Guys, I almost had to resort to doing a Five Frugal Things post on a Monday again instead of our usual Tuesday. But then I remembered I had some questions in the queue!
Sooo, here we go.
1. How does one get TopCashBack for Chewy subscriptions?
2. What does Facebook pay you for? (when you learn)
3. Are you doing Meet-A-Reader anymore? (couldn’t find the stuff on your website)
4. Did you finish your free on-line personal training program? Do we get to hear an evaluation?
-Jana
one
I'm not sure you can use TopCashback for Chewy subscriptions. But when I used it recently, it was for a ship-it-now order, and that works just fine!
I always try to figure out how to time the subscriptions properly, but I never seem to get it quite right. I either have an excess of litter here or I run short. So I often end up doing a ship-it-now order.
two
As far as I can tell, they pay me for people viewing regular posts on my page (as opposed to views for stories or reels). But I am not terribly pressed about it, at least not enough to change the way I use Facebook. These social media payments never really amount to a whole lot unless you have a seriously large following.
I'll just keep linking to my daily blog post as always, probably.
three
Yes! I would still be happy to publish Meet a Reader interviews; I just don't have any in the queue right now. I will email YOU the questions since you are interested. And anyone else who's interested, just shoot me an email (thefrugalgirl@gmail.com) or leave a comment and I'll send over instructions. 🙂
Are those Calphalon pots? I think I have the same set, use them all the time. Stainless steel and cast iron, so very satisfying to cook on.
-Sam
Sam asked after seeing this photo!
Yes! I own three Calphalon pots and one skillet. The pots I already had from my last house and the skillet was a gift from Book Club Elaine.
I like having a pretty minimal set of cookware, so even at Calphalon prices, my cookware doesn't break the bank. And I love how well-made their pans are.
Incidentally, now that I have discovered how easy it is to scramble eggs in stainless steel, I use my skillet almost every day.
(You heat the pan up until it's so hot that water immediately beads up on the surface, then add a little butter, then your eggs, and voila, your eggs slide around like it's the best nonstick pan in the world.)
I am curious to know why you have to attend AA meetings & Al-Anon meetings for mental health? Is it to try to have knowledge of this disease & effects on person/people?
-Regina
So, partly it's to expand our awareness of resources in the area so that we can offer ideas to patients and their families. And partly it's to widen our horizons and to learn by listening to people who are on a sobriety journey (and at Al-Anon, listening to families affected by drinking).
I actually have really appreciated this assignment; I thought it was beautiful to see the way people come together to support and help each other. The vulnerability and lack of pretense also really touched me, and I was encouraged to hear the success stories of people who have achieved sobriety.
I’m curious if you are taking creatine? I started a couple weeks ago, it has many benefits, especially for peri/menopausal aged women.
-Jen
It's funny you ask this because I have a container in my cupboard and just last night, I dug it out and put it on one of my open shelves so I will actually remember to use it!
I'm not a big supplement person, but this one does seem to have some solid scientific evidence behind it (and also, Dr. Mike Todorovic, a gym rat, but more importantly, one of my favorite A&P podcasters, recommends creatine.)
Do you track other nutritional components of your food intake? Calcium, D3, B vitamins, etc.
-JD in NM
I do not! The food tracking apps do let you know things like how much fiber you're getting and My Fitness pal tracks potassium, calcium, iron, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C.
But I discovered that without really trying, I was usually hitting at least the minimum RDA for all of those, and generally I surpassed the Vitamin C goal by quite a bit (which is fine; it's a water-soluble vitamin so you just pee out any extra!)
So basically I think my usual diet is giving me a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals. Yay!
Do you have a template for how you make stray veggies into a soup? The one you show looks like a “cream of …” soup.
-Kathy
When I made the asparagus soup I loosely followed a Cook's Illustrated recipe, and that was mostly helpful because they suggested cutting off the tips of the asparagus, browning them in butter, and then setting them aside to add to the pureed soup later. That way the soup isn't just puree.
But basically, to make a "cream of" soup, I'd brown veggies and onions in a pot with seasonings, add some chicken broth, simmer until everything is tender, puree it all in the blender, add it back to the pot, and stir in cream.
Mondays are good days for me. Since I’m an early riser, I get a lot done. I’ve made black bean soup. an apple pie for the freezer, and 2 pizzas from scratch. I have some paperwork and calls to make after 9, but nothing else pressing today. Do you study in the early mornings or prefer afternoons after returning from class? Even in college, I was up early- just my natural rhythm. I take fish oil daily because I don’t eat enough salmon- I actually like sardines but maybe just once a week! It’s still air conditioning weather here but 80s are better than 90s!
I tend to be an early riser, too. Amazingly, I wake up ready to go or at least that's the way it seems to me. My daughter needs a couple of hours to get up to speed, but I can function right away, even without coffee. If I have anything left on my "To Do List" from the day before that gets tackled first. That makes me feel ready to tackle the new day. I make it a point to not remove items from the list until they have been completed and sometimes that means moving them from one day's list to the next and maybe even moving them again. That way my lists hold me accountable.
