Reversing Diabetes - Mid-Summer Progress

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I am very happy to say that I am half-way on my goal to reverse my diabetes!  The progress was measured recently at my yearly physical in July.  Doctor's advice and recommendations from last April were followed about 75% of the time.  For more detail about that information, see my blog from April 2013.

First and for most, I lost 12 pounds this past year!  Since April's blood work, my blood sugar A1C went from a 7.0 in to a 6.5 in July which is a huge move in the right direction!  In the past year, total cholesterol went down 12 points to a 163, LDL Cholesterol went down 15 points to a 65 and triglycerides made a whopping decrease of 63 points to 87!  Doctor was very pleased but said that he did not want to change what has been working so well and thinks I should stay on my full medications for a year.  He said that I should keep doing what I'm doing.  Getting through the next winter with a decrease in exercise and keeping up with the good nutritional habits will be a good indication that these good blood chemistry numbers are here to stay and get even better.  Also, He wants me below an A1C of 6.0 before he reduces or eliminates my medications.  I want to loose another 12 pounds.  That is my goal.  The motivation to reduce or eliminate my medicine is great as that could mean up to $3,000 less to spend on medications out of my pocket; no small change!

I attribute my success so far to my positive attitude for the most part which has become stronger since I retired in December 2011.  It grew as I was able to let go of stresses formed during my career and from growing a life and family.  This "letting go" was not as easy as I thought it would be just because I retired from a rewarding, interesting career where I reached my peak and my family was doing well enough on their own and not including me as often as I thought I wanted in their adult lives.  Filling the emptiness from not being in constant need with solid intuitive wants takes time.  I think I had to be empty or a "blank slate" before I could begin to fill up with what is good for me. What is good for me is my health and well-being.  Using my intuition to find value in my life has grown increasingly. This blog has been a good tool for me.

Of course, my nutrition and activity level have improved especially since April 2013.  The book recommended by my doctor included seven soup recipes I combined with fresh garden produce along with trying most of the other recipes or a similar version of them. This the biggest change in nutrition although it is not unlike the way I have been eating.  It is beans and greens for the most part.  I followed it about 75% of the time.  The book is "The End of Diabetes" by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.  My doctor and I agreed that Dr. Fuhrman was somewhat over the top but had a lot of good advice that has proven it works through many patient testimonies. I had not been a big meat-eater before but always had considered myself a "meat and potatoes girl" with a hardly appetite.  After trying Dr. Fuhrman's way, I found that I want much less meat, wheat, and dairy products.  I still love desserts and am satisfied with my healthier choices and do not deprive myself of anything...just eat less portions.  Again, my attitude change helps me to make the right choices and WANT them.

I must add that I highly recommend Jillian Michaels, "Master Your Metabolism." That got me started looking more closely at what I had been consuming.  I thought I knew a lot and found out I never stop learning.  I listen to the author as much as possible but admit that she is way over the top in discipline and I can only hope to achieve some of what she has but it is good to have someone to look up too.  Recently, I heard her on TV talking about yet another book when she seemed to back-off somewhat and get more real to help more people.  She said there's always something you are told to cut out - carbs, fats, whatever the current trend.  If you just learn what is good for you and don't deprive yourself of what you know you should limit, you will sustain a good lifestyle.  A realistic way to look at it is to make good choices 80% of the time.  As you learn what is good and make those choices, you will want it more.  So the desserts or whatever you know can't be that good for you are not gone but manageable  real living.

Mixed Garden Veggies Fresh From My Garden - variety lettuces, spinach, radishes, beets, onions

Homemade Tomato Bisque with sweet potato crackers, mixed garden salad with white peach balsamic vinegar and Persian lime EVOO, ice tea, and good company!  Yes, we did have dessert - homemade strawberry-rhubarb pie with granola top crust

If the reader has seen much of my blog, you know I am an active person year-round.  This is nothing new but has always been a part of who I am.  I am a gardener, cyclist, walker, kayaker, fly-fisherman, swimmer, and member of the SBU Wellness Center for 20 years.  In my home I have worn out a treadmill, a Nordic Track, and a gym/weight bench in 30 years.  I have always had yoga stuff around including books and classes over the years.  I can set up my bike on an indoor track for stationary exercise.  I have had an elliptical machine since 2005 and use it regularly when I can't get outside or go to the Wellness Center.  This is my normal lifestyle.  I must have at least six hours of exercise a week to feel well.  It is a challenge in the winter months when sometimes I only get three.  I cannot do that two weeks in a row or it will be very hard to get back on track.  If I skip two weeks in a row completely due to illness or pure laziness, I will feel miserable for two more weeks until I get back on track.  I have now reached a level of 12-15 hours per week for 3 months and don't want to quit!  I have never felt stronger or more alive and I want it to continue.  My retirement years are my BEST years!  I hope that I can keep this up as long as possible and especially maintain all that I have gained in good health and positive attitude.  I hope I can continue to progress so that next year at this time, my yearly physical will have the numbers that will justify a reduction in diabetes medication and...dare I say it...REVERSE IT!

