As you know, I’ve been through quite a health scare recently after being told I’d had one heart attack and could be on the cusp of another one.  Then I went through weeks of poking and prodding and the final result is that other than one teensy blocked artery in my neck, it seems I’m fine.

The cardiologist gave me a clean-ish bill of health and a visit this morning to my GP found her happy with my current situation but…  “Maureen, every pound you are overweight is not good.  See the dietician and the exercise physiologist.  You’ve got the all-clear to get fit.”

That’s all sorted and now, enter stage right, Jennifer Elliott, author of the book  Baby Boomers, Bellies & Blood Sugars.  Yes, I AM a baby boomer, I’ve got a belly and while my blood sugars are currently fine – that could change at any time.  My liver tests came back fine but several years ago I had some problems with a fatty-ish liver – so this book is going to be a part of my new regime.

While I’m a firm believer in all things in moderation, we will be seeing some new recipes too.  I’ll be posting some of my favorite lower carbohydrate meals.  My goal is 5 kilos off in the next six month. (11 lbs.)  I think that’s doable.

Jennifer’s recipes are low in carbohydrate and that’s probably just what I need because I’m going to be ramping up the exercise and extra protein will help the old bones get fit.  My mother had and my brother has type 2 diabetes so I need to be aware of the risks.

Baby Boomers, Bellies & Blood Sugars is based on Jennifer’s experience dealing with her daughter’s weight gain as a teenager.  She was diagnosed with insulin resistance (the precursor to type II diabetes)  Jennifer has been a dietician in community health for more than twenty years and has noticed more and more younger people presenting with type II diabetes – it’s not just a bunch of oldies any more.

With her daughter as her test patient, she researched digestion, metabolic processes, lipid biochemistry, muscle physiology clinical nutritino and epidemiology.  She came up with a new approach and her daughter responded brilliantly.  That’s when Jennifer began advising her clients with metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes to try the same method so successful with her daughter.

Jennifer says for people who have a problem with high blood sugar or carbohydrate metabolism to eat a high carbohydrate diet is just silly.  Why would you eat something that’s the center of your problem?

If you’ve got extra weight around the middle, are hungry all the time, have a foggy brain, find it difficult to lose weight – maybe Jennifer Elliott has the answer for you.  Check out her book at BabyBoomersandBellies.com