Forks, Food, Flowers and F-blood Fests

We only have a few days left in our four week vegan voyage. Really and truly, it doesn't seem like it's been that long. As a matter of fact, it seems we're just getting started; just learning about new foods and ways to prepare them; learning to look at food in a more comprehensive manner. I've been trying not to sound preachy - but I think it's human nature to make an effort to rationalize our selected behaviors and maybe even try to persuade others to join our efforts as the ultimate form of affirmation. Whoa...heavy, dude. I'm not trying to persuade you to do anything you don't feel personally dedicated to do. I will simply say - as I've implied throughout our adventure - it's not nearly as oppressive as I thought it would be, and the payoffs are greater than I ever expected.

OK, that aside, I guess that royal wedding thing happened. I didn't get up to watch it, but it's kind of a cool thing...sweet, positive, creating a sense of joy in a world too often focused on the nastiness. I hope they do some nifty stuff for Britain over the next few decades. And the princess is smokin', ain't she?!

The poster at the top is a promotion for the movie Forks Over Knives, currently in release (you probably guessed that...) We'll be viewing it soon, and will give a bit of a review after we've seen it. One of the draws for us will be the presence of Rip Esselstyn, author of the Engine 2 Diet, who'll be doing a Q&A after the show. Thought we'd try to get out book signed...if we can get it back from the latest borrower. Not surprisingly, the movie's about personal and planet health issues related to how and what we eat. I doubt it'll be a nominee at the Oscars, but we're looking forward to seeing it. More of that rationalizing our current diet choice, I guess.

Brave Solo Tulip

 This is one of the [damned few!] Spring flowers that have dared to show themselves in this dark, sopping, cold late April. Fortunately, our kitchen has been alive with color and that really does help life the spirits.

Pie-Bound Superfood

  We did a left-overs dinner night last night - LG having spaghetti with marinara and pesto and I had a black bean burger smothered in daughter Heather's vegan chili. Everything was great. Dedicated to have provided a "nice hot breakfast" each of the 28 days of this adventure, LG once again prepared a blueberry infested, walnut topped melange of good and good-for-us grains. Thanks again gorgeous.

Rhubarb is one of the foods that cardiologists say is a great addition to anyone's diet. Ours is coming on strong - apparently less concerned than most of the flowers about the nasty weather. Just as well...I'm not inclined to make the flowers into a cobbler anyway.

Now...the big news - as far as I'm concerned anyway. I spoke with a nurse from my doc's office and got a report on my blood analysis. My "before" profile includes a total cholesterol of 280 (probably higher, though I hadn't checked it for a couple years), so-so triglycerides, and a HDL to LDL ratio that was close to OK. About 8-9 years ago, I used a natural form of statin drug (red rice yeast) for about 6 weeks and got my total down to 199. I didn't keep it going because - even though its a "natural" substance - the red rice has the potential to cause the same kind of harm to one's liver as other cholesterol-lowering prescriptions. I apparently only have one liver and am inclined to keep it as healthy as possible, thank you very much.

The really good news is that my total cholesterol was the lowest it's ever been in the 35 years I've been monitoring it - 196, and without any kind of drug. My triglycerides were at a very good level as well. The down side is that my HDL - the good cholesterol - had dropped a slightly greater percentage than the bad LDL. I'm sure that would have been true of my "before" profile if I'd checked it recently, but it's something I can work on...and I have a plan in place to do just that. I'll weigh Sunday morning and that will be the final metric for this 28 day start to a new way of eating.

Yeah, it sure seems like maintaining a diet close to what we've been doing is a very good idea. I can see big changes in my body composition - good changes! Over the past couple years of "growing", I've complained - but done little - about my spreading mid-section (and sections adjacent.) LG always tells me that she thinks I  "look just fine." Lately though, she's been hugging marking how "thin and hard" my body feels. I'm especially delighted with the tone in which she offers those remarks...yeah baby! My joints are much less inclined to feel stiff after working hard. While I quite frankly am not interested in living to be 100 years old, I'd like to have 80+ really healthy, active years on this plane of existence. Yeah, that's the ticket!