Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Superhero

So for awhile now I have been having some pretty bad symptoms. I had very heavy fatigue, the kind where you are dragging your legs around and feel like you weigh 1000 lbs. The kind that never goes away no matter how many naps you take, how early you go to bed or what kind of activity you are involved in. The doctor has been told, she doesn't understand and asks my if I am taking my vitamins and folic acid. I am screaming, "DUH!! That is why I am asking you!!" When I went for my yearly physical and blood work with my family physician my blood came back with high cholesterol, this was no surprise as I have had it before and my family history is full of it. Doctor said to take fish oil supplements, ewww never met a fish oil supplement that I could stomach they all come back as fish burps. I started thinking about the family history, high blood pressure, Rheumatoid Arthritis, type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, plaque in the arteries, cancer, asthma, arthritis, high blood pressure and heart disease. Wow did I sound like a ticking time bomb, tick, tick, tick. I started think what can I do to change my cholesterol which would in turn lower my likelihood of getting some of the other stuff. I knew meat would have to go, I had been a vegetarian before and knew that it had made a major effect on the cholesterol. I began to think some more and decided to read a book that I had seen on the morning talk shows, the book was the kind life by Alicia Silverstone. I know what you are thinking the girl from Clueless, come on Tina! Yeah well she is a great writer and encouraged me to take some bold steps in my life, I became a vegan! At first my decision was purely to affect my cholesterol and risk of heart disease but I found some added icing on the cake. My energy level is back to normal, if not better than normal I feel like a human again. I have steady energy that lasts all day and at night guess what I do? Sleep! Like a baby. All the stress I felt before about my day, my family, my work, school, it is now gone. Alicia tells us in the book that animals are under a tremendous amount of stress before they are slaughtered and all that stress hormone is secreted into the meat we eat. When I sit down and eat a meal my food comforts me, it heals me, nourishes me and gives me a sense of peace because it is living food for a living body. I know it sounds so hippy but it is true. I am not going to make anyone feel bad for the food choices on their plate, it is not my job and everyone has to make choices for themselves but I am giving you a challenge. Go meat and dairy free for just two weeks and see what a difference it can make in your body! 

3 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness! I am so happy to hear all of this. My favorite part is this: "When I sit down and eat a meal my food comforts me, it heals me, nourishes me and gives me a sense of peace because it is living food for a living body." I love you and am so happy to be along for your journey.

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  2. Hello! I just found your blog and glad I did. Tell me, would you do a challenge or partnership? I would be willing to try this with you if you would be willing to post each day what you plan for meals and two snacks (I'm extremely hypoglycemic so I must accomodate my body). I would be willing to jump off the cow cliff If I thought It would help me control my inflammation!! good lawd it's been months of flaring and failing drugs. i have to try more.

    What do you say to pick a day so I can prepare at the grocery and farmers market. Then, I will do this with you. It also has to help weight eh/ I HOPE I HOPE I HOPE!

    Tammy

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  3. Tammy I am so new to this and I am kinda fumbling through it. What I did was go to the store and stocked up on a few things, whole wheat bread, brown rice or other whole grain, soy cheese, tempeh or tofu, garden burgers, soy milk or other non dairy replacement, lots of vegetables, hummus, fruits, soy yogurts and then I created some things to eat. The first week I made a batch of very veggie soup and ate it with a salad one day a veggie burger the next. I stir fried vegetables and mixed with brown rice and topped it with tempeh and soy sauce. I created salads with chick peas on top and sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and vegan dressing. When you begin eat when ever you are hungry, it takes time for your body to get used to this new way of eating. Snack on fruit, soy yogurts, raw veggies and hummus, popcorn. I have ordered some new cookbooks so I can get really creative my vegetarian cooking skills are limited. My advice to you is to read The Kind Life and adapt it to your life style.

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