"What have you eaten" Parallel Chat

[MrsA2]

I didn't eat much today because of stress. My cousin from Ukraine did not respond to my messages for more than a day, and I have already reread all the news about what is happening in their region, and came up with the most terrible scenarios for myself. And then she texted me that she was just busy and couldn't text me because she had a lot to do at work.
My BG up from 6 to 13 without a single carbohydrate

You are obviously a very caring person, but please remember to care for yourself too.

 

[Annb]

After 3 days resting my legs as much as possible, I am walking much better today. Still a bit wonky, but I'm managing to get around today just with the support of my stick. Shan't take liberties though and will rest my legs frequently today.

Stomach also not as bad as yesterday, but it is still fizzing after taking one antibiotic capsule in the early hours today. I'm hoping that a small amount of food will keep it under control. The thing is, the capsules are supposed to be taken on an empty stomach ie, one hour before eating and 2 hours after eating. Can't quite work out how that works for some reason. Is this the "brain fog" I keep hearing about these days? It's most certainly not menopausal - about 25 years too late for that. Maybe early dementia signs - that actually worries me a bit.

Edited to fix typo

 

[MrsA2]

@shelley262
May I ask for your yoghurt maker, and starter culture recommendations please?
I haven't got round to reading Supergut yet, but want to start making. I'm going to be bought the maker for a present and the giver is asking if I want small or large containers what do I want?

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

There have been a pair of Currawongs (te larger of the two)here for the last couple of days. They do not come into town very often, last time I see them was over 20 years ago

Here's a bit of a shaky pix of one of them having a breakfast courtesy of the garbo, it's being annoyed by a peewit. The other one is in the yard behind the bin.

 

[Annb]

There have been a pair of Currawongs (te larger of the two)here for the last couple of days. They do not come into town very often, last time I see them was over 20 years ago

Here's a bit of a shaky pix of one of them having a breakfast courtesy of the garbo, it's being annoyed by a peewit. The other one is in the yard behind the bin.

It looks like some kind of crow, but I see from Google that it is not, being a native Australian bird. Apparently also a song bird, which can hardly be said of a crow! At about 20 cm long, it must be about the size of a Jackdaw - one of the smaller crows, but it has the look of a raven - the biggest of the crows.

At present we have starlings nesting in our overhanging roofspace. The overhang isn't inside the roof but is a separate, sealed off area along all 4 sides of our roof. It has ventilators at intervals along it but these have a tendency to fall out and we are left with holes just the right size for a starling to get into and then a lovely big space to build a nest, or 5. I keep telling Neil that we need to get replacements for the fallen out covers, but it hasn't been done yet - that's been for several years now. The plan was to put nesting boxes among the trees and close off the holes. It was a good plan. It might even come to fruition one day.

 

[Annb]

Just noticed that the Peewit in your pic @Riva_Roxaban, isn't the same as the Peewit that I'm used to seeing here. So I checked it on Google and the one you have there is specific to Australasia. The colours are the same as ours, but the pattern is different. We used to have lots of Peewits (Lapwings) here, but we don't see them very often these days. They were once so common here that they are the emblem of the local natural history society (Curracag - the gaelic name for a peewit).

 

[Annb]

Today is not going to be a very low carb day. Stomach still fizzing and I haven't even taken my antibiotic yet - and I don't think I will. Legs are getting bad again - on my feet too much yesterday and this morning I've had to take Co-codamol to try to calm it all down again. I decided not to take Furosimide yesterday and see what the effect would be. I had a much more comfortable day in terms of plumbing and my legs were no more swollen than when I do take it - in fact, I think they were a bit less swollen. Still very sore rash, so I couldn't put compression hose on because they stick to the weeping bits and just pull the skin off. And even so, the swelling wasn't too bad.

