Hazards Hidden in the Home (and a Solution)

 I've blogged in the past several months about some health issues - coughing, colds, general unwellness. What I've spent time on recently, is trying to find the causes. Apparently, some of the problems have been hiding right under my (sniffling) nose. Here are some of the things I've dealt with:

• Coughing, sneezing, severe throat dryness, and other cold-like symptoms that have lasted for months. 
• Dry, itchy skin and scalp (in spite of moisturizing and treating carefully).
• A lot of white dust on plants, furniture, counters, the fan, and on my laptop.

These are not problems I've dealt with so much before. After some careful note-taking and light research, I narrowed the problem down to one thing: the extremely hard water from the tap. Seriously.

While I can't blame all the coughing and sneezing on the water, I can say that the water caused a lot of it. I know that because, when I remedied the water issue (to a great degree), some of the problems went away immediately and some began improving.

Iowa (or at least where I'm living) has water so hard that I'm lucky the faucet's not spitting out rocks. Also, it smells terrible. I almost never let dishes "soak" for more than an hour and I never drink it, and it really affects laundry. (The laundry situation got so bad that I've been carting mine over to my brother and SIL's to use their machine, as they have a whole-house treatment system.)

There are a lot of hidden hazards around a home. Most of us know to monitor carbon monoxide, check outlets and plugs for problems, and watch which laundry detergents and skincare products we use. We clean and sanitize our surroundings, and we try to maintain a decent level of general household order. To think that it was the tap water causing so many problems was kind of surprising.

Here's where the water comes in: I run a humidifier using tap water, and it finally dawned on me that it was the cause of all the white dust. Of course, I suspected this, but it still was a problem after I began using a pitcher filter system. I used a very popular filter brand and changed filters often. That did not help. I did some light research and changed up my situation. 

I considered a distiller, but the price gave me the vapors. I looked at delivery services but, again, the price (and lack of home space) put me off. I finally settled on getting a faucet filter system. Then I had to decide between horizontal or vertical... Decisions, decisions. At any rate, I now have a faucet filter system (from PUR) and, wow, what a HUGE difference. By the way, I chose the horizontal style since it seems a better fit for my smaller sink space.

Understand that I'm not pimping for PUR. There are at least a couple of other options, but they are more expensive and not that necessary for my single-user needs. I mainly want cleaner, filtered water for the humidifier and coffee pot. I'm not trying to wash dishes or use the filtered water for every little thing. I don't plan to go through gallons and gallons of water a month. The filter has already made a lot of difference.

When I run my humidifier now, I'm not having to blow that white dust out of the fan and computer and, most important, I'm not coughing throughout the night.

The photos are not the best, but if you can imagine the gunk I had to constantly clean from the fan and the computer, you can imagine the damage from breathing that into my lungs.

Constantly blasting it to get 
rid of this dust!

Had to clean this EVERY day

That's horrible. And I even run an air purifier! And for anyone thinking I'm an idiot for not realizing the problem sooner, well, what can I say? At any rate, it's almost weird not to have to clean everything every single day. 

I do miss the Alaska tap water, that's for sure. I never even had to think about it and surely never had to buy drinking water...

So, yeah, this kind of made me go, "Duh!"

The PUR faucet filter system was really a lot more reasonably priced than I expected. The Brita system was up in the high 40-dollar range (and came with 2 filters), while the PUR ran me just over $27 with tax, and came with only one filter (but has better ratings). By the way, I was running Brita filters in the pitcher and that didn't work so well against the dust.

I got it from Walmart
for the same-day delivery

As I said, there are systems from other brands but, for my limited use, the PUR works perfectly. It was super easy to hook up and get running. (I do have a funny story about getting the original aerator off the faucet. I was frustrated to the point of literally crying before I realized I was just turning in the wrong direction. So much for righty-tighty, lefty-loosey... My brother is still laughing about it!)

I guess I'm sharing this (as embarrassing as my ignorance is) so that you will take a look around your own home. There could be something simple that is causing you problems. 

Oh, another benefit of having the filter is that my coffee sure does taste a lot better. No kidding.

Peace

--Free

**Frugality Tip** Milk & Sugar Alternatives **UPDATED with a recipe**

 **This is for those trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cents**

Sugar Alternative:

I already posted about panela and why I have replaced sugar with it. It's cheap (but I've found a tip for getting it cheaper), and it's low glycemic. It also is lower in calories for the same amount of sugar.

