Brain Dump

This is just a generic brain dump so I can relax my brain and get cracking (lots to do at work):

- Gym - haven't been going as regularly the last couple of weeks. I think this trend will reverse soon. I let my eating slip, then my energy went with it. I also completely cut out the doctor-suggested supplements although I kept taking my prescriptions (more on this below).

- Supplements - For a while now I have been diagnosed with Crohn's. Sometimes I am not sure that is what I "have" as I don't seem to suffer as much as people typically do with it but they call it a mild case. To deal with it and the associated inflammation (feels like Arthritis) I take a variety of supplements and also some meds. Basically I am taking Celebrex and a b.p. pill to counteract the increase b.p. from Celebrex (my b.p. is very respectable). I also take Calcium/Vitamin D and Omega 3 (fish source) supplements as per instructions by my Rheumatologist.

As most people know Crohn's and IBS have various bathroom-related symptoms. To control these I often use a little metamucil. I have recently added an active Probiotic supplement (jury is still out, this is my second day) taken with breakfast and dinner along with the Metamucil. The purpose is to have both a pro- and prebiotic with my meal which is supposed to aid my digestion and regulate it. The probiotic is supposed to "replenish gut flora". I have no idea if this will work or not but I've done enough research (Server Provides) to want to give it a shot. No doctor was involved in that decision. I'll post back in a month and tell you how it went.

Oh, so I was on supplements for a few months, then off them for a while. I suspected I was doing better on them but wanted to test this and went for a while without. Things gradually went downhill, mostly in the get-up-and-go department... Feeling much better now that I am taking them again and, my fried egg sandwhich this morning not-withstanding, feel like I am getting my proper diet back as well (lots of feedback loops for me when it comes to diet and exercise).

- Sleep - In addition to the above supplements I had been taking Melatonin. A doctor suggested this (one before bed) and I tried it. As part of my test to see if these things worked I stopped. Well, I want to take it again. I noticed that while taking it I was sleepier at bed time, slept deeper, and felt more rested in the morning. None of this is scientific, I mean I stopped taking everything at once, not one at a time, and it isn't like I am monitoring my sleep with scanners. I just know how I feel and go with it.

- Sourdough - the charm is fading somewhat (I no longer talk about it in every conversation I have) but I am still a big fan of sourdough and cooking with it often enough to leave it out and feed it every 24 hours.

- iPhone - best game ever: Zenonia 2 with the Shooter type character; Instapaper is my favourite new app; Stanza is my favourite old app; my cell plan is up for renewal in July so I'm trying to figure out the best phone/data plan or if I even need data. I think I do need text messaging (sort of) as I find it handy at times.

- Simplifying my life - Filing - instead of maintaining a bunch of files, one for each bill/topic, etc. I now just file all papers sequentially into a big accordion file for the year. I have a second file for stuff that I could conceivably need to access quickly (e.g. event tickets). I hope this simplifies my life and takes the pressure off to file everything properly (as has been my habit, but one I could never really stay on top of easily for some reason, for years).

- Simplifying my life - Wonder Hangers - I have abandoned Wonder Hangers! They seemed to actually reduce the efficiency of the closet even though they seemed to create more space. I organize by putting my just washed clothes in on the right... this pushes the less worn ones to the left making it easier to purge. The Wonder Hangers made this complicated