26,229 days PLUS ONE! (and an interesting website)





Gratuitous photo' to get your attention! 
My reformed diet is not because I am a virtuous person.  It's because I truly need to take care of my health.

Those who have known me for a while know that I have a less than sensible relationship with my weight and BMI.

I balloon up to about 189 lbs,  suffer the consequences of hypertension, and then "get smart" again until I am down to about 166 lbs.

Then I get lazy and careless, and the upward spiral starts all over again. 'T'aint good.

In common with many other retirees I sometimes eat simply to "fill the time". When that eating includes large amount of cheese (my particular weakness), and salty snacks -  well then it's just a matter of months before I am back where I started.

(I truly understand why many people with diabetes find it very difficult to stay on diet. Nagging them does not help).

 Coffee is another one of my weaknesses. It's not been unusual for me to drink five 8 oz mugs of caffienated coffee a day.  That of course adds to hypertension, and to dehydration.

I am trying to content myself with two mugs of "half-caff" in the morning.  I am drinking lots of water.

There are immediate benefits.  I am sleeping much better, and I now hardly ever get those leg cramps which make walking a chore.

Fortunately I like whole grain breads, other grains in cooked meals, and good vegetables. Lunch today was very good:  Quinoa, lentils, black beans, and "Morning Star" brand "Grillers Crumbles" (the latter being a great substitute for beef in soups or casseroles),

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And then there is CHOCOLATE.

 I grew up in the U.K.  with the myths that "Cadbury's" Chocolate was the best in the world, and that the British Empire was the most gracious and benevolent force for good -  the finest Empire there had ever been!

About chocolate -  once I discovered Belgian and Swiss chocolate I came to realize that Cadbury's is a rather inferior product (that's a hard realization for  a Bristol U.K. boy, Bristol being the home of  Fry's Chocolate - part of the Cadbury group).



As for the Empire?  Take a look at Irish, Indian or Kenyan history to get the other, and grim  side of the story.

For example see this:   http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/irish-the-forgotten-white-slaves-says-expert-john-martin-188645531-237793261.html

(Having "dissed" Cadburys and the Empire  I risk being refused entry into the U.K.!)

 Now I have learned that a daily  2 oz portion  of dark  (77% cacao) chocolate is useful in combating hypertension. I have never cared for dark chocolate, but I am learning to like it.  Fortunately "Trader Joe's" sells a relatively inexpensive Belgian made  77% cacao chocolate  - a full 1lb bar lasts for eight days.

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 BUT OF COURSE you must be bored with the details of my diet.  So am I!

 But it's my diversion from the ghastly, deadly,  and dreary worlds of Senator Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, David Cameron and George Osborne.

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 PLEASE RELIEVE YOUR BOREDOM by looking at this site, and thereby discovering how many days, or hours, or  seconds have elapsed since your birth

http://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html

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