I have the same - there are always some tasks or chores I do before I breakfast and I also swim before eating - just a few glasses of water will get me going. Unfortunately my system gets upset when I have an office day and need to get up two hours earlier, for travel. In that case I cannot stick to my normal meal times and I really need to take some healthy extras to cover me over until I am home again.
Kristen how does your body respond to changes in your routine? Can you sleep at odd times and do you need more food on long days - or do you manage on your usual quantities?
Well, usually my total number of awake hours is consistent; it's more that what happens during my waking hours varies a lot!
I try to pack food for when I will not be home during a meal time and I always have a protein bar (usually an Rx brand bar) in my bag too because if I go too long between meals, I don't just get hungry; I get shaky and weak and start to feel some brain fog.
@Sandra, I always feel better if I get chores or a workout done first thing. Unfortunately, my body hasn't received the memo and I struggle to wake up early!
A question- I’d love to hear how your menu planning and cooking habits have changed in going to a smaller household! It seems like you don’t meal plan as much but I might be misinterpreting!
I am in a phase of life where I need to meal plan to get food on the table (3 kids under 5) but I love hearing about how people in different phases handle this!
@Kristen, I still only have one child but now that there's so much more going on (dance, school, band, etc.) that I feel like I'm a bit less organized and that I need to change that up. Heck, it's 9:30 and I don't know what I'm making for dinner tonight!
I recently found out I'm vitamin D deficient! It's pretty common here in Indiana apparently. For some reason our yearly blood tests don't include vitamin levels, so this was missed. But low vitamin D prevents calcium absorption, which led to my root canals (we think). Just dropping a comment in case anyone else lives in a cloudy state...
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, I have a friend who is a family practice physician and she says that most people are vitamin D deficient and should be taking a supplement. I’ve been taking one for years after being diagnosed with osteoporosis in my late 50s.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, I have seasonal depression (SAD) and when I mentioned to my therapist at the time that I read that it's related to Vitamin D levels she scoffed at me and kept pushing Prozac.
Fast forward a decade and it turns out I have a pretty bad Vitamin D deficiency in the winter (probably because I hate winter so much so I never go outside even when it is light out)
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, Even in more or less perpetually sunny New Mexico you can be D deficient! They make calcium + vitamin D supplements that have the recommended amounts of each: 600 mg calcium and 20 mcg vitamin D per tablet, taken twice a day. And you can get too much D as well as too little; if I recall correctly, NIH and others caution against more than 4000 iu/100 mcg per day, and I have seen others recommend no more than 50 mcg/day.
But I'm not a doctor, and I don't even play one on TV!
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea,
I am a Florida Native and still have low levels of Vitamin D. I have taken a supplement for years and found that taking it along with K can increase its effectiveness.
Vitamin D deficiency is linked to many health issues. I’m not sure why some doctors do not included in a yearly blood panel. Kristin, have you discussed this in nursing school at all?
This short article from the Mayo Clinic regarding Vitamin D is quite informative. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792
@Bee, My PCP requested a Vitamin D panel one year as part of my annual bloodwork and the insurance company refused to pay for it. Apparently the labs charge hundreds of dollars to run a D panel and, unless the provider codes it as "medically necessary", at least some insurers won't authorize it.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, actually in your/our (Michigan) area it is pretty common for Vitamin D deficiency. The doctor told me (years ago) that between our seasons/sunshine & insufficient consumption of Vitamin D foods that those are primary reasons for most people. I am outside in warm weather most if sunshine hours & do during winter hours to shovel & going in/out so I was surprised by this. I do supplements but I recommend using cast iron skillet/griddle for cooking as it has helped increase Vitamin D (naturally) & has helped my levels.
@Mar, very true! I myself just found out I have Hashimoto's and there is a strong correlation there (I believe experts are not sure of there is an causation in either direction yet though)
@Cheryl, @JDinNM - That is shocking. I have my Vitamin D levels checked at least once a year for the last 12 years. My insurance company always has paid for this service. Perhaps you can speak with your doctor about the coding on your order. If she is requesting to see your levels, there must be a reason for this.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, ALSO while I've gathered you all to talk about vitamins LOL. My newest passion fact, taught to me by my RD, is that gummy vitamins are actually sprayed with the vitamins, which means they are not as consistently dosed as capsules. My RD always recommends capsules over gummies for that reason!
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea,
I'm in Ohio (howdy, neighbor!), and yup, I have vitamin D deficiency. I've taken supplements for years, and my PCP told me that even with taking a daily supplement, eventually your stores of vitamin D run down (she said it much better than that), so every few years, I take a mega-dose of vitamin D (that she prescribes) for a few days to increase my stores. Its challenging, as sunscreens and sun block are needed (I burn very easily, plus would prefer not to get skin cancer), yet sunlight is a good source of vitamin D.
@Bee, I did raise it with my PCP and told him I wasn't willing to pay the $800 out of pocket the lab would charge, and if he thought it was that important he needed to code it as such. He decided not to. I was just grateful the lab tech flagged it for me before I got stuck with a bill. And I ended up getting a Vitamin D reading on a bone density scan anyway. More than one way to do a work around in our bizarre and screwed up health "care" system.
