​     Steve and I are tackling one of our biggest home repair problems, and I am thrilled because we think we've figured it out.  Some of our windows, including our sliding doors, became foggy, and the glass needs replacing.  We have an estimate for a partial fix that exceeds five thousand dollars, and we don't want to spend that much.  Thus, Steve started investigating and found a solution.  He intends to replace the glass himself.  A YouTube video demonstrates exactly how to remove the window, so he did that and put it back.  It was easy.  We found a manufacturer who will produce the replacement glass, and it is just across the border in Surrey, B.C.  What a relief!  Our view means everything to us. Here's hoping everything works out.  Also, I promised to focus this week on almond milk, an essential ingredient in my statin smoothie.  It is an excellent addition because it contains plant sterols, which help block cholesterol absorption.  It also prevents bile acid absorption, which can reduce cholesterol levels by limiting the amount of cholesterol that can enter your body. Plant sterols, called phytosterols, are naturally found in almonds and almond milk. Phytosterols help control blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.  It works because it competes with cholesterol for absorption in the digestive system. When your body processes phytosterols instead of the cholesterol, some cholesterol is removed as waste, resulting in lower cholesterol levels and improved cardiovascular health.  Plant sterols also assist in the prevention of diabetes, obesity, and cancer.  Most importantly, almond milk is a good option for my keto diet.  Of course, you need to read the label to ensure you use unsweetened almond milk.  Because almond milk has a low Glycemic index, meaning how quickly a type of food raises your blood sugar, it is a good option for people with diabetes or those at risk.  It is also low in calories.  Calorie counting is not necessary on keto since low-carb, high-fat foods are satiating. However, excess calories might be the culprit for those who aren't losing weight or have plateaued on keto.  Almond milk has less than one net carb per cup and only 41 calories.  It is also a source of essential micronutrients, such as vitamin D, E, calcium, and potassium. To prevent nutrient deficiencies when on keto, consuming diverse food sources that provide varied nutrients is important.  Consuming a cup of almond milk and other nutritious ingredients, including spinach, hemp hearts, chia seeds, moringa powder, matcha green tea powder, and protein powder, is a massive boost to my health while on the keto diet.  The proof is in my recent lab results.  So, if you haven't started using my statin smoothie, I suggest you start as soon as possible.

     We had a wonderful weekend with family.  Steve and his brother went fishing around the San Juan Islands and several islands in Canada as well.  It's interesting because each country has different rules.  For example, Canada allows two coho and one chinook while the U.S. disallows both. It really makes little sense.  Thankfully, our home in Birch Bay is ideally located for fishing in both countries.  When we purchased this property, we had no clue how strategically positioned it was for access to the best of both countries, and fishing is just one example.  They brought back a huge chinook and cut it up. It is currently sitting in the freezer, ready for consumption.  I'm anxious for them to get back out there in a few weeks to catch some lingcod.  That is a delicious fish.  In fact, it's my favorite.  My brother-in-law is working on his cholesterol, so he brought his own food, which was a little strange, mainly because some of his choices will exacerbate his problem, based on some of my research.  However, he's a doctor, so I didn't try to tell him anything.  Maybe his method will work for him.  In the meantime, Steve and I are still having our statin smoothie every day.  I've spent the past few blogs explaining each ingredient and why it is beneficial, particularly when fighting cholesterol buildup.  Spinach is this week's topic.  Firstly, it's great for the keto diet because it's low in carbs and calories. One cup of raw spinach contains less than two grams of net carbs and a little over twenty calories. Spinach is also a good source of vitamins A, C, and iron.  Of course, other leafy greens are also good and contain many of the same nutrients, but we prefer spinach.  We use it raw and blend it with other ingredients, including chia seeds, hemp hearts, protein powder, matcha green tea powder, moringa powder, and almond milk, next week's topic.  Spinach and other leafy greens contain nutrients that might help prevent atherosclerosis and improve cardiovascular health, but the dietary nitrates they contain may also help improve blood vessel function and reduce inflammation.  The potassium may help prevent vascular calcification, which contributes to atherosclerosis.  The antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals may also have anti-inflammatory and anti-arteriosclerosis properties.  Generally speaking, spinach is very healthy and might provide other unknown health benefits.  Next week, I'll take a deep dive into the final smoothie ingredient, almond milk.  

