Those Euro's and Their Hazelnuts...

And BLESS 'em for their particular passion for the wee rounded things as today, while shopping at our favo organic store in a nearby ville, (I've been rather laid up for some days and SO HAPPY to be out 'n about again!), P and I picked up our first ever jar of hazelnut butter.

(Just roasted, pureed, organic hazelnuts, with no salt or sugar etc. added.)

AND--WOWWWWWW, DROOOOOL, BLISS!

Simply the aroma of it upon opening was enough to set my mouth a-watering.

Good thing we broke the seal after lunch or the thing would have likely been in grave danger.

Can't wait to get my snack on, (in moderation, of course), with this viscous, liquid, fatty goodness.

For the health nuts and curious, you can check out its nutrition profile here. (One of my favo nutrition sites.)

That is all today, with of course the recommendation to give this stuff a go should you come across it out there.

Nothing like having healthy choices like these around the house when those 4pm cookie monsters start to stir. 

 bon ap et bon vibes,

: J

Something's Fishy

Hello again, Readers,

This'll be a short one and one that I'm hoping will be helpful to many, not only those of us with kidney damage.

It's just the sharing of the one of the fruits of my recent googlings as, if my triglycerides don't come down significantly after the prednisone is out of my system, then likely, more drugs will have to be taken.

And as usual, said drugs are not particularly advised for those with severe kidney damage soooooo, I just wrote my Nephrologist an email inquiring if fish oil is a prescribable supplement.

With my question I also sent a few lines from this pubmed study that I wanted to share:

"The effects of fish oils supplemented with 0.3 IU/g and 1.5 IU/g of vitamin E were compared in a double-blind, cross-over study. Twelve healthy volunteers were given 30 mL/day of either oil for 3 wk. Intake of the vitamin E-rich fish oil resulted in a marked decrease in serum triglycerides (48%) and in fibrinogen (11%). After administration of the low vitamin E-containing oil there was a considerably smaller reduction of serum triglycerides and no significant reduction of fibrinogen. Both oils caused an increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol and a decrease in the atherogenic index, but neither oil altered the total cholesterol level. Serum vitamin E was decreased by 9% and plasma malondialdehyde was increased by 122% after intake of the low vitamin E-containing oil, but both remained normal after intake of the other oil. The effect of vitamin E may be due to inhibition of fatty acid peroxidation with less formation of malondialdehyde and a larger amount of active (n-3) fatty acids in their sites of action in the liver, resulting in a greater decrease in the synthesis of triglycerides and fibrinogen."

Nice, eh?  'Course to many, this is far from news, (though I wasn't privy to the benefits of vitamin E with fish oil), and even though it's easy to find endless sources of information on the subject of fish oil out there in cyberspace, I prefer to have my info in scholarly writing.

Oh, and in other meds-news, I can now officially take ONE LESS MEDICATION PER DAY!

NICE.

I briefly saw my Neph on Friday and asked if there were any meds I could discontinue and wow, I'm sure glad I asked.

Ahem.

So that's all folks.

Autumnal vibes,

J

Roch of Ages

Hello again, Readers,

Writing today with a breaking heart for a dear and beloved cousin and friend who, after 25 brave and beautiful years of giving the royal finger to Cancer, (a rare thyroid type, inoperable), is now in the hospital again, no longer being treated, after some weeks of the docs pulling out all the stops to try to save him.

His name is Roch, the most aptly named person I have ever known.

He is now being kept comfortable and though I'm told he's not able to speak he is still sharing moments of precious consciousness, with that ole twinkle in his eyes sparkling now and then.

Here he is back in '09:

I guess what I really want to do here is celebrate his well-lived life, his borderless heart and all the gifts he has given to so many, (he is a counselor and life coach and has helped a great number of folks find their ways back to peacefulness).

He is now surrounded by beautiful, loving family and no doubt getting lots of visits from so many friends and though I wish I too could be there to hold his hand and probably cry all over the poor guy, I know that he can feel this.

He has been a shining light to me, especially during my years of chronic illness/treatment/illness from treatment, etc., as if anyone is an expert in that field, it is he and I thank him.

I thank him for being able to walk in to a room and fill it with softness.

I thank him for being an exemplary example of the fighting spirit.

I thank him for reaching out to so many, even at times when I know that he just wanted to fall down.

I thank him for his supporting me from afar, (he has posted here before under the name "Rocky").

I thank him for making the time to see me last summer when I visited Canada. 

I thank Vancouver Island for being his supernatural and much gentler-weathered home during one of the coldest winters his hometown, (Edmonton, Canada), had seen in years.  I know living on that island for those months did his soul a world of good.

I just thank him.

And I will miss him.

And I have a feeling I will see him again--not in Paris, like we had talked about last year, but somewhere/when.

(((((((((((THANK YOU, ROCH)))))))))).

J