Black Mountain

Flat Creek greenways trail (known as Emilee's Walk) on March 13, 2024

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Why whole food plant based diet?

I've gone through some deep thought, then asked a few professionals, mainly my doctors, what they thought of my diseases and any dietary recommendations. That left me still not sure. Then I just ate what I most liked for a while, but avoided a lot of dairy and meat, and did have more fats and cholesterol raising foods. Tomorrow I'm having my fasting blood work done. I've had 6 solid months of eating a whole food plant based, low fat diet. And only in the last month have I fluctuated.

So I'll not be able to tell exactly how that stricter level of eating might have affected my numbers. But I have found out why it was important for me to try other foods for the last month. First, I couldn't cook when I was really sick with pneumonia. I ate minimally, and mainly soups, crackers,and liquids but was also on antibiotics, which also played havoc with my gastro-intestinal system.


Incidentally, these are other doctors who are talking about WFPB diets, and Dr. Ornish isn't involved anywhere. 

As I came out of fevers, I continued to not want a messy kitchen that had to be cleaned up, so I went to various take-out restaurants. That was at least once a day for five out of seven days a week. And some of those meals had fish or chicken in them, as well as veggies.

I did find I preferred to avoid high fat foods. But I was craving salt a lot. Not sugar. I was happy still with my daily 2 fig newtons. But I could go through a bag of potato chips, or popcorn a day. I haven't figured out why except that the drugs I'm on have really dehydrated me. My skin looks like an alligator's. I have to rub vaseline on my feet so they don't crack from the dryness. I sure hope I can get off whatever drug causes that symptom. I'm drinking a 10 oz. glass of water every hour or so during the day. Swelling sometimes in my ankles, but not directly related to salt intake...and maybe more related to how long I sit here at the computer.

So these comments are for my own journaling efforts.

And here's a link to one of the best (though its 10 years old now) movies which promotes whole food plant based diets to reverse some diseases, including cardiac conditions.

Forks Over Knives on YouTube. If you haven't seen it, or some of the other ones about eating for health, do take the time to see it. There's really no reason we should continue to eat in an unhealthy way.


9 comments:

  1. ...it seems that everyone has their own opinion.

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  2. Replies
    1. Yes, maybe in a month, or a year, or several years, I may change my mind. They say we completely change all our cells every 7 years.

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  3. Hello,
    I hope your blood work comes back with good results. My hubby has a problem with too much salt, his blood pressure goes up.
    I seem to have a problem with anything gluten and dairy. It is hard to eat healthy, unless we just eat veggies. Happy Friday, enjoy your weekend!

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    1. Good information to know. Hope you also have a joy filled weekend Eileen.

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  4. I know we could all eat better, me especially, but I am sceptical of the efficacy of certain diets and restrictions.

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    1. I have a good friend who's eating the Keto diet, which is basically a modernized version of the Atkins diet (lots of meats, fats, veggies...no carbs!) She said she felt much better on it. That's the bottom line, if you end up feeling better.

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  5. Health is very important to be maintained, hopefully we are always healthy and fit every day

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So glad to have your comments...whatever they may be. I'm one who likes to reply sometime or another, so others will see that; or you might happen back sometime and see what conversation might have started.