Wellness visit and more

Banana slug enjoying a meal

Last Saturday during our wet walk, I saw these oyster mushrooms on a log, but that slimy critter, the banana slug, wasn't there. My friend Cindy took this picture and posted it on Facebook. I know there are at least two different kinds of slugs in our area, and this one is native and prized above the black ones that were brought here from elsewhere. Someone once told me they come from France, but if so, I haven't heard any speaking with an accent. This banana slug is certainly looking well fed and very happy.

This morning I had my wellness checkup with my doctor, and I came out of the exam feeling pretty darn good. She said my numbers are all just fine, and that considering my age, I should be patting myself on the back because of my continuing good health and determination to exercise and stay active.

There are two things I am supposed to do in the near future: a colonoscopy (oh joy) and a bone density test. At least the bone density test is painless. Not so much the other, but what the heck, it should be my last. So I'll just get 'er done. Have you had one recently? I don't have good memories of my last one, but my doctor told me they are better and even the prep is easier these days.

My cholesterol is good, but my HDL (the good stuff) had declined a bit. She just said that the number is still fine, but now my sister's is higher than mine. What, who says I'm competitive?
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Counting calories

Well, it's official. I did really gain those extra ten pounds over the last thirteen months since I was last at the doctor's office. And now that Dr Whitehead has given me a "prescription" to lose the extra weight before I see him next year, I'm thinking about exactly how to do that. Fortunately, I've got new tools on the Internet that were not available to me last time I went through this weight loss thing.

The beautiful 12-oz latte you see in the picture was today's "snack" consisting of skim milk and one shot of espresso (just under 100 calories). I have discovered the espresso is almost calorie free, and the skim milk is high in some nutrients I am just now discovering. After looking for a calorie counter on line that would help me log my food intake, I found an amazing website called Calorie Count. (This link should take you to the main site.) They also have a very interesting blog. If you look at the menu bar at the top of the blog, you'll find links to the food log and calorie counter that are helping me to understand the reason for my weight gain. Who knew that there are so many calories in almonds and walnuts? I realize now that a little handful of these raw nuts contains enough fat to keep my jeans tight all by themselves!

I was in denial about the weight gain at first, since I am pretty much of an obsessive exerciser, so after my workout at the Y yesterday I got on their upright scales. Oh. Although I weighed three pounds less, I was also unclothed. I always figure your regular clothes weigh about that much. I stood there and studied the number but it didn't change. No wonder my cholesterol numbers are high.

After registering on the Calorie Count website and entering my age, weight and activity level, I realized that I maintain my weight at about 1,800 calories a day. That's really not all that much food, and as I began to learn how to use the Food Log, I saw where some extra calories can be shaved off without too much pain or difficulty. That's what I'm telling myself after using the Log for two days now. It was quite a shock to realize that one slice of my favorite Great Harvest Bread (spelt) has 130 calories! Just one, with nothing on it!

The Food Log, once you have entered all the food you've eaten for the day and marked it complete, analyzes the breakdown of your diet, telling you where you are over or under in nutrients. I got an overall "A" for both days, but I discovered I am also low in dietary potassium and don't eat as many carbohydrates as I should. I got into that habit from following low carb diets for years. The problem with those diets is that they don't work if you eat more carbs than allowed. So, here goes an attempt at counting calories. I'll let you know about the results. It does help to have a doctor's "scrip" to lose weight.
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Good news

Dr. Whitehead

I wasn't kidding when I said my new doctor looks fourteen, don't you think? And what a lucky gal I am, that I like him so much. He's smart, has a sense of humor and gave me a very thorough examination, asked all the right questions. I found out that he is actually 36. The older I get, the younger that seems, but he's very competent and likable.

The PeaceHealth Medical Group is also located in a bright and cheerful building, unlike the Center for Senior Health where I have been going for the past three years. It helps to have people of all ages in the waiting room, rather than everyone elderly like me!

We discussed my family history of heart disease and my cholesterol numbers. He was able to see the results from the past three checkups, as well as last Friday's numbers, which had increased since last year. I was all ready for him to tell me that I would need to take a stronger dose of statins, but no, he said the numbers were elevated a little from last year but not enough to cause much concern. I was flabbergasted. Although my numbers are higher, my good-to-bad cholesterol ratio puts me in the category of one-half normal risk for heart disease. It turns out that the culprit is likely to be the ten pounds I have gained since my last checkup, and he assured me that if I would lose them, I wouldn't need any further medication. That will give me incentive to lose the weight. I hope, anyway.

He does want to see what shape my coronary arteries are in, so I will have an ultrasound on Tuesday of the carotid arteries in my neck. He said that what the ultrasound shows for the carotids will give him a good indication of the condition of my coronary arteries. Sounds good to me, and it's the first time anyone has suggested this test. My son died at 40 of coronary artery disease, my father at 62, and my mother at 69. So he isn't taking this lightly, and I appreciate this thoroughness.

I knew I had gained weight; I was not thrilled about being weighed and never step on the scales when I know they will not show me good news, but I was surprised at how much more I weigh than I did last year. I am right at the cusp of overweight on the BMI (body mass index), at 24.8. If you want to figure your own, here is a good link to check out. It not only helps you figure it out, but it also tells you where you are in relation to others of your age and gender. I'm in the 25th percentile for women my age (meaning that three-quarters of others have a higher BMI than I do). That's heartening.

Here's a picture of the soup I had for lunch today, filled with kale, miso, tofu, some beans and some leftover forbidden rice. I learned about this rice from Arkansas Patti on The New Sixty. Smart Guy read about it and I came home to see this weird black stuff on the kitchen counter. Trust me, it's my latest favorite thing! Hoping that I will be able to lose these pounds, I am happily eating more soup and eating smaller portions. I'll let you know how I'm doing and can use any tips that my faithful readers might have. Getting enough exercise is not my problem, obviously.
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