I said that I was making changes to my life and here is one of the results: the blood pressure data I collected from December 5th to January 5th. You can see that it is mostly variable, yet there is a general decrease in the diastolic (pressure at rest following the beat of the heart), which is very good.   Still the numbers are elevated and need to come down more. 

Following my doctor's orders, I have modified my diet and record how much and what I eat. I shall paste my month of wellness below so you can see what I've eaten. The doctor said to make small changes so that I can maintain them over time, but I think I've made medium changes...eating more vegetables and grains and dramatically reducing my sodium intake. Unfortuneatly, sodium is in everything. Right now at school, our water is softened with sodium and you find it in nearly every type of food. I'm not even sure that sodium is my biggest enemy but it helps to reduce it! 

This all being said, I think I've lost a few pounds (5 to be exact), and I'm supposed to visit the doctor today, so I'm bringing this data, my month of diet change, and my blood pressure monitor and questions with me for my visit.

JENN's MONTH OF DIET CHANGE

December 5 2008

24 oz of coffee with cream
2 pieces of dominos pizza (departmental holiday party)
Accident  BP- 200/122 and 15 minutes later is was 178/96 (in emergency room)
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December 8, 2008. BP- 170/110

Apples and spice oatmeal packet mixed with Regular oatmeal packet
24 ounce coffee with half and half
2 excedrin migraine tablets (500mg each)

2 small granny smith apples

two handfuls of pre-cut lettuce from a bag
1 can Progresso Chicken Corn Chowder soup
1 amlodipine tablet
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December 9, 2008

Apples and spice oatmeal packet mixed with Regular oatmeal packet
16 ounce coffee with half and half
1 amlodipine tablet always taken between 8-8:30 am…
2 excedrin migraine tablets (250mg each) woke with slight headache; knee hurt

1.5 serving curry cous cous with one cut-up sausage; made using olive oil (real good!)
1 small granny smith apple
2 excedrin migraine tablets (250mg each)

3 pm could feel my neck get stiff and jaw get tight, as in the onset of a migraine

2 excedrin migraine tablets (250mg each)
remainder of curried cous cous with sausage
2 peanut butter granola bars

cholesterol result- 170 (149-199) Desirable level corresponding to lower risk for heart disease
sugar level    85 (80-110) good!
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December 10, 2008

Woke up with a migraine headache; light sensitive but no nausea- 3 excedrin
1 amlodipine tablet

1 peanut butter flavored granola bar
24 oz coffee with half and half
small cheese steak hoagie with small amount of ketchup and honey mustard
handful of organic blue corn chips
small granny smith apple
-
1 can Progresso Chicken corn chowder soup

all night long suffered from head ache emanating from my left eye and jaw…hurt like hell…on web found “cluster or suicide headache description that seemd like what I had…
worked on bicycle all night (intermittently)

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December 11, 2008

Feeling better…no aspirin
1 amlopidine tablet

1 bowl fresh pineapple
1 can healthy choice select low sodium Italian wedding soup
1 serving of gingerbread cookies (5 little cookies)

lightly floured and seasoned chicken breasts (fried in olive oil)
mixed vegetables (frozen- nothing added)
2 servings of sun chips….

1 beer…from pub?
Orange juice
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December 12, 2008

2 packets Maple brown sugar oatmeal
1 16 oz cup of coffee with half and half
1 amlodipine tablet
1 banana

checked blood pressure at CVS173/110 and 3 minutes later 143/100

1 peanut butter granola bar…missed lunch due to work

cold chicken from previous night dipped in BBQ sauce (small amount)
mixed vegetables reheated
2.5 servings of gingerbread cookies

1/2 pint homemade beer
1 stout at pub
1 piece of stout cheese cake- made by Smith
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December 13, 2008

2 packets Maple brown sugar oatmeal
1 16 oz cup of coffee with half and half
1 amlodipine tablet
1 banana

2.5 servings gingerbread cookies
cut up 2 pieces of chicken breast from the other day and stir fried mixed vegetables; tiny amount of teriaki sauce added for flavor (big lunch)
 
marinated shrimp in Cajun sauce (turned out to be rather salty) and mixed vegetables (which were bland)
ice cream sandwich

bought my own blood pressure reader from CVS

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December 14, 2008
BP- 161/101 and 156/95

