I can't remember ever making New Year resolutions. I just never thought I had to have a special day to monument changes in my life. However, this year is different. This year (2012) I'm totally committing to changing my nutritional health... and I'm going to blog about what I learn.
I am a Registered Dietitian so I know a lot about nutition. I have a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics from Loma Linda University. So you probably are wondering what kind of nutritional changes I need to make. Why aren't I already eating healthy? So I will tell you my food-story in brief...
For the most part, I've always been a vegetarian. I didn't grow up eating a lot of meat. Not because my family was vegetarian but I just didn't like it. As an adult I began to learn more about eating a healthy vegetarian diet. I studied at Loma Linda University and learned about the scientific, research based power of nutrition on the human body. It is here that I first learned about my genetically high cholesterol (familial hypercholesterolemia). A cardiac team was teaching the class that day and for fun we all had our cholesterol tested. It was fun for everyone to find out their numbers since we were all young, healthy and active. My peers thought my total cholesterol would be one of the lowest because I ate a low fat vegetarian diet and was very active (I mountain biked, rock climbed, went to the gym and rode my bike to school). I was shocked when they told me it was in the mid 300s! (Later, I learned my biological father's was in the 500s!)
Over the years, I have basically been eating a low fat, high fiber vegetarian diet. I've had a been off an on cholesterol lowering medication for years. A few years ago, as I once again struggled with the decision to take drugs or not I came across Dr. Esselstyn's book Preventing and Reversing Heart Disease. This book has forever changed my approach to nutrition. Since then I have found many other doctors and research all pointing to the same basic conclusions regarding the power of nutrition to either harm or heal your body.
In December of 2010 I started eating a "plant perfect" diet based on Dr. Esselstyn's research. No meat, no dairy and no oil. I only eat whole grains, beans, greens (lots of them), veggies and fruit. It was a hard change but the benefits were immediate and powerful. My cholesterol levels dropped about 30 "points" and my energy level went through the roof! However, I wasn't perfect. I slowly let the bad stuff creep back into my diet.
Where does the New Year Resolution come in? My husband said he would join me in my plant perfect life starting January 1, 2012 as his new year resolution. So here it is January 2012. My New Years Resolution is total commitment. No more compromises. This blog is is about what I learn along the way. I hope it inspires you to eat healthier no matter where you are starting from and no matter where you aspire to end up. I welcome your comments and questions. I hope we can find support in each other!
So awesome that you're doing this! We came across Esselstyn's book shortly after my husband finished chemo for colon cancer (at age 49). Like you, we thought we'd been eating pretty well and were healthy. But it turned out that both cancer and heart disease were stalking my husband. So, we went vegan 3 months ago -- even our 2 teenagers are on board -- and we have no regrets. Making oil-free vegan meals is no small challenge... but it's worth it. Thanks for sharing your culinary discoveries. You're a blessing!
ReplyDelete