The first tip is to buy it in the blocks vs buying it ground. I bought the first couple of bags already ground. I like it so much that I use it almost completely in the place of sugar (I'm still learning how to use it in baking), so I go through the ground too fast. Buying it in the blocks is much cheaper, but I have to grind it myself and I have to store it very carefully. Grinding it is not hard (I use a grinder or a grater, depending on how much I want at a time). To store and protect it against humidity, I vac-seal it. I will make some smaller sealed bags of it for longer-term storage and seal a few smaller bags for more immediate use.

NOTE: don't confuse panela with "raw sugar", brown sugar, or turbinado sugar. (Here is some info on different sugars.)

Milk Alternative:

Evaporated milk is milk that has had half the water removed. My mother used it back in the day for certain recipes just because it added a better flavor than whole milk. I have started using it recently to save money. Living alone, I don't use enough milk on a regular basis. Whole milk tends to go bad, and then I run out of ways to use it (in baking or making pancakes, for example). I have been buying an excellent powdered milk from the Netherlands. It has more fat and flavor than a brand I previously used. (It made my recent Favorites list.) However, I am worried about prices going up so I have cut down on my subscription of that, stopped buying coffee creamer, and instead started using evaporated milk. 

Pros to using evaporated milk:

• Price (generally affordable if bought in bulk)
• Shelf stable and so saves room in fridge.
• Used as is, adds a very nice richness to coffee and tea.
• Can be rehydrated to a whole milk form.
• Convenient all around.

From my own experience, when I try to use unsweetened cream or half-and-half to coffee (to save calories), I miss that slight touch of creaminess from the sugars. Evaporated milk does add something, and I am not missing the sugary (and pricey) creamers. I can add panela if I want (and I notice that I don't use much panela when I add it!).

NOTE: don't confuse evaporated milk with sweetened condensed milk!

Keep your head up as we deal with higher food and living costs. I know who is truly in control.

Peace

--Free

UPDATE: I found an eggless brioche recipe to try. I am going to use panela sugar and evaporated milk. Wish me luck!!

Living With CKD (and the Blessings)

As someone who lives with chronic kidney disease (brought on by the sarcoidosis, apparently), I find that it can be tricky to get on a balanced diet - and one that doesn't suck! I'm pretty sure I've said this at least 20 times or more, but I wish doctors knew more about nutrition than they seem to. 

With CKD, there are so many foods, beverages, and herbs that I have to avoid or carefully limit. It's still so wild to me that a lot of the things that are part of a healthy diet for a "normal" person are not good at all for me and other CKD patients. Just when I get to the age and have "developed a palate", I can't enjoy all the green and leafy veggies or some of the most plentiful fruits. Here are a list of ordinarily healthy things that I need to limit (with reasons listed in parentheses):

• Dairy - I pretty much limit it to my coffee & tea... (phosphorous, protein and potassium)
• Avocados - I didn't fall in love with them until a few years ago. (potassium)
• Dried fruit - I used to drink a tea made with dried fruit. Delicious! (potassium)
• Collard greens - A Southern or "soul food" staple! (limit due to potassium)
• Spinach - limited for the same as greens
• Beef jerky - best snack in the history of ever! (sodium)
• Raisins - best snack after jerky- and dates which are a recent fave (potassium)
• Bran cereal - another "really?" one... (potassium, phosphorous and sodium)
• Sweet potatoes - there goes my low-cal sweet potato pie! (potassium)
• Tomatoes & tomato products - just shoot me! (potassium)
• Anything canned or ready-to-eat - not a huge problem since I like to cook my own food. (sodium)
• Anything pickled - even those with "less sodium" (sodium)
• Orange juice - and I do love me some good, cold O.J. (potassium)
• Whole wheat bread - like, really?!?!? (phosphorous and potassium) and the same goes for...
• ... Brown rice - I actually stocked up one before I knew better 

As if that isn't awful enough, potatoes are on the no-no list because of potassium, potassium, potassium... Oh, and I have to limit protein intake. What the heck, right?

Of course, there are other options - especially when it comes to fruit, and I have come to like having a lot of berries in the freezer. The thing is berries are generally more expensive when looking for snacking produce. On the plus side, frozen is almost as good as fresh and are more affordable.