2 packets of oatmeal- one plain and one maple brown sugar
1 banana
1 16 oz cup of coffee with half and half
1 amlodipine tablet

mixed vegetables reheated with leftover shrimp (only a few)…

10 minutes of rowing 117 cals burnt; 2092 m rowed

Omelet wrap…2 scrambled eggs with 1 sausage and a pinch of cheese…tiny squirt of ketchup
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December 15, 2008
BP-155/100 at 9:30 am

2 packets of oatmeal- one plain and one maple brown sugar
1 banana
1 16 oz cup of coffee with half and half
1 amlodipine tablet

1 peanut butter granola bar

3 chicken fingers- floured and fried in olive oil with Mrs Dash seasoning; no salt ketchup
broccoli- blanched and sautéed in olive oil with Mrs Dash
4 sugar cookies

BP 155/96? 9:24 pm
rowed 10 mins; 120 cals; 2111 m
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December 16, 2008
BP 150/98; pulse 65

1 amlodipine tablet
2 packets of oatmeal- one plain and one maple brown sugar
1 16 oz cup of coffee with half and half

heated broccoli in pan, added 2 scrambled eggs, cheese, made a wrap; w/ no salt ketchup
1 sugar cookie

rowed 10 mins ;123 cals; 2142 m
BP 164/95; pulse 82

3 chicken fingers cut up and mixed with whole grain and brown rice; mixed in mixed vegetables from yesterday too…not bad!!!

2 sugar cookies…
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December 17, 2008
BP 152/93; 77

1 amlodipine tablet
1 packet of oatmeal- maple brown sugar
1 banana
1 16 oz cup of coffee with half and half
1 sugar cookie

leftovers (chicken, whole grain and brown rice and mixed vegetables) from yesterdays dinner…stir fried with a little squirt of a low-ish sodium marinade sauce
2 sugar cookies

BP 145/89; 74
Rowed 10 mins; 122 cals; 2,138 m

Half a bag of lettuce
1 banana
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December 18, 2008
BP-151/96; 62 pulse

1 amlodipine tablet
1 packet of oatmeal- maple brown sugar
1 banana
1 16 oz cup of coffee with half and half

leftovers (chicken, whole grain and brown rice and mixed vegetables) from yesterdays dinner…stir fried with a little squirt of a low-ish sodium marinade sauce
4 sandies shortbread cookies

1 root beer float
1 IPA at pub
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December 19, 2008
BP-148/91;62

1 amlodipine tablet
2 packets of oatmeal- maple brown sugar mixed with regular
1 banana
1 24 oz cup of coffee with half and half

3 pierogies with mrs dash and no salt ketchup
1 cheese steak hoagie with no salt ketchup

better health works…online link…capbluecross.com
rowed 10 mins; 122 cals; 2139

Chunkys Healthy Select Chicken corn chowder (half the sodium)
1 IPA at Pub (unless they have stout on tap)
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December 20, 2008
BP- 138/90; 64 pulse…woke feeling better than I have in two weeks! First blood pressure reading was a little higher but I had just gotten out of bed with kitty nagging me….

1 amlodipine tablet
1 Banana
2 servings low sodium Granola
2 sugar cookies

Scotzin Bro party- 3 small meatballs and a little weinie

4 sugar cookies
lots of Spaghetti and meat (sausage) sauce; I used a low sodium sauce but got carried away eating….

2 IPAs at pub
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December 21, 2008

Woke up extremely thirsty! And with a slight headache…did not feel as well as day before!!!!!!!
BP- 158/97;57

1 amlodipine tablet
1 Banana
2 packets of maple & brown sugar oatmeal
24 oz of coffee with half and half

recooked spaghetti and sausage (sprinkled a little parmesan cheese on top)
5 lettuce mix
1 sugar cookie

1 pint firkin at pub
1 Christmas sugar cookie at pub (not very good)

rowed 10 minutes; 124 cals, 2157 m

finished lettuce mix; handful of grape tomatoes
3 small pieces of lightly floured chicken fried in olive oil
2 pieces of whole grain toast with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top
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December 22, 2008
Woke up feeling better
BP 143/90; 61; 150/92; 61

1 amlodipine tablet
1 Banana
2 packets of maple & brown sugar oatmeal
3 sugar cookies

low sodium chicken soup

fried spaghetti with sausage; toast with olive oil and fresh parmesan
no exercise
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December 23, 2008
BP 155/101; 61; 150/99;62

