I have accumulated these links for watching Free ad-supported TV. I am pretty sure they all have mobile apps also. Here are the links:
When I first posted about my improved BP numbers 5 or 6 weeks ago, I was wondering how the magnesium glycinate and nitric oxide supplements would affect my labs. Well, I had my labs done last week and things were great. It's not uncommon for my creatinine levels to fluctuate. Sometimes the level gets worrying enough that the infusion nurses have to check with my doctor about whether or not to proceed with the treatment. This time, nothing.
None of my doctors seem willing to admit that the supplements have anything to do with the lowering of my blood pressure. They all chalk it up to a change in my eating habits (that ain't happened), my getting more exercise (nope), or cutting back on salt (nope again). I will be seeing yet another new rheumatologist soon and will be asking him about the supplements.
For now, I am continuing with both the supplements and my regular BP meds. I am still drinking a minimum of 50 to 70 ounces of water daily (usually 70 ounces). I still drink about 12 ounces of coffee daily. And I am still on my pizza kick.
My salt intake is not down. I'm not bad about having a lot of salt in my diet and I've been eating a variety of meals using the same ingredients. My daily meals for approximately the last 6 months include homemade dough (made with a teaspoon of salt for enough dough for 6 small meals), mozzarella cheese, about 3 tablespoons of sauce, some black olives, pepperoni slices, and EVOO. If I make a small pizza, I use about 6 slices of pepperoni, a fourth cup of cheese, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Lately, I will have about 3 tablespoons of aioli. Sometimes, I make a loaf of garlic and mozzarella bread to eat with some butter or sauce or aioli. My BP after a pizza for lunch today was 125/64.
By the way, I am using this BP monitor - which is much better than my last one. I like that it has been reading close to what the nurses get during appointments. It also warns the user about high readings and incorrect placement of the cuff. The only thing I regret is not getting it at Walmart where my health insurance would have covered the price.
The big thing is, I guess, whether or not I feel better. The answer is, not really. The only difference is that I don't get as many headaches and my weight is dropping slightly. I still have the fatigue but my doctors say that is due to the sarcoidosis - even though having high blood pressure doesn't help. I still have days when I can't think clearly and I still occasionally have to be really careful about my balance so I don't run into walls or trip myself.
The reason I am so happy about my blood pressure being lower is mainly because, the better my BP, the less damage to my kidneys. I have a traumatic fear of ever needing dialysis. That will never be on my bucket list.
So, yes, I am feeling optimistic about my kidney health. I still wish every day that someone will find a cure for sarcoidosis but I will take any win I get.
Peace
--Free
IMPORTANT NOTE: Understand that I am NOT offering health or any other kind of advice. I am simply relating my personal experiences. Also, I am not compensated for the products mentioned or linked to in this post. You should always consult with your medical care team before taking anything not prescribed - including supplements in powder, tablet, liquid, or any other form. Supplements are not regulated and, like anything, can have varying quality issues.
Looks like there is a new player in the afro-curly hair game. The brand is Pardon My Fro and I got to try the Detangler Leave-In.
Right off, I can confidently say that I like this a lot better than Kinky Curly Knot Today (KCKT) - for many reasons but for one in particular. Let me just give the bullet point pros:
Why in the world had I never had aioli before? And how? As much as I love condiments - and garlic - you'd think I'd have always known about the yumminess that is aioli. Nope. I had aioli for the first time about 3 weeks ago. And I have managed to put at least a little bit of it on everything I've eaten since then. I'm thinking of pulling my toaster out of storage just to butter a loaf of toast with this garlicky goodness.
So, yeah, I love aioli. And I haven't even had a good homemade version - other than my own!
Of course, because it's so dang delicious, aioli can also be fattening. I didn't realize that until I found a basic and "newbie" recipe for it. The recipe is a 4-ingredient one: mayo, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper. And mayo is the largest part of that.
The first aioli I tried was the J.L. Kraft brand. The garlic smell slapped me across the back of the head as soon as I opened the jar. And I was in love. This one is very thick and flavorful. It can be almost too strongly flavored to eat with some foods. I like it best with pizza.
The next brand I tried was Hellman's. It's much thinner and much milder in flavor than the Kraft one. It's also cheaper at my local stores. It's better, in my opinion, for drizzling over veggies. Which I did. Broccoli never tasted so good!
Because I know that I never again want my fridge to be aioli-free, I decided to look up that recipe. My first batch turned out just okay. I didn't have the energy to crush up garlic so I just used powder - yes, I know that somewhere a real cook just rolled their eyeballs right out of their sockets. For my next batch, I used garlic paste and full-yolk mayo. That was much better. It's almost better than the store-bought and it certainly is cheaper to make. That's the part that I'm sticking with. The store-bought versions were between $3.50 and $5.00 for just around 12 ounces. I don't eat much at a sitting but still. I can get a 30-ounce jar of good mayo for around 3 bucks and I usually have garlic paste, lemons, or lemon juice and pepper around the place. As bad as I am at math, I know which is the best way to go with that.
When I told my younger brother that I had "discovered" aioli, he couldn't believe I'd never had it before. Ever. He told me that the best kind he'd ever tasted in his life was in a Greek pizza place we used to frequent back in Anchorage.