Here is what is on my general shopping list:

• Pineapple juice and pineapple chunks. I get Dole because it tends to be the best as far as taste and ingredients. I use the juice to make smoothies or to make the less tasty beverages easier to go down. Keep reading...
• Cabbage - both red and green. I eat these as "steaks" or simply sautéed and seasoned. Since I cannot chew so well currently, I either juice the green ones and simmer the red ones for the liquid. And this is where that pineapple juice comes in! It's amazing that just a little bit of pineapple juice can make cabbage juice bearable. If I add a little more pineapple juice, the cabbage juice (or water) is actually pleasant.
• Apples. I don't really love apples and have to be in the mood for them, But, again, if I add them to salads or juice them, they help add flavor.
• Fish. Salmon is my go-to fish, but it's hard to find good salmon. Halibut and cod are my other favorites, but salmon is easier to eat without teeth so, for now...
• Shrimp. This is probably my favorite food that's allowed. However, it can be expensive. I try to buy when it is on sale. As I write this, I have some vac-sealed in the freezer that I found on deep sale about 2 months ago. I can't wait til I can chew! (I try to find the best kind of shrimp, which can be tricky when shopping on a budget.)
• Broccoli was a top fave when I was healthier. I will still eat it (raw with a bit of dip or lightly steamed). It's one of those things that is healthy because it might lower creatinine levels, but it also has a lot of potassium.
• Pasta is a favorite - even more so now because it is soft. I eat this either in casseroles (with tuna and/or cheese) or as spaghetti. If I make my own sauce, I can control the sodium and other "bad stuff" better.
• Pinto beans are a HUGE favorite. I can eat them so many ways - in soups, stews, with rice, with ground beef (or... ground turkey ~sigh~), or with cornbread. I always use dried beans, and I soak them overnight (to get rid of some of the potassium) before cooking them. They are so filling and comforting to eat. (I have a goal to start adding chickpeas and lentils into my diet.)
• Tofu - I'm back and forth on this. Sometimes, I find it's great to have around. It surely does bulk up some stews and soups where I'm low on ground beef. Since it basically takes on whatever flavor you give it, it's pretty ideal. It's usually affordable, so there's that.
• Turkey - I am only just recently adding this to my diet. I find that it's soooo much cheaper than ground beef. The trick is to add a little bit of olive oil and seasonings - and don't think too hard about it being turkey and not beef! What I cannot do is turkey bacon. That stuff is just a dry, crumbly mess in the mouth. Yicky!

In addition to pineapple, apple, and grape juice (and cabbage water/juice), I do drink a lot of water, and I am learning to take my coffee and black tea with a lot less cream and/or sugar. I actually enjoy a good cup of Tetley's with just a little bit of milk or cream (not creamer, but cream).  My cold beverage favorites are cold herbal teas or pineapple juice - but I use the pineapple to make the other things less bland.

By the way, here are some things I do for a better diet:

• Cabbage Juice - (I prefer to juice green cabbage because it's usually sweeter than red cabbage.) To avoid pulling out the loud juicer, I use a blender. I wash the cabbage really well, then put the first batch in the blender with a little water. I strain out the juice and use that juice (and a little more water) until I have blended all the cabbage. I strain the pulp really well to get all the juice, then I freeze the pulp to add to smoothies. (I add fruit juice for flavor.)
• Cabbage Water (or pot liquor) - (I prefer this for red cabbage because it's kind of ick(er) when just juiced.) I boil some water and put the cabbage in just long enough to leech the flavor. I find that it tastes better when it's not overcooked. Plus, I can eat the cabbage later. (My mother would just cook the cabbage and save the "pot liquor".)
• Coffee with less cream & sugar - I personally have a hard time drinking black coffee, but I can take it with a little cream. The Luzianne brand red bag coffee is the best one I have found if I have to drink it black. For other brands/brews, for drinking without sugar and just a little bit of plain cream (or half n half)  I like to add a bit of cacao powder. Somehow that makes the coffee more palatable. 
• Alternative to white or brown sugar - I love to add brown sugar to coffee and cereal, but I have found that panela is lower calorie and has some of that brown sugar richness. (I use a powdered panela.)
• Water - I didn't always appreciate plain water, but in Anchorage, the tap water tasted amazing. For the past four or more years, I am very conscious of my water intake. The guideline from my kidney doc is to drink enough so that my urine in a pale yellow - not clear. Drinking too much water depletes minerals and stuff. I find that I prefer my water to be room temp - not cold. My SIL is the opposite (and I always keep some in the fridge just for when she visits!). I also try to remember to add a pinch of Celtic salt to my first glass of water each day. If you find it difficult to drink enough water, try using a straw or experiment with the temperature of the water. 

