.

Despite the warmer weather, the front of my house doesn’t face the sunrise, so the front step is shaded and allows for a coool,m refreshing means of starting one’s morning in silence. If I’m smart enough to be silent myself, the amount of early morning wildlife that I see running around is wonderful. Between squirrels, rabbits, local cats and a variety of bird species, it’s basically like my own little nature retreat. That is, until the boys wake up and bring their loud, raucous voices outside to join me. Everybody wants a piece of daddy… First world problems.

It’s important to find ways to enjoy a bit of quiet. We get so tied up in the constant racket of our daily lives that we often forget that our bodies and minds need a bit of time to cool. Otherwise, the opportunity to burn out is very real and prevalent. Whether that means finding a private spot and taking the time to meditate, sitting quietly in the mornings like I do or even just taking an hour at a local coffee shop with a good book. It’s all good. you can’t miss. It’s all an important step of self-care that one must observe. After all, if you don’t take good care of yourself, you’ll never be able to help care for others. Food for thought… ☯️

A White Gi Is Useless…

I chose this title carefully, as practitioners of traditional arts that use a white gi might take offence to such a statement. But it can apply to many things. White sneakers are also useless. Dusty weights serve no one. Take your pick, they’re basically all the same and have the same meaning. It basically refers to the purchase and/or use of equipment of any sort that usually just ends up sitting there and is neglected or rarely used. My biggest pet peeve is when someone buys a decent pair of training shoes and worries about using them for fear of the white parts becoming stained or coloured. To do so is to prevent the intended use of that equipment. This is especially true for a gi.

I have a karate gi from years ago that I purchased when I achieved my brown belt. I remember the odd comments I got from other students, asking why I would pay so much for a uniform when I had not yet achieved my black belt. Up until that point, my dojo usually purchased thin, loose-fitting gi from a Canadian company called GeneSport. Based in Montreal, Quebec and having opened in 1969, Sensei purchased everything from there; karate gi, punching bags, sparring gloves… you name it. Their equipment was an inexpensive option for beginners and intermediate students (a standard gi would cost you $40) and they were close enough to our Northern new Brunswick location that getting an order took only days. Unfortunately, they closed permanently in 2017.

My point is, my dedication and commitment to my training was as such that I felt I needed something thicker, stronger and of better quality. I ordered myself a Tokaido, which is a high-quality gi made of thick, sanforized cotton. I used that uniform for years. Over the course of those years, I sweat heavily into it, causing its pristine whiteness to slowly gain a light, yellowish hue. Further, several missed techniques resulted in bleeding noses or bleeding fingers and toes. For those who are not aware, blood does not come out of white cotton easily, especially if it’s left to sit there for the remainder of the class and well into getting home. Really seals in the colour. I still have that gi and occasionally use it. The crotch is worn out and the stitching has frayed. But those decades-old bloodstains certainly make for conversation starters when seen.

the same can be said of any and all fitness equipment, not only martial arts uniforms. I know so many people who purchased weight sets, exercise machines or equipment, only to have it sit for months, unused. The dust that gathers on them speaks volumes to their neglect of use and also speaks to the owner’s lack of commitment and dedication to what they’ve intended to accomplish. I feel the urge to get out on my bike as soon as the snow has left the ground, usually. I have weights and a variety of equipment that I have at home and usually LOVE incorporating them into my workout routines. Our recent renovations have forced most of my equipment into an unusable corner but once I can clear up some floor space, I can guarantee it’s all coming back out.

Staying on track can be difficult and tedious. Between keeping one’s motivation going and finding time (and having one’s children getting in the way), keeping the dust off one’s equipment can be difficult. It’s important not have goals but one should not bite off more than one can chew. There’s no point in paying thousands of dollars for an elliptical machine, for example, if you’re just going to use it to hang your sweatshirts on. And if you do take the opportunity to get some equipment or clothing, don’t be afraid to get it dirty. Use it, stain it, tear it, restitch it… All of this tells a story of one’s fitness journey. And that story should be yours to show and share. ☯️

The Toronto Odyssey, Day 4

Yes, I skipped a day. Yesterday was a mixed bag and Toronto has been something of an experience. While my first day here boasted lovely meals that were provided, a comprehensive and quasi-useful day of meetings and a lovely, arranged dinner with the other participants, my evening and carry over into the next day was a bit more difficult. Being in an unfamiliar city has its disadvantages, including having everything available but being certain of nothing.

Monday evening saw me walk to a local pharmacy to grab a couple of travel items I didn’t chance dragging onto the plane, including a razor and shaving cream. With the weather sitting at 25 degrees, I was a horrible, sweaty mess by the time I got back to my room. To make matters worse, the heat sapped the battery in my insulin pump and I needed a replacement. One good thing about the hotel I stay at when I go for my eye injections, is that they’ll bend over backwards to help. Such was not the case, here. Despite explaining my situation, they basically told me to go shopping. Oh, well.

