Moving On

It's been a year and half since that first post.  The surgery required retirement from employment.  Not only had our lifestyle eating habits and delights changed, but now living arrangements would also be impacted.

We relocated to our youngest daughter's and son-in-law's farm.  This was a mixed sweet and sour emotion for me as I was not ready to leave my home or employment, but so blessed to have a wonderful place to go to.  We would be living with one daughter's family and a lot closer to another daughter's family.  So wonderfully blessed with loving people and on a small family-operated farm.  Leaving old friends and moving on to new.  Leaving the old church and getting into a new one.  Leaving the job and not getting a new one.   I crashed emotionally.  My daughter asked a question and my answer showed that I thought my job defined who I was--I needed to rediscover myself in this new world.  Being near the grandchildren is a huge plus and involving them in various craft projects is a light and joy in my life.

Getting back to the diet thing.....We learned, through the experiences and trials of my dad who has had heart problems, surgeries and stents, that all dietary changes are not necessarily for the best.  The secret is in applying moderation to all food intake, particularly with salt and spices.  Without salt, there is a futuristic problem of a saline deficiency which creates another whole world of health issues.

The salt is back on the table as are other eatables that had been excluded and are used with moderation.  We ARE eating healthier with a higher concentration on vegetables and fruits and an exceptional creative daughter who has added "juicing" to our daily diets.  Her creations are wonderful and delicious,  The specialized juiced drinks do not replace meals by any stretch of the imagination, but add a delightful liquid snack to our daily eating routine.

On the farm, we enjoy the comfort and life of family, the healthy benefits of our garden, our own home-grown beef and pork void of all the steroids commercial foods contain.  And the best part of all..........

I don't do any of the cooking!  What a way to live!

Creating A New Lifestyle

Okay, so now I am trying to be as creative as I can with discovering, finding, and making new recipes, after many, many years of just simply cooking or preparing simple meats with some thought of cooking for a diabetic, and without thought of cooking for a healthy heart. My husband had open heart surgery - which was a great shock to both of us.  Following the surgery came a stern directive of what to and not to eat.

 We now have to rethink and relive the rest of our lives.....without fat, sugar and salt. What else is there? 

Shopping is a new experience and it takes two and a half hours to just pick up a few things after checking labels, comparing contents and looking at expiration dates. I am exhausted when I get home. I had little appeal for cooking to begin with and this has destroyed any that I did have. I am not a good cook. I have not, in my own opinion, ever been a good cook.  Oh, let's face it - I am simply not even a cook.

My challenge is HUGE at this point in my life. My husband has been spoiled with getting basically exactly what he wanted for meals and I learned very early in our marriage that I could not "plan meals" per say. He would often call midday and ask what I had planned for supper and then tell me that he wanted something else, which I would prepare for him (our family.). So, today, at this stage in our lives, not only am I frustrated with the shopping and meal planning at this point, for a husband I dearly love, who is a diabetic and is currently recuperating from open heart surgery, but I am frustrated with him as well. He is not eating...some of which can be blamed on the surgery, but most is, I fear, the lack of spices.  He has said, "it's bland--it tastes like cardboard". Although I can never remember fixing or serving cardboard for a meal.

I put salt substitute on his platter along with "Mrs. Dash," but he won't use it. We have talked some. And I have told him that things cannot be as there were, and he cannot have just what he likes. There is some hope for me - for us. I found a great recipe on line for "Crockpot Meatloaf" which fits into all his categories. Not only am I proud that I actually found it, and fixed it, but HE LIKED IT. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions with recipe ideas - easy to prepare, nothing fancy, and normal-type food. Any ideas?