@JDinNM,
I’m glad you were able to find out your Vitamin D levels. It seems like life in America often involves finding work arounds for many things. I’m so sorry that this type of testing is so expensive in your part of the country. That is much higher than the national average. I guess prices and coverage vary dramatically in health care as well as just about everything else. I will not get on my soap box about that, however. Wishing you good health!
@Bee, I just picked up my mail and found a 16 page summary from my insurer telling me they paid a grand total of $4.49 during the entire month of August on me for a 3-month supply of one prescription medication. They probably paid that much just to mail the statement. And thank you! Yes, my Vitamin D levels are just fine.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, almost everyone I know is Vitamin D deficient. I have 2 theories: 1. liberal usage of sunscreen and 2. probably the latest fad to push another pharmaceutical (What? Me cynical??)
@JDinNM, anyone else:
There are ways to get cheaper lab testing- try LabCorp Ondemand or Quest lab services. They run 70-100$ but you have to have one of these businesses/labs near you to draw at. I haven't done it myself but I know it's available.
While visiting in-laws I browsed a book about a scrappy cooking, it is by Carleigh Bodrug and she has a blog called Plant You (also cookbook). Her recipes opened my eyes to what can truly be used!
I wondered about input for compost bins (outside) while renting. We have 1.5 yrs left at this house and move again to unknown location. We usually have a patio at least.
@Colleen,
I picked up a cookbook some time ago called Cooking With Scraps which sounds like it is along the same line. It is filled with ideas. You may want to see if your library has it.
@Colleen, Have you checked your local community for compost facilities? Some areas have where residents can drop off/take for free. If that is available you only need to get container (plastic garbage can with lid/chicken wire rolled into tube) to put your food scraps in & yard (weeds) outside.
Be sure to check your local ordinances so that you don't get any fines.
A Shelley sighting! Glad to see her getting some equal billing. 😉
I found the same thing happened to me with Chewy subscriptions. When we first got Clark, it seemed hard to find his hypo-allergenic kibble (to make him less allergenic to us, not for his non-existent allergies!); Amazon was warning me they were running late, or I needed to find a substitute, so I panic-subscribed to Chewy and then ended up with three bag of kibble. A) I do not like storing food for that long, and B) I barely have the room. So I went down to using Amazon Subscribe and Save; it's the same price as at Chewy and I get more Amazon card points. If I run low before my next Amazon shipment, I'll use ship it now at Chewy, but since Clark is on restrictions now, I think his kibble will last longer.
That was probably more than anyone needed to know about our cat kibble situation!
I've been pondering creatine lately; I am skeptical of collagen supplements, as I feel it just breaks down into amino acids anyway, which I can get from food (and the thought of powdered cow skin and hooves gives me the heebie-jeebies!). But I have upped my protein intake, inspired by the Commentariat and Kristen here. Now I just have to get back on my weights.
@Karen A., I use Amazon's Subscribe and Save for the dog food. Good price and very convenient and Amazon notifies you in advance of every shipment so you can cancel any given delivery and skip a month if you've overestimated how much you need, or order an extra bag more or less overnight if you need to. Very flexible and responsive. I order one bag a month, and a "backup" bag every three months, and will skip a delivery if the inventory gets too large. I tried Chewy for a while but didn't like it as well. And Amazon points and other discounts help.
@JDinNM, @Karen A.
I use Chewy for my pet food purchases. I use auto-ship, but have not figured out how to take advantage of TopCashBack. They do send an email 10 days before your scheduled shipment and can easily make changes. Chewy also has excellent customer service which is a rarity today.
@Karen A.,
Glad you figured out what works best for you (and Clark. :-)). One of our cats, Lafayette (the most expensive "free" cat ever, lol - we adore him, so he's worth it) requires a vet-prescribed canned cat food that is cheapest from Chewy. We get it through their Auto-Ship, and get automatic cash back via Ibotta. All I did was order through Ibotta the first time, and it adds to my account very time we get a Chewy Auto-Ship. Granted, it's not a lot, but every bit adds up. And Lafayette LOVES this food, and lets us know if we're late giving it to him. 🙂
My daughter used to date a power lifter. He always took creatine and really watched his protein amounts. I take a few vitamins that are often lacking in people with my autoimmune conditions, even D, which is funny since I live in Florida, the Sunshine State. But it's so hot, plus I work indoors, that I don't get out that much to get the extra D I need to compensate. I don't drink vitamin-fortified milk, either. Besides, my dermatologist is always after me to wear sunscreen daily. The easiest thing for me is to take D (and K with it) to get what I need.
I once took a calculus class designed for a semester that was offered as a six-week summer class. I never made that mistake again. The professor was horrible- insulting, arrogant and impatient of questions. We started with 200 people in the class (it was a requirement for several majors) and ended with less than 50; the rest dropped it and took it again during a full semester. I passed that summer course, but barely.
