Does Anyone Really Care Where I Buy my Oatmeal?

The other night CG (Cookie Girl) and I discovered our newest most favourite health food store, Rainbow Foods on Richmond Road near Lincoln Fields.

Here's how it happened:

CG and I sometimes fall asleep in an embrace. One Saturday morning about a month ago we woke up in the same embrace we fell asleep in the night before. My shoulder and neck were KILLING me. I thought it would get better on its own after a day or two. Well it didn't.

Day 2: neck/shoulder massage given by CG;

Day 7: neck/shoulder massage given by Shannon at LiveWell on Centrepointe;

Day 11: read Jo Stockton's blog post about Shawn the Accupuncturist and thought that would be my next step if relief didn't come.

Day 20: saw Dr. Shawn... he stuck some needles in my upper back and the pain subsided a bit. He recommended the use of Traumeel a "magic ointment" and that I should apply ice for 20 minutes at a time. All those things "sort of" did the trick... The pain is 90% gone.

Day 27: saw Dr. Shawn again, this time to discuss natural solutions for some of my age-related stuff. I take medication for diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. These are all borderline conditions (but just over the border) and the meds help keep it all under control but if I alter my diet slightly, and walk Logan more often that may be all I need*.

Anyways, long story short, Dr. Shawn gave me a diet to follow (which included oatmeal!) and suggested a couple of supplements. One supplement was only available at NutriChem Pharmacy on Richmond Road. While looking for the pharmacy I found Rainbow Foods and went in to check it out. Didn't have much time to explore because I had to get back to work but noted that THIS would be a cool store for me 'n CG to visit.

So we did ...just the other night and as expected CG loved it and we bought lots of stuff.

These are some of the things I picked up:

1. a tin of John McCann's Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal;
2. a jar of pure Smooth Cashew Butter;
3. a box of Ginger Yogi Tea.

They also make great homemade soup vegetarian soup for lunch.

*NOTE: I haven't discontinued my meds, but I'd like to eventually if I can retake control of my blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure through diet and exercise.

Does Anyone Really Care What I Eat for Breakfast?

Here's how I made my oatmeal this morning:

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup steel cut oatmeal
2-1/4 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 inch cube of fresh peeled ginger
2 cloves
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

Put all the above into a pot, bring to a boil, lower heat and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring every once in a while.

While that was happening, I did the following:

1. fed Logan (1 cup dry Eukenuba for large seniors with 5 squirts of Omega-3);
   
   
2. let Logan in the yard to greet the kids walking to meet their school bus;
   
3. emptied the dishwasher;
4. made a strong capucinno (using 3 shots of espresso);
   
5. prepared my bowl (more of a small casserole dish) to receive the oatmeal:
   • handful of fresh raspberries
   • handful of fresh blueberries
   • kiwi peeled and cut into cubes
     
   • handful raisins
   • handful of chopped unsalted cashews
   • 1/2 teaspoon of each cinnamon, ginger powder
   • 1 teaspoon brown sugar;
6. put the oatmeal in the dish and top with leftover steamed milk from step 4;
   
7. put a little oatmeal (2 tbsp) in Logan's food bowl;
8. let Logan in.
9. WE EAT!