I hope that this helps someone. I'm sure that it will help you understand how CKD can affect someone's life (and diet).

Peace

--Free

Homemade Rice Krispies?

 I just finished watching a video with instructions on how to make homemade rice puffs. I always loved Rice Krispies as a kid, but the idea of making my own was daunting. The guy at Food Tech 101 on YouTube truly blew my mind. His channel is so worth checking out!

This is what is generally in most rice puff style cereal from the stores:

This is what Food Tech 101 dude used:

• Parboiled rice (you can buy it parboiled)
• Salt (he used black salt, which I never heard of before this)
• Heat

That's it.

If you are impatient, he gets down to business at about the 4-minute mark.

What???!!!???

You know I actually have parboiled rice (bought on accident!) and I have salt (which you can use and re-use). I will be giving this recipe a try.

Check out my man's channel and just be sure to give him a thumbs up. He deserves it for the work he put in.

I'm going back over to see his DIY cornflakes...

Peace

--Free

Dental Update #8 Worst Is Over. I Hope!

 So. I still have no teeth. But I do have the pins in for my bottoms plate.

At the last appointment, I had another scan done, and the doc was pleased to let me know that I have lots of bone - enough for at least 2 pins on either side of the bottom, which will give more stability to that plate. Because I have a deep arch (?) to my upper front gum line, the top plate will be secure enough that I might not ever have to use adhesive. 

Am I bummed that I have to wait up to 3 months to have teeth? Of course. But, once I got the pins in (and that is the last of the nasty work), the only thing left is doing the impressions for my actual dentures. That should be in a few weeks. The doc wants to make sure my gums are completely healed from the pin surgery.

To be honest, after hearing about some other people's ordeals, I am happy that my doc took the long way around. My gums are totally healed up from my extractions. I had enough room for 3 pins to be put in to anchor my bottom plate, and I have been healing really well from each procedure. I am happy that I have a careful, caring and conscientious dentist. 

Funny thing: the whole time I knew I was going to have pins put in, I thought they were going to be in the back part of my mouth. I even told people that I was having pins put in the back. Nope. The pins are in the front. Because I was so numbed during the procedure, I couldn't really tell where the dentist was drilling and stitching. Because I thought he was working at the back of my mouth, that is where I felt all the pressure and movement. It wasn't until he was finished, and I saw the work that I knew the pins were in front. (My brother laughed at me because the dentist had clearly said where the pins would be placed!) Whatever. The best thing about that appointment was there was very little blood, and it was put me in the home stretch.

Apparently, I will be able to just clip in my bottom plate and not have to worry about it lifting or shifting. I can't help but wonder what my younger self would have thought of all this. 

What a journey this has been. I am so thankful for getting to this point. I can remember being so disappointed when the dentist at a community center wouldn't take me on because of my other medical issues. I can't blame him for being wary, and now I am SO glad that he didn't do the work. He did my neighbor's teeth, and she stopped wearing them after a couple of weeks. They were free (our insurance covered the clinic's work and plates 100%), but are useless. She is saving to have her teeth done by the dentist I use. 

I so love my family for going through this with me (and, you know, footing the out-of-pocket costs!). I do know how blessed I am.

Peace

--Free

Necessary Resistance

 I don't normally talk a lot of politics here. However... In light of the new alliances among the tech bros and the expected changes to things that affect my personal budget, I am on board with a necessary resistance.

People in my income bracket don't have a lot of power, but can choose how to use the little bit that we have. For me, this means choosing very carefully how, where and when I spend the few dollars I have in this game. 

For years, I have supported Amazon and Walmart. Amazon probably gets as much as 80% of what I spend in total on household goods and the few "luxuries" I allow myself. That's going to slow way down. Walmart gets most of what I spend for food and toiletries. That's also going to slow down. 

