HYC check in

I'm a little late. Haven't been feeling great and not sure if it's just frustration or something physical. My ears have had a kind of ringing or humming in them and I'm wondering if it's the medicine the cardiologist put me on. I have a follow up app't with him next week. We're having a storm here today so it's COLD, windy and snowing heavily.

Great info on healthy foods that help your skin. Most of them are a regular part of my diet. Except tuna - can no longer tolerate tuna!
10 Best foods for your skin

"A healthy and balanced diet can shield your insides from all sorts of bad health mojo. But it can also protect your outside. The right vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, fish, teas, and chocolates can shield your skin from the ravages of the environment, time, and even cancer. To address every skin woe, from wrinkles, to acne, to dryness, click through this slideshow. And prepare yourself - bartenders might start asking for your ID more often."
My Favorite?
Dark Chocolate
Skin boost: Sun Blocker
Flavonols, the antioxidants in dark chocolate, reduce roughness in the skin and provide sun protection. In a study from the Journal of Nutrition, women who drank cocoa fortified with a chocolate bar's worth of flavonols had better skin texture and stronger resistance to UV rays than those who drank significantly few flavonols.

Here are some snack tips from Denise Austin:
Best Bets for Healthy Snacking
Snacking is not a dirty word for dieters if you're careful about what you reach for! I can think of loads of nutritious, low-calorie foods that can help you feel full and boost your energy without ruining your day. Stick to a sensible serving size and you're good to go! Here are some ideas to get you snacking healthy!

* Cut up veggies with hummus
* Sliced fruit with nonfat Greek yogurt
* A few almonds or walnuts
* Low-fat cottage cheese
* Air-popped popcorn
* Hard-boiled eggs
* String cheese
* Baked tortilla chips with salsa
* Homemade smoothies or fruit shakes

Try a few of these snacks this week, and a few more next week. Constantly switch things up so that you don't get bored — and you'll be all set to handle your next snack attack!

Great info

Check this out - A Guide to the 9 most misunderstood foods in America that will help you separate fact from fiction in a quest to getting exactly what you bargained for every time you take to the supermarket.
Many people need to read the first one regarding DIET SODA!!!!!

HYC check in

First, I will announce that Jen at Priorfatgirl is having a lotion giveaway. Those of us living in Colorado can NEVER have too much lotion! ;-)

Weight is slowly coming back down. Today was my cyst aspiration appointment. Oh, joy. The juicy details - 3 cysts of 12, 11 and 6ccs of fluid removed from the right breast; 2 cysts of 6 and 4ccs removed fm the left. (Wonder what kind of weight loss that will show! LOL) Yeah, I know, TMI! ;-) There were several other smaller ones that weren't worth the discomfort of continuing. So I've been a little sore and tired all day and I had to take my son to Denver to see the hematologist in the afternoon. I took the day off from exercise! Yesterday I did cardio and weight-lifting. (Lynn, for my routine, I use one from The Abs Diet for Women book. It has a set of 12 different moves and I usually do 2 sets of 15 reps.)

Last week we had a bit of fun when Kendall got up and was bleeding quite profusely from his mediport site. We had to remove the needle and put pressure on it for a while. I was glad we had the hematology app't this week. His INR level may be off because he ran out of his multivitamins with high levels of K and has been without for a couple of weeks. I hadn't thought about that connection but it makes sense. So we'll alter his coumadin dosage until the INR levels back out.

So glad I don't have ANY appointments for tomorrow or Thursday. We have a snowstorm moving in so it's a good time to just stay home! Maybe I'll get a chance to check up on my fellow health bloggers. ;-)

Hip, hip, hooray!

I got to take off the heart monitor today! WOOT! I feel like a free woman, finally. But my period started today, so I'm feeling crappy because of that. It's just not my month. :-P Weight was higher today than it's been in months. Time to stop THAT trend! I did walk 2 miles on the treadmill this morning before taking my son to Denver so I'm glad of that. Yesterday I did strength training, so I'm getting into the right habits. Will get the scale moving down again in no time.

Feeling better

Hubby and I both feel better after the visit with the electrical heart doctor this morning. He doesn't think I need to do anything else. He said I could stand for extended periods to help train my body to cope with that and not faint. But he said my heart beats regularly and is strong, it just beats a little faster than most other people. He recommended I continue with exercise at whatever level I am comfortable and is going to talk to the other doctor about stopping the monitoring since they got plenty of good info already. I LIKE this guy. ;-) This was the kind of appointment I was expecting last week. Oh, and this guy also said that if the beta-blockers I'm taking make me feel fatigued, stop taking them.

I got up early this morning with less than 8 hours of sleep so I did not step on the scale. Will weigh in tomorrow.

Regarding the movie we saw last night, yeah, it was pretty scary. A few good jumps and lots of creepiness. (Just wish they didn't have to pepper every movie with so much bad language. Although my language might not be squeaky clean if I was being haunted by a demon either!) Not the scariest movie we've ever seen. We were talking about that on the way home. I think my scariest is "What Lies Beneath" because things under water totally creep me out. Gothika is a close second. Kisa said Quarantine was hers and Ken couldn't decide. The end of Paranormal Activity was NOT a satisfying end to a creepy movie. It didn't have everything all wrapped up in a little bow and that's kind of cool.

