Indoor Winter Garden

Is it possible to have fresh veggies all winter long? Well, This year I'm going to find out!

I just transplanted my outdoor herbs; rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, sage, and celery into their new indoor home.

I used a portable clothes rack on wheels and hung shoe holders on the rack with shower curtain hooks. I put a long planter on the bottom rack to catch drainage from watering. This works really well when it's a sunny day, I can wheel it outside. And it's easy access to my herbs when I'm cooking; just walk a few steps, snip, snip, snip and wonderful flavors in every dish!!!

Now, if I can find a way to get my tomatoes and zucchini in here before the frost gets them!

Two Week Update:

Start Raw Vegan Vitals:

09-21-11 Blood Pressure 149/99, Pulse 82, Blood Sugar 271, Weight 224

10-05-11 Blood Pressure 119/72, Pulse 68, Blood Sugar 176, Weight 217

Blood Pressure normalized in two days!

Blood Sugar still gradually coming down, not normal yet. But, really good for not taking insulin in 19 days!

Weight Loss 7 lbs in 14 days! Not hungry and eating well! Total of 15 lbs lost in one month. 9 more lbs to go to be back where I was before I started taking insulin.

Tips:

1. I make a big batch of Green Soup Smoothie in the morning and divide it up for each meal throughout the day.

2. I drink a Green Soup Smoothie before I eat each meal to fill up.

3. I prepare two days of meals at a time, so I get a break every other day. That seems to help me stay on track, because it's easier to eat the raw vegan food waiting for me in the refrigerator, than to make something else.

4. Have good snacks on hand and when out on errands to stay away from junk and fast food. (usually nuts and veggie seed crackers)

High Blood Pressure Cured!!!

I think I can safely say, “My High Blood Pressure is Cured!!!” Every time I take my blood pressure, I am surprised at how “normal it is!!! “118/73” Without my medication!!!! Go Raw Vegan!!!! Now for my diabetes!!! It’s in the very low 200’s now. About the same as when I was on insulin!

I don’t know if it’s just my taste buds adjusting, but I’m really starting to like the unsweetened “soup smoothies”. The first two days, I just drank the smoothies and ate some raw nuts. Then I started making raw vegan food. Walnut Crunch Thai Wraps, Mock Tuna wraps with a dill sauce, Pumpkin Seed Cilantro Pesto over zucchini spaghetti, Mock Tuna Sushi. Yum, Yum!!!

I've gone back and forth eating SAD (Standard American Diet)over the past 5 years. If I would have only stayed with it, I wouldn't have been in the dire shape I'm in now! I need to stay on this forever!!! I can’t understand myself sometimes!!! The food tastes great!!! I lose weight, my blood pressure goes to normal, and my blood sugar goes to normal! So, why do I go back to eating the SAD food? It’s killing me!!! Literally!!! So, why do I go back to SAD?

Yeah, I know it’s easier to eat SAD! Because, there’s nowhere nearby to buy prepared raw vegan food. SAD food is more socially acceptable. I try to please everyone else on what they want to eat because they constantly turn their noses up to raw vegan food, without even trying it! “Oh, Raw Vegan! Don’t we have any real food to eat?” They have literally gotten mad at me for having some raw vegan choices with the regular Thanksgiving meal. I’m not trying to force anyone to eat the same way as me. I provide the food they want for themselves, so why the hostility? Especially, since this is a life threatening choice I’m dealing with here!!!

I’ve been providing them with their needs all their life; it’s time to take care of myself! Sometimes, I feel guilty, but I need to keep remembering, if I don’t take care of myself, I won’t be around to take care of anyone! I want to live to see my grandchildren grow up. I want to be alive to see my great grandchildren.
But, not only live, but, living a quality life!

I've decided I will allow myself 1 day a month to eat socially. But, I have to go directly back to raw the next day. I still have to be careful on what I eat; low glycemic, so I don't have to take insulin for the diabetes. Hopefully, this will satisfy my family, especially through the coming holidays.

SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED!!!

I am so sick and tired of being sick and Tired!!!!
I have done everything the doctors have told me to do for 7 months now!!!
I feel like my body is slowly closing down. Too many medications!!! No progress!!!
Just sicker and sicker!!! Too many drug side effects and no positive Results!!!
Why should I be taking a blood pressure medication that hasn’t lowered my blood pressure
in 7 months? And causes so many side effects?
Why should I take insulin that causes me to gain so much weight?
Doesn’t more weight cause more insulin problems?
I feel like I’m a vicious cycle of no return!!!
Most days I can’t function! I’m always in bed!
And when I do get up and do something, I feel like I’m pushing myself to my limits!
I don’t want to just live longer. I want quality of live, not just life.
Being alive in bed and not being able to do anything is not living!