I've been thinking of eating a more Mediterranean diet for a long while now. Just knowing that aioli sauce comes out of that culture inspires me. I can see myself cutting back on bread just so I can enjoy all kinds of salads drizzled with that sauce.
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| Do NOT get the Shan paste. It's bland as paper. |
What I find kind of funny is that when I look for the condiment in stores, the labels usually say "garlic aioli". I learned that the very word "aioli" is derived from the Provençal language, where "ai" means garlic, and "oli" means oil.
Anyway... If you have never had it, this is one condiment you will want to try at least once. If you want to try making some for yourself, Google via ChatGPT suggests this recipe:
Traditional aioli is a delicious and creamy garlic sauce that originated in the Mediterranean region, particularly in Provence, France, and Catalonia, Spain. It's typically made by emulsifying garlic, egg yolks, and olive oil. Here's a traditional aioli recipe for you:
Ingredients:
- 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
Instructions:
1. In a mortar and pestle, crush the minced garlic cloves with a pinch of salt until you have a smooth paste. Alternatively, you can use a garlic press or finely mince the garlic and mash it with the back of a spoon.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they become smooth and creamy.
3. Slowly add the olive oil to the egg yolks while whisking continuously. Start by adding a few drops at a time and gradually increase to a thin stream as the mixture starts to emulsify. It's important to whisk constantly in one direction to encourage the emulsification process.
4. Once you've added all the olive oil, the aioli should have a thick, creamy consistency. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, which helps to brighten the flavor and stabilize the emulsion.
5. Add the garlic paste to the aioli and mix well to incorporate. Taste and season with salt according to your preference. You can also adjust the amount of garlic or lemon juice to suit your taste.
6. Transfer the aioli to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the flavors to meld together and the aioli to thicken further.
Traditional aioli is typically served as a dipping sauce for vegetables, seafood, or spread on sandwiches. It adds a burst of flavor and creaminess to any dish. Enjoy!
I basically used this recipe but with a jar of garlic paste and bottled juice. Also, I fridged my sauce overnight before using it. Was it good? Good enough that I might never eat plain mayo again and I know I won't be buying any more storebought aioli.
Peace
--Free
Where I live in the Midwest, the summer temperatures are generally wonderful - high 70s to high 80s. To my family in Alaska and Arizona, that sounds ideal. But there's a huge downside: the humidity.
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| ©WeatherSpark.com |
It's noon right now and this is what my Weatherbug reports are looking like:
So many people who are not Christian have a such bad view of Christianity. In most cases, this may be because of how they see our faith being represented by people who only call themselves "Christian". I myself sometimes find it hard to separate the Christian faith from some of the poor examples I see. But as with anything, people can adopt any label they like but the proof is in their living.
Why are there so many poor examples of the Christian faith? I think it most often comes down to ignorance. Someone may be just have been born into a tradition that they don't understand or they got caught up in a cult or a fad. And for a lot of people, it's that they are under teachers of false doctrines.
Many people (like myself) can end up in Christian churches that are not good for them so they don't even know what it is to truly be a Christian. Maybe the person is not yet a Christian and doesn't know better. Maybe they are Christians who don't study their Bible - and so they don't know better. Maybe (and I think this is the most common reason) they put too much faith in the leader(s) of their church.
I'm no scholar but I am growing in my faith. I want to point out some signs of churches and "Christians" to avoid. Along the way, I hope you learn something about the faith - the true faith that is Christianity. By the way, when I use the term "true Christian", I mean one who is earnestly wanting to learn what Christianity is and is not. I will start with churches.
Avoid a church that...
I was thinking about my goddaughter/niece and a song ran through my mind. Counting the time that she has been gone from us I find that it's 4,846 hours. 202 days or 29 weeks.
It's easier to look up the time she's been gone. It's hard to imagine the conversations we haven't had. I just miss that girl so much.
The other day, I realized that I've been sort of avoiding the plant she gave me for Mother's Day. I think that was five years ago. That thing grows like crazy with the least amount of care. I have it set up with an auto-watering system and that's good or else it might have died too.
Looking at the Monstera plant makes me think of my niece and that is sometimes painful. I did not really realize that I'd been neglecting it - even when I was doing the apartment re-do. Last week, I did notice that her (yes, "her") leaves were dull and some were dead. I think that it's a sign of my grief healing that I was able to show her some love.
I pruned away the dead leaves and still, she looked neglected. So I got some fresh soil and a larger pot and transferred her to her new home.
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| Still healing but she's getting there... |
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| I had to bind some of the stems! |
Gabby (my niece) would love the color of the pot. I think she had a wig that color once! And I know she loved wearing eyeliner in teal hues.
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| Me with my lovely niece circa 2016. Alaska. |
I felt a little bit sad when I finished repotting the plant but I also felt a little bit better than I have for a while. I look at the plant now and just think that I'm so glad I have it. It's a living part of God's nature. It's bold and beautiful.
Gabby would laugh at me if she knew that I walked around here talking to her about the plant. I'd love to hear her laugh at me one more time. I miss her and I just wanted to say that.
Peace
--Free
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