Wednesday 2 January 2008

A Dry Start

Hello everybody matey peeps....

I have been shamed into doing this post. I was at Akelamalu's house yesterday (not a strange thing on account of her being my mother!) and Queenie was there - she of the random ramblings fame. Queenie asked when I'd be posting again seeing as she was sick of seeing that "bloody picture" of my foot...! "Charming", thinks I...and I thought I was blessed with lovely feet, althought they are not quite at their best in that picture, I admit!

Anyway, a new year has dawned and for the first time in our adult lives F and I saw it in free from alcohol. A glass of water, a pear and a raspbarry leaf tea were our vices! We have come to the conclusion over the past few weeks that our consumption of wine and beer was starting to become silly - I won't go into details but we have decided to try to turn over a new leaf. I say try, because the drinking malarky has become a habit, and habits, by nature are hard to break. I suffer from Crohn's disease and as alcohol has a nice side effect of messing with your digestive system this is indeed a "must" for me...I've just changed consultants and don't want to start out lying to him by telling him I only drink 28 units per week!

I was silly enough to smoke for several years and anyone that smokes knows how difficult it is to give that one up. I'd watched Akelamalu stop smoking one New Years Eve without any external help, simply willpower. "That looks easy", thinks I and off I popped to attempt it...enter humiliating failure! Anyway, a few years later I attempted it again and with just one smallmishap (two puffs on a cigarette which tasted disguting) I have stuck at it and I can't say I've been really tempted since.

So, with that in mind I belive that I can break this habit and start to enjoy alcohol again as an occasional indulgence rather than an everynight quest for oblivion...ok, it's not quite that bad!! How my prose can carry me away sometimes!

F, on the other hand, has a slightly bigger challenge. She being a, ahem, good girl, has never smoked so she hasn't ever faced the challenge of ridding herself of that demon. Therefore, I shall be there to offer my unwavering support when that time of day comes round and a cold glass of white wine calls sweetly from the shop over the road.

One thing that I have done is started to drink more green tea. I've always enjoyed green tea anyway and its health benefits are now beginning to be proven. My plan is to have a cup of green tea when I'm feeling a little weak thus quenching my need for that other liquid substance and reminding myself that the drink I'm taking is doing me far more good than harm. I sweeten my tea with honey (Manuka is best, but Asda didn't have any!) and now add a half teaspoon of crushed cinnamon which not only aids digestion but has been proven to lower cholesterol and aid weight loss.

Time will tell as to how long this new leaf stays turned but I aim to keep you informed of how it goes. Besides, those "experts" say that writing down a goal or resolution and sharing it with friends makes it more reinforced and harder to break. So friends, support us on our quest to become alcohol free and official bores at parties!!!

Be good....

5 comments:

Akelamalu said...

Why do you take more notice of Queenie than of me?????

Anyway I'll support you in your resolution if you'll support my quest to rid myself of this roll of fat that has become my stomach! We'll do it together. xxxx

Dan's Fi-ver said...

You never mentioned my foot!!! Had you done I would have acted upon your blatant moaning!

Deal...we'll support each other - try the honey and cinnamon thing and also have a look at getting a trampette. It's very low impact exercise, even less so than walking and works all parts of the body.

x

Queenie said...

Well done, that didn't hurt did it (truth was i missed your posts)? I drink the green and the white tea with honey but i didn't know about the cinnamon, is just a powder form or a stick of cinnamon you use? I'm having to watch my alcohol units due to my meds. I don't want to be alcohol free cos some is good for you and I really do enjoy a good wine or a gin(Bombay)& tonic. Of course I'll support you in anything you want to do(well almost). It was so good to see you darling and your boys, I could eat them. Talking of food I better get back to eating my bagel cream cheese and smoked salmon, then I wonder why I gain the inches.

Dan's Fi-ver said...

Queenie, thanks for stopping by.

The cinnamon is just the powdered form - half a teaspoon with a full teaspoon of honey but only add the cinnamon on your first and last drinks of the day.

I do enjoy a drink but a couple just never seems enough and the fact that there is a shop just over the road means the temptation is there to go stupid...and I'm a slave to temptation!!

Akelamalu said...

A trampette? With my knee? Are you sure????? I was thinking Tai Chi with your Dad - he fancies trying it. I like Cinnamon and Honey so I'll give it a go. Did I tell you I love you? xx