Perils of Low-Carbing???

So, I have been baking ... ALOT! Is it because I cannot eat flour that I am obsessed with it? Or is it the pleasure I get from cooking and baking? Well, maybe a bit of both. Somehow, with all of the kitchen duty I have logged this past holiday season, I have managed to have a bunch of extra holiday ingredients left in my cupboard. Go figure.

I am now obsessed with planning my next kitchen experiments. Somehow, I never really get tired of it. Again, the perils of low-carbing? I am not going to spoil it however. I have some thoughts and I will keep them close to my vest for now. But, here is a hint of one of my new experiments.

So, if you are a friend on Facebook, you know this was my first attempt at a multilayer cheesecake. A chocolate peanut butter cup cheesecake. So, one of my new obsessions will be to explore the realm of the multi-layer and try to get better at this new challenge. Stay tuned... I think I have a good one coming up.

I really need to work on my piping; as evidence, my carrots on my first carrot cake. I know, I know. I just am not very good at it.

So, I have some thoughts on this as well. My biggest issues, time, kitchen space and the need for more and more supplies/tools!!!! As one would have it, I love kitchen gadgets. Any excuse for me to purchase more is fine by me. Not such a good thing for the budget however. Neither are the exotic ingredients I love to try out. Time, well that is always an issue. Working full time plus, taking care of family and household does not leave much time for extras. I have not had any personal down time in over a year. I need to nurture that just a bit this year if I am going to try to keep my hormones balanced. This is not a new challenge however. That's a story for another day.

Anyway, in trying to keep with the lifestyle. I have tried to make "lower carb" treats for the family from time to time. May not be legal for me, but not everyone needs to be as strict as I do. Here, are some wonderful Orange Almond Cookies the family enjoyed.

While I do love cooking and baking, it is my belief that the word 'NEVER' has sprung me into an overdrive obsession. That's right, I said it!!!! Overdrive obsession? Is that redundant? Perhaps. My body has determined that low-carb is not good enough. 'No-Carb' is the only way to go. Everyone (except my doctor it seems) knows the word 'NEVER' results in obsession with whatever you are no longer able to EVER have. I am truly beginning to HATE the word 'NEVER'! Just another day in Wonderland!

Until next time. Cheers!!!

Memorial Day Woes

Happy Memorial Day! It is a great day to remember our fellow Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Funny how our celebratory traditions focus is around food. And food spells trouble for me, many other PCOS women and tons of dieters out there. Were you struggling with the same old questions? To go to BBQ or not? To host a BBQ or not? Well, whether it be a picnic, BBQ or evening at a restaurant, the same holds true; temptation ... temptation, temptation!

If you are like me, you are the cook in the house and the only one that can't eat grains, most fruit and legumes. Okay, so fat may be allowed on some low-carb diets, but I try to be mindful of fat (quantity and type). So, temptation is hard to avoid. This Memorial Day weekend it was, "Pass the salmon burger sans bun please!" So yes, we did skip an invitation to a BBQ for a more controlled, yet not bunless, environment. No hot dogs and hamburgers! Potato or macaroni salad! Although Monday night we did actually grill some steak along with broccoli rabe. So, a bit of naughty saturated fat to end the weekend! Mind you, they were trimmed really well!

Don't get me wrong, I love holidays. I love to cook for others too. However, it always seems like as soon as you drag your butt back on the plan (whatever plan that may be for you), right around the corner lies your plate of temptation! There is always a holiday or a birthday or an anniversary or something waiting to sabotage you! Now, I wouldn't be as upset if I could count calories and be good all week and just have a slight slip one day and still maybe loose a single lb. No such luck in the world of PCOS/IR. One foil (a slice of gum or piece of fruit) and the entire week, sometimes the previous one two is canceled out! WTH!

So, this Memorial Day I resolved not to foil! I already blew my attempts at starting over on my birthday earlier this month and the last couple of weeks! Waking up this morning, knowing I made it through the weekend, that broccoli rabe never tastes so good. Maybe tonight, I'll go back for seconds!

By the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beautiful and wonderful niece Arionne! We love you more than words can express!

