Kim: God love you. You are so positive.
I got the news last week. This is the third time in a row it was elevated but the first time with a new doc. He asked me my thoughts and I said I don’t like taking drugs. He said my only other option is a plant-based diet. I’ve got three months to get it under control. And with that, a vegan is born. I could probably phase it in, but with only three months, I don’t know if I would make a significant enough impact to ward off the meds. Besides, I’m a black and white kinda girl. I’m all in or forget it. And some foods are just triggers for me- once I start, it is difficult to stop.
Pizza is a prime example. I cannot eat just one slice no matter how bad it is.
Yes, gradual change is probably better, but I have no intention of remaining a vegan if my body cooperates. He said I can gradually add in animal protein once the cholesterol is under control although he said it should be limited to 3oz. Hello smoked Gouda. And I can add in a few more more carbs once I’m at a healthy weight.
No restrictions on salt intake. Apparently my blood pressure is really good. Bonus for me because I’ve been using a lot of miso paste. It is a weird ingredient. And boy is it salty.
I completely agree with you about tofu. I’ve tried both firm and silken and they both just suck. Texturally, it weirds me out.
I love beans – black, kidney, garbanzo, black eyed, etc. They are all good in my book. I love artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, butternut squash, spinach, tomatoes, onions, garlic and mushrooms. I like zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, green beans, mixed baby greens, and Brussels sprouts. Not a fan of bitter greens (kale, collards, turnip, etc) or peppers. I also have weird texture issues – I don’t care for beets or turnips or rutabaga. I do a lot of roasting and grilling of veggies. Grilled asparagus is fantastic!
I can have fruit but limited to four servings a day with one being berries. Berries get their own serving because of their antioxidant properties. So if I only eat one fruit a day, it should be berries.
I’ve been using Forks Over Knives and The How Not To Die Cookbook. The eggplant rollatini from Forks is really tasty. And I liked the carrot noodles with pesto from How Not To Die (although I steamed the carrots too long and I used almonds instead of pine nuts and it made it gritty). I made a three bean chili from How Not To Die that I didn’t like. Tony said it wasn’t bad but he also put half a bottle of hot sauce on it.
I’ll see about getting my hands on Alicia’s book and I’ll start looking for a website we can try.
carbloversgovegan.com 