Ok, the radical, rebellious person inside me is ready to come out and fight!!!
I stopped taking all my meds!!!
I went to Atkins Diet with no carbs, because I know it will help me lose weight fast and keep my numbers down. But, I also know that it only helps me for about 1 week and then I need to go to Raw Vegan. For life, this time! I wish I could afford Dr. Cousens program for Diabetes Cure. But, $12,000 isn’t in my hands right now! So, I’m going to be studying what others on Raw Vegan have done to help their Diabetes.

On 9-8-11 I started the Aktin’s Diet with no meds!!! My blood sugar was 190 and my blood pressure was 149/97 (Average numbers, even with all my meds!) My weight had climbed up to 232 lbs.
During the week of the Aktin’s Diet, I lost 8 lbs. And I felt great! Lots on energy and getting things done! But, then after the week, my blood sugar and blood pressure stated going up every day, until one day, my blood sugar was 535 and my blood pressure was 159/117. STROKE LEVEL!!!! Ok, I had to do something fast!!! I broke down and took 1 insulin shot! I didn’t want to go back on my non-working blood pressure meds so; I went online to see a natural way to bring down my blood pressure. I found Epson Salt Baths! An hour later and my blood pressure was 130/76. WOW! That really works!

The next day I got Vertigo (dizziness) really bad!!! I was awakened at 4:45 am to the room spinning!!!
I could only lie on my back in bed. If I turned my head slightly to get my water cup off my night stand, the whole room would spin!!! So, I had to lay still!!! For 8 days!!! Now, I can get up, but if I look down or up, the room spins again. What is the cause of this??? I believe it is from the withdrawal of my blood pressure med, because when I first started on that med, I got vertigo for a whole month!!! And I have never had vertigo before in my life! Well, I continued this way, in bed with my dear husband bringing me Atkin’s meals and taking Epson Salt baths.

My blood sugar was still in the high 200’s to mid 300’s. So on 9-21-11, as soon as I was able to get up, I made me a green smoothie. But, not the sweet banana kind like I used to have. I had to stay away from sweet carbs to bring down my blood sugar. It was more like a soup smoothie. Not, bad, but not real good either! But, Boy it was like my cells opened up for nourishment and started dancing around in joy! “She’s feeding us real food!!! Something we can work with!!!” And I guess it helped them go to work because my numbers have been steadily going down!!!

Raw Vegan Crumb Donut - Tastes like your cheating!

Today, I made raw vegan crumb donuts. Yummm!!! Yummm!!! I can't remember where I got the recipe, but it's been my favorite raw vegan dessert for years. It's sweetened with dates and it has raw butternut squash in it, but you don't even taste it. All you taste is the sweet almond, coconut, nutmeg taste, just like a crumb donut, but moist inside instead of bread like. Check it out in the recipe section for the full recipe and photo.
I got really busy this week and forgot to take my thyroid activator. Boy, does my body know how to get my attention! 9 lbs of weight gain in 3 days! Took the activator and in 2 days lost the 9 lbs! Ok, I get it! For me, I need it to lose the weight. I'm real happy that my blood pressure is in the normal range again. And my blood sugar has dropped 200 points! Still not in the normal range, but at least I'm out of the stroke range!

Back on Track!!!

I haven't posted in a long time. Well, I've been struggling for a while. But, recently I had a major breakthrough. Even though my tests have always come back normal for my thyroid. I have felt there was a problem there. So, I recently started using thyroid activator by Nature's Sunshine. My weight started coming down again and I had a lot more energy. Then I ran out of it for several weeks and sure enough I started gaining weight again. I've been so tired and started getting headaches every morning.
Well, I got some more and my weight has started going down again. And I started eating raw vegan recently and now my headaches are gone. I tried eating "normal" again and my headaches came back. So, I am back to eating raw vegan again and I'll be posting more recipes with pictures. So look in the recipe section.
Today, I posted a yummy Pumpkin Seed Pesto Veggie Fettucini. It has dehydrated mushrooms and tomatoes that taste like sauted sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms. Yum, Yum!!!

OK, I don't know if I'm a glutton for punishment or what, but I'm starting the Master Cleanse again today. My weight has just beening climbing out off control again. Last time, I eased off the Master Cleanse, then eased into regular food. But, I still gained my weight back at an alarming rate, mostly 3 lbs a day. I should of caught it then and did something, but my life went into stress mode and I had to deal with family problems for the last 4 months. I'm sure the stress contributed to the weight gain. But, needless to say, I'm almost back to where I started in January.

I Had to Break the Master Cleanse

I woke up really sick today! This day was really hard on me. I was so weak; I couldn’t get out of bed for very long. I really wanted to go at least 10 days, but it’s like my body just shut down.

