Being In Health

My doctor is somewhat happy with the improvements in my general condition but there are things that she is not happy with. I have a tendency to slip up far too often so she is kicking my butt with a program she's designed for slackers. Program starts tomorrow and lasts for 30 days. I signed an actual contract to participate and follow orders exactly so I have no excuse. This was not a suggestion, this is something of an order. She's figured out that if I give my word on something I will follow through unless physically incapable of doing so.

For the next 30 days I have to give up eating bread, biscuits, rolls, pasta, rice, white potatoes, cake, cookies, pie, cereals with sugar in them, ice cream and candy. No honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, or any artificial sweeteners of any kind. I can eat oatmeal as long as it's not instant and doesn't contain any fruits unless I add them myself from fresh or frozen. If I buy frozen I have to look for no sugar added. No sausage, bacon, hot dogs or any lunch meats. If that's not punishment enough, I now must participate in a 20 minute yoga session daily plus a 30 minute walk. The walk must contain two 5 minute intervals of brisk movement but otherwise can be moderately paced. Aaaand there needs to be weight lifting 3 days a week. HELP!

There are 10 of us participating and we all volunteered for this. She got us to volunteer before we found out the scope of the deprivation involved. There were 12 of her patients that expressed an interest but the email for today reminding us the program starts tomorrow stated 2 will not be joining us. I don't have to join the others on Saturday at the gym. A decision she made, due to my various types of arthritis and the diagnosis of Reiters Disease. The condition of my right hip prevents me from using a treadmill, elliptical, or any machine that determines the pace of my movement. I have to work with the pace my hip sets and some days that's slow. Hence the moderate pace for walking with the two brisk intervals not longer than 5 minutes each.

She talked me into this program because my blood pressure has been creeping up and neither of us wishes to increase my medications so I have to try this in order to get it back down again. Day 30 happens on May 23 and I have an appointment on May 24. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and tomorrow I'm heading out to the grocery store to drop a bundle on fruits and veggies. I should have gone today but decided I wanted to spend my last day before the torture begins just being lazy.

Another task we need to do is journal our thoughts as this program advances. I'm planning on using this blog for that because I don't really want to listen to some at my other blog site who seem to feel they know more than my medical professional about what I should and shouldn't be doing. They mean well, some of them anyway, I just don't trust myself to remain calm with them while undergoing a sugar deprivation. That could get tricky and elevate my blood pressure which I really don't need.