I have my late mother-in-law's "waterless" stainless steel multi-ply cookware that she bought in the 60's. I don't know what my two girls will do with the cookware when I pass on. That and my cast iron are what I use daily. The stainless set still has the accessories that came with it, but none of them are calico.
As a lifelong sober person who has never even had so much as a sip of beer in his life, I do find the history of alcohol to be somewhat fascinating and the reaction to substance abuse. I know that AA has helped some people and others have issues with it (too vaguely religious, not religious enough etc.) but whatever can help people get away from abuse is a positive I think.
I was wondering at first what the difference between AA and AlAnon was and I now gather it is for the patients and their families respectively? It makes sense to split up those to groups for support, I think.
Not an early riser on purpose. I do schedule local appts early morning in the event I've worked the night before and even if I don't, I don't like "cutting a hole in the middle of the day." It's not unusual for me to be up late working on projects/cooking/cleaning.
My pots and pans are also the multiply waterless cookware I purchased with installment plan in the late 70's, early 80's. I have had one pan replaced and, I think one lid. My sisters invited me to meet with the salesman and since they were younger, I went to "save them" from his wiles. I'm the only one who bought the whole spiel. Eight piece set of stoneware, opaque black footed chubby crystal, stainless steel silverware were "free" with the pans. For a few years afterward, I continued to add to the pans. The biggest pan has been ideal for water bath canning just a few pints of tomatoes, salsa, jams or fruit. And I even have the electric skillet and electric stew pot. So much for "saving my sisters." The pans and lids are great and have seen a lot of use! The dishes...not so much.
@Cheryl, AA is Alcoholics Anonymous - for the alcoholics. AlAnon is The Al Anon Family Groups, for the families. AA was co-founded by Bill Wilson; AlAnon was founded by his wife Lois, when she realized, after throwing a shoe at her (now sober) husband, that she was just as affected by alcohol as he was even though she did not drink.
I have been sober in AA for 27 years, and also qualify for AlAnon, since i grew up in an alcoholic household -- can trace that disease back three generations on both sides of my family.
I've never been a supplement person, but I had to start on a statin for brain inflammation due to the mesh stent thing they put in for my aneurysm...it's caused some inflammation and scarring inside the ICA. When I started the statin my regular PCM told me to start taking CoQ10 as the statin will lower that and your body needs it everywhere. So, I take that now. And recently, I started a magnesium because I was getting foot cramps (like a charley horse in my foot). The magnesium seems to have helped. I also take a probiotic at the suggestion of my doctor for colon health (family history of colon cancer). I know most can eat lots of probiotic foods, but I'm lactose intolerant and just don't seem to get enough other ways. So, I went from no supplements to 3.
Thank you for all the answers! And of course I have more questions.
1. I too have trouble figuring out a regular Chewy order and often hit the ship-now button. But I can't figure out how to tie that to TopCash Back either. Anyone else know how to do this?
2. I've never heard of Creatine but will look it up.
3. I have curiosity about pureed soups: when fruits are pureed for a smoothie, the fiber is somehow wrecked enough that the sugars hit the bloodstream hard and fast. Do we know if pureed veggies in soups affect blood glucose the same way??
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
All good questions, but #3: here's my best guess. When you puree veggies (meaning non-starchy veggies, like the asparagus Kristen used in her soup), you are breaking down the fiber in the veggie....BUT non-starchy veggies are not as high in naturally occurring sugars as fruit is, so I'm guessing it would not affect your blood sugar the same way that pureed fruit does.
It *might* affect your blood sugar differently than eating "whole" non-starchy veggies, though?? Which don't really cause much change in your blood sugar, anyway.
Yeah, I would guess that you are right about #3: that eating chicken broth, veggies, and a splash of cream wouldn't have a huge impact on blood sugar whether or not they are pureed!
I make fake "cream of" soup by sauteeing onions in fat, then the veggies in question, then pan-steaming that in some stock, then pureeing it (usually with a stick blender - the regal choice because it's hard to get all the soup out of the blender), then adding stock and spices to taste.
Hi, Kristen! Do you have a favorite flavor of RXBar? They seem to have the most wholesome ingredients of any protein bar so I am interested in giving them a try. Thanks!
When I was taking creatine, my hair was falling out at much faster rate than normal. It took maybe a week or two for me to notice the difference and it stopped soon after I stopped taking it. After just 2 weeks on it my ponytail was already substantially thinner and during the time I was taking it there were many (MANY) loose hairs on my bathroom floor after combing.
Internet search told me that it doesn't happen to everyone so hopefully you'll be one of the lucky ones.
I have read that this happens to some people. I don't have super thick hair to start with, so if mine starts falling out I am def quitting the creatine!
I was so happy to hear that you were asked to attend Al-Anon and AA. The more people who know about Al-Anon, the better, in my opinion. I have been attending for years and it has helped me 100%. No drinking currently in my family but previous generations alcohol use had deeply affected me. I am a grateful member of Al-Anon.
For those who might need a low/no-fat soup but really want cream of..., use fat free/skim milk in place of the cream.