The 99% is not very active.
 Let's change that

I cannot afford to count on the fairness of the rich, so I will start spreading my pennies locally as much as I can. There are hometown grocers, butchers, and mom and pop general stores. For convenience (and price), I have often neglected those places in order to get the few perks offered by the big boys of merchandise and retail. 

Not that anybody with any power is going to hear about this, but I am going to do my small part as a Have Not to protest being used and taken for granted by the Haves and Want More crowd. It's a small resistance, but, if I'm reading the internet "room" right, there are a lot of us. Pennies make dollars and individuals make movements.

By the way, I don't like the way the terms "antifa" and "woke" have been dirtied. I am proudly anti-fascist and everyone should remember that the term "woke" originated in the 1920s or 30s, not just when extremist liberalism hijacked it. So fight fascism and stay woke.

And just so no one misunderstands, I totally support capitalism, but that's not what's happening here. It's only fair capitalism without leveraged "monopolism." Capitalism is only truly capitalism if it is open and fair. 

Peace

--Free

It’s Not Just the Hibiscus…

 Last weekend, when I was trying to find the source of my cough, I came up with hibiscus as the culprit. It was a large part of the problem, but not the only one.

Back about 8 weeks ago, I started regularly using a lip-smacking delicious seasoning called Anchor Original Chicken Chippy Salt. The stuff is freaking addict-ta-licious. I was putting it on almost everything except cereal.

Since my cough mostly (but not completely) went away when I stopped drinking hibiscus flower tea, I started to look at other things. I eliminated another med for one day and that wasn't the problem. The newest part of my diet was the Chippy Salt. As much as I hated to, I gave that up - just for one single day. And that was when my cough - itchy throat and all - dissipated. 

I do have a slight head cold, with some sneezing and chest congestion, but the whole itchy-throat situation that I couldn't relieve with anything - not honey, cough drops, juice, etc. - that was gone. Almost immediately.

By the way, to let you know how tasty that Chippy salt is - especially on burgers or fries - I had to think for a moment about how to just live with an itchy throat and irritating cough. I feel this dude here:

The seasoning is amazing. But its effect is so powerful that I had to scour and re-season my cast iron skillet. Just the residue of the salt (from where I'd seasoned my ground beef) was enough to cause a reaction.

It's just as well. There are a lot of ingredients in the Chippy Salt I was using:

Salt (70%), Wheat Flour, Flavour Enhancers (621, 635, 327), Wheat Starch, Onion Powder, Sugar, Maltodextrin (from corn and tapioca), Food Acids (330), Anticaking Agent (341), Flavours, Spice, Beef Fat, Bell Pepper Powder, Herbs, Soy Sauce Powder, Seasoning, Caramel Colour (150c).

I have since gone back to using Celtic sea salt as my primary seasoning for meat and fish. Sometimes, I use a blend of that with some Old Bay, onion flakes, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper, and a bit of Liquid Smoke. 

When I get my teeth, I will be able to eat from a more varied menu, and I'm sure I will really miss the Chippy Salt then...

But I listen to my body and, as much as my taste buds love the Chippy Salt, the rest of my body disagrees. So majority rules.

As far as finding tea to replace hibiscus, one of my brothers and I spent hours searching ones that I can drink. I have to take into account that I have CKD and sarc so it wasn't easy. What I ended up with is the Butterfly Pea tea (which I love), my good old chamomile, and Hydrangea. I wanted to try astralagus (or milkvetch), but information about its effects are conflicting. Some sources claim it's good for kidneys, while others claim the opposite. I have a tiny bag, so I will finish that off in very tiny servings over the next several months. It's said to be good at lowering blood pressure, but possibly overworking the kidneys. I do wish that doctors knew more about herbal remedies... In the meantime, I have to be really careful.

Peace

--Free

DISCLAIMERS:

I am no medical, herbal or nutrition expertise at all. Do not use anything based on what I blog about. Talk to your own care team before you do or use anything you see online.

I am not/will not be compensated for anything linked to or mentioned in this post.

Is Hibiscus Causing My Cough???

Chile! I am thunderstruck right now.

Since I talk about almost everything here, I'm sure I've mentioned the persistent cough I've been struggling with. I'm talking about a cough I've had off and on since last summer. It had finally gone away for a while, and I was so relieved. I was able to get more sleep than normal, and my voice was returning to normal. Until... 