More REALLY good words from DENISE AUSTIN
"Go at Your Own Pace!
Okay, here's a news flash: You're one of a kind! No one in the world is exactly like you. And being unique is a fabulous thing! It's important to keep this in mind whenever you start spouting gloom and doom about how much longer it's taking you to lose those last 10 pounds than your jogging partner, or why your legs aren't shaping up quite like your gym instructor's. Instead of thinking negative, be positive and have more faith in yourself and your hard work!

You have your own healthy-weight range, based on your height and metabolic rate, which determines how quickly your body burns calories. Furthermore, different body types respond to exercise in different ways. If you're pear-shaped, which typically means that you carry most of your weight in your hips and thighs, you may never achieve the same athletic tone as someone who's naturally lean. It's just not physically possible. And you know what? That's perfectly fine!

The last thing you should be doing is comparing yourself with others or obsessing about the number on the scale. Focus on achieving your weight-loss goals on your own time line. Do what's right for you, and relish each and every accomplishment!"

Going crazy

I HATE being hooked up to this monitor. I change the electrodes every two days, but they still itch and just generally annoy me. And I'm not even a week into this. Sigh.

Tomorrow morning is my app't with the electrical guy at the cardiologist. Not sure what he'll be looking at or suggesting. I'm still just so annoyed that I don't have a definitive plan yet. I've been feeling really tired and generally cruddy. Not sure if it's my attitude or the general state of my body and my heart working overtime constantly. :-P

This weekend has been REALLY cold here. I'm talking temps in the TEENS. Everything is covered with frost, so it looks really pretty and the clouds are down at our level, so we can't see the mountain behind our house.

We're all going to Denver to see a movie today. Paranormal Activity - a subject that seems to fascinate my children and husband.

Over the Top

Sophie awarded me the Over the Top award. THANKS!!

But I can't seem to get the picture of the award to upload. :-P

When I accept this award I have to:
Copy these 35 questions and change the one word answers to suit you then pass it on. Once you have filled it out ~~~ be sure to pass it on to 6 of your favorite bloggers and alert them that they have been awarded!
1. Where is your cell phone? Purse
2. Your hair? Clean
3. Your mother? Missed
4. Your father? Hardworking
5. Your favorite food? Greek
6. Your dream last night? None
7. Your favorite drink? Chocolatemartini
8. Your dream/goal?
9. What room are you in? Living
10. Your hobby? Scrapbooking
11. Your fear? Fire
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Colorado
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. Something that you aren’t? Atheist
15. Muffins? Chocolate
16. Wish list item? Cupboards
17. Where did you grow up? Iowa
18. Last thing you did? Ate
19. What are you wearing? Sweats
20. Your TV? Multiple
21. Your pets? Feline
22. Friends? Yes
23. Your life? Awesome
24. Your mood? Tired
25. Missing someone? Yes
26. Vehicle? Journey
27. Something you’re not wearing? Jeans
28. Your favorite store? Jared
29. Your favorite color? Lavender
30. When was the last time you laughed? Recently
31. Last time you cried? Earlier
32. Your best friend? Sister
33. One place that I go to over and over? Walmart
34. One person who emails me regularly? Sister
35. Favorite place to eat? Broadmoor

I'll pass it on to the following bloggers. (I read TONS and love so many of them, but lots of you have already received this one.)

Diana at Diana's Journey Through Life
Sunny at Praying for Sunny Days

I need to get to bed. Will pick a few more people tomorrow.

I'm so wired

Literally. Got my cardiac monitor today and it's activated and monitoring everything I do. Creepy! I get to take it off to bathe or shower. And I get to change the electrodes every two days. hooray. It's already irritating me and I have 13 days to go. Sigh.

Oh, I keep meaning to post about this. Some people have received POM Wow samples and said it's good stuff. But when I see it at the store, I'm thinking "Do I want to spend over $4 for 16 ounces of POM Wow or less than $4 for 64 ounces for the 100% Pomegranate Juice? Is it really that much better????" So I got both to do a taste test. There is a slight taste difference, but not enough to make me spend 25 cents per ounce versus SIX cents per ounce. That's just the frugal side of me coming out. ;-D I do LOVE pomegranate juice.

Here are some words of wisdom from DENISE AUSTIN: (Some readers seem to think these are my words, but they are not. I get emails from Denise every day and am just passing on her wisdom. ;-D Hence the quotation marks.)
"Eat Right!
Master the 6 Diet "Dos"
I can't wait for you to be the fit and fabulous person you want to be — and you will be! Now that you're creating a healthier you, you need to learn how to avoid common diet mistakes:

Eat So That You're Satisfied!
Believe it or not, if you want to lose weight, it's important to eat! Skipping meals can leave you feeling weak and hungry, which leads straight to overeating. Eat when you need to, but make sure you limit yourself to nutritious, strength-building foods!

