Thalmus, theories, redux

After eating: 97.9F.

I've been wandering around "The Stress", "The Zone" and "Atkins" diets for 5 months. I've lost 23 lbs, and this morning, weighed 172. That's 43 pounds since august of last year. In theory, I have another 15-20 pounds to go.

I have noticed lately that I'm a lot more sensitive to food intake than I used to be. I used to just overeat - I remember countless triple decker peanut butter and jelly sandwitches - and now I'm allowed just two tbsp of peanut butter - barely enough to cover a cracker - if I was allowed crackers.

Food is the most powerful drug you'll ever take - and I've been swallowing whatever marketeer pushed down the nearest grocery isle. Up til now, that is. I've steered clear of the carbohydrates to great effect.

But I've been missing out on some subtle components of the diets. My mood and latest meal definately are related.
I just got measuring cups and teaspoons. The only place I know where to buy a scale is in a head shop. Hmm. Maybe a kitchen store will have one. For the first time in my life I'm going to try following a diet to the smallest decimal place.

Most people are boring as hell when they talk about their diets, so I'm going to stop talking about it now. I just summarized 5 months worth of dieting in one blog entry, so you should feel lucky.

I love the scientific method. I don't give a damn about the alignment of the stars. I care about results. I will try one theory, after another, until I find something that works, note down everything about it, because whatever I think it is, it may not be.

I had a high bilirubin, I thought that (a powerful anti-oxident) was doing something to me. Now, temporarily discarded - but it is past time to take a blood test.

I lost the ability to breathe on demand - mixed apnea - the standard cure for the physical apnea is to get on this stinking machine, lose weight, get surgery - I've made progress on that...

The cure for the central apnea? - no one knows. There's something deep in the limbic system of the brain - or is it the thalmus? that controls the breathing process. The western science shrinks jigger your brain around with antihistamines - amphetamines - sleeping pills.
The neurofeedback people are all into raising your body temperature and calming your mind through advanced devices. The GPs twiddle with your thalmus. The eastern-leaners use meditation and concentration on the breathing process - The californians - hot tubs and free love... I don't know what the heck they use to get to sleep in Washington D.C., but it must be some heavy stuff...

They're all right in some cases. In my case... I just gotta keep trying until I find something that works. I remember living and working in florida - hot, hot, hot florida - yet "Johnny Net" - the guy I was a the time - a combination of John Galt and Johnny Appleseed - always wore a hat. Makes me think that "thinking caps" actually work....

After playing piano really fast for 20 minutes - 98.1F.

After sitting at a computer this past half hour and blogging: 97.1. This a thing on the nuerotransmitter GABA was teasing. And I don't feel like going anywhere. I keep sitting here.

Get. Up. Get. a Shower. Get out. You have another doctor's appointment today.

Back

Interesting datum - my BP was 96 over 54 today. At the same time as the test, temp was 97.1. Doc dismissed the idea, I'm fixated on it. New meds? Was I smoking and drinking coffee to artificially raise my blood pressure to a normal range? Something wrong with the diet? A cold? Too much surfing?

Hypothesis: blood pressure and body temp drops during the night to something unsustainable, and I wake up, barely alive. This would be one explanation for a cigarette at 3AM...

Test: Get your own BP monitor, pulse monitor, I've seen this kind of stuff at frys maybe there's something that can keep a log...

There's other, probably more important stuff that I have to type up from tape. My memory sucks today. But I learnt something about denial... I'll write on it later.

9:00 PM - 96.5F Pulse 60BPM.
9:18 PM 97.1F Pulse 72BPM. I played the piano as fast as I could for 10 minutes. The healing power of music... At rest 2 minutes - back to 96.6F. Hmm. Sure wish I'd done this sort of thing pathologically when I felt well....

I should probably rename this column postcards from within my navel - but fear not, ultimately I'll get around to talking about technology, if I managed to keep breathing long enough.

I have a jones for ice cream. I think I'll indulge it. It's been a rough day.

  ¶ 12:03 PM