You'd Be Surprised That Your Money Has Kicked Chemicals Out Of The Can.

Yes, a few of our Euros can move mountains...

Even I often tend to think that my opinion, voice or action won't make any difference to the whole as there are so many millions of us. Yet, individuals do matter.

Europe is fantastic for so many reasons, but one of the main ones is, that they care about your health. On the whole, Governments put people's health before profit.

Last year there was a recommendation ( or warning ) given by the Austrian Department of Health about minimizing the exposure to products containing aluminium, as they could cause health issues from Alzheimer's to cancer. Yikes.

Chemical's Health Monitor Have a look, there are many many articles.

It was just a friendly government nudge, but it seems most of us heard it and heeded it. The first I read about it was in June 2014 and of course that made me rush to the bathroom and check out all the ingredients in all of our stuff. Deodorant and toothpaste being top of the list. Gosh, they put that stuff everywhere.

Forewarned and in the know, the next time we went shopping into town, I took a lot longer as I lingered in the cosmetics isle, trying my best to find aluminium free deodorant. Even the shop assistant didn't know anything about it. Eventually, I found a natural deodorant at a far corner of the deodorant shelf.

How often does one buy deo? Every few weeks or so and the most amazing thing for me was the realization, that each time there were more deodorants available without aluminium. Yes, it seems that customers wanted this.

Now,only a few month later, almost any advertising has a prominent label stating that it has 0% aluminum . The big companies have responded to our request....or rather to the many deodorants ( still with aluminium ) not sold.

It seems that each of us does make a difference, when we vote with our money and where we spend it...

Biggi

Our Family Car Gets A Speeding Fine!

Car pooling with my husband....whose fine is it anyway?

We share a car and are jolly grateful to even have a car. As I have mentioned a lot of times ( I love my husband dearly, but... ) , Bob is usually in the driving seat, driving Miss Biggi. Usually, but not always!

The other day the postman gleefully brought us a letter. One of those letters, where you instantly know that it is not something nice nor friendly. Don't you agree that all those ' Please pay us ' letters have a certain feel, texture and call forth that ' throw it away ' impulse. Bob, likes to make me open all the mail regardless of who it is addressed to. Could that be a clever ploy of his because as they say: possession is 9 / 10th of the law?

Opening said letter, my heart did drop, as it tends to do when one reads an official
' Pay up or else ' letter. Letter is a bit too kind as it was more of a demand. Reading it thoroughly and three times to boot, I realized that we had received a Speeding Fine. To add insult to injury, it was not one, but two.

At first I thought it may have been a mistake with the second one, because it was on the same day, same speed ( 41 kph in a 30 kph zone ) same place. But on my third read through, I discovered that a few numbers on the top were different. Just on the off chance that it was a mistake, we ( of course, Bob waited in the car ) went to the district office building, wherein the office of Traffic Fines resides.

Waiting outside the office was bad enough, as there was another man in front of me who didn't think he deserved his fine. Believe me, when his turn came, he loudly told the lady in charge and I could see her face darkening as he carried on. Oh dear, that boded well for me!

Knowing when I am beaten, I was just in the process of slinking out, when she called me in. My rather timid question about our fines made her go to the cupboard and pull the papers out. Clear as daylight, it showed that for the 1st fine, we drove west, and for the 2nd fine ( 6 min later ) we drove east, past the same radar gun!...Gosh, isn't that the worst job to have? Everyone and their Aunt Fanny will argue that they didn't do it / was a mistake / the monkey drove / the radar gun was faulty...

The fine reached us early in November, but the deed had been done in August. How on earth would we know who drove that day? Both of us, like any couple worth their salt, made it be known that we thought the other one was the culprit. It was by pure luck that we didn't have a tiff about it. We realized that it didn't matter as our kitty is combined, small as it is. As Jane Austin would have said: ' Economies had to be had in our household. '

Sharing a car with your spouse might have its challenges, trials and tribulations ( what music to listen too ) but at least you get to spend more time together. Oh, it might be a darn good idea to keep a diary of who drives on what day!
Oh, and I nearly forgot: " Bob, you should be thrilled when I tell you to slow down. "

Biggi

Diabetes Part 2: A Healthy & Inexpensive Way Of Life.

Apart from knowing your health is affected, it changes daily life undeniably.

Diabetes part 1: As we left the Doctors we stopped at my parents place ( only 500 meters from the Doctor ) and told them our earth shattering bit of news alternating between sobs and hyperventilation from me.

Parents are the greatest invention ever. They know just the right things to say and do: " This is in a way a good thing because you two have been eating so badly. That stops tonight. Your body comes first." while my Mum told us this, she already went around her kitchen and got together a care basket for us.

There was no easing into this. Supper had to be healthy. No chips or chocolates to grease our shock ! The shops were closed and Casa Bob & Biggi only contained edible items that got us to this juncture in the first place...As I said, my Mum is just the greatest !!!! ( Everyday she phones to encourage Bob and to know what his daily ' sugar ' readings are. That first week, she checked up on Bob 3-4 times per day. A " Well done, Bob " was heard a lot and helped so much..)

Week one was the most difficult. It takes practice and patience to a): inject yourself with needles all day long and b): to make sure each meal is balanced, healthy and affordable. Necessity is the mother of invention and within this first week we had a routine put in place.

