I’ve been wanting to get a good blog out this past week, because I have lots to say. But, issues with my upper back have kept me from being at the computer for more than a few minutes at a time. Finally had MRI’s taken and saw a neurologist this week. Seems that there is quite a bit of degeneration of a couple cervical discs, causing nerve compression and pain in my shoulder and arm. The past six weeks have been pretty uncomfortable. Not much sleep. Anyway, he’s got me on prednisone, dalvane and hydrocodon for the moment, trying to get the inflammation and pain down. I have a couple nerve tests ordered in the next couple weeks, then another visit to the neurologist. I’m hoping it can be resolved without surgery. They recommended surgery two years ago and I’ve managed to escape it thus far. Ah…..we’ll see. The drugs help.

But taking drugs doesn’t help a bit while trying to convert to the Genotype Diet. And I have been one confused little puppy over which Genotype I REALLY fall under. I had several more measurings by outside sources. For about a week I decided that I was really a Gatherer, because one person had my lower legs longer than my upper legs. Even though the first person had the lower legs shorter than the upper legs. (Because of knowing my RH and secretor status, I have been able to skip some of the tests and use the advanced calculator in the back of the GTD book.) It was down to upper leg length determining between Explorer and Gatherer. It was interesting the week I was unsure. One day I’d eat Explorer beneficials, and the next day I would eat Gatherer beneficials. At least, knowing that turkey, lamb and grapefruit are on both lists, I was covered for breakfasts and lunches. And my beloved yogurt is off both lists, so you could say I was moving toward GTD compliance. And hubby was so excited about chicken being neutral for Explorer, we must have had it three times in the first two weeks! (He’s slowed down a bit now). Anyway, next time I saw my massage therapist we did the measurements word for word with the book. Even got a wooden chair so there would be no cushion factor in the measurements and we determined the upper legs were longer. Explorer.

I think I will still order the typing kit and check for strengths. (Maybe I’m not as sweet as I thought I was ). I think the big push will to get more sweat out of my exercise. I had definitely been a Gatherer in my BTD days as far as exercise. Golf, walking, pilates, yoga. Not a lot of sweat. As soon as I get my aforementioned physical problems addressed, I will work on the sweat. I can still do lower body pilates, and we have a recumbent stationary bike that I will work on for now.

Meanwhile, I think the prednisone has already put on a couple of pounds……..

It’s been tough waiting it out until the book got into my hands. We left for a short New Year’s trip to the California Desert. I could see that on December 27th, Amazon said my book was ‘Delivered’. Alas, it was in the hands of my mail-person. She kept it safe until it was delivered on January 3rd. What a mad couple of days trying to figure out which Genotype I am! I’m pretty confident on my measurements. I had my massage therapist do the height, torso and leg measurements yesterday, and my index fingers are definitely 1 or 2 centimeters longer than the ring fingers. And looking at the Advanced Calculators in the appendix of the book, it looks like except for one combination for Gatherer (of which my measurements are all opposite), I could be an Explorer……..or an Explorer!

I haven’t played much with the strength testing, I haven’t been able to do the fingerprinting yet. But those things I know, like Rh, body type, etc, still scores me as strong for Explorer. And I am very directionally challenged. I can’t find my way out of a paper bag sometimes. I’m allergic to most common antibiotics. And I love the buzz of caffeine.

I was so hoping to be a Nomad! I could live very happily on those food choices. In fact, I’d be in a virtual gustatory heaven! No such luck. There is no chance for a B- nonsecretor being admitted to Nomad-land.

Hubby has always been dismissive of BTD, and laughed when I showed him the GTD book and said “Look honey, a new diet!” He said some not so nice things about the good Doctor D, and we went on about our business. I must say he has been very good about cooking thinks for me according to BTD. He always buys lamb if he is having pork or chicken, etc. Well, when I told him that chicken was okay now, guess what we had for dinner last night? I’m a little leery of going whole hog on chicken, just because I haven’t eaten it for so long. But I didn’t have any noticeable ill effects.

Now, tonight he is cooking pot roast. I just don’t have the heart to tell him I have to lay off tomatoes and sweet potatoes for a few months. I’ll just eat around them. One thing I did decide to do was to finally give up coffee. I’ve been battling that demon the whole time on BTD. This morning it was a pot of green tea. Right now I’m sipping a licorice/peppermint tea. No headache yet. Might come tomorrow. I’ll get through it.

I’m still not ready to give up my bourbon yet. One big vice at a time.

Anyway, I’ll keep exploring (oh, bad pun!) this new diet. I still have a niggling feeling that I might be gatherer….but my torso is longer than my leg length and my lower leg is shorter than my upper leg. Ack! My destiny is set.

It’s been tough waiting it out until the book got into my hands. We left for a short New Year’s trip to the California Desert. I could see that on December 27th, Amazon said my book was ‘Delivered’. Alas, it was in the hands of my mail-person. She kept it safe until it was delivered on January 3rd. What a mad couple of days trying to figure out which Genotype I am! I’m pretty confident on my measurements. I had my massage therapist do the height, torso and leg measurements yesterday, and my index fingers are definitely 1 or 2 centimeters longer than the ring fingers. And looking at the Advanced Calculators in the appendix of the book, it looks like except for one combination for Gatherer (of which my measurements are all opposite), I could be an Explorer……..or an Explorer!

