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I think more like gguerro does because that's how I was raised. Works for me just like your way is working for you. I usually avoid "debating" about my choice of a healthy and active lifestyle.
One thing I felt I needed to respond to was this...
Quote:
Originally Posted by pacific2
The report concludes that Dr. Atkins, 72, had a history of heart attack and congestive heart failure and notes that he weighed 258 pounds at death.
From Snopes: Thanks to his death certificate we know Atkins was 258 pounds at the time of his death. Yet according to a copy of his medical records, as turned over to USA Today by the diet guru’s widow, Atkins weighed 195 pounds upon admission to the hospital 8 April 2003 following his fall.
I think more like gguerro does because that's how I was raised. Works for me just like your way is working for you. I usually avoid "debating" about my choice of a healthy and active lifestyle.
One thing I felt I needed to respond to was this...
From Snopes: Thanks to his death certificate we know Atkins was 258 pounds at the time of his death. Yet according to a copy of his medical records, as turned over to USA Today by the diet guru’s widow, Atkins weighed 195 pounds upon admission to the hospital 8 April 2003 following his fall.
I was so excited by my blood pressure test today, I had to come and post it.
I was walking past a CVS drug store, and thought, hey, I'll go use their free blood pressure tester, as it has been a while since I tested it. Even after walking briskly for a while, and talking with a lady at the machine, I just took a minute or so to calm down, and tested myself and it was.....drum roll.....
113/76 !!!
When I first went off blood pressure meds and statins and reflux medications - all cold turkey - my blood pressure soared initially to 168/86. That was around the last week of August. So, here we are about 8 months later, no meds and my BP is 113/76 already! I'm so happy.
My cholesterol initially went up, then down, then back up. Just assuming the fat is cleaning out of my body. But, it seems logical that there isn't a build-up in my arteries, if my BP has come way down like this.
I will check my cholesterol again in June, as well as my blood sugar.
As far as weight, I've lost and kept off 17+ pounds in 8 months, but haven't lost any weight for the last 6 weeks or so. I fluctuate mainly between 185 - 187 pounds (started at 204 lbs). I have hit a plateau, but I'm not ready to change how I eat yet, but I am not going to worry about that right now. I'm happy with what I'm eating, and have been able to stick to my diet. The only time it's difficult, is when I eat out, which fortunately is rare. I can still usually find something, but I've taken to just eating before I go to an event, so I don't blow my diet. Or stopping at a Taco Bell and just getting a bean burrito fresco.
So, yay! This is working. And I can't believe how much easier it is to be more active. Just losing the 17 pounds feels like a lot, even though I still could lose another 35 pounds and that would only take me to 150 lbs (I'm 5' 5"). Still, I have a lot more energy, and it just feels easier to walk and get around. And my mind is clearer being off all of those meds, and I'm guessing the cleaner food is helping that, too.
I saw a counselor yesterday that I hadn't seen since around October and she immediately said "Wow, you look great, you've lost a lot of weight!" So, I hit that benchmark - where someone noticed my weight loss! I was looking forward to the day that happened.
It was nice to get the incentive to keep it up with the great BP result today, too. I kind of needed some good news today, and this made my day, and I had to share it.
I also wanted to mention that I can see the difference in how I look when I see my reflection now, when I'm out walking my dog. I can see that I look a lot thinner. Even though it's only 17 pounds lost, I also just don't look so bloated. It makes me feel good to look better, too.
Woo hoo!! That's so awesome! GO YOU! Especially being able to get off the meds.
I have a blood pressure monitor at home and I take mine now and then. Mine has dropped since going vegan for sure. It's amazing.
I haven't had blood work done in awhile but I am curious, so I may do that soon. Too bad I don't have any previous results to compare it to.
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My posts as moderator will be in red.
Hit a new low bp reading today at local CVS - 110/75.
My cholesterol is still high. My blood sugar is back up just a tick, but just on the border of normal/pre-diabetic.
I've lost and kept off 19 pounds, but weight is pretty much stuck around 185.
I've been doing this nearly a year now. Since my cholesterol is still high, I was feeling like this vegan diet might not be all it's supposed to be. But, the new even lower bp reading makes me sure I'm still on the right track.
Plus, I can't believe how much more energy I have. I still have pain problems, but I used to accept not being able to do hardly anything in one day. Now, on many days, I get done a huge amount of things compared to what I used to be able to do.
It makes me wonder if all of the hype about cholesterol really is just that. After all, the only cholesterol in my body now, is being created by my own body. And cholesterol is needed for healthy cells and brains, right?
And I really don't cheat. The only thing I do that isn't great for me, is drink a couple drinks most nights. But, the bp keeps going down.
So, I really question whether the cholesterol in my body isn't just fine. I definitely have not experienced the magically lowered cholesterol numbers that are promoted by the vegan gurus. When I tried to post about it on Dr. McDougall's website, they basically banned me lol. Sad, but true. So much for wanting to prove the "truth" about diet and cholesterol, etc.
