Flexaterian?

Note - The irony that this post is right behind a post that was pretty much all about TURKEY is not lost on me.

As previously mentioned I had my regular annual checkups a couple of weeks ago and part of that included blood work.  For you young pups out there, enjoy the quickie checkups while you can.  Things get more complicated after 40.

(And more invasive.  But that's a whole other post.  Cough cough.)

Anyway - my cholesterol (TC) was 201, LDL was HIGH at 121.  HDL is great at 67 (this is the one that you want high, and is impacted by exercise.)  My LDL has always run on the high side (family?) but this was definitely a jump up from 18 months ago. 

The nurse that called to talk me through my results suggested I read a few books, one of them being the Caldwell Esselstyn book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.  (Insert Jesus H Christ look here, because I was like WTF - I do not have heart disease??!!!)

She dialed me back in about that - no I don't have heart disease.  But - I also don't want to GET IT.  So I felt a bit better after she talked me through her logic and the practice philosophy - on getting ahead of these things.  Make some small changes now, etc.

I read the book last weekend and this week, it's essentially the same (mostly) as the movie Forks over Knives (which I had watched a few months ago.)  Basically - don't eat meat.  Ever. Again. Ever. Or Dairy. Ever. Again. And oh by the way?  No Oil.  Of any kind.  Ever.

I am not a huge carnivore - more plants than meat for the most part anyway, but I definitely love me some cheese.  Ohhhhhhh aged parm, and all those yummy smokey cheeses from Whole Foods.  Die.  I love them.  I use(d) EVOO when cooking, and on salads, etc.  Esselstyn has a hardcore approached with results.  And peer reviewed.  Many of his patients were sent home to die - they tried his program and 25 years later are still going strong.  The goal of lifestyle adaptation is to push TC to 150 or lower, and LDL to around 80. 

So I am going to give this a try.  Not because I think I will become a vegan for the rest of my life - but for one month, I want to see if it can impact my own physiology and blood numbers.  The results appear to be decently quick and substantial.  If nothing changes - then I know that my diet might not be the sole catalyst behind some of the numbers - it might be more genetic.  If it does make a difference?  Then that's great data to have and try to live by.

It won't be easy because I'll be flying solo on this one... but I will post some updates here and there on how it's going and what parts are making me happy vs crazy.  Maybe some recipes too!

vegan lunch today... kale, portobello mushrooms, squash and a red pepper coulis over quinoa.  It was AMAZING.

I know I will still eat turkey on Thanksgiving though!!