K's personal health journey (members read only): Smart Food Choices that Improve Your Health & Life

[DapperButch]

Ok, guys. So, I shared I was having some surgery at the beginning of June and wanted to make sure that I was eating super healthy during healing. I decided to go with a food delivery service.

I am absolutely blown away by how fresh frozen food can be. It is hand prepared, then flash frozen and sent the same week. So, I guess this is the reason. The vegetables taste as fresh as if you just bought them fresh at the store. Of course it is organic, GMO free, preservative free, etc.

The food is out of this world. Amazing. I mean, it is ridiculous how good the food is. You can buy the food a la carte or do a subscription. The subscriptions are listed as "weight loss" plans, but you certainly don't have to do it for weight loss. You can customize all of your deliveries. This means that I can pick every meal that I want. I am essentially doing "a la carte", but at a lower price since I am going through a subscription (which you can cancel at any time).

Although it is broken down into 3 day, 5 day, 7 day meal plans, it is best to think about it in terms of how many meals over 14 days that you want. So, I got the 5 day plan, as it is 30 meals for 14 days. My breakfast is always steel cut oatmeal with strawberries/blueberries, so I don't worry about that meal. Since I don't always want a "meal", and just desire a simple peanut butter sandwich, it is fine if I don't have the corrrect number. If I was doing a weight loss plan, then I would stick with the program.

The cost with a 5 day plan is $279 for 30 meals, which equals out to $9.30 per meal. I also just got a $25 off coupon for my next order.

The other thing to consider is that it is a way to eat healthy when traveling. You can get it sent to any address. so, lets say you are going somewhere and are getting an Airbnb. You don't want to spend your time cooking, but you want to eat healthy. This is an option.

https://www.veestro.com/

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by Kätzchen

Thanks Dapper for that documentary recommendation! That's an really good documentary. I highly recommend watching it too!

Here's an supplemental Huffington Post article on why eating an plant based diet can save your life and reduce your health care costs (see link below).

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/861672


Title of article:

Forks Over Knives: How An Plant-based Diet Can Save America (July 13, 2011).

Originally Posted by Kätzchen

While the proverbial jury is still out on giving plant based diets the full stamp of approval, there is strong indicators of proof that plant based diets will not only improve your overall health, but if you have pre-diabetes issues associated with blood sugar levels and how your body produces and uses its own natural insulin, then this article will give you an better understanding of why changing your normal food choices to an Plant Based Diet, could save your life.

I radically changed my diet to be top heavy on Plant Based foods, which in turn has allowed my bodily processes to self correct in natural ways. I am on an medically supervised diet as prescribed by my primary physician. As well as switching to an plant based diet, I continue to lose weight, my heart function improves and before too long, I won't need experimental medication to aid in correcting my blood sugar issues .

Bonus info to other medically endorsed studies discussing Plant Based Diets is included in this scholarly article.

Title of Medscape article:

Vegan Diet Rapidly Improves Type II Diabetes Markers In Adults (Jenkins, K., February 26, 2018).

LINK: www.medscape.com/viewarticle/893125

Since early March of this year (2018), I began to transition to an all plant based diet because of the capacity for plant based diets to reduce and/or correct my bodies' capacity to produce its own insulin and to aid in the recovery of my health.

Since March, I have slowly weaned myself from eating animal based products.

I do not regret choosing to become vegan.

It's the best decision I've made and it's one of the best outcomes I could ever imagine.

For me, it's not about weight loss. It's about NOT becoming diabetic.

I visit my primary doctor next week to continue tracking my progress. If my blood labs come back with data proving that my commitment to not eat foods that spur diabetic outcomes, and proves that I won't need medication intervention, then I will have won an very important battle in saving my own life by sheer will and self determination.


Here is what I feel is the best documentary, which argues effectively for renouncing animal based diets and investing in an Vegan Plant Based Dietary Lifestyle : Forks Over Knives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZb-35oV_7E

Dapper? Thanks so much for sharing that link you provided earlier today.

--K.

[Kätzchen]

Today, since it's fairly brisk outside, I thought I'd make an batch of soup, which can be enjoyed as hot or cold soup.

I used the following vegetables:

Carrots, Butternut squash, sweet mini red bell peppers, sweet onion and chickpeas.