Anyway, the good news is, my blood pressure is very much normal now, and I am taking that to mean that there are no clogged arteries. The blood sugar is okay and since I very rarely eat anything that's not whole grain, I don't think there's a real issue there, either. And, since I feel great and my bp is fine, I'm going to assume the cholesterol in my blood isn't hurting me.
Hit a new low bp reading today at local CVS - 110/75.
My cholesterol is still high. My blood sugar is back up just a tick, but just on the border of normal/pre-diabetic.
I've lost and kept off 19 pounds, but weight is pretty much stuck around 185.
I've been doing this nearly a year now. Since my cholesterol is still high, I was feeling like this vegan diet might not be all it's supposed to be. But, the new even lower bp reading makes me sure I'm still on the right track.
Plus, I can't believe how much more energy I have. I still have pain problems, but I used to accept not being able to do hardly anything in one day. Now, on many days, I get done a huge amount of things compared to what I used to be able to do.
It makes me wonder if all of the hype about cholesterol really is just that. After all, the only cholesterol in my body now, is being created by my own body. And cholesterol is needed for healthy cells and brains, right?
And I really don't cheat. The only thing I do that isn't great for me, is drink a couple drinks most nights. But, the bp keeps going down.
So, I really question whether the cholesterol in my body isn't just fine. I definitely have not experienced the magically lowered cholesterol numbers that are promoted by the vegan gurus. When I tried to post about it on Dr. McDougall's website, they basically banned me lol. Sad, but true. So much for wanting to prove the "truth" about diet and cholesterol, etc.
Anyway, the good news is, my blood pressure is very much normal now, and I am taking that to mean that there are no clogged arteries. The blood sugar is okay and since I very rarely eat anything that's not whole grain, I don't think there's a real issue there, either. And, since I feel great and my bp is fine, I'm going to assume the cholesterol in my blood isn't hurting me.
I'm curious, if you don't mind, would you be willing to share the breakdown of your cholesterol? LDL, HDL, triglycerides.
I don't have time to find you a reliable source right now, but I think I read somewhere that cholesterol (maybe it was triglycerides) is affected by the frequency you eat, ie grazing throughout the day vs going many hours between meals.
Also, I believe higher cholesterol levels alone are not associated with increased risk for heart disease. I think high cholesterol is only a risk for heart disease if there is another risk factor present, like high blood pressure or diabetes, which you don't have :-)
You seem relatively content with your levels, so may not want to do anything. But if I was in your shoes and I DID want to try lowering my cholesterol further, I would experiment first with eliminating the alcohol, and second with changing the frequency I eat, just to see what happens, if anything.
General consensus seems to be:
1) eat regularly, don't skip breakfast or eat erratically
2) eat more oats (and other foods that help remove cholesterol)
Thank you, I really appreciate your interest. I'm an over-eater, so restricting my caloric intake is not realistic. And the problem with the alcohol, is really based on pain management. Instead of taking any kind of pain meds, I use alcohol. I don't like pot and I'm not going to take any kind of pain med, other than the mild muscle relaxer I take now, baclofen. It's not realistic to expect me to not take anything to manage my pain. This has been a bone of contention with my counselor, and why I'm ready to fire her. My psychiatrist, on the other hand, understands and is on board with me as far as managing my pain by just drinking a couple stiff drinks every night, not starting before dinner time. In case anyone is interested, it's basically called Harm Reduction. Expecting someone like me to abstain completely, is insane. And it's silly, in my opinion, to tell someone like me that it's acceptable to take opioids, but that drinking is somehow bad. Personally, I think this perception is promoted by the big pharm companies who create pain meds. That somehow if something is prescribed by a doctor, even if it's horribly addicting - it's better than simply drinking a natural substance you can buy at the grocery store. The stigma against using alcohol for pain management is just stupid.
So, nope, not willing to get rid of my natural source of pain management, and not willing to starve myself or feel unreasonably hungry.
But, I am willing and have been successful at eating a vegan diet with no oil. I think I'm going to have to be okay with that. That was a huge change for me and I've stuck with it.
As far as my cholesterol numbers - basically, the good cholesterol has risen somewhat, the bad cholesterol has decreased slightly, triglycerides are still pretty much the same, blood sugar is just around 102, and had gotten down to around 96 - so just on the edge over "normal."
I just don't think the medical profession's conclusions about cholesterol are correct, though. if I feel a million times better, and my memory issues have disappeared, and my blood pressure is down from 168/86 to 110/75 - how can I really be at risk? Especially, when there aren't conclusive studies that show a direct correlation between cholesterol and heart disease?
I'd like to lose more weight, for health reasons, but I'm just not going to stress over it at this point. I've lost and kept off 19 pounds over this year. Another 19 would be good, but I'm not going to stress over it right now. Especially, since my feet and knees have stopped hurting.
Could things be even more perfect? Of course. But, it would have to include a miracle cure for my screwed up neck and back, which cause me a great deal of pain. The better I feel and the more active I get, the more my neck kills me. What's a girl to do?
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