HFCS, it's not psychosomatic

I admit I am health skeptic.  I don't believe in fad diets, I understand why I'm still over weight but am healthier than I have ever been in my life.

Since I've moved to California I've met people with very unique diets.  Vegans (no honey or white sugar as it's processed with bone char, some wine is too), Gluten Free, Vegan and Gluten Free, Paleo, Fruitarian, Raw and Pregnant, Low carb, and of course good old fashioned vegetarians and pescatarians.  

Me, I'm an omnivore to the point that I can be. I can't really eat beef, or digest pork meat at all. This is because of my surgery, though I admit I occasionally fall to temptation and have slider and regret it. I also use bacon in some dishes without trouble. Rosemary Bacon scones are awesome, period.  Also my genetics and metabolism are not in my favour. I have family members who have gained weight going vegan or as vegetarians.  Myself included.  Of course the reason for this is lack of a balanced diet. It's hard for me to eat vegan and balance. I do much better with yoghurt, fish, honey, chicken, etc.

But my crusade against HFCS in my life is showing its merit. Not just because of the fact I object to companies charging me for "premium" sweet treats that have HFCS instead of sugar. Not because HFCS is in everything including some frozen crabcakes (Yep, keep checking those labels!). Not because there are somethings that just need to be corn-free like icecream, wheat bread, and yes crabcakes. It's the honest change I've felt, the decrease in my sugar cravings, satiation of said cravings when I eat real natural sugar (honey, cane sugar, agave nectar, fruit, etc.).  I can't apparently digest HFCS very well anymore.

Last week we had a cook-out for our monthly potluck. We had chicken sausage, veggie burgers, chicken, tons of sides, I made an awesome Lemon and Strawberry Tiramisu.  I didn't eat any of the bread that day but we had plenty of leftovers.

Monday comes and I had some chicken hot dogs in the fridge. I hadn't really ate much that day so I fixed a hotdog before going to the gym afterwork. With a Sara Lee Wheat hotdog bun.  About 10-20 minutes later it hit me. I felt so lethargic like after a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. It was all I could do to walk the 4 blocks or so to the bus stop. I had to make myself go to the gym. Once I got their and drunk some water and started I felt better but it was so odd.

I went home to find out that the Wheat (healthy with whole grain says the label!) had HFCS as the 3rd ingredient.  I didn't know it was in there at all, I assumed it wasn't.  Now I'm re-affirmed that HFCS is just something to stay away from.

BPI Building Analyst at last

I found out a few weeks ago that I actually passed my field exam. I say actually because it was quite an event.

I took my exam on Saint Patrick's day, with an impending cold, after a horrible weather week. I'm a nervous field test taker as it is and adding to my nerves was the fact that my proctor was the instructor I work for at Laney College where I help him and even write experiments for Building Science and show students how to use the Blower door, infared camera, and duct blaster.  I.e in order to this job effectively I ought to be able to pass this field exam.

I was doing pretty well, I felt very comfortable if a little nervous about the time. A candidate has 2 hours to complete a house energy audit, which isn't as easy as it may sound.

At the CAZ (Combustible Appliance Zone: hot water heater, furnace, etc.) testing is when things went a bit awry.  I was doing my worst case depressurizaition test. Basically you make the pressure in the house as negative as possible by turning on every fan in the house.  Kitchen hood, bathroom fans, dryer, if attached garage then the garage fan (which I honestly think most garages should have), perhaps the air handler.  You then go about the house starting at the point farthest away from the CAZ zone with a manometer to open and close doors to get the house at a very negative pressure.  Then you test for spillage and draft.  This test is an example of "worst case" if the house is full of folk the hot water heater and furnace are in operation and somebody is cooking, people in all the bathrooms, fans on, and maybe mom is in the garage painting and has the fan on.  If someone open the door to the CAZ zone it could cause spillage or flame roll-out.

Well the dhw (domestic hot water) failed worst case, so I set it back to "natural conditions" (turned off fans).  I had to set the dhw to pilot, I accidently turned it off and so I went to light it back to pilot and THEN BAM

5-7inch fireball brushed by me.  I sort of lost my calm, mainly due to the fact it was a sealed combustion hwh and so no part of me expected that to happen. In hindsight I realized it must be that propane leak.

I seriously had a hard time concentrating the rest of the test but I did finish everything.  I was sure I had failed and as trying to figure out how I could get 200 dollars and time to take the test again. My company did agree to pay for the test but if I failed i felt a personal responsibility to pay my myself.

I was so ecstatic when I found ot I passed.  Now I have my certifiacte and my patch. Energy effiency has a cozy place in my heart for sure.

10 year annivesary of my WLS

10 years ago in early May 2002, I embarked on a journey that changed my life.  It's been a decade since my gastric bypass surgery. Some 10 years later, 4 inches taller, over 150lbs lighter, my life has changed in so many ways. As nervous and scared I was about having the surgery, I know that had I not had the surgery 

I would not be here today.

I've learned so much and even though I've still got a ways to go: I'm so proud of what I've accomplished.Every year is more healthier than the last. I'm so grateful to the universe, my parents who made the decison for me to have the surgery, Doctors Martindale and Billingsley (Surgeon and Peditrition) and all of my friends and family that love me for who I am and support me before, during, and since.

Do you know that most WLS patients only lose 40-65lbs? That the death rate may be as high as 1%? That over 50% of people who have WLS gain the weight back within 10 years? 

Sometimes I still miss beef, especially philly cheesesteak.  I don't miss sweet tea, pop-tarts, or regular tinned icing.  I'm happy to have discovered tofu, wheatberries, and other healthful foods

It's not a magic bullet at all. It was a lot of hard work and the best is yet to come.

So what will the next decade bring? Hopefully the next 4 years will bring my health goal.      

If you ever want to know one person's reality about WLS, feel free to just ask