My Work-Late Lunch Box: Yogurt Spelt Tomato Dill Cucumber Soup, African Sweet Potato Stew, Heavy on the Veggies Green Smoothie, Cilantro, Cherries, & Chia
"Making breakfast and lunch simple and nearly the same as possible everyday is helpful. For breakfast, include some form of oats with their good cholesterol- lowering properties.
Try to keep lunch to soup and bread, salads, or sandwiches. Start as many meals as possible with salads. Add all the vegetables you can! Find a salad dressing you love.
Greens!! Put them everywhere! Focus on them."-Ann Esselstyn, heart disease prevention & reversal diet teacher, coach, & recipe developer, extraordinaire-
"When I look at the two of you--and compare you to all the over-50 & 60 year olds I know--well, that's what convinced me that there's really something to the way you're eating.
You're both active, slim, exercise, have plenty of energy, no health problems,---and can really get down on the floor, pick up, & play with "your favorite gorgeous grandson".
"The best thing I learned from you is that it's really possible to cook without oil!"
-Paraphrased from My Daughter-in-Law-
If you've received this via email, click here to get to the web version with all the links.
I'm now into my 15th month of sticking with Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr.'s Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease Diet. Bill Clinton started in May 2010. I started in June 2010. Can't wait to compare notes.
Still going strong, with only a few modifications. Got it down pat--and I've been able to stick with it, in spite of a year filled with travel that's taken me all over the U.S. & the Mediterranean.
I've been wanting to write this update for awhile--but frankly, there's just too much to say.
But, I'm just going to dive right in & share some of the postive health changes I've experienced over the past 15 months--some tips that have worked for me--and some of my favorite products & cookbooks that have made cooking this way such a delicious & nutritious experience.
What I Love About This Way of Eating
- At 5' 3" I now weigh 117 lbs--sometimes 116, sometimes 118. I've lost 15 pounds since starting this diet, and at age 61+, that's a weight I'm comfortable with. In my twenties--before babies--I weighed 114, but, back then I didn't have a muscle to speak of. Now I do.
- Just so you know. I'm a foodie and I'm picky. I won't settle for just anything. But, for the past 15 months I've eaten as much scrumptious creative interesting food as I've wanted. If I'm hungry, I eat, and I don't think twice about calories.
- If I had the nerve to wear a bikini--I really could!
- Clothes now fit so well--no belly, a "just-right" butt, no underpant bulges. No need for Spanx. Ever! I've dropped between 2 & 3 sizes, even though I've only lost 15 pounds. Based on my experience--and everyone I've heard from who is on this diet--this is about the only way to really lose your belly fat. And there are plenty of good reasons to do just that. Click here to find out why!
- I'm not taking any medication, except for a low-dose of transdermal estrogen & natural progesterone--but that's for bone health, not health problems. Read more about that, here.
- Can't remember the last time I was ill (knock on wood) or had a cold.
- The digestive system couldn't be running any better. Even when I'm traveling--as long as I'm eating according to "the plan", as Rip says, "I'm as regular as a Swiss train."
- I can really trust my appetite to tell me when I'm hungry--and that's when I eat. I've lost that urge to eat just because I'm surrounded by tempting food or snacks. You can't "make yourself" eat air-popped popcorn or apples--if you aren't hungry!
- My blood pressure is now in the low-normal range.
- My cholesterol levels earned me a price break from my health plan for 2010 & 2011--but given the rules of my workplace's healthcare plan--they won't recheck my cholesterol levels until 2015. Sorry, I can't entice you with how much my lipids have continued to drop on this diet--you'll have to wait 4 more years.
- I feel wonderful. No aches. No pains. No joint stiffness. No problem sitting in a car for 10 hours. Is it because I've ditched all the oils and meat--the major sources for inflammatory omega-6 overload? No way to know--but, here's what Bill Lands, has to say about it. To read all you'd ever want to know about the benefits of lowering your intake of omega-6s, click here.