CarbLess, eh CarbNone

A few years ago I started a website where I sold CarbLess delicacies (cheesecakes, cookies, etc.). I also posted CarbLess recipes. What I have since learned in my journey with PCOS is, I really need to be very low-carb (30-60 grams per day) in order to loose weight. It is a difficult task to remain that low. No sugar, grains, legumes and most fruits. My sources of carbohydrates, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. It's a monotonous road! Many of us PCOSers know it well.

It's been an up and down adventure living with PCOS. As I have discovered many of us started out with irregular cycles. Doctors ignored it as just something many women go through. I decided that was not enough for me when I got married and had a feeling maybe this would cause me problems when we decided to have a family. I asked my doctor to test me and after some blood tests she informed me all my hormones were normal. Not really knowing what I should look for, I accepted that response. Leaving the office, in hand I had a prescription for the miracle drug; birth control pills! Not only would I not get pregnant, it would cure me of irregular cycles. Problem solved right?

Years later to my horror and my hair dresser's delight (she seemed to get pleasure out of it anyway) she found a couple of chain hairs. Okay, no big deal right? Just tweeze them off! Well, silly me allowed my hair dresser to take them off while she did my side burns after an appointment one day and low and behold she uses a razor! Suddenly I have more than a couple of hairs coming in. I had no idea this was not a coincidence but the dreaded hirsutism. Later I would go to see a dermatologist about dark marks on my cheeks (hyper-pigmentation) and the hair. She took one look at me and said, "I bet you have PCOS?" My response was, "Huh?" I had never heard of PCOS. She began to tell me a little about it. Before she could get too far, I immediately began to defend myself. Or should I say I was in denial! I told her I had my hormones checked and everything was fine. I wanted to be NORMAL damn it! She asked to see the results. Later I got a call from her that my hormones were not checked. Only my thyroid was checked. Of course, my doctor (as I would later find out most docs) had no clue. I was told to go off of the pill for a month and then go in for a hormone test. It came back with the signs of PCOS; high testosterone, low progesterone and estrogen levels. It was confirmed with blood tests showing slightly elevated insulin levels and an ultrasound showing cyststic ovaries. During the scan I recall looking at my uterus wondering if I would ever have a baby.

To think that was 10 years ago and I am still having problems tyring to get the weight and hormones under control. As many women with PCOS will attest to, it is relentless. From starving yourself and working out 7 days a week to giving up and just resigning to being fat. Never understanding why you are not loosing weight and why you can't find a doctor that can help you. I found a few books that seemed to hit home. One by Dr. Diana Schwarbein and the other by Drs. Michael and Mary Eades. The truth is, my body will store fat with elevated insulin levels. I must remain low-carb to burn fat. Over the years I have tried and tried to eat a normal diet, thumbing my nose at this basic principal. And I continue to come crawling back with my tail between my legs; having failed!

If only this was the only hurdle PCOS saddles you with. Welcome to Wonderland!

Just when you thought no one would understand

Just when you thought no one would understand, God sends a life line! I was so ready to give in to this disease, syndrome, whatever it is called, after seeking the help of a reproductive endocrinologist after loosing Dylan. During the pregnancy I got GD (Gestational Diabetes) early on. I knew it as soon as it hit. One bite of bread made me sick and threw me into a carbohydrate fog. Those of you with the syndrome (and some of you without) may know it to a lesser degree. Normally it just feels like you get sleepy soon after eating a high-carb meal; pasta, a sandwich, etc. That never happens when you eat a huge steak and salad! Whether you have PCOS or not, if you are familiar with the phenomenon, multiply it by 500 and add a sick feeling to your stomach.