 

[shelley262]

@shelley262
May I ask for your yoghurt maker, and starter culture recommendations please?
I haven't got round to reading Supergut yet, but want to start making. I'm going to be bought the maker for a present and the giver is asking if I want small or large containers what do I want?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Progress-E...cphy=9041129&hvtargid=pla-1391780665666&psc=1

That’s the yoghurt maker I’d highly recommend I’m busy for next couple of hours but will get back to you then with a bit more info and also the cultures stuff etc you also need a thermometer I find too. Will get back later

 

[Annb]

@Riva_Roxaban got me interested in crows so I've just spent an enjoyable hour looking up the various members of the crow family - everything from Ravens to Jays. Quite a lot of variation within the crow family. Now, having wasted an hour, I'd better move and see if I'm not too stiff to stand up.

 

[shelley262]

@shelley262
May I ask for your yoghurt maker, and starter culture recommendations please?
I haven't got round to reading Supergut yet, but want to start making. I'm going to be bought the maker for a present and the giver is asking if I want small or large containers what do I want?

Hiya managed to get round to this and hope I havent overwhelmed you with detail!!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Progress-E...cphy=9041129&hvtargid=pla-1391780665666&psc=1


I use the progress yoghurt maker that I have found works very well as you can easily adjust both the temperature and the time and as all my yoghurts I do a slightly lower temps and longer times to get more friendly bacteria and a thicker yoghurt this is really useful

To change temp set to Program C-2 and adjust temp and time. I use 41degrees and 24 hours for bio yoghurt and 38 degrees and 37 hours for Lactobacillus Reuteri yoghurt.

C-1 is fixed at 42° and only 12hrs – I used once and didn’t give me results the C2 programme gave me, it was okay but a bit thin. In my opinion yoghurts need at least 24 hours provided you keep at a low enough temperature. I gather commercial yoghurts only ferment for 4 hours so are never going to give you the bacteria count and many add emulsifiers to give the right thickness!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0007VKEBC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Pre heating the milk and Cream

I do include this step now especially as I use a mix of a liter of organic milk and a 300mls carton on organic cream and heat these together until boiling point. I make sure that the temp has gone above 80 and I also stir to stop it catching. I then simmer for about 5 mins – still stirring - to allow it to thicken and then put a lid on the pan and put to cool on one side – Edit had idea today to put milk in sterilised container with lid to cool and this seems to be producing less of a skin -this usually takes at least an hour so do it ahead of the yoghurt. If a skin forms I tend to remove but you don’t need to do this its just that the yoghurt will be a bit less smooth. Only make the yoghurt when the milk and cream mix has reached the temp you need for the yoghurt which is 38 for Lactobacillus Reuteri and around 41 ish for some other Strains (you can check in the Supergut book for the right temperature for your bacteria. Ive found a yoghurt thermometer useful


Lactobacillus Reuteri to use as starter culure

You need to crush 10 tablets for your starter as they are tablets for babies/infants and so low strength but you can then reculture on after your first batch from the tablets.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00J9JYWAW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


for my bio yoghurt I use the following starter and the company does a whole range that you may want to try but love this one in particular which I do for 24 hours on 41 and then reculture from a few spoons of previous yoghurts



https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B011050G20/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1



I have also successfully cultured from a small pot of Fage yoghurt But I much prefer the yoghurt that comes from the starter packs and the Bio gastrus L Reuteri bacteria. I have recultured both of these on for the recommended 5 times and then started again with a fresh culture so they are relatively cost effective. I also use the MOO organic UHT litre cartons of milk as can keep them in stock.



The supergut book gives a L Reuteri yoghurt recipe that starts from room temp and aslo uses inulin to get the bacteria going However I have discovered that actually you don’t need the Inulin as the cream and milk are enough to feed the bacteria particularly if you breakdown the protein in the milk and cream by boiling and then simmering a bit about an hour before mixing with bacteria – after carefully taking its temp so that you don’t kill the friendly bacteria with heat!!



I hope I don’t make it sound too complicated as it isn’t -just a bit fiddly at first working out what works best but you soon get the hang of it. Keys are having a yoghurt maker that you can adjust the temperature and timing of plus keeping the bad bacteria out and looking after the good bacteria and reward will be wonderful tasting thick creamy yoghurt that keeps for a good week or more in the fridge. I always have 2 different types on the go and often eat them together as their tastes and textures can be very different. I do sometimes use the strainer but prefer one that isn’t too thick Some strained can come out like clotted cream – which is great if that is what you fancy.
Edit this is the post @RosemaryJackson

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

Our local butcher has some nice rib steaks so got a couple for the weekend.

