Losing weight

As many people are probably doing this time of year, I am trying to lose weight. I have got two inspirations to spur me on. The Biggest Loser TV programme and free Slimming World booklets that came with the paper the other week. I went on the S World website the other day to check my BMI and got a shock. It had gone up a few points and am in the 'at risk' section. As I have numerous health issues already, I don't want to add to them. So am taking this seriously. I am trying follow the S World Food Optimising plan were Free Foods are foods such as fruit and veg, and carbs as well as lean meat and poultry. I had been cutting out the dessert I used to have after dinner and have it for supper instead of crackers. It had been going well until this morning when I got stomach pains. So now I am changing tack as I think it's too much fruit and veg for me. Instead I will have crackers for supper not the tinned fruit and ice dessert I'd been having. We shall see what happens now. I had gone down half a pound from yesterday this morning. I have also been trying to measure my Oat milk so that I have their right amount, but if I want a piece of goat's cheese for lunch/dinner,like today, then I will have less milk. I still have my ryvitas for lunch but don't know if these count as healthy extras or syns. I am thinking of joining an online group but it costs money to do so, and don't know if I want to spend that money. I think if I do then I won't go to either a retreat or conference this year. We shall see. Will put my updates on here when they arrive.

Xmas recycling

So, what did you recycle at Xmas? I hope it was a lot. We had the usual plus wrapping paper (without the sellotape on), tetrapaks, plastic inserts from cake boxes, crisp packets and more. By the time the bin men came to collect it a day late, the bin was almost full. Hurrah.

I also sent off a lot of stamps to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. The next charity to benefit from us will be the Woodland Trust. I took down all our cards today, and will take them to Sainsbury's and put them in the box for cards to go to the Trust. What will you do with all your cards?

We still have a lot of festive goodies to eat, so still lots of recycling to do. Hurrah.

I wish you all a happy new year. One of being green, natural and eating healthily (after all the goodies have gone that is).

Xmas eating with intolerances

So it is Xmas time now, and what do we eat when we have intolerances to milk, soya and gluten. Here is my list:

Turkey - we have bought a breast joint from Iceland, which is usually v nice and don't get any waste. We have managed to find gluten-free stuffing by Hale and Hearty from Sainsbury's. Spuds and veg are fine. We will have our usual veg stock we have with roast dinners.

Puddings - we have bought Freefrom toffee puddings, but the only custard we find is one made with soya. It's only once a year. I have also got Sheep's milk yogurt with live bacteria in (good for the digestive system). We already have ice dessert. We did buy Ballybleat ice dessert the other day. It is v nice but too creamy in taste to have much of. We have bought gluten-free mince pies and bakewell tarts. Though I did cheat earlier in the week and had mince pies from a bakers, and paid the price. I ended up with IBS for a couple of days and now am trying not to have any naughties today.

Biccies etc - We bought pink wafers and shortbread fingers, both are freefrom. We tried Raspberry Golden Crunch biccies the other day and they are v nice - bought from Holland and Barretts.

Crisps - Mum will have Walkers baked crisps and I have Sunbites. We have also bought a mixed pack of Walkers and Pringles for our family visitors on Boxing Day. I also have pale peaunts and Mum has salted peanuts.

Sweets - we have Turkish Delight and mallows. Dark chocolate. I expect to get some more sweets from my brother on Boxing Day. We have a tin of Quality Street for visitors, and Mum has already had one.

Lunch - probably left over turkey with salad stuff, goat's cheese and hard boiled egg. We also have bought mini breadsticks for the family. Any left over will be eaten by me as Mum can't eat wheat for sure now.

I think that's it. Next year I will be v good and not have any dairy stuff again. Definitely no baker's mince pies. Learnt my lesson already.

Mouthwashes

Do you use a mouthwash with alcohol in? If you do, like I did, did you know that the alcohol can dry your mouth out? I read this somewhere a while ago, so bought a bottle without alchohol in. I had trouble finding one as they either had no alcohol and nasty chemicals in, or alcohol. I managed to find one, DentyActive, that is alcohol-free and no chemicals in except fluoride. I went to the dental hygienist the other day, and she told me that if you use alchohol mouthwash and non-fluoride toothpaste, then it can cause tooth decay. Prob cos as the alcohol dries the mouth out, there is no saliva to wash out the germs in your mouth, and the fluoride helps protect the mouth. So I have compromised. I use my organic toothpaste in the morning. In the afternoon I use mouthwash with fluoride. In the evening I use fluoride toothpaste. So it can build up and protect over night.

So, I would advice to find a mouthwash with no alcohol in. I did find that it was strong in the mouth and I had to dilute it, even though it said not to on the bottle. This new one, is strong in flavour but you don't need to dilute it. It is fine.

I'm a happy recycling bunny

Why am I happy? Yesterday I got through the letterbox a local free magazine called Lewisham Life. In this wonderful magazine are three pages all about a 'big change in recycling' that is coming to our borough next week. I am so happy and excited about it. As from next Monday we will be able to recycle mixed plastics (which I've been taking to Sainsbury's), Tetrapaks (which my mum has been taking to a local recycling bank), crisp packets (which I've been sending in the post to an organisation) and so much more inc shredded paper. I can now see our green bin getting really full up, more so than our black bin, now and this is what is making me v happy. I was wondering if this would happen as earlier this year when I emailed the recycling people at our council they hinted to me that they were sorting something out, which they hoped to be started by the end of this year.

The only things that I feel I will be taking to Sainsbury's now are plastic containers that don't have numbers on but say they are recycleable with either the symbol on or the words and the symbol. Most of the plastics will now be going into our green bin. Hurrah. Mum and I will be going through it later to make sure what we can and can't recycle in to our green bin from Monday.

Free boxes

I've not been here recently as I've been promoting my first ebook, which you can read all about on my other blog. Anyway, my mum and I went to Homebase on Saturday. Mum wanted some more paint for the fence, some compost for the garden. As we were coming out after buying the products, I noticed by the wall a big cage with lots of empty boxes in. On the wall was a sign saying 'Please feel free to take any of our free boxes'. Wow, I thought this is a good idea. Wouldn't it be good if other stores did this, esp coming up to Xmas.

So do you know of any stores that have been giving out free boxes or any other goods customers could use? Let me know.

Sugars v sweeteners

I am finally here, talking about sugar and sweeteners and which are best for you. I did a post on my other blog sometime ago about this but can't remember what I wrote. Anyway, I am talking about sugars v sweeteners in cough sweets. I have an annoying cough at the moment (about 3 weeks now I think it is) and now and then have Lockets to soothe my throat. Lockets, and other cough sweets, all have sugar in. I also have herbal drops in my bedroom to suck during the night in case I get hungry or have a cough. Now these don't have sugar in but do have two sweeteners in: aspartame and acesculfame-K. I know that these two can have side effects to them. According to one of my health books aspartame may cause dizziness, blurred vision and migraine. A-K has cancer links. Just one of these may have effects but two? So what is better for you? One with lots of sugar in (it also has honey which is what soothes the throat), and one that can cause health problems. I am trying not to have too many Lockets because of the sugar in them, as there is another health reason why I am trying not to have too much sugar. More on that in another blog. Maybe next time I write about healthy eating. Let me know what you think. Sugar or sweeteners better for you?