And for those who also need to skip spices such as garlic, just use water rather than store bought stock (less expensive, too!), and add your own salt, pepper, onion, paprika, bay leaf, basil, oregano--whatever spices & herbs you like.
And if the soup is soupier than you'd like, just add some rice or pasta. A 1/4 C uncooked rice will still provide some liquid; 1/2 C will make it more like stew. Cooked rice will thicken the soup without taking up as much water. It's rather experimental 🙂 And you can always add more water if you thickened it too much.
Mondays are good days for me. Since I’m an early riser, I get a lot done. I’ve made black bean soup. an apple pie for the freezer, and 2 pizzas from scratch. I have some paperwork and calls to make after 9, but nothing else pressing today. Do you study in the early mornings or prefer afternoons after returning from class? Even in college, I was up early- just my natural rhythm. I take fish oil daily because I don’t eat enough salmon- I actually like sardines but maybe just once a week! It’s still air conditioning weather here but 80s are better than 90s!
@Nan, I too have always been an early riser, even in college.
My SIL recently recommended creatine as a good supplement for building muscle as it is harder in your sixties. I think I will buy some.
Nutritionally I count/estimate fiber grams and fruit/vegetable servings. I need a lot of fiber.
My system needs a decent amount of fiber too, so I am always thinking about that when I put together a meal or a snack.
I tend to be an early riser, too. Amazingly, I wake up ready to go or at least that's the way it seems to me. My daughter needs a couple of hours to get up to speed, but I can function right away, even without coffee. If I have anything left on my "To Do List" from the day before that gets tackled first. That makes me feel ready to tackle the new day. I make it a point to not remove items from the list until they have been completed and sometimes that means moving them from one day's list to the next and maybe even moving them again. That way my lists hold me accountable.
@Sandra,
I have the same - there are always some tasks or chores I do before I breakfast and I also swim before eating - just a few glasses of water will get me going. Unfortunately my system gets upset when I have an office day and need to get up two hours earlier, for travel. In that case I cannot stick to my normal meal times and I really need to take some healthy extras to cover me over until I am home again.
Kristen how does your body respond to changes in your routine? Can you sleep at odd times and do you need more food on long days - or do you manage on your usual quantities?
Well, usually my total number of awake hours is consistent; it's more that what happens during my waking hours varies a lot!
I try to pack food for when I will not be home during a meal time and I always have a protein bar (usually an Rx brand bar) in my bag too because if I go too long between meals, I don't just get hungry; I get shaky and weak and start to feel some brain fog.
@Sandra, I always feel better if I get chores or a workout done first thing. Unfortunately, my body hasn't received the memo and I struggle to wake up early!
A question- I’d love to hear how your menu planning and cooking habits have changed in going to a smaller household! It seems like you don’t meal plan as much but I might be misinterpreting!
I am in a phase of life where I need to meal plan to get food on the table (3 kids under 5) but I love hearing about how people in different phases handle this!
You are correct! I am flying by the seat of my pants way more now than I used to.
I just added your question to a Q&A draft, and I'll elaborate more on it there. 🙂
@Kristen, I still only have one child but now that there's so much more going on (dance, school, band, etc.) that I feel like I'm a bit less organized and that I need to change that up. Heck, it's 9:30 and I don't know what I'm making for dinner tonight!
I recently found out I'm vitamin D deficient! It's pretty common here in Indiana apparently. For some reason our yearly blood tests don't include vitamin levels, so this was missed. But low vitamin D prevents calcium absorption, which led to my root canals (we think). Just dropping a comment in case anyone else lives in a cloudy state...
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, I have a friend who is a family practice physician and she says that most people are vitamin D deficient and should be taking a supplement. I’ve been taking one for years after being diagnosed with osteoporosis in my late 50s.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, I have seasonal depression (SAD) and when I mentioned to my therapist at the time that I read that it's related to Vitamin D levels she scoffed at me and kept pushing Prozac.
Fast forward a decade and it turns out I have a pretty bad Vitamin D deficiency in the winter (probably because I hate winter so much so I never go outside even when it is light out)
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, it is also common in those who have auto immune diseases.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, Even in more or less perpetually sunny New Mexico you can be D deficient! They make calcium + vitamin D supplements that have the recommended amounts of each: 600 mg calcium and 20 mcg vitamin D per tablet, taken twice a day. And you can get too much D as well as too little; if I recall correctly, NIH and others caution against more than 4000 iu/100 mcg per day, and I have seen others recommend no more than 50 mcg/day.
But I'm not a doctor, and I don't even play one on TV!
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea,
I am a Florida Native and still have low levels of Vitamin D. I have taken a supplement for years and found that taking it along with K can increase its effectiveness.
Vitamin D deficiency is linked to many health issues. I’m not sure why some doctors do not included in a yearly blood panel. Kristin, have you discussed this in nursing school at all?
This short article from the Mayo Clinic regarding Vitamin D is quite informative.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792
Oh, that is interesting. I wonder why they don't routinely test for it! I know my girls and I have often had that included in our blood tests.