Oh, yeah, did I mention you have to have a sense of humor or nothing works out (including you!)

Spring to Mid-Summer Garden and Landscape

Cut Flowers on July 1, 2013

Today is a good day to stay inside and write about our gardens and landscape since it is raining.  Otherwise, I would be outside enjoying and maintaining our efforts done this season.  I think this is the best year yet.  Of course, most years I say that as I see steady progress since we moved here in 1986.  There was never a specific plan but the evolution from a rocky hilltop to lush terraced gardens came from love and creativity developed through intuition shared by two people with a strong desire to grow.  We never considered it work although it did take a lot of labor...a labor of love!

Memorial Weekend - front view with one of four pickup loads of mulch ready to be laid down around landscape.

Backyard view shows Old Lily Garden that had been dug up last fall and bulbs separated.  I planted the excess bulbs in two other garden areas; one below the carport and the other next to the shed.  The New Lily Garden was planted with highly scented new bulbs that began to bloom in late July.

Backyard view from shed with veggie gardens to the right.  New young bobtail cat decided he wants to live here and I began feeding him in July.  His name is Bobi.

Backyard view from carport shows new tropical cannas, poppies, hollyhocks along with old excess lilies.  Veggie gardens are on the left.

Backyard view in the shed area shows New Iris Garden below the old roses.  To the right of the path is another Old Lily bed filled with excess Old Lilies.  Hollyhocks and Yuccas fill the lower end of the yard.

From the beginning, my goal has been to have something in bloom from early Spring until a hard freeze   which for Missouri is mid-October.  In an earlier blog, I showed some of what early Spring was growing in our gardens.  In this blog, I will show what was in bloom June and July some of which will continue until the hard freeze.  The biggest additions in 2013 are the New Iris' and the New Lilies.  I will start with Self-Seeding, Annuals (plant every year), Perennials (will come back every year), then show all Iris' and then all Lilies which are bulbs that need to be divided every 5 years or so.

Blanket Flower - perennial

Container Plants - Annuals: Wave Purple Petunias, Variegated Sweet Potato Vine, Yellow Petunias, Elephant Ear.  Blooming Creeping Thyme in the cracks of the brick patio.

Hollyhocks - Double-Pink,  Self-Seeding

Tall Hollyhock Garden - Self-Seeding

Hollyhocks - Dark Red (Black), Self-Seeding

Double Hollyhocks - Fuscia, Self-Seeding

Hollyhocks - Magenta, Self-Seeding

Hollyhocks - Magenta, Self-Seeding

Hollyhocks - Pink, Self-Seeding

Silver Lace Vine - Perennial grows all over the walkway arbor.  This is in it's 3rd year and growing in the poorest soil with little to no care given.  It puts down a very deep root and is very fragrant.

Yellow Lantana and Purple Wave Petunia - both annuals

Lavender - Perennial

Mandevilla Vine - Annual growing up front yard fence and bluebird house.  Grows very fast with large blooms!

Pansies - Annual

Pansy Bed surrounds new Pink Dogwood Tree in front yard.

Prickly Pear Flowering Cactus is a Missouri native perennial.  Location is front yard in front of the fence that gets no watering.

Prickly Pear Cactus is a perennial located below the flag in the front yard fence area.

Snapdragons - Considered an annual but in a protected area will come back the next year.  This is the 2nd year.

Tall Garden Phlox - Perennial

Spiderwort - Perennial Native Missouri Wildflower.  There are many other wildflowers that have been re-planted in a new garden area after removing a large cedar tree last Fall.  It will be another 2-3 years before all wildflowers are established.  Others that look good like the Spiderwort this year are the Lamb's Ear and Shasta Daisies.

The earliest bulbs to bloom are the Iris'.  I have Old Iris and New Iris.  Most of the Old Iris' was here when we bought the house which was built in 1978.  These purple and yellow iris are likely at least 30 years old and have been moved to several locations over the years as they were divided.  The other Old Iris are at least 25 years old as I put in some within the first few years we moved into the house.  They thrive in very poor soil and are good for keeping the steep slopes from washing out as they are planted very shallow. The New Iris' are all in one bed for 2013.  They are in well-prepared soil.

Old Purple Iris

 Old Yellow Iris

Old White with Yellow Iris

Old Mini Iris

Old Pet Cemetery Iris - This iris was located in the area where the children had buried their pet birds, hamsters, and gerbils by the old cedar tree that was recently removed.  I left the iris.