I pulsed the carrots, squash, chickpeas, chopped sweet onion and red bell peppers, so it's half creamy, yet somewhat chunky. To season: I added powdered ginger root, a couple tablespoons of Chia seeds, and a titch of sea salt.

Once it has simmered on the stove for about an hour, on low heat, I'm going to have a bowl of hot soup, and use Sesame Sticks and Roasted Peas as an garnish on top, which will enhance the soup's protein content.

Here's the link to the recipe I adapted my soup recipe from, it's fairly easy to make and it's tasty.

http://frugalfeeding.com/2014/01/03/...chickpea-soup/

Yesterday I roasted an bag full or organic peas, which I bought at the grocery store.

[candy_coated_bitch]

I'm vegetarian, but not vegan. I try to eat as much plant based meals as I can but I have SUCH a weakness for cheese. How do you get past the cravings? Do they go away after a while,? I was vegan in college for a year but don't remember feeling remarkably different.

What advice would you give someone who wants to move to a more plant based diet but struggles with being strictly vegan? I'm convinced it's healthy I'm just not convinced I can do it.

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

I'm vegetarian, but not vegan. I try to eat as much plant based meals as I can but I have SUCH a weakness for cheese. How do you get past the cravings? Do they go away after a while,? I was vegan in college for a year but don't remember feeling remarkably different.

What advice would you give someone who wants to move to a more plant based diet but struggles with being strictly vegan? I'm convinced it's healthy I'm just not convinced I can do it.

That's a really good question, CCB; but I can only tell you that it's not been easy for me.

In my case, my work related accident impaired my ability to be mobile in ways like I used to be (I rode my bicycle to and from work, 22 miles daily, on top of the vigorous exercise my job duties required of me). Plus before this happened to me, I began to experience allgeric reactions to milk based products (I'd break out in hives).

So, I'm not sure I'd say that I'm strictly vegan or vegetarian, but I mostly consume only plants now. By switching to an plant based diet, I turned the tables on becoming diabetic. My mobility impairment placed me at huge risk to become diabetic if I refused to give up foods that my body can no longer process (ie, meats, milk, cheese, pasta, rice or even certain vegetables that I'm allergic too, like tomatoes or any nightshade plant like potatoes or eggplant, etc).

I've since learned to use nut based or plant based products to replace milk or butter or yogurt or cheese. They don't taste the same, but for me it's not about taste as it is about not succumbing to diabetes.

I was never at risk for diabetes until the accident impaired my mobility. And because I can't be as mobile as I once was, I decided to tackle my prediabetic condition by radically changing the types of foods I consume.

So my primary doctor set up an consult with an staff registered dietician, who gave me lots of research to read and made recommendations on how to create new food behaviors and choices.

I stick to the food choices the dietician and doctor recommended to me, to help combat blood sugar issues arising out of my post-accident condition.

I see my primary doctor this month for an blood draw to test my A1c levels. If my blood labs come back clear and free, and below the A1c test scores, then I won't have to take experimental medication to keep me from slipping over into an full fledged diabetic state.

I changed my food choices to directly tackle that health issue. So while sometimes I wish I could have meat or cheese or foods that rapidly convert to blood sugar in the blood stream, I stick to my plant based diet, so I won't become diabetic. I've got two brothers who areally full fledged diabetic and they have to take insulin shots several times a day. On top of it, insulin is terribly expensive and not covered by my insurance. So I took corrective action on what I could do to not become diabetic.

One of the benefits of making a choice to do this, has been the unexpected outcome of weight loss. Since March 3rd, of thia year, I've dropped nearly 40 pounds. Another gift directly related to changing how I eat foods is that I'm creating a way for my body to heal by not consuming foods that put me at huge risk to become diabetic.

I feel better. I've lost some weight. And there's a huge chance I won't have to take experimental medication anymore, if the corrective measures I've taken leads to an medication free life.

My story about utilizing an plant based diet might not be the same for others, as to how or why people choose plant based diets over consuming food in ordinary ways.... But it's working for me, and I'm grateful for the gift of wellness, by rectifying my choice of foods.

K.

[Kätzchen]

Today, while shopping at an nearby discount grocery retailer, I found an amazing buy on Burt's Bees Protein Powder.

This can of protein powder is made of plant protein, has less than 1 gram of naturally occurring sugar (in some cases, it's 0-zero), is Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, and an Non-Soy product. It usually retails for between $33-43 dollars per can, but the discount grocer had an pallet of this protein powder at the front entrance of the store, with the bargain basement price of $9.75/can. I bought several.