Rowed 15 mins; 179 cals; 3177 m

1 amlodipine tablet
2 eggs scrambled; tiny amount of no salt ketchup
2 pieces of toast with light sprinkling of parmesan
1 Banana

2 granola bars

last of the spaghetti w/ a little parmesan
a chicken breast (I was starving from not eating all day)
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December 24, 2008
BP 155/93; 149/93; 60

1 amlodipine tablet
1 banana
1 serving granola

1 chicken breast half
2 servings of low sodium macaroni and cheese

rowed only 11 mins (just got tired of it)

dinner at Kim and Tim Dodge’s house….got very sick
Ham
Scalloped potatoes
Green bean casserole
Brocolli

One pint of Dubblebach
One glass red wine

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December 25, 2008
BP 139/93; 71 pulse; 145/91;68

1 amlodipine tablet
3 strips of bacon
2 scrambled eggs with a bit of cheese
hash browns

no lunch

chicken breast
macaroni and cheese leftover
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December 26, 2008
BP 150/89; 62 pulse

1 amlodipine tablet
2 packets of maple and brown sugar oatmeal
banana
1 tasty cake (candy cake)

healthy helping- mixed whole grain & brown rice w/ chopped up chicken breast & mixed vegetables

rowed 15 mins, 179 cals, 3160 m

pint of IPA at pub 
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December 27, 2008
BP 151/89; 52 pulse? Check the memory…

1 amlodipine tablet
1 granola bar
2 dunkin donouts sprinkled donuts
1 large coffee with cream

Christmas dinner:
1 guiness
1 Beamish
ham with mustard sauce
stuffing (high sodium)
baked carrots
scalloped potatoes
salad (spinach leaves, almond chips, vingrette dressing)
2-3 sugar cookies
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December 28, 2008

Woke to intruder from loving care home BP-159/99; 83 pulse
BP after….156/93; 75 pulse

1 amlodipine tablet
scrambled egg with hash browns, parmesan cheese, and spaghette sauce…ate tiny bit and through out the rest- yuck!….
Granola bar

1 serving Whole grain and brown rice with chicken and mixed vegetables
2 sugar cookies
lemonade

2 sugar cookies
grape tomatoes
lamb stew (lamb, carrots, celery, potatoes, onions, spices)
1 bottle double cream stout
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December 29, 2008
BP 148/82; 53

1 Amlopidine tablet
3 excedrin aspirin
4 buckwheat pancakes (1 egg, ½ cup half & half, 1 tbsp oil, ¾ cup buckwheat mix) syrup & butter
1 banana
24 oz of coffee with half and half

bowl of lamb stew
toast with parmesan cheese
1 sugar cookie

1 banana
handful of cherry tomatoes
2 sugar cookies
Bear naked peanut butter granola (yuck cocnut!)
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December 30, 2008
BP 151/89; 60

1 amlopidine tablet
buckwheat pancakes (butter and syrup)
1 banana
24 oz coffee with half and half

1 bowl lamb stew
2 pieces of toast with parmesan cheese
1 sugar cookie

2 sugar cookies
mixed leftover whole grain and brown rice veg/chicken with ladle of lamb stew..yummy!
cranberry juice
banana

Rode around town on my bicycle (to school, to Cole’s hardware store and home)

pm BP 145/95; 60
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December 31, 2008
BP 144/89; 59

1 amlopidine tablet
1 banana
I packet maple brown sugar oatmeal
16 oz of coffee

1 bowl of lamb stew (watered down a little due to salt…I didn’t finish broth too)
3 pieces of chocolate

1 bowl of lamb stew (watered down a little due to salt…I didn’t finish broth too)
2 pieces of whole grain toast with parmesan cheese on it
2 pints homemade beer (IPA)

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January 1, 2009
BP 150/90; 59

1 amlopidine tablet
1 banana
I packet maple brown sugar oatmeal
16 oz of coffee

1 bowl of lamb stew (watered down a little due to salt…I didn’t finish broth too)
2 pieces of whole grain toast with sprinkle of parmesan cheese
glass of cranberry juice

rode my bicycle down to the end of the Isle of Que- 20 mins

1 serving steamer green peas (fresh-dropped in boiling water and left to steam/blanch)
1 serving fried red potatoes (spiced- no salt)
1 serving of shrimp- fried in olive oil with a little butter…spiced
1 glass cranberry juice
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January 2, 2009
BP 131/84;60? (taken in bed)

