H.A.L.T.

March 18, 2010 Thursday

"Life has its twists and turns, as sometimes we each must learn." PF

Life is like a ball of yarn or skeins of threads.


It has been more than a week since I started blogging. I find it therapeutic. Sometimes I think what I will say and sometimes I don't. This is one of those days. It happens to be a HALT day--this is when you feel funny at about 11am -- 2 to 3 hours after breakfast but especially around 3 or 4pm --3 hours after lunch. These times occur if you consume a high carbohydrate breakfast or lunch. For breakfast, this can be pancakes loaded with syrup, bagel and coffee or even Captain Crunch. Why I thought about Captain Crunch when Lucky Charms was my favorite childhood breakfast cereal, I do not know.

The 4 PM HALT crash is after a sandwich, pizza, etc. for lunch. At either 11am or 4pm, you are edgy. You want something sweet--maybe even a cup of coffee. You are in HALT: HUNGRY, ANGRY, LONELY AND TIRED. Wow, you may say that is clever. I didn't make it up and I cannot and will not take the credit for such a phrase. I learned it, live it and experience it almost every day. The sugar is dropping at about 3-4pm--you might feel sweaty or dizzy if it drops too low or you might be just edgy and want something but you do not know what you want.

This can be seen when you have a 5 hour glucose tolerance test to determine if you have some type of unstable blood sugar. It could be hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) alone, hypoglycemia with normal insulin levels, hypoglycemia with high insulin levels or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar also known as Diabetes Mellitus). Upon listening to a patient's history, I determine if a 5hour glucose tolerance test is needed. A family history of diabetes, mid section abdominal obesity and cravings for sweets are also clues. Increased thirst and increased urination are other clues. For today, think about if you have HALT moments.

The answer to the question asked in the blog "An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away" is cyanide. The apple seeds contain cyanide, that is why you should not eat them.

The needlepoint pillow above is one of my favorites. I bought the original canvas in Charlestown, South Carolina. It was in the window of the store and I fell in love with it. I love turtles. When I was younger I found a box turtle--we named him Freddy. He had beautiful coloring. Aunt Mary found a zoo upstate with a variety of similar turtles. Rick, Gregory and I put in a pond in the "backyard" (how Yonkers-esque!) of the brownstone on East 51st. Gregory and I had the habit (rather addiction) of buying turtles and putting them in the pond thinking they would stay. The apartment building behind the brownstone used to find the turtles and put them in a box and place them politely back in the yard.

Forgot to tell you...you can buy the pillow at www.etsy.com/shop/RickFratCreativeDuo

Until tomorrow..