My readers probably have noticed that a few of my recipes may seem a little radical. Yesterday I tried another new one. I've been eating less meat and more tofu, legumes, always fatty fish with omega-3. Cliff has been a good sport and will try anything I make sometimes not knowing what he's consuming until after he's licked the plate clean. Friday night we had Mediterranean Stuffed Bell Peppers made with tofu and Gimme Lean meatless sausage and they were a hit! This recipe is a keeper. Cliff says he'll eat it again even knowing what the ingredients were.
This came about last fall when a visit to my doctor revealed my cholesterol was up a little so we began plan A. I started with higher doses of a good pure fish oil and niacin from a health food store, but my next visit showed a sharp rise in my triglyceride numbers. That may have been caused by my careless diet and too much red wine! One important thing I learned from watching Gregory House, is that everybody lies. I was truthful with my doc and told him I was enjoying too much wine in the afternoons out on the back porch. He said we need to go to plan B because high triglycerides can damage organs. I started Crestor but within six weeks had a burning sensation in my right arm and hand so painful that I stopped the meds myself. He then prescribed Tri-Cor, gave me a 3-month supply of samples, which seemed to agree with my body and I had no adverse side effects. After a healthy liver function test, the doctor called the Rx in to CVS and I thought I was on a roll. I would take Tri-Cor and go back to eating the way I should and lose the 15 lbs I put on since living this retired lifestyle. Pharmaceuticals in this country are out of control. We pay about $800 a month for my BCBS and they refused to pay anything towards the Tri-Cor because it is now a tier 3 drug. I was told by BCBS I have to try all the generics first, see if I have any adverse reactions, have a liver function test every 3 months, be a guinea pig for the pharmaceuticals, before they will pay for a portion of the Tri-Cor which I already know works for me. Then this week after Cliff's sample supply of Lipitor ran out and the doctor called CVS for his Rx, he found out that his Medicare drug supplement will NOT pay for the Lipitor! It's a tier-4 drug and he has to jump through the same hoops that I do! His Rx costs $178 a month. It's very frustrating to be controlled by insurance companies who don't want to pay out and drug companies who are making billions on people who depend on maintenance and life-sustaining medications. This dilemma is a life and death situation for many, such as the unemployed, the elderly on fixed incomes, and people living at poverty levels. Except for my synthroid, I've never had to depend on maintenance medication, so I guess this is why it was a shock to me.
This came about last fall when a visit to my doctor revealed my cholesterol was up a little so we began plan A. I started with higher doses of a good pure fish oil and niacin from a health food store, but my next visit showed a sharp rise in my triglyceride numbers. That may have been caused by my careless diet and too much red wine! One important thing I learned from watching Gregory House, is that everybody lies. I was truthful with my doc and told him I was enjoying too much wine in the afternoons out on the back porch. He said we need to go to plan B because high triglycerides can damage organs. I started Crestor but within six weeks had a burning sensation in my right arm and hand so painful that I stopped the meds myself. He then prescribed Tri-Cor, gave me a 3-month supply of samples, which seemed to agree with my body and I had no adverse side effects. After a healthy liver function test, the doctor called the Rx in to CVS and I thought I was on a roll. I would take Tri-Cor and go back to eating the way I should and lose the 15 lbs I put on since living this retired lifestyle. Pharmaceuticals in this country are out of control. We pay about $800 a month for my BCBS and they refused to pay anything towards the Tri-Cor because it is now a tier 3 drug. I was told by BCBS I have to try all the generics first, see if I have any adverse reactions, have a liver function test every 3 months, be a guinea pig for the pharmaceuticals, before they will pay for a portion of the Tri-Cor which I already know works for me. Then this week after Cliff's sample supply of Lipitor ran out and the doctor called CVS for his Rx, he found out that his Medicare drug supplement will NOT pay for the Lipitor! It's a tier-4 drug and he has to jump through the same hoops that I do! His Rx costs $178 a month. It's very frustrating to be controlled by insurance companies who don't want to pay out and drug companies who are making billions on people who depend on maintenance and life-sustaining medications. This dilemma is a life and death situation for many, such as the unemployed, the elderly on fixed incomes, and people living at poverty levels. Except for my synthroid, I've never had to depend on maintenance medication, so I guess this is why it was a shock to me.
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