1 amlopidine tablet
1 banana
I packet maple brown sugar oatmeal
16 oz cup of cocoa

leftovers- steamer green peas in pods, shrimp, fried potatoes

rode my bicycle down to the end of the Isle of Que against a strong S wind- 30 mins

1 smoked hamburger with maille and no salt ketchup
2 servings macarooni and cheese
banana

1 ice cream soda
1 pint of IPA
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January 3, 2009
BP 145/90; 139/89; 60 (taken in bed)

2 eggs scrambled with sprinkle of parmesan cheese
2 links of sausage
1 amlopidine tablet

no lunch

rode my bicycle down to the end of the Isle of Que against a strong S wind- 30 mins

reheated, lean hamburger with no salt ketchup and parmesan
left over macaroni and cheese
banana

2 IPAs at brew pub
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January 4, 2009
BP 150/90; 137/89;70 (taken in bed)

1 amlopidine tablet
2 hot cakes with butter and syrup at Kinfolks restaurant
2 cups of coffee with cream
1 glass of orange juice

lamb stew (watered down- last bowl)
3 sugar cookies

grape tomatoes
1 banana
bearly naked original granola
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January 5, 2009
BP 145/85; 60

1 banana
1 amlopidine tablet
1 packet of oatmeal

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For my New Years celebration,  I stayed home and worked on the "Maestro". I'm trying to get as much work done as possible before the start of school. 

New Years Day I ate the tradition seafood dinner...I fried some sliced red potatoes with spices, blanched some Green Giant Pea Snapper steamers, and lightly floured some shrimp before frying them in a small amount of olive oil/butter. It was all very yummy and I had the leftovers for lunch today! And it was still yummy.

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B-Dawg was the chef this Christmas and his food was outstanding!

He made a light salad of spinache leaves and things to add to the salad (chopped almonds, vinegrette, bacon, cheese), honey mustard glazed ham with sauce to match, yummy au gratin potatoes, stuffing (from Wegmans) and baked carrots. Afterwards, there were twice baked potatoes (that could have stood a third baking) and a smoked turkey, that was shuffled back into the fridge for dinner. Everything was great!

To drink we had a case of Guinness, an assortment of beers brough by Charlie, and a warm, spiced, cider wine. Desert consisted of sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies that Becky and Lauren made, respectively.

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For a few weeks, some of my "beer" poems graced this page. Now they grace the monthly menus at the brew pub. As I mentioned to the owner, the poems aren't so much about the beer, but moreso about the atmosphere of the pub. If you ever find yourself in Selinsgrove, you must go to there, down to the basement of the Governor's Mansion, the only limestone building in town. The beer is outstanding!!! And the people at the pub make it a real nice social place. If you  find yourself there with no way of getting a hold of me, just ask someone at the bar if they know Professor Hoo Hoo (I'm a Temple Owl), and they'll find a way of getting ahold of me.

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Let's talk birthday cake....
Mom's cakes were always the best! I loved how the icing encapsulated the cake, like a tight fitting, colorful chrysalis. It became hardened, which was very different from bakery and other icings. The cake inside was always the same, some Duncan Hines mix, with or without the egg yolks added.

When mom didn't make the cake, she bought it at Gable's Bakery. I loved Gable's Bakery cakes too, because they were so sugary sweet! After my birthday in May, right before she died, she placed the remains of my last Gable's cake in the freezer for the next time I would be home. I had to drive to West Virginia to help teach at a geology field camp on my birthday, so my visit home was brief. Within the next month, I was home to help bury her. While she was in the hospital, I found the pieces of cake, individually wrapped, waiting for my return.  It was a bitter sweet memory of my last happy day with her and the family. And before she passed, one of the most lucent dreams I've ever had was eating the birthday cake with her, in the hotel room where we were staying the morning she died. It was surreal!

So, here's to Mom's brithday cakes.....We have a number of birthdays coming up in January (Justin, Charlie, Danielle, Stuart)... I've made a little movie that I hope you will enjoy...happy birthday for web.mov

Just click it and think back to those delicous cakes and the sweetness of being a kid again! By the way, Beef kind of lost on on the birthday filming....make sure you go out of your way to wish him a happy 35th!!!!

Also, 7 kids, 2 cakes (one at the house on the hill or in the fort and one at home) and 18 years (at least)....126x2= 252 cakes for just the kids...
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