this year has been a cycle of ups and downs, and looking back i see footprints of 3 steps forward, 2 steps back. we're still making progress. this year has been full of sentimental ups and downs and finally leaving behind my relationship with simo, changing apartments 3 times in 9 months, immigration issues and health issues. and while immigration issues still linger, i have seen the fruits of my hard labors this year and am finally coming to appreciate a rotund bank account. buying and spending do not equal happiness, and the endorphins of the moment aren't worth the long-term loss.
in june i wrapped up my second year of teaching and am headed back to the states for 3 weeks in a month. in that month i will have to re-apply for my visa and hope for the best. the school i interned at this year was fantastic, and the teachers and director amazing. so amazing that they've been working incredibly hard to be able to keep me next year. yet between lawyers and trips to the police stations, no one has been able to accomplish anything yet. now we're going to try an "autonomous worker" route which means i'm technically not a hired worker but a freelancer with a temporary contract. at this point i'll take anything that'll help me to stay here. i just can't quite picture heading back to the States right now.
another big change this year came a couple of months ago, on the heels of several months of feeling not my best. i went to the pharmacy next to the pub for a few blood tests after the pharmacist, who comes to the pub every 10 minutes to drink an espresso, told me i had a bit of swelling around my thyroid area and i should come in for a few tests. everything looked ok, until we got to the blood sugar levels. they were at 207, or diabetes level. we did it again and they were 146, the first most likely beind a fluke. yet 146 on a fasting test is not indicative of a healthy body (levels should be between 60-80) and this sent me into a tizzy of research for ways to bring down blood sugar, in particular seeing as poppa had diabetes and it runs in the family.
i almost immediately cut out all sugars, caffeine, processed foods, cow milk, grains, and carbs except for those found in cheeses, yogurt, fruit, and vegetables. i also found research that indicates that cinnamon lowers blood sugar, and so attempt to drink about a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon water around meals. after eating like this for a month, i went back in to test my blood sugar and it was down to 98/100. something was working. still not normal but far from the 146 levels of a month previously.
my new, healthy way of eating is actually not the burden i thought it would be, as in the first days after the test i found myself desperately trying to understand what exactly i could eat. i was preparing myself to say goodbye to sweets and treats and all things i considered "yummy". my breakfast in the morning of a caffe latte and several of these amazing cereal cookies...gelato, pasta, bread, pizza, cakes, muffins and so many other things. i occasionally allow myself a gelato or a taste of dessert, but my eating habits have radically changed. why would i want to eat processed stuff that hurts my body? eating low-carb actually gives you the ability to eat more fats and proteins and so i've indulged in my love of cheeses, olives, greek yogurt, and meat. fresh fruits and vegetables are never far from the fridge. almonds and ground flax seeds have become integral parts of my diet. while i had to leave behind some of these foods, i've gained so many other amazing ones. this also means spending more money for food seeing as meat and cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables, and organic products cost more than pasta and rice, but i realize that i have to eat a diet that works for my body and not just for my wallet.
and while sometimes it's not easy forcing myself not to reach for the bread basket at lunch, in researching i've found a plethora of blogs and website by people who have discovered substitutes for ingredients in the most tempting of desserts and breads and other treats and have been able to recreate some of the favorites i thought i would have to leave behind forever. the other week i made almond meal and flax seed blueberry muffins sweetened with agave syrup and they were to die for. tonight i'm going to make a cake for my birthday with zucchini, chestnut flour, and agave syrup. who woulda thunk. and what is most comforting about this way of eating is that i know it's good for me.
so while 25 is just a day around the corner, i feel that i can turn a quarter of a century with new goals. this year will be full of experimentation, saving more, eating better, and living better. i personally think it will be quite yummy.
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