still-kinda-a-scientist

Left academia far behind me, but around every corner is a new experiment to conduct. What better way to approach it than the scientific method?

[still-kinda-a-scientist]

Did not account for background noise of garlic in the data!!

I’ve been trying very hard to adhere to experimental parameters of no garlic or onion (amongst other things) this month, but I’ve overlooked paying attention to the fine print of certain spice mixes and soup cans. So I’ve been consuming trace (or perhaps larger?) amounts of garlic and have compromised the experiment. 

Lemon and Herb spice mix and Montreal Steak Spice mix, as well as Tim Horton’s chicken noodle soup cans and Pork-Baked Beans cans all contain dehydrated onion and garlic. 

I will have to report data contamination to my dietician and repeat this experiment once again!

(Regardless, I have not been doing a great job journaling my food intakes or GI symptoms, so the experiment is compromised regardless due to lack of observable documentation . . . )

[still-kinda-a-scientist]

I’ve noticed that documenting and annotating experiments in the lab are far easier than doing so for daily life experiences. I’m trying my hardest to keep a journal of my dietary habits and GI symptoms, water intake, as well as physical exercise performed. 

Honestly, I thought that coming from the lab I would have no trouble with this, since I’m treating it like an experiment. But I’m doing an awful job of maintaining my documentation, and I continuously make the excuses to fill the excel sheets I made in the next day, or the day after. And weeks go by and I no longer recall the specific details of those undocumented days. 

I enjoyed making and designing the spreadsheets much more than using them, it seems. And logically, I can make rough notes in my phone or on a loose paper to record an experience/outcome as it happens, and then transfer that information into my spreadsheet. 

But I just can’t seem to bring myself to do that. 

I think there’s a part of me that refuses to cooperate with this experiment for the sad reason that I don’t particularly care about my own well-being. 

I’ve tried journaling many times, and I can’t keep to it. 

How do others do it?

How do you push yourself to journal and document symptoms/feelings/etc in real-time to then discuss the data with your health-care provider?

Am I unmotivated or am I more depressed than I realise?

[still-kinda-a-scientist]

I need to eat my burger and fries for science

Had an appointment with a dietician this morning. Been experiencing some dietary distresses over the last several years and finally received a referral, yay! Without getting into too many specifics, my dietician wanted me to cut out several foods and keep a GI journal noting my symptoms and eating behaviours to try to tease apart the possibility of certain foods relating to said symptoms. This dietary change needs to be in effect for 2-4 weeks to generate any conclusions. 

My follow-up appointment is in 6 weeks, which is well above the dietary adjustment period. Since I haven’t yet documented thoroughly what my symptoms look like on a time-scale with these foods, I won’t have a proper control to relate to notation of symptoms after removing the foods from my diet. So I have to keep eating these foods for the next couple of weeks. You know, for science. Besides, the food in my fridge can’t just go to waste! And I had plans with some burgers and fries tonight that were weeks in the making. I can’t just bail. 

I’m sure my dietician will understand the importance of proper controls.