Monday evening’s meal

Monday evening was fun, with stories and laughs shared by all with a certain commonality among all of us by virtue of working in the same industry. The next morning, however, was a bit rougher. It was tough getting out of bed yesterday morning, with my blood sugars askew from a late evening of food and drink. I made my way to the meeting venue for our second day, fully expecting some eggs and meat options for breakfast as we had received the previous morning. My hope was for a low carb but filling meal, so that I could limit the amount of insulin I needed to get through my morning. Instead, I found crescent rolls and fruit.

I know that despite the fact I try to keep things simple, I tend to have quite a number of first-world problems, which is why I was happy to hear I wasn’t the only one displeased with the lack of spread. One of the attendees commented that there wasn’t even enough to be considered a continental breakfast. had I known I’d be lacking food, I could have had breakfast at the hotel. When lunch came, they served dry sandwiches as opposed to the beef and chicken options we had the day before. Like I said, first-world problems. But I digress…

Our second day actually ended around noon, which posed a logistical issue since my flight home wouldn’t be until the following afternoon. Given that I was struggling to stay awake, was underfed and basically just wanted to go home, I had difficulty stomaching the couple of folks that every meeting has. You know the ones; those two or three people who, despite everyone wanting the meeting to close out, just won’t shut the fuck up and keep talking and posing questions? Those guys? Yeah, fuck those guys!

Monday night’s venue! A book lover’s wet dream!

Despite meetings closing out during the lunch hour, any earlier flights would have cost me nearly half a grand more. As much as I would have enjoyed getting home sooner, I didn’t think it was financially smart to spend the extra money. Instead, I indulged in a two hour nap, followed by a shower and visit to the movie theatre. Interestingly, I was able to book a ticket in a VIP theatre that had fully reclining seats, a full food menu and “adult” beverages. I watched the new Flash movie, which was reasonably good, despite some of the online negativity.

I woke up this morning at 5 am and couldn’t get back to sleep so I grabbed a shuttle and made my way to the airport, where I’ve been for the past two and a half hours. I’ve had some breakfast, streamed some Netflix and tried to change my seat to an earlier flight without success. I can’t wait to get home. Toronto is a beautiful city, in terms of the buildings and the history. But I have to admit that walking through the mass crowds on Yonge Street and inhaling the constant assault of weed fumes and the smell of urine was more than my PTSD-laden brain could handle. Suddenly, Regina doesn’t seem so bad at all.

I guess I’ll find a plug-in and patiently wait air out the next four hours. Patience is a virtue, right? Tomorrow is back to the grindstone and return to the office. I never realize how much I miss my routine until I find myself out of it. It’ll be good to sleep in my own bed, see my family and get back to my routine. ☯️

Mind Your Food: A Review…

As I’ve occasionally mentioned in the past, I usually stay away from providing my opinion on SPECIFIC products or services, by virtue of my job and given the fact that my blog was never intended to be used in such a way. But once in a while, I cross something, a book, movie or other product, that I either feel deserves to be mentioned or that lends itself to a more educational piece as it relates to some of my blog’s topics, so here we are!

I’ve been no stranger to changes and transitions in recent months. What with our home being under heavy renovations (a post about that to come later) and all four of us camped out in our basement for the duration, to the heat of summer starting to strike the Prairies and having no room to workout consistently, to noticing a reduced appetite and basically having to force myself to eat in order to stay alive… That last one has been a particular thorn in my side, as finding the means and the motivation to ingest three balanced meals on a daily basis can be a challenge for someone in general, let alone a Type-1 Diabetic.

As a result, I’ve been trying a number of different things to try and nip this problem in the bud. Although I’ve been happy with some of the weight loss I’ve been seeing, losing weight as a result of not eating is never a good thing and one needs to acknowledge that some of it comes as a result of loss of muscle mass, given that my bench and weights are currently buried under a pile of my shit in the basement. For the most part, I’ve taken to gulping down a low-sugar bottle of Ensure every morning, which some of you may recognize as a meal-replacement supplement.