Friday, after my dental appointment, I relaxed with a cup of hibiscus tea for the afternoon. I'd been so stressed that my blood pressure was up. That night, I had a little more hibiscus with chamomile.

By the middle of the night, the cough was back. Nothing helped. I spooned down a teaspoon of honey. Nope. I drank some water. Nope. I turned the humidifier from Low to High. Nope. Finally, I just got up and pulled out a new box of Kleenex.

When I was a young lady, I once developed a rash on my arms and across my chest almost overnight. It was a sprinkling of itchy, goosebumps-looking things across the skin. I made it through the workday without alarming anyone with my scratching. When I went to my mother (of course, I did!), she took a look and asked if the rash was anywhere else. It wasn't. She checked the fabric of my blouse (polyester), then she asked what I'd washed it in. And there it was. I had used a scented handwash detergent.

Mom told me that whenever something starts to ail you right out of the blue, to think of anything new or different you are using, eating, drinking, etc. 

When I realized that my cough had gone away then returned - all out of the blue - I took Mom's long-ago advice. My memory is bad (can you tell?), but I knew right off that I'd not been drinking my usual pre-bed hibiscus tea - until I did again...

I did some internet searching and, yeah, it most likely is the hibiscus. I had the same reaction when taking Lisinopril for my blood pressure. So the tea is causing my cough. It has to be the hibiscus tea because the coughing didn't happen when I was drinking green tea or chamomile, or the aronia berry tea (which is also good for my BP). 

Of course, I stopped with the hibiscus. I still have about a quarter pound of the leaves left and those will go to my SIL.  She's had hibiscus tea and it never made her cough. I guess I am glad and mad at the same time. I got the leaves way back in May of last year and paid a little over $9 for a pound. I'm glad I was able to stretch the bag out for this long, and mad that I can no longer enjoy delicious hibiscus...

Maybe this will help someone else. I never would have guessed the hibiscus if not for using Mama's advice. Too bad I didn't think of it sooner.

Peace

--Free

Low Glycemic Sweeter (Panela)

 Diabetes runs on my mother's side of the family. I have 3 people in the family who currently live with diabetes. I was very interested when I saw a non-artificial sweetener that is also low glycemic. 

Panela  - or dehydrated sugar cane juice - is varied and called by many names such as jaggery, country sugar, molasses sugar, or (as I know it) unrefined cane sugar. I came across it in a round-about way.

A few years ago, I did a rant post about doctors and nurses not focusing enough on nutrition in patient care. In that post, I mentioned panela as one of the many types of sugars that some consumers might not recognize as a sugar when reading ingredient labels. Recently, I heard mention of "jaggery" as a sweetener. Curious, I looked into it and came around to wanting to try panela in place of table sugar or brown sugar. I'm glad now that I did.

Panela (which is similar to jaggery) is lower in calories than most of the sweeteners I've used. I tended to choose brown sugar, raw sugar, and cane sugar. Panela:

• Minimally processed
• Retains more vitamins/nutrients (iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, antioxidants)
• Has a caramel-like flavor (milder than molasses & less "sharp" than table sugar)
• While still high in sugar, has a lower glycemic index. (Note: there might be differences in nutrient content and glycemic factors from brand to brand. Read your labels!)

That last part is what really caught my attention - you know, with diabetes in the family. I bought two different brands of panela (with reasonable prices) and tried them. I really enjoy both and it has changed the way I drink my coffee...

I love that 4 teaspoons of panela is just 15 calories. Because of the interesting flavor, I have replaced my sweetened creamers with panela and evaporated milk or half-and-half. For once, when skipping the high calories creamer, I'm not missing out on flavor. It's been a game-changer for my coffee routine.

In addition to using panela in my coffee, I am using it in rice, hot cereals, and in some of my baking. I have never loved the taste of table sugar and never thought I would like anything better than brown sugar, but here I am.

I don't have diabetes (thank the Lord!), but I am struggling with my weight. I have put on just way too many pounds in the past 6 months without teeth (no excuse!) and I still have 3 more months to go before I have a full set again. Switching to panela and getting rid of the sweetened creamer is going to help as I try to get back to a better clothing size.

I won't vouch for one brand of panela over another because there are so many out there. I can tell you that I am using this one and this one so far and enjoy them both.