@Bee, My PCP requested a Vitamin D panel one year as part of my annual bloodwork and the insurance company refused to pay for it. Apparently the labs charge hundreds of dollars to run a D panel and, unless the provider codes it as "medically necessary", at least some insurers won't authorize it.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, actually in your/our (Michigan) area it is pretty common for Vitamin D deficiency. The doctor told me (years ago) that between our seasons/sunshine & insufficient consumption of Vitamin D foods that those are primary reasons for most people. I am outside in warm weather most if sunshine hours & do during winter hours to shovel & going in/out so I was surprised by this. I do supplements but I recommend using cast iron skillet/griddle for cooking as it has helped increase Vitamin D (naturally) & has helped my levels.
@Mar, very true! I myself just found out I have Hashimoto's and there is a strong correlation there (I believe experts are not sure of there is an causation in either direction yet though)
@Battra92, that is so frustrating when providers push one method. I am glad you figured out the link yourself.
@Regina, interesting about the cast iron!
my levels were taken in JULY here, when I was walking outside daily, and they were low. I can only imagine my february levels
@JDinNM, Yes! Whenever my Dr asks for "D" in my blood work it is not covered!
@Cheryl, @JDinNM - That is shocking. I have my Vitamin D levels checked at least once a year for the last 12 years. My insurance company always has paid for this service. Perhaps you can speak with your doctor about the coding on your order. If she is requesting to see your levels, there must be a reason for this.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, ALSO while I've gathered you all to talk about vitamins LOL. My newest passion fact, taught to me by my RD, is that gummy vitamins are actually sprayed with the vitamins, which means they are not as consistently dosed as capsules. My RD always recommends capsules over gummies for that reason!
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea,
I'm in Ohio (howdy, neighbor!), and yup, I have vitamin D deficiency. I've taken supplements for years, and my PCP told me that even with taking a daily supplement, eventually your stores of vitamin D run down (she said it much better than that), so every few years, I take a mega-dose of vitamin D (that she prescribes) for a few days to increase my stores. Its challenging, as sunscreens and sun block are needed (I burn very easily, plus would prefer not to get skin cancer), yet sunlight is a good source of vitamin D.
@Bee, I did raise it with my PCP and told him I wasn't willing to pay the $800 out of pocket the lab would charge, and if he thought it was that important he needed to code it as such. He decided not to. I was just grateful the lab tech flagged it for me before I got stuck with a bill. And I ended up getting a Vitamin D reading on a bone density scan anyway. More than one way to do a work around in our bizarre and screwed up health "care" system.
@JDinNM,
I’m glad you were able to find out your Vitamin D levels. It seems like life in America often involves finding work arounds for many things. I’m so sorry that this type of testing is so expensive in your part of the country. That is much higher than the national average. I guess prices and coverage vary dramatically in health care as well as just about everything else. I will not get on my soap box about that, however. Wishing you good health!
@Bee, I just picked up my mail and found a 16 page summary from my insurer telling me they paid a grand total of $4.49 during the entire month of August on me for a 3-month supply of one prescription medication. They probably paid that much just to mail the statement. And thank you! Yes, my Vitamin D levels are just fine.
@Andrea G / Midwest Andrea, almost everyone I know is Vitamin D deficient. I have 2 theories: 1. liberal usage of sunscreen and 2. probably the latest fad to push another pharmaceutical (What? Me cynical??)
@Regina,
Using cast iron pans, griddle, etc., helps your vitamin D levels? I've never heard this! We need to use our cast iron more. Thank you!
@JDinNM, anyone else:
There are ways to get cheaper lab testing- try LabCorp Ondemand or Quest lab services. They run 70-100$ but you have to have one of these businesses/labs near you to draw at. I haven't done it myself but I know it's available.
https://www.ondemand.labcorp.com/lab-tests/vitamin-d-test
https://www.questhealth.com/product/vitamin-d-test-17306M.html
@Meg in SoTx, We live in AZ and have a boat and a pool and still end up Vit D deficient. Go figure....
@Bee, probably because no Big Pharma pill to push. Vitamin D supplements, no matter the dose, is relatively inexpensive.
While visiting in-laws I browsed a book about a scrappy cooking, it is by Carleigh Bodrug and she has a blog called Plant You (also cookbook). Her recipes opened my eyes to what can truly be used!
I wondered about input for compost bins (outside) while renting. We have 1.5 yrs left at this house and move again to unknown location. We usually have a patio at least.
@Colleen,
I picked up a cookbook some time ago called Cooking With Scraps which sounds like it is along the same line. It is filled with ideas. You may want to see if your library has it.
@Colleen, Have you checked your local community for compost facilities? Some areas have where residents can drop off/take for free. If that is available you only need to get container (plastic garbage can with lid/chicken wire rolled into tube) to put your food scraps in & yard (weeds) outside.
Be sure to check your local ordinances so that you don't get any fines.
