Brining has become an issue here as well. I won't order a meat dish that has been brined & I don't trust the menu descriptions so I always ask before ordering. Even as recently as fall '08 it wasn't a problem. Then, as if struck by the same salt lightening bolt chefs all started brining. A waiter once told me, "Oh, the brine doesn't make the meat too salty. It just makes it tender." I said, "Hmmm, if the salt doesn't penetrate the meat how is the brine tenderizing the meat? The salt has to start breaking down the meat for it to seem more tender, right?" End of our conversation. Ya know, I live at the coast in New England, land of salt cod (basically descicated fish). Everything here is coated in sea salt. If I'm outside for more than 10 minutes I can taste it on my tongue. I can smell it as soon as I open a window or go out the door. A day in the garden means a salt encrusted face. I see every day what it does...rust & corrosion on our boat's SS is only one example. It's even hard on our home's siding/roofing. Many plants won't grow here...they lay down and croak 'cause of the salt. Soooo, I figure it's corroding my inside as well! rofl Back in my early 30s when I was bodybuilding my trainer insisted I cut sodium out of my diet. It changed my palette forever. I don't do the "salt each layer as you cook" thing. I rarely add salt at all to anything. I've been accused here of having "bland food" because I don't even use salt in my CCCs. Oh, the horror. :) Truthfully, salt is a conditioned taste. I can't eat baked goods with salt. Salt does not enhance the flavor of chocolate, to me. It covers the taste of chocolate. Oh, I also don't add a handful of salt to pasta water. When I eat a salty food it's likely the only salt, other than naturally occuring, I've eaten the entire day & I can still feel it's effects in my mouth for hours. I even limit the amount of oysters & clams I eat because they are salty...hard because they are so readily available here. Reducing salt was the primary reason we've started making homemade bacon. For fine dining, I've learned sauces & gravies can be counted on to be too salty for my tastes. I always ask they be either on the side or not served at all. I use oil/vinegar for salads. Since the brining thing became the rage eating out is becoming a challenge. /tricia

Tami and Lars, I'm nodding as I read of your experiences. But first, my apologies. Somehow this thread got away from me. To be clear, I never worry about others' opinions. Some of the forum's long-time members know I'm an unabashed straight shooter . . . I get that from my dad's side☺ I vacillated posting because these were experiences I have only shared with my mother and daughter. And, whether a blessing or a curse, I find it fascinating. Lars, your dreams are far more pleasant than mine. I'd welcome those in my life. My most troubling dream was one my mother and I both had, on the very same night, where three people (a family member and two friends) were hurt in a boating accident. The following morning we received a call alerting us of the incident, described precisely as it appeared in our dreams. This prompted mom and I to take a very stressful trip overseas to see them. Happy to add, all three survived -- no thanks to me. In any case, to keep this food related, I once dreamed the Kardashians had come over for a barbecue, but I didn't have enough food . . . and I was not mad. May your dreams always be sweet! Sol

Do you know the lab's reference range for the test? Depending on the type of thyroid test performed and the lab's reference range, 2.0 could be hyper, hypo, or in normal range. Dropping weight and begging for food suggests that he might be hyperT, so I'd recommend checking that reference range to make sure he's within normal range. Also, it's advisable to split the dose into two daily doses of 2.5 mg rather than one of 5 mg. That'll help keep his thyroid hormone level more even throughout the day so that he doesn't have the peaks and valleys that may be accountable for his weight loss and pickier appetite. As far as rejecting his kibble is concerned ... smart cat! Canned food is much healthier for him, anyway, so I recommend you feed him the canned food he wants and ditch the kibble. He knows what his body needs. Laurie

Fast food has a bad reputation, it is not going to hurt you unless you order 2 big macs or super size everything all the time. Then it is the calories that make you obese. If I buy the ingredients for hamburgers and make a meatloaf and salad out of it, there's no difference. My Mom is 96 and living alone. She was raised on food fried in lard. When I told the doctor my sisters were worried about Mom eating to many sweets, he said it doesn't matter what she eats because of her age. She is no longer building a strong body and bones. Let her eat what she wants. My mother in law didn't do a thing for the last 15 years of her life except make her bed, cook and do the dishes and she lived to be 85. Exercise does not extend your life only keeps you more agile, if it doesn't cripple you because of worn out bones. I don't believe all the stuff the health experts say. Remember the "drink 8 glasses of water at day"? It was a myth, no studies or proof that it was necessary. A doctor on TV said an abundance of water causes more problems than drinking only when you are thirsty. My doctor said eat a wide variety of food all in moderation. As you can tell, this is a pet peeve of mine. I've lost two doctors because I don't bow down the them and do preventative drugs