Tag Archives: health

vegging up

14 Wednesday Dec 2022

Posted by in casa azahar, cooking, homecooking

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veggies

I have to say that I have never met a vegetable I didn’t like. And while I may not always fit in Five A Day my diet is pretty balanced veg-wise (not so much with fruit, but that’s another story). However, I have been getting into a bit of a rut with my vegetable dishes, in part because since flatmate Peter moved back in (I do the cooking – he cleans) I’m a bit more limited because he won’t eat this or that veg. Well that’s all about to change because recently we both had our annual check ups and both of us have issues with cholesterol and BP, and our blood sugar is “borderline”.

So it’s time to switch up and start focusing on getting more veg in our lives. And although I love salads and veggie stir-fries, omg it takes so much time to wash and chop and prep everything. So my plan is to come up with veggie dishes I can make “in bulk” (enough to last 2-3 days) and just have them on hand in the fridge ready to either heat up or eat cold. This way I can get more variety (not just one veg as a side dish) and it will also be fun. And since it’s winter, rather than salads, these will probably be marinated, sautéed or roasted veggies. If you have a favourite recipe I’m all ears.

the pressure’s on!

23 Wednesday Nov 2022

Posted by in health, health & happiness, sevilla

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pressure

After the initial check over with my GP two weeks ago I was sent for blood tests and an ECG a couple of days later, and while checking my BP, the nurse said it was a “little bit high” but then immediately sent me upstairs to talk to a doctor, who told me to go back downstairs and get a pill from the nurse, sit there for 30 minutes, then get my BP taken again and come back to see him. After which he told me to take my BP regularly (morning and evening) until my next GP appointment (today). This meant getting on Amazon to find a reliable but not too expensive arm-band machine which would arrive quickly. That done I spent the next ten days keeping track of my BP and got Peter to do the same. He was overdue for a check up and had actually been prescribed BP meds a few years ago, but then stopped taking them and also stopped seeing the doctor. Turns out his BP is even higher than mine!

Anyhow, went back to the GP today and my blood test results were normal other than a highish cholesterol level. Not diabetic, no serious thyroid issues, everything else looking fine. But Doc Silvia wants me to take this medication, while taking and recording my BP at home twice a week, and then see her again after 90 days. With another blood test six months from now. Anyone have any experience taking this? Enalapril-Hydrochlorothiazide seems to be a pretty normal BP med without too many side effects, but I’m always a bit cautious about taking drugs, especially if they are meant to me longish term. This getting older biz kind of sucks sometimes, but I still think it beats the alternative.

today’s check list

08 Tuesday Nov 2022

Posted by in health & happiness

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check list

After my last frustrating encounter with a GP when I had Covid, I wasn’t looking forward to today’s in-person appointment. At least this time it was with a doctor I’d seen before, and who is actually supposed to be my regular GP now that Dr Agustín has retired, but I guess with staff shortages, etc, sometimes you just get stuck with whoever is on duty. AND SO… I showed up with my check list of, well, things I wanted to have checked, now that my oncologist doesn’t want to see me again. And so I sat down, pulled out my list and said to Dr Silvia (it’s actually nice to have a woman doctor again) that I was there for my “revisión de coche” and when she laughed I immediately relaxed. Then she said – okay, let’s go, what’s first? – and we went through my list point by point, while she checked recent test results on the computer and made notes. In the end I got all the tests I asked for other than the Covid antibody one since public health centres are not offering them, so I will have to pay for that at a private clinic. But I will get a specific test done for my thyroid, which probably should have been done years ago, plus a couple of others, and I will also be put on a “prevention list” for regular mammograms.

So on Thursday (waaaaayyy too early in the morning) I’m going for more blood tests and an ECG, and will check back with Dr Silvia when the results come in. I know it’s early days as I’ve only seen her twice, but I think I’ve lucked out with a GP who actually listens to me and also gives good advice. And this was after a heavy morning for her and with appointments backed up, yet she didn’t appear rushed or make me feel like I was being rushed. More news as I get it…