 Keith's Old Deep Yellow Iris' are his favorite located next to the shed.

Old Deep Purple Iris with a Honeysuckle Tree behind it located near the shed.

This is the New Iris Garden for  2013

New Iris Garden with Dangerous Liaison (left) and Swingtown (right) Iris' 1st to bloom in May - all New Iris' have high fragrance.

New Iris - Dangerous Liaison

New Iris - Delirium smells like root beer!

New Iris - Gingersnap

New Iris - Drama Queen

New Iris - Luxor Gold (Keith's New Favorite)

New Iris - Swingtown

The lilies begin to bloom in June.  As with the iris, I have Old Lilies and New Lilies.  The Old Lilies are basically the Native Missouri Day Lilies.  They were here when we bought the house in 1986 and were located in one small area under the eve spout at the corner of the house in the backyard.  Now they are all over as I divided several times.  They thrive in very poor soil and are good to hold the steep slopes.  They can be seen on many road ditches all through the state.  The Old Exotic Lilies (2005) and the New 2013 Lilies are in well prepared soil beds.  The Old Exotic Lilies have been divided for the first time for 2013 which expanded the one bed into two more excess areas for now.  The New 2013 Lilies have a prime new bed location by the new sidewalk in the backyard.  They are the most fragrant and drought resistant and bloom late July into August when many other flowers are done.  August has always been a challenge to have beautiful color and cut flowers.

Native Missouri Day Lilies

Old Exotic Calla Lily Bed located near driveway in front yard.

Old Exotic Calla Lily; also have solid dark pink and pink/white calla lilies.  These make the best cut flowers as they last at least 3 weeks in water vases.

Old Exotic Lilies - Edge Ahead, I have many excess bulbs transplanted for 2013.

New 2013  Lily Garden - L.Regale Lily is highly scented!

Old Exotic Lilies - Pink Marquise Lily has many bulbs divided for the 2013 garden.

Old Lilies - Stella D'Oro is a great grouping lily typically seen lining flower beds and along pathways.  They stay short and re-bloom over and over until frost.

Old Exotic Lilies - Yellow Asiatic Lilies look very well in groups but don't last past June.

Old Asiatic Lily

Old Exotic Lily was marked as a Tino Lily which had more of a reddish center last season but looks faded this year.  

New 2013 Lily Garden - Arabian Red

New 2013 Lily Garden - Black Beauty is known for it's strong fragrance and drought resistance.

New 2013 Lily Garden - Casablanca has a very heavy texture and scent.

Old Exotic Lily Garden - Stargazer will grow in excess of 6' in height and the strong fragrance can be smelled across the yard!

New 2013 Lily Garden - Star Gazer is a newer version of the old variety but has some catching up to do in size and fragrance but this its first year.

Old Exotic Lily Garden - Svengali started in early July and looks like it will continue into early August.  There are many bulbs transplanted in excess gardens.

Right now the Blackberry Lilies are in bloom and will continue with lovely spiky iris-like greenery well into the Fall.  The Surprise Lilies (Naked Ladies) will show up suddenly on the hottest, driest days in August.  There is still more to come!

Blackberry Lilies are a Missouri Wildflower.  They are Self-Seeding as well as Perennial. They are called Blackberry because the seeds group together like large blackberries replacing the flowers which is just about as pretty!

The Blackberry Lily is highly draught resistant blooming in late July until mid-August.  The beautiful greenery adds striking color to the landscape well into Fall as it doesn't brown like the similar-looking iris leaves.

These are Surprise Lilies better known as Naked Ladies.  This photo was from last year as they do not come up until the hottest, driest time in August.  They just pop up from the ground from bulbs on a naked stem; no leaves!  I don't think they are native to Missouri but about every yard has some as they are very old and easy to divide and survive our winters.

This is a 2013 photo taken in early March of the same area as the above photo.  The greenery is about the earliest greenery that comes up even before tulips!  It is lush and welcomed but browns and dies completely in a few weeks with no flowering until mid to late August.  Surprise!  Just when you forget about them, they will WOW you with those dancing naked ladies in your yard that are also highly fragrant!

So here it is late July and the rain was not enough so I will have to go out and water my lovelies in the morning.  It is the beginning of drought season here in Missouri so having plants that need less water is best.  I have met my challenge of having plants of color and thriving in the yard from March to mid-October with cut flowers in the house.  I even have excess to share with neighbors and friends.  In late August the Blackberry Lilies and Naked Lady Lilies will be dominant with several Crepe Myrtle bushes in bright magenta color.  When the rains come back in September and October, we will begin the mums and continue with the marigolds.  These colors will brighten the browns, golds, and oranges that come with Autumn.  This year I am growing Exotic Pumpkins!  I hope to have some wonderful photos this Fall.