Include a Variety of Foods!
You've heard of diets that focus on one food, or that exclude whole categories of food from your life. Go for balance instead! Sweets, pasta, and breads have a place in your eating plan. The key is moderation! Make healthy foods the foundation of your meals.

Quench Your Thirst!
Water helps you burn calories, boosts your metabolism, and fills you up. How's that for multitasking? Bottoms up!

Concentrate on Your Health!
Diet pills, crash dieting, and products that promise instant results are never a good idea. A slow, steady, balanced weight-loss plan like mine is the most effective and the safest. You'll feel great, and you'll protect your health too!

Teamwork Helps!
Staying motivated is key! Find an exercise buddy at your office, ask a friend or family member to help you stay on track, or take advantage of my amazing online community!

Get Moving!
If you're already eating healthy, exercise can tone muscle and give you lots of energy. Even just a few minutes a day can make a huge difference. Give it a try!"

Not done yet

Well, I was truly hoping to have the final answers today and have a plan. But I was sadly disappointed. Sigh. First off, my appointment was at 2pm, got there at 1:45 as instructed. I didn't see the doctor until after 4. They couldn't find the written report of my tilt table test. They were very nice and apologetic and I had time to read an issue of Shape and copy down a few recipes.

The doctor said my stress test was actually pretty normal. The tilt table test was another story, of course, but he said it still kind of put me in a gray area for POTS. He wants me to see their electrical specialist, so I have an app't with him next Monday. And he wants me to do another holter monitor test, but for 2 weeks and one that sends the data immediately back to the lab so they can constantly see what's going on. And then I follow up with him again in a month. And he put me on a beta-blocker to try that for a while. If that doesn't work, he said there may be a procedure they'll need to do. It seems that there's a short circuit in one of the chambers of my heart. They would go in through the leg and up to the heart. Hopefully I wouldn't wake up unable to move an arm like my son! :-P

I felt crappy and tired all weekend and I'm just getting TIRED of this. I did walk on Saturday, we danced that evening and yesterday I did my Ultimate Abs ball workout and weight lifting. The doctor said he didn't want me to do anything too strenuous, but walking is OK.

Tilt table test done

Well, that was certainly interesting. Had to fast for 6 hours and since my test was at 10am, the last time I'd eaten was around 9pm last night. So I had a headache from not eating when we got to the clinic. Not a fun start. I laid flat for 30 minutes, then they tilted me up at a 70 degree angle for 40 minutes and I wasn't supposed to even wiggle my toes. I had to remain very still. Low lights, and white noise, no distractions. Right at the very end, I finally started to "bottom out." Tight chest, nausea, wavy vision, hot all over. Later the nurse said my blood pressure was 60/ZERO! Pulse was way down, too.

Ken and I found out afterward that the goal was to make me pass out, and they took me right to the edge. I didn't fully lose consciousness, but it was close. (And I was strapped down tight to the table so I wouldn't fall over and injure myself.) Once they put the table flat again, I started feeling better. The whole point of this is to see if my heart rate will increase when my blood pressure falls as it is supposed to do to compensate. And mine plummets, which is indicative of POTS and the nurse mentioned another thing, too. Neurocardiogenic syncope or something like that. Reading about it at these websites, lots of things make a lot of sense. I'm thinking that my heart only pumping out 50% of the blood it takes in (normal is 60%) is somehow connected, but not sure exactly how. I have my follow-up with the cardiologist on Monday afternoon.

We stopped at Rosie's Diner for lunch and when we got home, I took a long nap. Reading about the tilt table test, it can cause fatigue for a few days, so I won't be pushing myself.

Here's some really great advice from DENISE AUSTIN:
"Eat Right!
Do a Real Balancing Act!
You've probably heard of — and maybe tried — many different diet strategies. Some diets encourage you to cut starches entirely and stick with just veggies and meat. There are diets that won't let you have even a tiny bit of fat. Still others ask that you balance your meals by eating precise percentages of different foods. Really, though, eating a balanced, nutrient-packed meal is simple! You can do it any night of the week, without a graph or a scale, with almost any kind of food you enjoy. Just follow a few rules of thumb when you're planning your meal.

* Variety counts! Are you eating the most nutritious foods from several food groups? Always go for the basics — whole grains, a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins. This strategy can help you get as many different nutrients as possible without loading up on calories!
* Portions are key. Use the Nutrition Facts label on foods to get a sense of what a real portion is, then stick with it! Another good rule of thumb is to fill half your plate with veggies, a quarter with a single serving of protein, and another quarter with a healthy starch. That's really all there is to it!
* Balance high-calorie foods with low. You can have an occasional sweet or a cheesy casserole! Just be sure to factor it into your entire day's calorie intake: If you splurge at one meal, stick to a simple salad or some other low-cal dish at another. You can do it!
* Focus on fruits and veggies. This is timeless advice! Fruits and vegetables are amazing sources of nutrients, and researchers are proving that they can fight all kinds of diseases! Shop for crunchy greens, sweet red berries, all colors of bell peppers — the sky's the limit! Make these the foundation of all your meals and you'll take a big step toward better health!"