I made my lemonade mix and I couldn’t drink it. It was so weird. My throat just closed up. I couldn’t even drink my water. I used to be able to guzzle a ½ gallon of water at a time. But now, every time I drink something, my throat would close up. I could only drink little sips at a time. I started getting really worried that I would dehydrate when I noticed I probably only drank 2 cups of liquid by 3 pm. So, I decided I better try something else. I had 2 bowls of broth and some wasa crackers the rest of the day.

I wonder if anyone else has had this problem. Do you suppose it has something to do with the Epsom salts instead of Sea Salt?
Well, I guess I better listen to my body and close down this cleanse.

9th Day: Broke Master Cleanse: Broth Day, Monday, 3-22-10
Weight: 186.8 lbs, -1.6 lbs, -14 lbs total, BMI
Morning: BP: 128/89, P: 86, BS: 176
Evening: BP: 116/90, P: 99, BS: 178
Eat: 2 bowls broth, wasa crackers

Show OFF Day

I went to church today in a dress suit that I couldn’t put over my hips when I first got it years ago. It still had the tags on it. It was fun being able to wear it with it being a little loose on me. But, I ended up leaving church early, I felt really weak. I continued the day pretty much in bed today.

8th Day:Master Cleanse, Sunday, 3-21-10
Weight: 186.8 lbs, -1.6 lbs, -14 lbs total, BMI 29.3
8:00 am: BP: 128/89, P: 86, BS: 176
2:30 pm to 4:30 pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 16 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 16 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
10:00 pm, Chocolate Smooth Move tea, 12 drops stevia, 24 oz water
10:30, Epsom Salt Flush, 2 tsp Epsom salt, 16 oz. water
10:30 am BP: 116/90, P: 99, Blood Sugar: 178
Totals: calories 49, carbs 14, fat 0, Proteins 0, 152 oz water

Great News Today!

Lost 3.2 lbs overnight! That makes up for yesterday!I am no longer in the obese catagory. I'm now overweight. Just 29.4 more lbs to be NORMAL!I felt a lot better today.

7th Day: Master Cleanse, Saturday, 3-20-10
Weight: 188.4 lbs, -3.2 lbs -12.4 lbs total, BMI 29.50
9:00 am, BP: 114/87, P:88, BS: 157
10:30, Epsom Salt Flush, 2 tsp Epsom salt, 16 oz. water
2:30 pm to 4:30 pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 16 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 16 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
10:00 pm, Chocolate Smooth Move tea, 12 drops stevia, 24 oz water
10:30, Epsom Salt Flush, 2 tsp Epsom salt, 16 oz. water
10:30 am BP: 115/89, P: 84, Blood Sugar: 152
Totals: calories 49, carbs 14, fat 0, Proteins 0, 152 oz water

Nauseated and Weak Today

I don't know why my blood sugar is so high this morning. I wonder if it's because I did some errands this morning and didn't take my vitals until later? Anyways, My blood pressure is down to normal! I didn't lose very much weight. I felt very tired today. And nauseated at times. I felt like I needed more water, but couldn't handle drinking more.

6th Day: Master Cleanse Friday, 3-19-10
Weight: 191.6 lbs, -.4 lbs -9.2 lbs total, BMI 30.00
11:00 am, BP: 112/88, P:94, BS: 181
11:00 noon, Epsom Salt Flush, 2 tsp Epsom salt, 16 oz. water
1:00 pm Chocolate Smooth Move Tea, 12 drops stevia, 24 oz. water
2:30 pm to 3:30 pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 16 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
9:30 pm to 10:00 pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 16 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
10:00 pm, Chocolate Smooth Move tea, 12 drops stevia, 24 oz water
12:30 am BP: 129/87, P: 87, Blood Sugar: 151
Totals: calories 49, carbs 14, fat 0, Proteins 0, 160 oz water

WOW!

At night my blood sugar has been normal 3 times in the last 5 days. WITHOUT INSULIN!

5th Day: Master Cleanse Thursday, 3-18-10
Weight: 192.0 lbs, -2.6 lbs -8.8 lbs total, BMI 30.10
8:30 am, BP: 121/85, P:79, BS: 155
12:00 noon, Epsom Salt Flush, 2 tsp Epsom salt, 16 oz. water
12:30 to pm 2:30 pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 16 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
2:30 pm, Emergen-C Immune Defense,16 oz water
4:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 16 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
8:00 pm, Epsom Flush, 2 tsp Epsom Salt, 16 oz water
10:00 pm, Berry Detox tea, 12 drops stevia, 24 oz water
11:30 pm BP: 135/85, P: 70, Blood Sugar: 125
Totals: calories 49, carbs 14, fat 0, Proteins 0, 168 oz water

I'm So Excited!

I'm so excited! I haven't had any eye problems today! It must be the luck of the Irish! It's been a long time since I haven't dealt with this on a daily basis. I really didn't expect the detox to work this fast on my allergies. I haven't had any itching, nor have I taken anything for my allergies today!