By the way, since I gave up my Italian Sweet Cream, I am using the following to make my own coffee creamer:

• Half-and-half (or evaporated milk)
• Panela 
• Vanilla extract (and, when available, fresh vanilla bean)

I whip this up really well and store it in a mason jar. I only make about 3 cups at a time. If I am out of panela, I use a little bit of sweetened condensed milk. I know, I know...

use any sweetener you want

I am being completely serious when I say I am shocked that I am doing fine without my store-bought creamer. I've tried to replace it before and that never lasted. I've been using that fatty creamer for years now. It's time. I need to be as healthy as I can, and at least this way doesn't hurt.

Peace

--Free

P.S.: I am still a little down in the mouth (tee hee) about the delay in getting my full dentures. The situation has motivated me to use this next 3 months to lose some weight and do a lot of praying about my general attitude. There are people who can't get their teeth replaced. Thanks to my family, I have been blessed, so I am going to stop grousing.

DISCLAIMER: I am not/will not be compensated in any way for the products mentioned in this post.

**UPDATE** Dental Update #7 Almost Time!

 **UPDATE** I am in tears right now. I just learned that my appointment on Friday is not to get my teeth. It's to get the pins for my lower teeth. I will have to wait another 3 months for the pins to heal and stabilize.

Listen, when I heard this, I literally slid down the wall and sat there nearly catatonic for at least a full minute. The dentist tried to cheer me up my saying I would have my uppers sooner and that will make my face look more normal. That does not make me feel better. At this point, I'm more ready to eat veggies than I am vain. 

I have put on so much weight in this past 6 months. I told my family that I am going to be going on a coffee and soup diet while I wait for my teeth. Maybe being depressed will help me lose weight...

I can't even think about this right now.

After 6 months of waiting for my gums to heal, I will finally be going in on Friday to... hopefully, get the actual dentures. I am hoping only because my dentist wants to put pins in to hold my lower plates steady. 

Anyway.

One of my neighbors got her bottom plate from the same dentist because I recommended him. Her teeth look amazing. If I didn't know, I'd think they were her real teeth. That's encouraging.

Because I can sometimes (but not often) be as pessimistic as the annoying Ray Barone, I am anxious about how things will turn out. While I will be happy to have a working set of teeth, I am worried that I will be self-conscious or not able to chew properly or just not be happy...

I have been saving up grocery money to go crazy getting meat and vegetables and popcorn. I literally have a list for this weekend's shopping trip. And I am dreaming of all the weight I can lose! I may never eat another pancake or bowl of oatmeal again.

That's all I can say about it for now. Once I have teeth - if I am happy - I might even post a photo (though I don't like putting my pics on the internet these days). We'll see. At any rate, there will be another (and final?) update coming.

Peace

--Free

Topicrem Balm Is Kryptonite for Dry Skin

 People, I have found what I think may be the last skincare cream I will ever need. While I have had several favorite moisturizers in the past, I truly, truly believe I have found my forever favorite.

This is Topicrem DA Protect. 

I found it when looking for a balm to use on my face (which gets more sensitive and dry with every year that I'm mortal). It was the price and ingredients list that made me choose it over other similar products. 

I was curious about allantoin

At around $15 for a 200ml (6.7oz) tube, it's something I thought I could afford to try at least once. What I find is that it takes so little to treat my face (and sometimes my psoriasis-dry ankles and feet) that it's lasting longer than cheaper products.

Seriously. That's it.

I like that the balm is so effective as both my day and night moisturizer. I generally apply it in the morning before my sunscreen and then at night before bed. I just squeeze a couple of smears of product across my palm, and it's more than enough for my face and neck. That is a good cream, in my book!

Because the balm worked so well for my face, I wanted to see if there was a lotion I could use on the rest of my body. I decided on the Ultra Hydratant.

It's a body milk that is, of course, thinner than the balm. At around $21 for 500ml (16.9oz), it's cheaper per ounce than the balm. I don't find it moisturizing enough for my face during these drier winter days, but it's perfect for my body. Like the balm, the moisture lasts and lasts - though, again, the balm lasts much longer because I need to use more of the lotion, of course. I am now in the habit of palming a small bit of it to run over my hair in the morning.