I haven’t played much with the strength testing, I haven’t been able to do the fingerprinting yet. But those things I know, like Rh, body type, etc, still scores me as strong for Explorer. And I am very directionally challenged. I can’t find my way out of a paper bag sometimes. I’m allergic to most common antibiotics. And I love the buzz of caffeine.

I was so hoping to be a Nomad! I could live very happily on those food choices. In fact, I’d be in a virtual gustatory heaven! No such luck. There is no chance for a B- nonsecretor being admitted to Nomad-land.

Hubby has always been dismissive of BTD, and laughed when I showed him the GTD book and said “Look honey, a new diet!” He said some not so nice things about the good Doctor D, and we went on about our business. I must say he has been very good about cooking thinks for me according to BTD. He always buys lamb if he is having pork or chicken, etc. Well, when I told him that chicken was okay now, guess what we had for dinner last night? I’m a little leery of going whole hog on chicken, just because I haven’t eaten it for so long. But I didn’t have any noticeable ill effects.

Now, tonight he is cooking pot roast. I just don’t have the heart to tell him I have to lay off tomatoes and sweet potatoes for a few months. I’ll just eat around them. One thing I did decide to do was to finally give up coffee. I’ve been battling that demon the whole time on BTD. This morning it was a pot of green tea. Right now I’m sipping a licorice/peppermint tea. No headache yet. Might come tomorrow. I’ll get through it.

I’m still not ready to give up my bourbon yet. One big vice at a time.

Anyway, I’ll keep exploring this new diet. I still have a niggling feeling that I might be gatherer….but my torso is longer than my leg length and my lower leg is shorter than my upper leg. Ack! My destiny is set.

The suspense is killing me. Of course, I’m talking about the Genotype Diet. I’ve watched the videos that have been posted on You Tube. I’ve read the first chapter, which can be read by anyone who pre-orders the book. I’ve read the discussions on the forum, trying to get glimpses from IfHI folks who know a bit more. It’s like waiting for Christmas. And Santa D’Adamo doesn’t get here until December 26.

I’m approaching the holiday season with the determination not to gain back the three pounds that I had finally lost after putting them on over last year’s holiday season. I’ve gotten through three hurdles unscathed. Our holiday season officially starts on October 25, which is hubby’s birthday. I make him a sinfully rich and wonderful chocolate cake. I do not adapt the recipe for BTD. He likes it in the original form. I never did have a full piece. Just a couple ‘slivers’ of it. Then it was my birthday. We went to a local restaurant and I had salmon with rice and cubed squash preceded by a Caesar salad. No bread, no dessert. Hubby did buy me an 84% chocolate bar, which I savored over a four-day period. For Thanksgiving we were invited to a friends house for dinner. It was a wonderful meal, and I didn’t question anything that I ate. I always follow Dr. D.’s advice on eating at friends and family. Eat it and keep the peace. There were abundant avoids and sodium in the dinner. When I woke up the next morning, my face was more swollen than I’d ever seen it before. It looked like a bag of water under my eye. It took a couple days to shake that one off. But, at this point I’m none the worse for the wear. I’m thinking I’ll try just to maintain sameness through the season rather than try to go through the New Year’s Resolution rigmarole for the umpteenth time.

I’m looking forward to our barbershop singing gigs this month. We’ve been practicing Christmas music since the middle of October. Our first one was supposed to be this evening at a resort about an hour’s drive away. There is snow up there, and they expect more tonight, so it was cancelled. How disappointing. But, it’s better not to chance a bunch of middle aged ladies stranded on the side of the road in the cold. We have plenty chances coming up in the next few weeks.

So, bundle up everyone in the US. Looks like a cold week ahead! Eat well!

Well, I’ve been just a little bit naughty about blogging. It’s been way too long. There just haven’t been a lot of BTD moments worth mentioning. I continue to strive each day for compliance. Some days are better than others. Some weeks are better than others. I am jealous of those on the forum that can elevate themselves above the fray and stay compliant most of the time.

I still allow a little wheat into the diet on occasion. It’s usually when eating away from home. And I do suffer for it. But, at this point, I suppose I’m willing to accept the puffy eyes and stuffy nose. Otherwise I wouldn’t eat it.

Hubby and I had another trip back East in September. A nephew was getting married, and attendance at the wedding was ‘mandatory’. We decided to add a leg to New York City, since neither of us had ever visited there. We had a wonderful time. We walked and walked and walked to every tourist attraction we could think of. We did the Empire State Building, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, the Financial District, Ground Zero, Times Square and that’s all I remember for now. And we ate wonderful food. The pizza, the pumpernickel bagel, the deli sandwich, the famous NYC hot dog. After all, they are tourist attractions, too! Even though we had names of famous restaurants at hand, all we had to do was walk a block or two from our hotel and found wonderful restaurants from different parts of the world. It amazed me that we spent less on fine dining in the big city than we do at our regular haunts here in our tiny town.

It took a week to detox from that. But, I can’t say I regret a bite of it.

My mother is thriving well in my brother’s home. She’s put on a little weight and her color is much better. Her mind is a lot sharper, too. She is still angry about having to move, and I suppose she always will. But my mind is at rest over her wellbeing now.

Daughter is in mid-semester at her new college. I’ve told her she must stay put till she graduates! We are getting too old to move her every year. She seems happier now. She’s making friends and finally having a social life. She’s coming home next weekend so we can get winter tires put on her car. It will be good to have a little visit.

I have been taking the Shitake extract for cholesterol since my last entry. I’ll probably get my lipids tested next month to see how it’s working.

And so it goes…….