When I got married, I had to get my blood drawn for the State of Michigan to approve of my getting married. My blood cholesterol was 180 back then. I was 25. My doctor told me that I was in the low acceptable side back then, but for someone my age, it was too high. It was strong testimony to my being single and living at Taco Bell and making grilled cheese sandwiches at home. Within about a year, my cholesterol had dropped to 130 and was no lower than my wife's.
I didn't know what to expect when I had my blood drawn a few weeks ago. Our doctor called with the results and my wife took the call. She said my cholesterol was fine and not to worry. So, I was naturally feeling pretty good about myself. But when I got the printed results in the mail yesterday and saw my result for cholesterol was 195, I was shocked.
Evidently my doctor doesn't know the lies about cholesterol. Evidently she doesn't know that 50% of the heart attack victims have cholesterol between 150-200. Evidently she still hasn't read
The China Study, which we loaned to her. And evidently, that refrigerator that stays stocked with cookies from the nice ladies at the church has caught up with me. Ouch!
I also found out that my vitamin D was low - 18 - the range should be 30-100. No wonder, I live in the Northwest, where the sun rarely shines. By iron was very good, and my B12 was also good.
But that nasty cholesterol thing. I'm almost 50 and my cholesterol fast approaching 200. Something needs to change. I believe I need to go back to the whole-foods, plant-based diet and I need to have a clearing house with that fridge at the church. Then if I can't seem to control myself, I probably need to get the locks changed on the door. Seriously!
My personal core value: Discipline will get me where I want to go. This is especially pertinent right now, right here. IT's time to be honest about my diet and not just talk the talk, but also walk the walk. And it's time to put the heredity of my family values - treat yourself, eat whatever you want - behind me. I believe like Dr. Cambell in The China Study that it's not about heredity, but the way we choose to eat may be about learned behavior. It's time to change. I heard the alarm go off. The rest is my choice whether I get up or go back to sleep....
Original photo: estoril / CC Adopting a child that's in need of a home is one of the most selfless and loving decisions a person can make -- but in Greece, having a big heart means nothing if you don't eat meat. A vegetarian couple from the island of Crete recently had their adoption application rejected on the grounds that they might impose their diet on their adoptive child, because they say that a child's upbringing must include eating meat. There's just one problem though: that's <...Read the full story on TreeHugger
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