Here's three pictures I found online, so people can see what it looks like, and pictures of the protein powder contents too. One serving of this product grants you 15 grams of Plant Based protein and as well, you get 4.5 servings of fruit and vegetables, and it's fortified with 25% daily value of recommended vitamins and minerals.


I feel like I got super lucky on my shopping trip today!

[nycfem]

How do you roast the peas? Sounds good.

Originally Posted by Kätzchen

Today, since it's fairly brisk outside, I thought I'd make an batch of soup, which can be enjoyed as hot or cold soup.

I used the following vegetables:

Carrots, Butternut squash, sweet mini red bell peppers, sweet onion and chickpeas.

I pulsed the carrots, squash, chickpeas, chopped sweet onion and red bell peppers, so it's half creamy, yet somewhat chunky. To season: I added powdered ginger root, a couple tablespoons of Chia seeds, and a titch of sea salt.

Once it has simmered on the stove for about an hour, on low heat, I'm going to have a bowl of hot soup, and use Sesame Sticks and Roasted Peas as an garnish on top, which will enhance the soup's protein content.

Here's the link to the recipe I adapted my soup recipe from, it's fairly easy to make and it's tasty.

http://frugalfeeding.com/2014/01/03/...chickpea-soup/

Yesterday I roasted an bag full or organic peas, which I bought at the grocery store.

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by nycfem

How do you roast the peas? Sounds good.

I'm glad you asked because I only learned how to do it, several years ago, when I attended an family Thanksgiving dinner, with an dear friend in college.

I roast both Peas and Brussell Sprouts, the same way. They're delish!

To Roast Peas:

Take an small bag of frozen organic peas and break them apart from each other, in a good sized bowl.

In another bowl, mix up about a 1/4 cup of EVOO, a dash of sea salt and a splash of Modena balsamic vinegar. Pour over the frozen peas. Mix up the peas until they are coated well.

Line an cookie sheet with heavy foil, matte side up (shiny side down). Place all the coated peas on the cooking sheet and place in oven.

Turn oven on to 500 degrees.

Set timer for 20 minutes.

Open oven and rotate all the roasted peas, so the other sides of the peas can be roasted.

Set timer for 8 minutes.
Check your peas and see if they're roasted enough. If not, roast for a few short more minutes. Once finished, they should resemble an carmelized appearance and be dark green in color (the edges will be more carmelized looking).

Turn off oven: Serve once they've cooled off for about five minutes or so.

Roasted Brussell Sprouts:

Take about 15 or 20 freshly picked brussell spouts and wash them and then dry them off. Cut off the very bottom of the brussell spouts, so you can peel each leaf free of the bloom pod. Place all the brussell spout leaves in an big bowl. Use the same blend of roasting oil (EVOO, sea salt, and Modena Balsamic Vinegar) and pour it over the leaves and make sure they're all coated.

Roast the brussell spouts with the same timing and temp procedure, as above.

It only takes about an half an hour, not much longer, to roast frozen Peas or fresh Brussell sprout leaves.

The peas have a certain crunchiness to them, but they're not as crunchy as left over eats. However, the same holds true for roasted Brussell Sprouts. They only retain the roasted quality for an limited time. Plus, they're so tasty that they're usually all gone, so you won't worry about left overs.

Bon Appétit!

[Kätzchen]

Just an quick update tonight:

Today I had my cardiology appt, and had my pacemaker data read and downloaded. They also took my weight too, as the last time they saw me was last February, and I was over 300 pounds. I began my plant based diet, the first week of March.... based on my primary care physician's advice and the advice of the Registered Dietician and Nutritionist I had an consult appt with.

I have dropped over 50 pounds, nearly 60 pounds, since March of this year.

I am Vegan, not vegetarian. I purposely quit eating all types of meat and eggs and stopped consuming Dairy products and quit eating anything that is filled with Starch (potatoes, breads, rice or pasta).

But the reason I feel compelled tonight to share about my health status is that my work related accident impaired my mobility. Before my accident, I used to bicycle to work, daily, for an estimated 22 miles per day, and more miles on the weekend (for leisure).