A Shelley sighting! Glad to see her getting some equal billing. 😉
I found the same thing happened to me with Chewy subscriptions. When we first got Clark, it seemed hard to find his hypo-allergenic kibble (to make him less allergenic to us, not for his non-existent allergies!); Amazon was warning me they were running late, or I needed to find a substitute, so I panic-subscribed to Chewy and then ended up with three bag of kibble. A) I do not like storing food for that long, and B) I barely have the room. So I went down to using Amazon Subscribe and Save; it's the same price as at Chewy and I get more Amazon card points. If I run low before my next Amazon shipment, I'll use ship it now at Chewy, but since Clark is on restrictions now, I think his kibble will last longer.
That was probably more than anyone needed to know about our cat kibble situation!
I've been pondering creatine lately; I am skeptical of collagen supplements, as I feel it just breaks down into amino acids anyway, which I can get from food (and the thought of powdered cow skin and hooves gives me the heebie-jeebies!). But I have upped my protein intake, inspired by the Commentariat and Kristen here. Now I just have to get back on my weights.
@Karen A., I use Amazon's Subscribe and Save for the dog food. Good price and very convenient and Amazon notifies you in advance of every shipment so you can cancel any given delivery and skip a month if you've overestimated how much you need, or order an extra bag more or less overnight if you need to. Very flexible and responsive. I order one bag a month, and a "backup" bag every three months, and will skip a delivery if the inventory gets too large. I tried Chewy for a while but didn't like it as well. And Amazon points and other discounts help.
@Karen A., I think of Shelley as the Greta Garbo of the household.
@JDinNM, @Karen A.
I use Chewy for my pet food purchases. I use auto-ship, but have not figured out how to take advantage of TopCashBack. They do send an email 10 days before your scheduled shipment and can easily make changes. Chewy also has excellent customer service which is a rarity today.
@Karen A.,
Glad you figured out what works best for you (and Clark. :-)). One of our cats, Lafayette (the most expensive "free" cat ever, lol - we adore him, so he's worth it) requires a vet-prescribed canned cat food that is cheapest from Chewy. We get it through their Auto-Ship, and get automatic cash back via Ibotta. All I did was order through Ibotta the first time, and it adds to my account very time we get a Chewy Auto-Ship. Granted, it's not a lot, but every bit adds up. And Lafayette LOVES this food, and lets us know if we're late giving it to him. 🙂
@Liz B., no such thing as a free pet!
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
Lol, exactly! This one is "extra not free". 🙂
thank you for the shelley photo and the chiquita photo. yay yay yay.
Random thoughts:
My daughter used to date a power lifter. He always took creatine and really watched his protein amounts. I take a few vitamins that are often lacking in people with my autoimmune conditions, even D, which is funny since I live in Florida, the Sunshine State. But it's so hot, plus I work indoors, that I don't get out that much to get the extra D I need to compensate. I don't drink vitamin-fortified milk, either. Besides, my dermatologist is always after me to wear sunscreen daily. The easiest thing for me is to take D (and K with it) to get what I need.
I once took a calculus class designed for a semester that was offered as a six-week summer class. I never made that mistake again. The professor was horrible- insulting, arrogant and impatient of questions. We started with 200 people in the class (it was a requirement for several majors) and ended with less than 50; the rest dropped it and took it again during a full semester. I passed that summer course, but barely.
I have my late mother-in-law's "waterless" stainless steel multi-ply cookware that she bought in the 60's. I don't know what my two girls will do with the cookware when I pass on. That and my cast iron are what I use daily. The stainless set still has the accessories that came with it, but none of them are calico.
@JD, Hah! I have a lot of Calphalon but no calico accessories. That is something up with which the dog would not put.
@JDinNM,
Ha, Churchill, right?
@JD, Yes! He was making fun of the rule "never end a sentence with a preposition."
@JDinNM, I don't think there's a grammatical rule that you can't end a sentence in a proposition... But it might be illegal!
As a lifelong sober person who has never even had so much as a sip of beer in his life, I do find the history of alcohol to be somewhat fascinating and the reaction to substance abuse. I know that AA has helped some people and others have issues with it (too vaguely religious, not religious enough etc.) but whatever can help people get away from abuse is a positive I think.
@Battra92,
I was wondering at first what the difference between AA and AlAnon was and I now gather it is for the patients and their families respectively? It makes sense to split up those to groups for support, I think.
I also do not like alcohol so this was a good way to expand my horizons and expose me to a whole world I don’t have experience with.
@JNL, AA is for alcoholics and AlAnon is for people who want help dealing with alcoholics in their lives.
Hi Kristen - thanks for answering my question about the “cream of” soup!!!!
Can wait to start using vegetables up this way.
Not an early riser on purpose. I do schedule local appts early morning in the event I've worked the night before and even if I don't, I don't like "cutting a hole in the middle of the day." It's not unusual for me to be up late working on projects/cooking/cleaning.
