After the Three Capes

So ... after walking the Three Capes, spending time with Mick and Aurora, enjoying the amazing food of Tasmania, trying out the vegan pescatarian Swank diet, I need to reflect.

The winding path, to different, changing environments 

The top of the climb, to an enchanted glade in the morning sunlight

The walking has been hard, and now the depth of the impact of the MS really is beginning to be noticeable. I may never do another overnight hike again, and while I can manage with short day walks, that is is still a major increase in disability for me.

The diet doesn't work. I like meat, not needing a lot but cheese ? Yoghourt ? I really have an issue with imposing restrictions on myself, and on other people. I'm happy with a tiny taste of the good stuff, but life is too short to suffer deprivation. So the 80/20 rule is coming into play, where I eat the right food which I enjoy, the majority of the time, and eat meat and dairy as a lovely occasional extra. The time with Mick and Aurora was a reminder of the joys of good food, with good company, and how sharing food with loved people is vital to me.  It is the ultimate sharing of soul nourishment.

This then fits into the 5:2 fasting diet, with some interesting research about resetting of immune systems and recovery for the body. This just feels .... sustainable ... and fits well with my feeling better when I have the odd day of light eating.

Some memories to keep on mind when I need encouragement, good food and good people. 

Slow start

OK the first few days have been a mixed, partial success. When eating myself, or choosing from a menuu, it's been easy to be vego but there's been a couple of  times when I just didn't need to eat the meat but took the easy option. Just because it's offered doesn't mean I need to accept, there is no obligation.

So, now with Andy gone, I can focus on becoming used to eating vegetarian, within the rule set, and normalise that myself then feel comfortable to easily, casually, decline offered tastes of his food. He won't be upset or offended, he might not understand but that does not present a barrier to me. No one is forcing me to eat meat.

A couple of Leunig pictures, always amusing or uplifting or thought-provoking.

And a reminder to get outside as much as possible. 

The MS has really impacted my energy levels, the fatigue is keeping me on the sofa this week doing pretty much nothing. Thank God for crochet ! Such a simple but beautiful activity, although I have to monitor the time to make sure I don't wreck my right hand. However this is time to think through what I still can do;

I can walk 5km with a couple of rests

I can swim 20 lengths

I can kayak to Point Walter and back

I can cook, crochet, read and see people

I can drive my car

I can work 4 days a week

To do all this, I need to rest and take down time. 

My vegetarian adventure

The MS has hit badly his time, and both my walking and kayaking have really suffered. While I am getting better, and will hopefully regain much of my ability to walk and kayak, I know it's time to sort out my eating and see if largely vegetarian helps. Going vegan just seems a bit too hard at the moment, so let's try a softer option.

This blog can be my diary, and reminder about why I'm starting on this journey.

Also, I really enjoyed blogging as a way to record and remember Spain, maybe this can be similar and record my food, travel and MS journey over the next years. Hopefully it'll be a good place to store information as well.

The rule set; 
If it's my choice,  no meat, seafood fine.
If someone else cooking and it's awkward not to eat the meat, eat it and enjoy.
If Andy cooks meat, eat it with pleasure.
If I'm ordering, seafood or vegetarian.
If I'm cooking, make the meat separable and don't eat it.

Basic meal ideas;
Stir fry, with prawns, fish, tofu. Easy to separate the meat.
Pasta with tomato sauce, with cheese, with olive oil.
Risotto, mushroom or leek or pumpkin with feta
Curries, a wealth of option.a
Fried rice with prawns or fish or tofu.
Eggs, in various ways with veg and rice or bread or noodles.
Chilli with tortillas or rice
Soup - lentil soup, pumpkin, carrot, tomato, potato, leek, pea & bread & cheese
BBQ - kebabs with haloumi, grilled mushrooms with pesto or garlic butter, prawns, fish

Food is the source of my health, my energy, and a major part of life's enjoyment. May this journey be fun, through its challenges.