Paleo

 I’m caving to peer pressure.

Scott and Sara have ((ahem)) encouraged me to blog more.  :-) Thanks guys!

It’s been a crazy few weeks. I have 12 school days left. The last day of school is June 8th. This is always a wacky time of year for me. I’m busy with paperwork, meetings, and planning. I can see the “finish line.”

I have been working really hard on my diet the last few months. I read Allison’s post at the ‘Mine and it was the last push that I needed to jump into the Paleo lifestyle. (eat like a caveman-- so a diet that includes meat, eggs, vegetables, some fruit, nuts, etc. It doesn’t include any grains, rice, legumes, dairy, sugar, or pop) I knew that eating grain wasn’t working for me, and was trying to figure out a low carb diet that I could enjoy. I’ve tried it in the past, but have always felt sluggish and hungry when doing it.

At my last endo appointment, my doc told me that the injectable steroid that I have been using since my insulin allergy was diagnosed, is seriously “backordered” and I probably won’t be able to get my hands on it for a year or more. She prescribed oral steroids, which makes me nervous. I haven’t made the switch yet, as I still have a couple months worth of the injectable stuff. My reality is that the more carbs I eat, the more insulin I need, and the more steroids I need.  I really wanted to figure out how to decrease the amount of insulin I was taking each day.

It’s been six weeks without grain. I am using about 1/2 of the insulin that I was taking before switching to a paleo diet. My 30 day average (according to good old Cozmo) is that I am averaging 35 grams of carb per day. I think that qualifies as officially low carb. I’ve lost weight. It's amazing how much easier it is to manage my blood sugar when I'm not eating much carb.

Is it hard? Yeah, sometimes.

Do I miss grains and sugar? Yeah, sometimes.

I was "jonesing" for some toast last week. I figured out a paleo recipe for “pancakes” and that was enough to distract me out of wanting toast.  The good news is that I like meat and some vegetables. I’m working on trying/enjoying more vegetables.

I’m cooking more, which I actually do enjoy. It’s just a little challenging to psych myself up to cook when I come home from school. I’m starting to figure out recipes that are “quick.”

Am I 100% paleo? Some days. The last vice that I’m working on is diet pop. It’s definitely NOT part of a paleo diet. But I’m doing this my way, and I’m working on eliminating. I’m no longer drinking diet dew, which was a MAJOR feat. I have a soda stream machine and am drinking carbonated water with sugar free kool aid in it. It’s not caffeinated, so I’m off that. I'm trying hard. Every day.



Dixie is excited for school to be out so she can spend more time in the yard. She continues to be my absolutely, amazing CGM.

Happy Wednesday!

AND... the winner is.....

Dmeanderings! You are the winner! Please email me your mailing information, and your Deluxe Clutch will be on it's way.

Thanks to all who entered. And a big thanks to Rickina, at Stick Me Designs, who not only gave me a clutch, but gave me one to share with my blog readers.  If you didn't win, head over to Stick Me Designs and order one.

I just finished a long afternoon of diabetes related medical appointments. My eyes are dilated, and my arm has been successfully poked for labs. My A1c stayed the same as the last one - 5.9. I'm happy about that. The eye doctor said that my eyes look great. No change there, either.

The challenge of the afternoon was deciding to switch my medication that I take for my insulin allergy. The med that I have been using in my pump is no longer available. There isn't a good alternative that can be injected.... so... I am switching to oral steroids. I'm nervous. My allergy has been well controlled the last several years, with only a few breakthrough hive incidents. I can still remember the respiratory arrest I had the last time I took insulin without steroids mixed in it. Scary. 

CONGRATULATIONS, D-meanderings! I hope you love your clutch as much as I love mine. :-)

Stick Me Giveaway!

A few weeks ago, Stick Me Designs was hosting a “Keep/Try and Giveaway” on Facebook.  When I saw, I immediately entered.

I have a “thing” for Stick Me bags. My mom found them, and bought me the pink clutch. It was perfect for me. It held my freestyle meter, multiclix, and test strips. I put a pack of Carb boom in the side pocket for lows. That bag has been all over the place with me.  Early on, I realized that it was perfect for Dixie to carry. She grabs it by the strap and brings it to me.

Once I figured out that it was a match for Dixie, I decided that I should have all my testers in one.

The next one I got (from my mom for Christmas) was a dinosaur patterned one. That was a great addition. It helped Dixie to have consistent bags to grab.

Last Christmas, my mom gave me another. This one is the silky cocoa bag. It’s my “go out on the town” choice. It’s not as casual as the other two.

This Christmas, I didn’t get a new bag. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. So...when I saw the new Deluxe Clutch patterns and then discovered the giveaway, I was psyched. Of course, I never really gave much thought to winning.

When I got Rickina’s message that I had won, I was jazzed! I picked out the Scroll Chic design. This bag is perfect for traveling. It holds everything. I have it loaded with Cleo infusion sets, Multiclix lancets, tubing, foil wrapped ketostixs, Carb Boom packets. It is ready to go, at a moment’s notice, on my next getaway. Usually, before every trip, I grab zip lock bags and put the supplies that I’ll need in them.  I never really unpack the bags, so I end up having a mismatch of supplies in my travel bags.

Now it’s your lucky day! I’m giving away a Deluxe Clutch in the Lotus Lily Pattern. (just like the one that Sara won!) These are really well made, well-designed bags. Mine have been through years of use, and are no worse for the wear. (even after being carried in Dixie’s mouth :-)

So... just leave a comment on this post before midnight on March 26th, 2012, and you will be entered to win.

Thanks, Rickina, for sharing your talent with others.