I took issue with the Cardiology doctor's notes on my case today, because it's never been like me to consume too many calories or eat very much. I only eat what I feel led to eat, which is primarily small to medium sized portions at meal time. I have one main meal a day (Salad, usually around 5 pm). For breakfast, I have whole grain cereal (Quinoa or Steel Cut Oats, but only a cup of cereal is all I eat). For extra protein, I consume Think Thin bars (20 mg protein per bar, zero sugar) and I use my new found Burt's Bee's protein powder for an afternoon smoothie made with Berries, Coconut Milk and a packet of Stevia.


I push water intake, the most. I drink up to two gallons of water per day.

The body needs water to help medication work properly and to also help the body to utilize food sources properly. So drinking enough water is critical to my own success, as well as sticking to eating an Plant Based diet.


Next month, if my A1c level is lower than the reading I had this past July, then my primary care physician will discontinue the experimental Glipizide medication I've been taking since March 1st. I'm already NOT diabetic anymore, so I'm looking forward to saying "Good Bye" to Glipizide.


I was just telling a dear Femme friend, that if I drop another 50+ pounds by the time I see the Cardiologist next March (on the 1st), that I'm going to ask specifically for the cardiology doctor to amend his notes from today, because it's not calories that caused my weight gain. It was being immobilized by the work related accident, for nearly an year after it happened, that caused the weight gain.


Also, I think it's imperative to not let nay-sayer's have any room in your head when you choose to give up meat, dairy and starches. My mother and siblings have not been supportive of my choice to become an Vegan. IN their minds, they think I'm not getting enough protein. Well, I've got proof of my health status and blood samples that are collected every other month, that proves differently. I wish they could stop eating meats, dairy products and starches because my three Diabetic brothers refuse to do that, yet the insulin shots they need on an daily basis is not cutting it. My mother is working herself to death to cover their medical expenses. She's not happy either that I won't recant my Plant Based Diet position, even after I show her medical proof that saved my life and kept me from becoming diabetic.


So, to those of you out there that are thinking about eliminating meat, dairy and starches and all forms of sugar from your diet (including foods that convert to sugar in your bloodstream -- example, rice, pasta, bread, etc), then don't let them control your own health success. Saving your own life is vital, even if you get push-back and flack about it from people in your life.


Cheers,

K.



PS/ Remember, I was able to do this on the advice of my primary physician and an Registered Dietician and clinic Nutritionist. I am grateful to them for explaining to me how NOT eating meat, dairy products and starches could save my life and prevent me from becoming Diabetic.

[Kätzchen]

I recently had an doctor visit to follow-up on another blood sugar fasting lab draw and the news was not entirely good, but good in the way that at least my blood sugar has not exponentially sky rocketed. Instead of being at the coveted status of less than 5.7, I came in at 5.8, which led my doctor to reinstitute the interventional use of Glipizide, to help stabilize my body's way of not being able to fend off an diabetic trajectory. So, for another six months, I will take half a tablet twice a day and keep working on mobility impacts I face, because I cannot bicycle 22 miles a day anymore, much less walk for more than half an hour (etc). I keep at it though.

Since last March (of this year), when I radically changed my behavioral choice of food intake and implemented a strict plant based diet, I have lost over 60 pounds. Not bad, right? Especially since I cannot exercise at levels I was previously accustomed to doing. But I will get there, even if it takes time and tremendous, painstaking energy.

My meal for today is exceptionally untraditional. LOL.

Today, I made a 'cheese' sandwich on two slices of gluten-free bread (I can only have this type of bread, rarely, anymore). The 'cheese' I used was by Field Roast: Regular Creamy and Tomato (which is very zesty). I also used an veggie burger-like patty, too. To drink: I have a bottle of L'Orange Perrier Mineral Water, a cup of decaf coffee with NON-dairy creamer and two packets of Truvia (stevia sweetener). And a quart of clean water, to drink.


In other health related news: I finally was able to hire an SS Disability attorney, after she looked at specific health documentation I have on record. My attorney feels that we have a chance to win on an disability appeal in January, but I won't be discouraged if I am not approved for SS Disability. I won't invest all my time in effort trying to secure this type of economic reprieve, because at least one physician sitting on my health care case feels I can handle part time work placement, which I will vigorously pursue. My goal is to be employed by Spring of 2019. To wit, I am actually vying for an government job (Census Bureau). I hope I am hired for this particular job, but if not, I am sure the perfect job awaits me in the near future.

I am wishing everyone a beautiful day of holiday celebrations.

Happy Thanksgiving