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CHATTERBOX

Chill out and chat with the foodie community or swap top tips.
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Re: Chatterbox

Postby jeral » Tue Apr 09, 2013 7:23 pm

@ Stokey Sue, in fairness to me, I said straight off that I'd no intention of taking alendronic acid so what else was there? She recommended the risedronate as the only other alternative would be steroids which come with their own problems. I asked (virtually demanded) to see the side effects noted in her medical book before she wrote the scrip but she declined saying they'd come with a patient leaflet, which I even said was gonna be a bit too late then... :roll: I'd no choice but to look it up after prescribed and before filling it.

Anyway, I've got an "owing note" from the pharmacist saying that that item wasn't filled, so the NHS shouldn't lose out by her writing it, other than the paper it's written on. Not sure what else I could have done.

Incidentally, I was offered further drugs to counteract some of the side effects of the risedronate which struck me as going from bad to worse in pill-taking terms, like Yo stop! I also declined the calcium pills (since it washes through if not needed) until she took a test to confirm that I actually need extra as my last test a while back said I was OK.

Sorry about chapter and verse - I could have just said that the doc insisted. Still, calcium through a good diet and of course weight wearing exercise to strengthen muscles that hold the bones don't need pills, yay.

Incidentally also, apparently any improvement from taking alendronate or risedronate can't be detected (it's said) for at least 3-4 years and even then monitoring is debatable due to the margin of error on measure on bone density dexa machines. So even if I were to take them, possibly for years, it's debatable they or I would know if the pills were actually doing any good (notwithstanding some possible, some probable, side effects). At the moment, I have a choice. Hey ho. If anyone knows different, I'm all ears of course.

Anyway, 'nuff. My tea's ready :)

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby calabash » Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:42 pm

Good for you Jeral for asking questions and not taking a prescription without full information and discussion with the your doctor. I changed doctors after he flatly refused to have a conversation about the pros and cons of taking statins and then phoned in a prescription to a pharmacy, when I called him he just said "take them or die". :shock: I now have a really good doctor who takes the time to answer all my questions and understood my apprehensions about taking statins. We agreed that I would try the lowest dose, much lower than what he prescribed, and it had a dramatic effect.

Here's an interesting article on calcium supplements that I read a couple of days ago:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/0 ... lements-2/

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Joanbunting » Wed Apr 10, 2013 10:31 am

Morning all,

I'm with you both Jeral and Calabash. M's mother had a very bad reaction to both statins and alendronic acid and the doctor she was then registered with simply prescribed even more medications to counteract the side effects and she got into a really vicious circle and ended up in hospital where she was taken off everything!

M was found to have slightly raised cholesterol at his last test but our lovely doctor completely agreed that he should not go down the medication route until he had taken more obvious measures like diet and he even said he was not to deny himself some of the naughtier treats (ice cream and cheese in his case) entirely. He has already lost a few kilos and I am enjoying the challenge of producing interesting and healthier meals, much easier at this time of year.

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby jeral » Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:03 pm

@ calabash: Struth, I'm not surprised you changed your doc but glad to hear that you're at one with the outcome. I think that "being happy about it" is so important if treatment is likely to be long term. Thank you for the calcium article - most interesting and news to me. Probably as well I asked for a level check beforehand.

@ Joanbunting: It's lovely to be coming into the summer months isn't it when a wider variety of veg can be added to salads rather than the "meat & two veg" months. I wonder if our gov't will run the 5-a-day campaign again. I imagine M is feeling justifiably pleased with himself, and his chef lol, and I'm sure that positive feeling in itself is doing him good too :)

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Joanbunting » Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:20 pm

jeral wrote:@ Joanbunting: It's lovely to be coming into the summer months isn't it when a wider variety of veg can be added to salads rather than the "meat & two veg" months. I wonder if our gov't will run the 5-a-day campaign again. I imagine M is feeling justifiably pleased with himself, and his chef lol, and I'm sure that positive feeling in itself is doing him good too :)

Yes he is - and has been out preparing the ground in the vegetable plot for the tomatoes etc for when it gets warm enough.

Despite the unseasonally cold weather the spring veggies are here in abundance. The one thing neither of us is keen on is a great heap of green salad - something frequently served here. I love "interesting" salads. I did a rather good chicken casserole with cider, grain mustard and teeny weeny artchokes recently - it would work with rabbit too

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby jeral » Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:50 pm

That casserole sounds interesting using cider/mustard. What would be approx quantities for say a decent-sized chicken leg or breast? Does it have, or could it take, a spot of fresh red(?) chilli since the eater is a chilli-belly. Many thanks. (Artichokes might have to be tinned hearts for "teeny weeny".)

Actually, we should have a "market watch" thread for veggies. Pak choi is still good here, big-ish vine tomatoes still taste like soap to me, cucumbers are getting better...

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Joanbunting » Thu Apr 11, 2013 1:54 pm

Hi Jeral

For the two of us I coated 4 chicken legs with seasoned flour, and browned them in a little OO.

Put those into a casserole then sautéed some lardons (about 50g) in the pan and added a handful of trimmed tiny raw artichokes and cooked for a few minutes before adding 2 tsp grain mustard, a good handful of diced floury potatoes and about 150cls dry cider.