Back at the Doctors that first night, they told us that Bob would need injections coupled with tablets for the rest of his life. Well, all the bits of information I gathered over a lifetime of reading women's magazines, came tumbling down after languishing in the dusty attic of my brain. Oh boy, I was now on a mission. Bob, poor lamb, had never perused those ladies magazines ( maybe other types ? ) so he just had to take my word for it.

Now Bob is hooked on all those healthy morsels that permanently reside in our fridge and cupboard :

• Vegetables, vegetables and more vegetables.
• Obviously no sugar ( added or inherent).
• No white flour. We make our own bread with wholewheat flour.
• Pastas etc only the healthy wholewheat kind.
• Fats have left the kitchen except for the good ones.
• Pulses and lean protein.
• The most important of course is Bob's daily power walk..

The Doctors keep an eye on Bob and have taken him under their wings ( they really go above and beyond ). Already in the first month, Bob was allowed to decrease the amount of insulin he injected. They couldn't believe the change in Bob. His blood sugar dropped to such acceptable levels, that one month in, he stopped the injections all together. Oh, he still takes insulin tablets, but the injections are over ! Bob, you are amazing !

Our will and determination have even surprised the doctors and it shows what a difference healthy food and exercise make to our bodies.

Discovering diabetes has been the best thing for us ( naturally it would be even better not to have had it at all ) as we now live a healthy life. Bob feels better in body and mind. Another good side effect...Bob's lost over 25 kg in the process.

Biggi

Amazon.com:Plan D: How to Lose Weight and Beat Diabetes (Even If You Don't Have It)
Amazon.de:Great Recipes Collection Diabetic Meals

The Shock Of Discovering Diabetes, Part 1.

Handling and living with diabetes has changed our life for the better.

Valentines this year was far from romantic as Bob had a bad earache. Bob, like most men, is not fond of going to the doctor and since I have know him I can count on my hand the number of times he has been to see one.

Bob was clearly in pain but never thought of having it seen to. So, I resorted to: " Bob, either you go and have your ear seen to or you stop complaining ! " To my surprise, Bob hopped into the car and drove to the doctor. When he came back, he told me that it was a middle ear infection and had tablets to help sort it out.

Even though we live in this small village, we have two wonderful, world class doctors. When they first see you ( and then more or less once a year ) they take a few vials of blood to test for the usual suspects. No discussion, it gets done. Fantastic.

At about five o'clock that afternoon, we got a phone call. It was the doctors rooms and they wanted to see Bob asap. Oh yes, we both felt nerves, stress and panic all at once ! A call back from the doctor can do that...The surgery was long closed for the day, yet they stayed behind to see us. As we arrived, we were ushered into the rooms. ( I was asked to go in as well )

Our doctors like to ' rip off the plaster in one go ' as opposed to ' inching it off slowly '. We both sat down and
" Bob, you have diabetes and quite severe ! " was all we heard as we both tuned out in shock for a few seconds.
" You know Bob, your blood sugar count was so high, that I was close to admitting you to hospital." Oh boy, that was enough to make me recline on that ' sofa ' that doctors have, otherwise I would have fainted outright.

When I glanced at Bob, he was sitting extremely pale in the chair but otherwise he didn't swoon, cry or shake. Strong and tough as nails, what a guy...my guy !

Right then and there, Bob had to learn to take his blood sugar count and to inject insulin. Both doctors gave him a crash course and said to call them day or night, if we had any problem ( we stayed long enough to see the insulin take affect ). The whole time, both doctors were extremely supportive, encouraging and kind to Bob.

It goes without saying, that Bob's early morning blood sugar reading had to be phoned through and depending on it, he would go and see them.

Again, I can't say enough good things about our doctors. When did your doctor last run a blood test on you ? If it wasn't for the earache, the diabetes would have had free reign in sabotaging Bob's body and we might only have found out when it was too late.

Please, go and have a blood test done. Think of it like a insurance on your quality of life. You do insure your house and car, so you might as well insure your standard of living !

In tomorrow's blog I will tell you what positive change this diabetes has called forth and Bob's amazing results...

Biggi

Amazon.com:The End of Diabetes: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes

Colon Cancer Screening.

Burgenland is leaps ahead of others...

As you know, our village is tiny with about 300 inhabitants. Fabulous in so many ways, and now it has moved up another notch in my fabulous chart !

Every couple of weeks we get a missive from the mayor in our post. In today's era of having everything delivered online, it is refreshing and fun to get a mayoral update in the post. Great to see the pictures, happenings and who turned what ( Birthday's over a certain age are put in there...oh yes, our turn will come too. )

Health is taken very seriously here. The last newsletter announced the annual free Colon Cancer pre-screening in Burgenland for every villager over the age of 40. Oh drat, that includes Bob and I ! Wow, I have never really lived in a country, city or village where so much is done for one free of charge.

As it normally happens, you read about something and want to do it, but then forget it and suddenly remember and wonder how to go about it. That dithering has even been take care of by the district. The other day we were working in the garden and there was a shout of " Grüss Gott " at the gate.

A lady was walking door to door and hand delivering the Colon Cancer Pre-Screening kits. Unbelievable and great. When I later told Bob and showed him, we noticed that we each had already our name and address printed on the label of the vial.

Maybe a few countries / towns or villages around the world should take notice and do this too. Our Burgenland ( see all their different programs for Health prevention ) is very progressive in a lot of ways. They know, that early detection is cheaper to deal with than later detection and saves many lives in the process...I love Burgenland.

Biggi