And I feel so good! Lot's of energy! I've gotten a lot done today. I even cooked my family a special St. Patrick's Day Dinner. I made Leprechaun Smoothies, Cheesy Cream of Broccoli Soup, Cabbage, potatoes, Meat & Onions andI made Irish Soda bread with cranberries. No, I didn't eat any. I didn't even taste any. I had my husband and kids finish seasoning it. I'm not hungry at all, so I thought I'd try to cook something for them. I blended a few leaves of spinach in my lemonade to celebrate.

4th Day: Master Cleanse Wednesday, 3-17-10
Weight: 194.6 lbs, -1.8 lbs -6.2 lbs total, BMI 30.50
8:30 am, BP: 126/90, P:75, BS: 152
10:00 am, Epsom Salt Flush, 2 tsp Epsom salt, 8 oz. water
10:30 am to 2 pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 16 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
2:00 pm, Emergen-C Immune Defense,24 oz water
5:30 pm to 8pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 16 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper,a few leaves of Spinach, 48 oz water
9:30 pm, Epsom Flush, 2 tsp Epsom Salt, 16 oz water
10:30 pm, Berry Detox tea, 12 drops stevia, 24 oz water
11:00 pm BP: 133/86, P: 77, Blood Sugar: 127
Totals: calories 50, carbs 14, fat 0, Proteins 0, 168 oz water

Progress - No Eye Swelling Today!

Progress - No Eye swelling today! My eye allergies felt better. My eyes started itching this morning and I took some Homeopathic Adrenal Support as usual. This time it worked! No more itching until this afternoon. Then another Homeopathic Adrenal support and again relief. I didn't need anything else for the rest of the day.

Usually, I use Visine A.C. drops and cold washcloth compressions to bring the swelling down. And I'm not able to drive or see very well on the computer.

Also, it amazes me that I haven't been hungry this whole time. I think because I'm always filling my stomach up with liquids. Sometimes the smell from the families food gets to me. But, not so bad that I can't resist.


3rd Day: Master Cleanse Tuesday, 3-16-10
Weight: 196.4 lbs,-2.8 lbs -4.4 lbs total BMI 30.80
8:30 am, BP: 132/88, P:76, BS: 164
12:00 noon Epsom Salt Flush, 2 tsp Epsom salt, 32 oz. water
12:00 noon to 3 pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 24 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
5:30 pm to 8pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 24 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
9:00 pm, Emergen-C Immune Defense, 8 oz. water
9:30 pm, Berry Detox tea, 12 drops stevia, 24 oz water
11:00 pm BP: 137/95, P: 70, Blood Sugar: 141
Totals: calories 49, carbs 14, fat 0, Proteins 0, 152 oz water

Shoulder Inflammation Gone!

This morning I woke up and my shoulder pain is gone! And I have full range of motion. Last year when this happened, it took about a month with hot pool therapy treatments. I do credit the detox for this fast recovery. But, my eye allergies are still in full bloom. I've had this problem for over 3 years so I'm sure it will take some time to clear up.

This is what motivates me to do this detox. I am so sick of the eye allergies. It got so bad I can’t see to drive so; I bought some 24 hour non-drowsy allergy medicine. It didn’t make me drowsy…..until about 7 hours later and then I would pass out hard. I then would wake up in a drugged stupor. And my allergies came back in 12 hours, so I had to take twice the dose for it to work. Then, I went to the health food store and they recommended Homeopathic Adrenal Support. It worked great for a week. I thought I found my solution. Then my allergies broke though that and is getting worse.

OK, I’m not talking just a few sneezes and a running nose. It usually affects one eye at a time. It starts itching like a thousand mosquito bites inside my eyelid. It also feels like hives on the outside of the eye with itching red swollen welts. My white part of my eye swells and blisters so much it covers part of the colored part of my eye. The outside eyelid swells also. I was thinking about taking a picture, but that would just gross everyone out.

2nd Day: Master Cleanse Monday, 3-15-10
Weight: 199.2 lbs, -1.6 lbs, BMI 31.20
8:30 am, BP: 139/93, P:74, BS: 181
8:30 am, Salt Water Flush, 2 tsp sea salt, 32 oz. water
11:30 Am to 3pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 24 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
3:00 pm, Emergen-C Immune Defense, 8 oz water
3:00 pm to 6pm, Lemonade; 12 tsp lemon juice, 24 drops Stevia, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 48 oz water
9:30 pm, Epsom Flush, 2 tsp Epsom Salt, 16 oz water
10:00 pm Epsom Bath
10:30 pm, Berry Detox tea, 24 oz water
10:30 pm BP: 133/90, P: 75, Blood Sugar: 155
Totals: calories 49, carbs 14, fat 0, Proteins 0, 172 oz water