My pots and pans are also the multiply waterless cookware I purchased with installment plan in the late 70's, early 80's. I have had one pan replaced and, I think one lid. My sisters invited me to meet with the salesman and since they were younger, I went to "save them" from his wiles. I'm the only one who bought the whole spiel. Eight piece set of stoneware, opaque black footed chubby crystal, stainless steel silverware were "free" with the pans. For a few years afterward, I continued to add to the pans. The biggest pan has been ideal for water bath canning just a few pints of tomatoes, salsa, jams or fruit. And I even have the electric skillet and electric stew pot. So much for "saving my sisters." The pans and lids are great and have seen a lot of use! The dishes...not so much.
What's the difference between "AA" and "Al Anon"..? I thought AA was Al Anon..?
@Cheryl, AA is Alcoholics Anonymous - for the alcoholics. AlAnon is The Al Anon Family Groups, for the families. AA was co-founded by Bill Wilson; AlAnon was founded by his wife Lois, when she realized, after throwing a shoe at her (now sober) husband, that she was just as affected by alcohol as he was even though she did not drink.
I have been sober in AA for 27 years, and also qualify for AlAnon, since i grew up in an alcoholic household -- can trace that disease back three generations on both sides of my family.
Before this semester, I had no idea what the difference was between the two groups! And now I know.
@L, Interesting, i learned something today! Congrats on your many years of Sobriety!
@L, Congratulations! What a tremendous accomplishment.
I've never been a supplement person, but I had to start on a statin for brain inflammation due to the mesh stent thing they put in for my aneurysm...it's caused some inflammation and scarring inside the ICA. When I started the statin my regular PCM told me to start taking CoQ10 as the statin will lower that and your body needs it everywhere. So, I take that now. And recently, I started a magnesium because I was getting foot cramps (like a charley horse in my foot). The magnesium seems to have helped. I also take a probiotic at the suggestion of my doctor for colon health (family history of colon cancer). I know most can eat lots of probiotic foods, but I'm lactose intolerant and just don't seem to get enough other ways. So, I went from no supplements to 3.
Thank you for all the answers! And of course I have more questions.
1. I too have trouble figuring out a regular Chewy order and often hit the ship-now button. But I can't figure out how to tie that to TopCash Back either. Anyone else know how to do this?
2. I've never heard of Creatine but will look it up.
3. I have curiosity about pureed soups: when fruits are pureed for a smoothie, the fiber is somehow wrecked enough that the sugars hit the bloodstream hard and fast. Do we know if pureed veggies in soups affect blood glucose the same way??
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
All good questions, but #3: here's my best guess. When you puree veggies (meaning non-starchy veggies, like the asparagus Kristen used in her soup), you are breaking down the fiber in the veggie....BUT non-starchy veggies are not as high in naturally occurring sugars as fruit is, so I'm guessing it would not affect your blood sugar the same way that pureed fruit does.
It *might* affect your blood sugar differently than eating "whole" non-starchy veggies, though?? Which don't really cause much change in your blood sugar, anyway.
Just my 2 cents.
Yeah, I would guess that you are right about #3: that eating chicken broth, veggies, and a splash of cream wouldn't have a huge impact on blood sugar whether or not they are pureed!
I make fake "cream of" soup by sauteeing onions in fat, then the veggies in question, then pan-steaming that in some stock, then pureeing it (usually with a stick blender - the regal choice because it's hard to get all the soup out of the blender), then adding stock and spices to taste.
Hi, Kristen! Do you have a favorite flavor of RXBar? They seem to have the most wholesome ingredients of any protein bar so I am interested in giving them a try. Thanks!
I like the dark chocolate sea salt one the best!
@Kristen,
Thanks!
Hi Kristin!!
Long time lurker here. I think since 2016??
Anyway, just wanted to say—you are awesome!!!!
I love your attitude, your godliness and your can-do idness? Is that a word?
Rock on wit your bad self!!
Aww, thank you for your encouragement. ♥️♥️
When I was taking creatine, my hair was falling out at much faster rate than normal. It took maybe a week or two for me to notice the difference and it stopped soon after I stopped taking it. After just 2 weeks on it my ponytail was already substantially thinner and during the time I was taking it there were many (MANY) loose hairs on my bathroom floor after combing.
Internet search told me that it doesn't happen to everyone so hopefully you'll be one of the lucky ones.
I have read that this happens to some people. I don't have super thick hair to start with, so if mine starts falling out I am def quitting the creatine!
I was so happy to hear that you were asked to attend Al-Anon and AA. The more people who know about Al-Anon, the better, in my opinion. I have been attending for years and it has helped me 100%. No drinking currently in my family but previous generations alcohol use had deeply affected me. I am a grateful member of Al-Anon.
For those who might need a low/no-fat soup but really want cream of..., use fat free/skim milk in place of the cream.
And for those who also need to skip spices such as garlic, just use water rather than store bought stock (less expensive, too!), and add your own salt, pepper, onion, paprika, bay leaf, basil, oregano--whatever spices & herbs you like.
And if the soup is soupier than you'd like, just add some rice or pasta. A 1/4 C uncooked rice will still provide some liquid; 1/2 C will make it more like stew. Cooked rice will thicken the soup without taking up as much water. It's rather experimental 🙂 And you can always add more water if you thickened it too much.