Ensure has always fascinated me, because I’ve noticed that if I’m actually hungry for breakfast and I drink one, I’m actually not hungry afterwards. I guess if it gives you what the body needs, the body no longer sends out hunger signals. Who knows? What am I, a doctor? The point is, it’s a handy go-to for a person who’s on the go and doesn’t necessarily have time to prepare something comprehensive, first thing in the morning. However, one cannot simply live on meal replacement shakes, alone…

Flash forward to a few days ago when, while doing some grocery shopping, I happened to fall upon some frozen “breakfast bowls” that caught my eye. Since I don’t like getting sued and don’t want to be accused of defamation of a product, I’ll keep the name of the specific brand off of here, but it’s basically a frozen tv dinner, but in breakfast form. They take less than five minutes to heat in the microwave, boast only 260 calories (approximately) each and only 17 grams of total carbohydrates. Sounds great, sign me up! I grabbed one of each: a bacon, egg and potato and a steak egg and potato. This morning, I tried the bacon, egg and potato.

There she lies… One of the first things I noticed when I finished heating it up, is the cheese included with the bowl isn’t quite as prominent as it is on the packaging. This probably shouldn’t surprise me to overly much, considering,m but disappointing nonetheless. The other immediately noticeable issue, and you can likely tell from the photo, is the potatoes still look white and raw. And guess what? They fucking were! Granted, every microwave is different but I added several minutes to makes sure the potatoes would cook and soften. Didn’t happen.

Generally speaking, since frozen meals tend to be on the more unimpressive side, they tend to try and jazz it up by seasoning a few things or adding some flavour. They really didn’t seem to do that here. The potatoes were plain and bland, the eggs were, well…eggs, and the bacon was the only thing that seemed to taste good, given that you can eat bacon as is, and it’ll still be fuckin’ bacon. I’ll die on that hill. But it was an otherwise unimpressive meal that left me wanting and disappointed that I didn’t have my Ensure, instead. How sad is that?

Now, it might seem like I’m being a tad negative with things, here. And that’s likely because I am. As with all things in life, there is a balance of good and bad in everything. So, here’s the good. The low calories are a good thing, given my reduce physical activity and the fact I sit on my rump all day at work. The 18 grams of protein it boasts is a nice addition. But as with most frozen meals, its small portion still carries 25% of my daily intake of sodium, which can be detrimental if I decided to make a habit of eating one of these on a daily basis.

One silver lining is that the amount of cabs I needed to bolus for appear to be somewhat accurate for this item and my blood sugars aren’t going haywire. It can be a nice change, when you don’t have time to prepare a hot breakfast but still want something. The only suggestion I would make is to season your meal yourself, before you eat it. A little flavour helps one to get through their day. And mind that sodium; easier isn’t always healthier and as any Type-1 Diabetic knows, sodium levels can wreak havoc. Food for thought…☯️

A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing…

One of the hardest aspects of good blood sugar management is carb counting. I was introduced to carb counting in 2015 when i began pump therapy. This is a bit ironic since I was diagnosed Type-1 Diabetic in 1982 and have spent most of my adult life bragging about my tight control. I never realized just how much deeper control I could have until I started carb counting. But despite the better control, it’s still one of the hardest aspects of bolusing properly.

The reason for this is quite simple. Either nutritional labels are incorrect, my body reacts differently to certain foods and the carbs aren’t absorbed the same, or after four decades of living with my condition, there’s simply still some shit I don’t know and I’m still learning. This is where the title of today‘spost comes in. Once in a while, something will catch me by surprise and have me realizing that no matter how much I read, learn and come to discover, there’s always something more to gain.

For years, there’s been a solid trend of sweet goods that are labeled as “No Sugar Added.” This has often prompted to have people thinking they can consume an increased amount of these treats, especially those with Type-1 Diabetes. The big problem is that “No Sugar Added” is not the same thing as “Sugar free,” and there can be hidden amounts in the total carbohydrate count that people often ignore, thinking they don’t need to check. This is where due diligence needs to come into play to prevent rising blood sugars.

An example I can provide is my recent discovery of No Sugar Added gummy worms at a local supplier. My first thought was that this would be a good way for me to enjoy some gummy worms without all the excess sugar and need for bolusing. It isn’t until I checked the nutritional label that I realized there may be a problem…

If you look at the total carbohydrates, 7 worms add up to 34 grams of carbs, which is basically on par with regular gummy worms. Although they boast 0 grams of sugar, they do carry 31 grams of sugar alcohol, which is an organic compound that’s normally derived from different sugars. Although lower in calories and apparently better for your teeth, sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate and will have a direct effect on one’s blood sugars.

So there you have it! If you decide to try out some of these “No sugar Added” foods, be sure to check the nutritional label and compensate for the carbohydrate count included, since it may not be any less than plain, old sugared goods. I’ve been caught by this before, where I’ve indulged in some candy or chocolate items that were “No Sugar Added“ and couldn’t understand when my levels skyrocketed. It wasn’t until I learned about sugar alcohols that it made sense. The carb counting helped, too. There’s always something more to learn or new ways to improve. Stay healthy, folks! ☯️