Couch 243: Winchester Cathedral

LT: Just looking at the turmeric bottle you suggested and it said the body finds it hard to absorb, but the active ingredient in pepper helps. So I need to pour some black pepper in my smoothies?!

Maybe? I think that bottle includes pepper in the blend already. But if you're adding turmeric separately to smoothies (say if you just have the spice powder or a supplement that is only turmeric), I think you'd add pepper?

Pepper helps the body absorb turmeric. Black pepper contains a compound called piperine that helps to increase the rate at which turmeric is absorbed by the body.

For me, it makes such a difference that it really is not hard to do. But others go more slowly and reduce those things - I will say that white flour and processed sugar are pretty much on every don't eat list that I have seen in terms of foods to avoid for inflammation. I prefer controlling these things on my own so I prefer to change my diet over taking pills or supplements when I can see it working.

You and your... zoodles!

I might try those turmeric drops to see if it helps with my knee pain. Do you add it to water or just straight in the mouth?

I think you can do either, or mix it with juice or something. I kinda like the taste, but it is a bit peppery!


I got away from taking it, so I should start again. I think it can potentially help with migraines, which was why I initially bought it. I'm allergic to ibuprofen and am supposed to avoid other NSAIDs for that reason, so was looking for other anti-inflammatory options. (Alread taking riboflavin, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, vitamin D, and DHA to help in prevention.)

Sonnet-writing time.... hmm....

LT-Maybe it already does have pepper in it! I will try.

SD-Your way is probably the healthier route, but I need to start in extreme baby steps.

Regarding the anti-inflammatory diet- in my experience it's more about reducing foods that cause inflammation rather than adding supplements . Some of the worst inflammatory food ingredients are sugar/corn syrup, certain oils, processed and fast foods, cured/processed meats (ie: bacon, deli meat, etc) and refined grains. But if you google it you can find a complete list.

Anyway, the goal is to just to start cutting some of those from your diet and replacing them with non-inflammatory options like legumes, more veggies, fruit, nuts, whole grains, etc. The added benefit of the non-inflammatory options is that they are generally higher in nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and especially fiber so you don't need so many supplements anyway.

oh yeah, you are correct, Inky. I eat like a toddler who gets everything they want! (food-wise), and I am pretty sure it is not helping with my foot pain

Zoodles are our friend

Ugh, the 19th feels far away. I feel ready for a T appointment (as I usually see T on Tuesdays) but I'm not going to see her still for some days. I need to buckle down and do some work in the DBT workbooks or something therapy-isty.

Sorry if I've asked this before kit, but do you also journal?

Would you be interested in general therapy books?

I had this one: Never finished it though.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dialectical.../dp/1572245131

Hi Lemon, I don't journal a lot but I have a friend that I write to most days so that is kind of like journaling (because I tell him everything) so I use that sometimes for my therapy "notes."

I do have that DBT workbook. I am trying to work through it. I finished chapter one and am stuck on chapter two where you are supposed to imagine a safe place. I'm working on it but it's not really coming together. Thing is T isn't really reinforcing this stuff so I'm just kind of learning it on my own. She did also recommend on that is for people on the spectrum. I haven't worked a lot in that one but I am thinking of switching to that one and doing that one first. Plus it's shorter!

Thanks Lemon. HUGS Sweetie. Kit

5 minutes left of my workday, finished all of my assigned work with 5 whole minutes to spare woohoo!

That's a great feeling!

Today's NaPoWriMo prompt is to write a Sea Shanty. My effort is pretty suckish. I blame it on the fact that I have never seen a proper "sea" - oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams, sure; but never anything properly named a sea.

Creating a safe space was hard for me. I couldn't come up with an imaginary world, let alone one that felt safe to me. Instead, L's office became my safe place. I have recordings of L describing the space, pictures so I don't have to imagine it on my own. We use peppermint oil every session, and I have some at home too. We eat peppermint candies, and I have that as well. All of this helped me create my safe space.

LT, I hope your writing course is going well! Mine starts tomorrow.

My T is in a writing course too!

Had a small argument with my Mom but nothing major.

I hope you're able to smooth it over soon, RT.

The best part of being home for weeks on end
is that I get to cuddle my kitties 24/7.

today's napowrimo prompt: "write a poem that takes as its starting point something overheard that made you laugh, or something someone told you once that struck you as funny." this should prove interesting and fun!

they provide a link to the website overheardinnewyork.com, I may have to pull something from there if h doesn't say anything funny while talking to himself after he gets home from the job he's currently out on haha!