Learning Florida History

I can tell you a lot about Michigan history and the influence of the French fur traders and the Jesuits, but in my new state, I don't know a whole lot beyond Ponce de Leon.  On Monday, I went on a tour of a beautiful spot just up the road called Historic Spanish Point.  It was a nice day to walk around and soak up the history, that ranged from shell mounds that date to 300 AD, pioneer life in Florida as part of the Homestead Act after the Civil War and finally the facinating story of Bertha Honore' Palmer, a Chicago heiress and one of the first official snowbirds.  There were stories of burial mounds, cattle ranches, orange groves and million dollar real estate deals that made Sarasota what it is today.

We walked on trails through the thick tropical vegetation, imagining clearing it without power tools.  There were no roads, so travel and shipping of the orange crops was by boat on Sarasota Bay.  The homesteaders picked the spot for its beauty, but the early native Americans picked it for its abundance of shellfish and protection from hurricanes due to its sheltered position on the Gulf.  The plants, trees and restored buildings were beautiful and it's a place I would love to visit again.  And, as an added bonus, now I know the historical significance of the names of the streets I drive every day.

Happy Thursday!

Slow and Steady

Yesterday held a significant milestone in my journey towards better health.

Over the past nine years, since my diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes, I have been all in on changing my
lifestyle and becoming more healthy.  It's been a slow and steady process that includes diet, exercise
and stress reduction. Along with improved A1c numbers, (3 month blood glucose average) I have
continued to lose weight over the nine years.  Yesterday, I hit my goal weight.  I have never gone up more than a couple of pounds in that time and I might hit a plateau here and there, but the weight has continued to fall off.   I think now that I have reached this goal, I may even work at losing another 5 pounds.

How did I do it?

Diet and Medication

It's important to ask your doctor to prescribe weight lowering diabetic medication, rather than weight
gaining if possible.  They might not tell you, but there is a difference.

My diet is one that has evolved over the years and I do not deprive myself of anything.  I eat
breakfast, a small snack, a later lunch that has the majority of my daily carbs and a light dinner or
protein/carb snack.  I count carb servings all day.  If I want dessert, I have it.  But, it will be a small piece of cake, one cookie or maybe even just a few bites.  Low carb ice cream, Bai coconut water and Truvia for baking are my secret weapons.

Wine does not really effect my blood sugar, but bananas send it soaring.  You learn what works for you.  I rarely snack and having given up caffeine a few years ago, do not drink much soda.  I used to drink regular coke and can't even imagine drinking one now.

Exercise

Immediately after my diagnosis, I started to walk at least 5 days every week.  I also stared yoga
which I love and has helped me build strength.  Since moving to Florida, there is no excuse not to get
outside.  Year around golf is a wonderful perk. I will never be one to go to the gym, but the important
thing is to move each day.  I also exercise later in the day to help my overnight blood sugar spikes.
My goal for this year is to try some new kind of exercise, like a Barre class.

Stress Reduction

This is probably the hardest to acheive, because life happens to us all.  But, I have learned to distance myself from things that cause stress, sometimes taking a step back if needed.  I quit my job when I could see what it was doing to my blood sugar levels and while not realistic for all, reduce that stress any way you can.

Yoga is a great way to acheive peace for the hour during the practice, as well as the way that peace stays with you.

 I hate the words self care, but it works.

There are no quick fixes to good health, but I am here to tell you it can be done if you are willing to make even some small changes.

Happy Thursday!

Weeknight Minestrone Soup

There are a lot of ways to get your veggies everyday, but my very favorite is in a delicious bowl of soup.  I saw this recipe for Weeknight Minestrone Soup on the Instagram stories of Lemon Grove Lane .  She talks a lot about healthy eating and I find her really inspirational.  I was especially drawn to this recipe, since it was filled with veggies and substituted a couple of potatoes for the pasta you often find in minestrone.  It also has carrots, celery, green beans, tomatoes and spinach.

The original recipe called for rainbow chard, but my neighborhood Publix did not have it, so I used the same amount of spinach.  I didn't have the Parmesean rind either, but added a handful of grated Parmesan at the very end.

This recipe is billed as easy enough for a week night, and I would agree.  The hardest part was the
chopping, but after you have everything ready to go in the soup pot, you basically simmer until the veggies are done.  I added the spinach at the very end, so it would not be over cooked.  You can find the original recipe here.  It's healthy and delicious; my favorite combination. Enjoy!

Have a wonderful weekend!