     We enjoyed some beautiful weather this week. It helped us get started on some painting we've needed to do for a while. I'm happy I saved the color formula for the house and the deck. It makes it so much easier to touch up when the paint matches. The job is complete and looks great. Steve replaced the light fixtures on both decks and the front porch, so everything looks new. Hopefully, we'll have time to play golf next week.  Last night, we enjoyed a lovely meal in a downtown Vancouver restaurant with our friends from White Rock, BC.  It was a five-course meal with many options, so I maintained my keto.  Despite our meals out, We're continuing our healthy eating with a focus on building and maintaining muscles. That's why I've added protein powder to our statin smoothie. It's a good addition because it can help with muscle growth and repair while promoting weight loss. Protein is also essential for preventing muscle loss, controlling blood sugar levels, and reducing cravings for high-carb foods. If using a whey protein isolate, it's completely compatible with the keto diet because whey protein is low in lactose and fat.  The ketogenic diet is a low carbohydrate, high fat, and moderate protein diet.  When the body reaches a metabolic state called "ketosis," it burns fat for energy. It's linked to benefits including weight loss, reduced blood sugar levels, heart disease risk prevention, and diabetes management. In 1920, children with epilepsy who were not responding to medications were placed on keto, and it helped. I discovered it helps me from experiencing auras. Recently, it's been tested and used for cancer, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease.  People not following a ketogenic diet consume upwards of 225-325 grams of carbohydrates in their regular diet.  I use the recommended fewer than 50 grams per day. The general breakdown of calories per day on a ketogenic diet is as follows: 70-80% of calories from fat, 5-10% of calories from carbohydrates, and 10-20% from protein. The keto diet limits protein intake to a moderate amount, as too much protein can prevent ketosis.  Thus, protein powder is a great way to give your body the protein it needs on keto.  Whey protein powder contains fewer than 3 grams of carbs and is keto-compatible.  Next week, the focus is the main ingredient in my statin smoothie, spinach.  Till then!

​     We had a lovely 4th of July with family and friends. Steve's brother and his wife came to Birch Bay, and we had a steak cookout with all the trimmings, including potato salad, which I enjoyed along with everyone else. In fact, I had several helpings and other carb-laden foods over the holiday weekend, including bagels and pinto beans, and I relished every bite. However, I've got to start right back up on keto today. As always, we had lovely fireworks all around the Bay. We enjoyed a front-row seat at our neighbor's house. They invited us for dessert after dinner.  We watched the fireworks from their back patio. It was a gorgeous display, and the desserts were scrumptious. I limited myself, but I still indulged. Our guests left Sunday afternoon, so Steve and I headed to our workout place and got back on track.  When we got home, we drank our statin smoothie.  I promised to continue with an in-depth discussion of my statin smoothie ingredients. This week's ingredient focus is moringa powder. I use it because some studies suggest that moringa powder helps lower cholesterol levels, which benefits heart health.  It's also rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support my keto diet and overall health and can contribute to a strengthened immune system.  Moringa powder antioxidants include quercetin and chlorogenic acid, which help combat oxidative stress and may help reduce inflammation in various body parts.  It helps regulate blood sugar levels as well.  Due to its nutrient density, moringa powder may provide a natural energy boost without the crash associated with caffeine.  It also aids in weight loss by boosting metabolism and reducing fat formation.  Incorporating small amounts into my smoothie provides a nutritional boost without significantly impacting ketosis.  Generally, it's a great addition to my statin smoothie.  I'm also planning to use more veggies over the next few weeks.  I'll see if I can come up with some new recipes.  I plan to get some painting done this week and will start today. Ugh! Painting is not one of my favorite activities, but it needs doing.  I'll let you know how it goes.

     We had a wonderful time with our cousin, who's been visiting since Wednesday. Sadly, she heads out early tomorrow morning, so today's our last day to have fun together. We plan on going to our favorite crepe place, and I can actually have one of these because it has only 20 carbs, and the filling is optional. Not all are sweet, so I will get mine with mushrooms and cheese. After that, we plan to hike a beautiful space called Whatcom Falls, and I'm anxious for Traci to see it. We're going to bring our friend Aline from British Columbia along. She's visiting Birch Bay for the Canada Day celebration. We're so happy to see her. It's been a while. We did several activities while our cousin was here, including a visit to Stanley Park and the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.  We also drove up to Mount Baker, which is always a beautiful event. We had many really nice meals, particularly at our Indian food restaurant in Blaine. I still managed to make our smoothies several days this week but forgot a couple of times. As promised, I'm focusing on my smoothie ingredients.  This week, I'm discussing the nutrition in hemp hearts. Hemp hearts contain 0 grams of net carbs, 13 grams of healthy natural fats, and 10 grams of protein per serving, so they're an excellent fit for a keto diet. Over 70% of the calories come from fat, so they are an excellent keto choice.  Hemp hearts come from the Cannabis sativa L. plant. However, they contain less than 0.3% of the psychoactive compound THC.  Along with their nutty flavor, they have many nutritional benefits.  A serving of 1 tablespoon has almost 5 grams of fat, of which 1.4 grams are saturated, 1.6 grams are monounsaturated, and 11.4 grams are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Since hemp hearts are plant-based, they are also cholesterol-free.  A tablespoon contains nearly 3 grams of protein.  Generally, they are a great addition to my statin smoothie. Next week, I'll discuss moringa powder.  In the meantime, I need a nap, so until next week, enjoy your life.