These pix are from his facebok page.

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

So I checked it on Google and the one you have there is specific to Australasia.

I only try and post native birds and wildlife from Australia, early settlers named a lot of stuff after the northern hemisphere fauna.

 

[Annb]

Our local butcher has some nice rib steaks so got a couple for the weekend.

These pix are from his facebok page.

Fantastic! I hope you enjoy yours at the weekend.

 

[Annb]

I only try and post native birds and wildlife from Australia, early settlers named a lot of stuff after the northern hemisphere fauna.

That makes sense. Of course, they would have done. I'm getting thicker as I get older and never even thought of that.

 

[Annb]

It's 1 am and I have been to bed - went early in fact because I was feeling a bit grotty. I think I must have dozed for a few minutes, but woke up with a pain in my shoulder, so turned over onto the other shoulder but it was already hurting too much, so I had to get up and take some pain-killers. In fact, my shoulders, arms, hands and back are hurting quite seriously so I'm trying to take my mind off it. Tried watching TV but I can't turn the sound up too high and couldn't understand what was being said - couldn't be bothered with it anyway. So I thought I would while away the time talking to you guys.

News of my brother is getting better by the day. Yesterday, he was sitting in a chair - some kind of special support chair they have for him, managing to breathe just with an oxygen tube, managing to eat a couple of spoons of yoghurt. He's not over it yet, but he is definitely heading that way.

Must try to make up some sleep - Em has been promised a sleep-over tonight and there won't be a lot of sleep to be had then. Neil reckons to get her to help him do some plumbing - he is about to take out a towel rail that is attached to our central heating system and put in an electric oil-filled one. He already did that in the bathroom and it made a big difference to the background heat in there, so he's putting a second one in the shower room. I was beginning to think that it was another white elephant which would languish amongst the junk for years, but this has onlly been about a year.

He says that nobody is wearing face masks in shops now and when he went shopping on Monday, his mask was irritating him for some reason and he took it off. Today he has gone down with a cold! I imagine that there will be lots of viral things hanging around, waiting to pounce, when people drop their guard.

I think the pain-killers are starting to work, so I'll try, once again, to sleep. Goodnight all.

 

[Zhnyaka]

@Annb how are you today? Your last message is so sad that I'm worried about you

 

[Annb]

Very kind of you @Zhnyaka to be concerned about me, but don't be. I am used to having these aches and pains - mostly not due to diabetes. I try not to take too many pain-killers, although the GP urges me to take more but when I really need it, it works better than if I took it all the time. It stems from me not taking sufficient care of my health in the past, so there's no-one else I can blame for it. The drugs worked and I went back to bed and slept and the shoulder/arm pain is very much diminished now, and manageable. A brighter note - my hairdresser is coming this afternoon to tidy my hair a bit, so I'll look semi-human again.

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

My pharmacy delivered my scripts including the one to stop the internal bleeding when it occurs.

I rubber banned my name and GP's out, instead of using a Sharpie like the disgraced #45 to keep that private.

I have seven more scripts at $6.80 to go to hit the safety net bell, then I will get free medication for the rest of the year.

I hope they go down easy for there size.

..and to keep on topic here's a recipe from Diabetes Australia that came in my email newsletter today.

Smashed Avocado with Sweet Persimmon

https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.a...afU&utm_content=212102089&utm_source=hs_email

 

[Annb]

The only way I can get any tablets down is with a spoonful of yoghurt. Quite a few of my tablets are the size of the ones you have shown and the yoghurt makes a big difference to my struggles. I even have to have a spoonful with small tablets, but at least I can take a few of those at a time. Neil also suggested custard or thick cream if yoghurt doesn't suit.

 

[MrsA2]

@shelley262
Thanks for the info. Was worth asking a busy woman as you got back to me so quickly
Will be a few weeks yet before I get experimenting.


Sounds like at least I'll be able to use it to take tablets with!