A few days later, the nurse called and confirmed the diagnosis. I had not been eating so well before I got the shock of my life (I was pregnant). I was in one of my I give up phases and taking cake decorating classes. And yes, I was having no trouble sampling the specimens. Needless to say, my glucose levels and IR were out of control. My OB proceeded to tell me I was a diabetic already. Well, I knew better than to take such a diagnosis lying down. I'm not going down without a fight. I did my Internet research and discovered the A1C (unless seriously high) should not be used to diagnose diabetes. So ladies and gentlemen, don't let the doc push you around. Get a fasting GTT (Glucose Tolerance Test) or at least a fasting Glucose test. I really don't care for the random glucose tests as who knows what you ate and how long ago you ate it (although it should also not be too high). If you "fail" the tests twice, you are indeed a diabetic. Your fasting level should be below 100. If your glucose is 100-125 you have pre-diabetes. Greater than 125 indicates diabetes. When you take the fasting GTT, your blood is taken at fasting levels and then again an hour and sometimes 2 hours after drinking a high carbohydrate drink. There are different criteria and different carbohydrate levels in the drinks to diagnose diabetes in women who are pregnant, women with PCOS and those who don't meet either criteria. At the time of this post, for those with PCOS, the two hour reading should be lower than 140 mg/dl. You will be required to drink a substance with 75 grams of glucose.

Well, back to the endocrinologist. After loosing Dylan at 18.5 weeks gestation, I sort the medical attention of a reproductive endocrinologist who I thought could help me with my PCOS diet and when we were ready the attempt to conceive again. Unfortunately, after all of my blood work came in (I was no diabetic and did not show insulin resistance) she sent me to the nutritionist she worked with who proceeded to put me on a 40% carbohydrate diet. From my experience, I knew this would not work. But, I figured I would humor them. I would be diligent with my workouts and food journaling. After I gained I assumed they would give in and realize this does not work for me. Well, 30 lbs later, the nutritionist said, "You are working out a lot, it is muscle. It will turn around!" Huh? What planet are you on? I never went back. So discouraged I was, I went back on the No-Carb diet and paid a visit to a NPD (NaturalPathic Doctor). I thought maybe I should try the bioidentical hormone therapy. If my hormones are corrected, I should be able to eat normally and still loose weight right? Well, not so fast. The NPD wanted to try supplements first.

Along the way, I went online and tried to find more information on PCOS and treatments. I came across a bulletin board. This bulletin board had women just like me. Women screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs looking for help. Looking for someone to understand. Women saying exactly the same things I was! Women experiencing their own wonderlands. This bulletin board, SoulCysters was a life line. Suddenly, I'm not alone!

So You Wanna Be Debt Free..???...

So you wanna be debt free? After decades of living the "American Excess" dream, are you ready to make the sacrifices it takes to become and remain debt free? These are some of the questions we have to ask ourselves when we embark on the journey to debt freedom. Whether you are a fan of Suze Orman, Dave Ramsey, Clark Howard or whomever, you need to take a hard, long and good look at yourself (and partner in some cases) and be honest about your habits, your financial status, your desires, your weaknesses and strengths. Let's call it your 'realities'.

Like any other 'diet', when you embark on it, you have to have a game plan. Besides the dreaded 'b' word --- for those of you who don't know, budget --- you must take into account your strengths and weaknesses. What are you (and perhaps your partner) good at? Are you what Dave Ramsey would call the 'nerd'? Lets just say you are very organized (maybe obsessively so), the planner and/or thoroughbred? Even in your chaos, you know what you owe and plan for your debt. LOL! That may seem absurd to some, but I know there are some of us out there. Maybe you are nothing of the sort. Maybe you are carefree and as long as you don't overdraw the account, you're cool. Or, maybe you just need to have enough credit from month to month to get you through. Whatever the case, once you recognize your financial personality, you can plan to navigate through the journey and help yourself prevent pitfalls and adjust -- well, as much as possible anyway. When you do find yourself 'off the plan', rather 'in the pit', you can more easily climb out and get back on course. Think about it, when we go on a road trip, down we go without a plan? A map? A navigator who knows the way? Along the way, we may make some pit stops and veer off course. Such is life on the journey, whether it be a road trip or debt freedom.

Okay, so we take account of ourselves and think we have a plan. The question now is, do you have the guts? Are you willing to make the sacrifices? No matter how long it takes or how hard it may seem. How badly do you want it? No more collection calls? No fear of your car or maybe even house being taken from you if you hit hard times, perhaps loose a job or take a big pay cut. What would you do if you had an entire check to save, spend as you will without one debt to pay? How would you feel? FREEDOM!!!! I want it! Do you?