I won't be able to buy the lotion as often as I will the balm, but if I had to choose only having one of them forever, it would be the balm. 

I let my brother try the balm on his hands - which are drier than the Sahara - he was kind of wowed. Of course, being who he is, he isn't as concerned as I (and his wife) are about his dry hands. He likes to joke that his are "working hands". Whatever.... He was impressed with the moisturizing properties of the balm, though. 

By the way, my brother described the balm perfectly by saying it just "melted into" his skin. That is exactly what it feels like! 

See how the balm is melting/sliding
with my body heat?

I can't wait to tell my doctor about this balm. I have tried so many things for my psoriasis dryness. She has recommended the usual suspects: CeraVe Ointment (very good stuff*), CeraVe Moisturizing Cream (also good, and I still have a partial jar), and she even prescribed an ointment (which is good for calming the breakouts).

Now, here is a little bit of a price breakdown for the CeraVe Ointment and the Topicrem products.

I will continue to use the CeraVe Cream when I can't buy the Topicrem lotion. The balm, though, that is a must-have. I really wish my insurance covered things like this.

Peace

--Free

The CeraVe Ointment is a must-have item because there are times when parts of my body will get dry to the point of being itchy. This happens about once every couple of moths it seems when I am not drinking enough water (or, sometimes, I believe, as a reaction to one of my medications). This is when I will supplement any lotion I use with CeraVe ointment. It's oily, so I don't like to use it constantly. The Topicrem balm and lotion do not heal these itchy breakouts but do help keep them from starting. Odd.

Peace

--Free

NOTE 1: The prices I used to compare are what I paid at the time I bought the items. There are fluctuations (esp. on Amazon) due to temporary discounts or depending on the seller.  This is the French Topicrem site. Notice the curly/frizzy hair products on this page. French Pharmacy carries the brand, but I don't see the hair product I mentioned.

NOTE 2: For anyone interested, the app that I used (see photos) to compare prices, is Unit Price Calculator from Six By Nine Apps. I want to shout them out because the app is free/donate. It's excellent for dummies like myself! This is not sponsored/requested mention, but you can go and buy the developer a cuppa.

BTW, here is Bill Barr being funny:

DISCLAIMER: I was not and will not be compensated for any of the products mentioned in this post.

**UPDATE** 2025 Wish List (I Can Dream)

 These are things I'd like to see happen or become possible in 2025:

• It would be nice if citizens could be more confident in accurate and fair voting results. No interference from inside or out. And, while we're at it, let's get back to election campaigns done with civility; sticking to verifiable facts and candidates addressing voter concerns instead of personal attacks on each other. 
• Civility between citizens in general. People learning to disagree without violence and personal attacks. 
• Let's reform the way corporations (and the people behind them) contribute to the national coffers. No employee should have to pay more in taxes than the employers. Tax the total income of the top dogs the same way that the workers bees are taxed.
• If we want to revert to the past (you know, MAGA), let it be with a return to good manners; people having a general sense of public shame; and socializing in person rather than remotely.
• Speaking of manners, let's get back to teaching those to children. Let's teach them to be polite, gracious, and kind to others.
• Let's bring back courtship in relationships. Apparently, even the young people are getting tired of "hooking up", "Netflix and chilling", or whatever else you want to call not taking dating and marriage as seriously as we should.
• **UPDATE:** Can we calm down with all the cursing? I think that cursing in public is such a rude behavior. You are assuming too much about the people who can hear you - mainly that they are a rude and language-insensitive as you are and that young ears need the audio assault... In some cases, I think that it affects how seriously you may be taken. I watch video compilations of people discussing various topics, and whenever someone can't speak for more than a few seconds without using foul language, I fast-forward past their part. (And can I also mention that I wish everyone would stop saying the following: bruh, bro, and, unless you were born with the accent to make it right, y'all because... 🙄)

I have other things I'd like to add, but the list would be ridiculously long. The only other thing I feel I have to have listed is for a specific part of the population. Here it is:

• Let's find a way to deal with churches (of all religions) hiding behind God (or whatever object of worship) to fleece congregants. If a pastor (or whatever) can own jets, mansions, and dress like the stars, they should be able to pay taxes. BUT - only of the "tech bros" and other Richie Riches have to pay their fair share of taxes.

Am I wishing for too much? Maybe, but I can dream.

Peace 

--Free