health and some goals

I had my cholesterol and thyroid (TSH) levels checked and Glen got his cholesterol and prostate (PSA) levels checked. Glen's numbers are beautiful. Mine aren't. Cholesterol: 269. Triglycerides: 219 (<149 is preferred). And for the first time my TSH is now high at 6.6 (.34-5.6 being the acceptable range).

Last summer I was walking 6 days a week, drinking my fiber everyday, eating an apple every day, taking my niacin pills at night, and being a little bit careful with what I eat. My cholesterol was 203 (which is the lowest it's been in years). I am not walking and irregularly take my fiber, my apple, niacin, and am not too careful in what I've been eating. I guess it shows. I have got to get back on track.

Of course, besides my blood panel numbers rising, so is my weight. The one number that isn't rising is my blood pressure, so I'm happy for that. My arthritis is acting up a bit, too.

Anyway, I've been thinking a lot lately about things like food storage, eating healthily, and finances.

Food storage of some healthy items (brown rice, fresh fruits and vegetables) just doesn't work. How can I build up my food storage with healthy foods, eat right, and still stay within my budget?

How can I bring more beans and grains into our diet? Red beans and rice, bean soup, and refried beans...my recipe box is slim in the bean category.

Grains? I keep wanting to try different grains. I buy them and then they sit in my pantry.

What will it take for me to get my act together and actually do what I just keep thinking about? I need more time and/or money. That would help. Don't think that's going to happen, though.

So, maybe a lesson in psychology. How do you get motivated?

Zig Zigler says, "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing.. that's why we recommend it daily."

I will say I have some friends who are currently working on their food storage and others working on their health. Others examples are helping me to want to try. One friend recently posted that she learned from her trainer that most of your carbs should be eaten before 11 am. I tried that yesterday. I will have to play closer attention to when I eat my carbs.

So, what other goals can I set for myself for this week to help me "do" instead of just "think"? Perhaps it should start with education. 

I need to look up the foods that cause and that fight inflammation and that help and hurt cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

I need to find some recipes for beans and whole grains.

I know I also have to buy and/or make healthier snacks.

I can see myself doing that. I also need to start exercising again, but I'm having a hard time picturing that happening. I did start up again over Christmas break, but it was short-lived. I wish I could just go outside and walk alone here, but I don't feel safe. I could drag Eric with me on the days I'm not subbing. Or I could drive the 15 minutes to the park and walk. But I have a hard time picturing that too. I hate spending almost as much time driving to exercise as I spend exercising. And if I'm working that day, I feel like I don't have the time. I'll have to ponder this a bit more. Maybe while Eric is in class I could do something.

Maybe I need to post this on my fridge again:

Those who don't find time for exercise will sooner or later will have to find time for illness.

Dreams that I am happy to wake up from

I have never been one to really have nightmares. But boy, am I sure have some anxiety-riddled ones lately.

This morning's was about Church:

I was at church and had been asked to fill in for the Relief Society presidency, who couldn't be there. I was to conduct as well as teach the lesson. I recognized no one in the room except the chorister...and we are supposed to be singing hymn 222 (whatever that is), but can only find 2 hymn books and both of them are missing hymn 222. She asks me what meter should she lead in and I figure out it's 4/4...but will that do any good when we probably don't know the words to all the first verse and the pianist doesn't have any music anyway?

The dream sort of fast-forwards to the end of my lesson. I don't even know if we sang or not. When it's all done and I'm cleaning up all of a sudden I realize there are now more people in class including 2 men I don't know. I realize it is NOW Relief Society time and I had just taught the RS lesson during Sunday School time. I freak out a little. What am I supposed to do now? I already taught my lesson! Had no one been assigned to teach SS, or had some person just been to shy to point out that I was jumping the gun? I talk to the 2 men and tell them they are supposed to go to Priesthood. They tell me they wouldn't feel comfortable there and the Bishop gave them permission to attend Relief Society.

I go in search of the Bishop and head to his office knowing he attends a Sunday School class there. There is a note on the door essentially saying that he doesn't care how they do things in Utah, but here you don't disturb the Bishop during Sunday School and if we ever moved to Utah we can feel free to bother the Bishop there during SS, but not here.

So I go next door from the Bishop's office to...the Bishop's office (you know how dreams are) and there is packaged food all over the place...mostly treats. And there is a big yellow tabby cat eating the treats. I slip the big cat into a clear plastic bag (with his head out so he can breathe), because cats shouldn't be there, and while carrying this cat under my arm, I continue my search for anyone with authority...the Sunday School president or another member of the Bishopric. As I walk down the halls and through the foyer I realize the other ward that meets after us is meeting in the hallways since my ward is occupying the classrooms. The 8-12 year old girls are wearing matching yellow and orange dresses and have scissors that they are cutting into the air like they are doing a synchronized swimming routine (?). I continue down the hall and don't see anyone I am looking for, but the halls are packed with people. I am wondering what is going on back in the RS room...did someone take charge? Are they receiving a belated SS lesson? I finally wind up back at the RS room and I find the missing hymn books...

I was so happy to wake up and know it was just a dream.

Another dream I recently had that has stuck with me for some reason--I was subbing in Theatre I, only once I get there I realize I am not subbing, but was asked to teach 2 sections of Theatre I for the semester. Only, I didn't make any lesson plans and it's the first day of class and I have to have something to do with the kids. I lament that Glen and I didn't discuss this so he could tell me what his lesson plans for Theatre I were, afterall, if we were both teaching the class, we should be teaching the same lessons--that way I would have had my lesson plans done.

Thinking quickly and trying to use what I have on hand, I decide what to do. As I pass out large baking potatoes to the students I explain their assignment. They are each to create a character for themselves. They are to decide the personality of said character and decide how the character would talk, think, and dress. They were then to take their potato and turn it into that character they had created. I was so pleased that I had come up with a decent lesson plan on such short notice.

Crazy, crazy, crazy.

Things of my mind lately--Temple Grandin, health, teenage drivers, and service

Temple Grandin movie--we got the Temple Grandin movie from Netflix a while back and I thought about writing about it, but never did. Turns out it won at the Golden Globes. Claire Danes really did do a great job with the movie. I went to a lecture on autism once by Temple. She even signed a book for Eric for me. She's a fascinating person. I think even if you don't have a child with autism you might like the movie.

My weight is slowly creeping up again and for some reason I'm fearing for my health more than I used to. I guess aging will do that to you. More than just losing weight, I want to eat better. I've started making more things from scratch again. Made wheat crackers the other day. We make yogurt from time to time. Need to do better than that.

Eric now has his learners' permit. We need to get him and Ryan out driving more.

Started reading President Monson's new biography, To the Rescue. I am so amazed at what some people are willing to give. A really inspiring story.