All in the casserole then cooked, covered, at 180°C for 40 minutes removed lid and continued for another 20 mins until the sauce was thick.

Can't personally see chilli working with cider and artichokes and the thing about the baby fresh artichokes is that they retain a degree of texture. Perhaps leeks would work better than tinned artichokes?

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby jeral » Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:00 am

Thanks for the measures for the cider/mustard/chicken casserole Joanbunting. I'll see if I can get any small baby leeks which the supermarkets sometimes have. I can't remember the last time I made any sort of casserole with chicken so it should make a good change :thumbsup

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Joanbunting » Sun Apr 14, 2013 3:08 pm

At last!

Barbie out, weather gorgeous and wisteria finally deciding to flower-three weeks late!

I got so excited I forgot to take a picture. One large rib of rosé veal, marinaded over-night in lemon, chilli, wine and olive oil and one of my specials - Lyonaise potatoes in a packet ie layers of potatoe and onions with a little olive oil, well seasoned and wrapped in foil and cooked alongside the meat.

Why is it that the first glass of chilled rosé in the garden is the very best taste of the year??

Monday: Things are really ramping up today we have bud burst on the vine and the swifts have arrived!

Vive l'été

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Minnesota Maven » Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:20 pm

Mmmmmm, barbeque.....
We grilled a chicken last week before the snowstorm hit. It's melting now but more snow is coming off and on all $^@^@#$%$# week long :twisted:
Any recommendations about Rose' JB ??? I haven't had it since my, errrr, student days (which may be why I haven't had it since then :oops: ) Rather ask you than be sanctimoniously blathered at by the guys in the wine shop :roll:

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby auntisue » Mon Apr 15, 2013 10:21 pm

I was also Alendronate and took myself off it, also put on calcium + D, took myself off that, in fact had bottle of latter in cupboard for months. Recently changed doctor, nice young lady doctor now who brought up about my bone history, said shewouldnt prescribe Alendronate as she knew I was very reluctant to take it. But she did put me on calcium + D. Couldnt make up my mind whether to take it, in fact would rather not take it owing to bad press, but am taking it. Am going to take it in the winter as we lack VitD in the winter time,but will not take it during the rest of the year. I have upped my calcium diet and am trying to take more exercise, so I completely understand where Jeral is coming from. At the end of the day it is your body and you must question whether you should take what the doctors prescribe for you.
sue

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Joanbunting » Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:44 am

Minnesota Maven wrote:Mmmmmm, barbeque.....
We grilled a chicken last week before the snowstorm hit. It's melting now but more snow is coming off and on all $^@^@#$%$# week long :twisted:
Any recommendations about Rose' JB ??? I haven't had it since my, errrr, student days (which may be why I haven't had it since then :oops: ) Rather ask you than be sanctimoniously blathered at by the guys in the wine shop :roll:


Hi MM.

How long have you got??

I think one of the very best rosés comes from the opposite side of the Rhone to Chateauneuf. Tavel it is called and it is darker than many "pink" wines so goes well with lighter meats. Our local Côtes de Ventoux is also very good. On the other hand some of the Bordeaux rosés can be nice too as can the Côtes de Provence, the ones that come in a "waisted" bottles.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... ovence.jpg

I am not so keen on the less dry wines like Anjou rosé.

I do remember having a lovely Oregon rosé in Washington but I don't remember seeing that many rosés on the shelves.

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Joanbunting » Tue Apr 16, 2013 1:53 pm

This is what M calls a gloatogram.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62387678@N ... hotostream

Sorry but it was just so lovely I wanted to share :mrgreen:

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Minnesota Maven » Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:58 pm

You're a mean, mean person JB :( :lol:

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby calabash » Tue Apr 16, 2013 11:49 pm

*gloatogram* :lol: :lol: :lol: That is a lovely photo, and as a Bermudian who posts gloatogram photos of this beautiful island on Facebook I am guilty, guilty :lol:

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Alison Wright » Sun Apr 21, 2013 2:04 am

Someone sent me this gorgeous link today - I just had to share it - Spring has definitely arrived for this little feller! :lol:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -here.html

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Joanbunting » Sun Apr 21, 2013 3:44 pm

Hi Alison

He is gorgeous but round these parts an absolute pest.

They get up into lofts and the like and create mayhem.

PS I feed our residents on melons in the summer but don't tell anyone!

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Uschi » Sun Apr 21, 2013 11:02 pm

We don't have them. Only red squirrels and roe deer.

And pine marten ... dreadful creatures.

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Minnesota Maven » Mon Apr 22, 2013 1:45 am

We have the regular urban beasties....
However, a couple weeks ago our neighborhood email notice board said that coyotes have been seen in the neighborhood :shock: .It included their average weight (30 lb) and what size pets they snack on....
So much for the cats going into the yard in the evening.
Coyotes?? I thought the flock of wild turkeys walking down the middle of the street was weird enough...

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Re: Chatterbox

Postby Uschi » Mon Apr 22, 2013 2:44 pm

I'd imagine your cat would be safe. She's faster than a coyote and can climb. Rabbits, guinea pigs and chicken are more at risk. And small dogs.

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