"..if you understand that food energy causes transient inflammatory insults and omega-6s amplify that into chronic injury and omega-3s moderate it, then you can tell people that the take home message is:
- Eat more omega-3s
- Eat less omega-6s
- Eat fewer calories per meal and stop smoking. That's it.
-William Lands, PhD., a pioneer in the study of lipids, omega-3 fatty acids, and the effects of diet on disease, University of Michigan & NIH-
- Vanity! This was the last thing I thought about when I started this diet. I did it strictly for health--the weight loss & healthy skin glow was unexpected--but I've embraced it. I love the compliments I continue to get from my husband, my friends, my nieces, my brother-in-law, my sister, my co-workers, and even strangers. It's like returning to the body of my twenties.
- My example has helped others to change what they eat, or at least consider making some changes. I'm beyond surprised to see how many relatives, friends, co-workers, neighbors, & perfect strangers are wading into the waters of a plant-based no-oil lifestyle.
- The healthy plant-based no-oil recipe options & food products continue to multiply. I can't even keep up with all the creative recipes I have to choose from--and there's always a new healthy product out there in the marketplace to try out.
- I absolutely have enough energy for 5-8 hours of exercise a week. I'm not an athlete--but I'm not a wimp, either. I'm talking about 3-4 hours of serious spinning, 3 hours of challenging weight-training, and 2 hours of yoga a week. At least when I'm not traveling. Am I getting enough protein? I'm guessing, yes!
The Esselstyn Rules:
- No meat, no poultry, no fish--not even salmon
- No dairy of any kind--not even skim milk or non-fat yogurt.
- No eggs--not even egg whites or Egg Beaters.
- No oil--not even virgin olive oil or canola oil
- Aim for 100% Whole Grain products. Ingredients must say, Whole Wheat, or Whole Buckwheat, Whole Rye,etc. 100% stone-ground wheat is not Whole Wheat unless the word Whole appears. Forget about semolina flour in pasta. Forget about white rice. I thought my Barilla Plus multigrain pasta was fantastic--turns out, semolina is the number one ingredient.
- Do not drink juice. Fruit is fine. A little juice used to saute, or season recipes or for salad dressings is fine
- Do not eat nuts, even walnuts, unless you do not have heart disease.
- Do not eat avocados, if you have heart disease.
- Do not eat coconut, if you have heart disease.
- Eat soy products cautiously. They are high in fat (40% +) and many are highly processed. Only use Lite Tofu (like Mori-Nu or NaSoya Lite Firm Tofu). I also use Soy Boy Organic 5 Grain Low Fat Tempeh.
- Reduce sugar as much as possible. When you do use it for recipes, stick to the more unprocessed varieties. But don't fool yourself, maple syrup, agave, and honey are still sugar. I use stevia.
- Read all labels, especially THE INGREDIENTS!!!
- The Rest of the World of Vegetables, Fruit, Legumes, and Whole Grains is Yours.
- To read more about Ann Esselstyn's cooking & shopping tips, click here.
Why Am I Following This Diet If I Don't Have Heart Disease?
Because my parents were very sick for many years & I'd prefer to not be.
I don't want to end up in a wheelchair, unable to walk, unable to talk, incontinent, unable to feed myself, or recognize my loved ones.
Heart disease, strokes, vascular dementia, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and even some cancers can take years to develop. Why wait until it's too late to do something about them?
After seeing the debilitating effects that strokes had on both of my parents--my dad at age 69--and my mom in her late 70's--I decided to be pro-active. No corned beef sandwiches or chocolate chip cookies are worth that price! Want the science behind these statements? Click Here.
To learn about how my parents' health influenced me, click here.
Did I Ease Into This Diet--Or Jump Right In? Which Is the Best Way to Do It?
Jump right into it 100%! Just do it--but do it right!
Half measures bring wimpy results, and you'll lose interest.
Here's my story: After eating mostly plant-based for 2 years I had my cholesterol checked--and was surprised to see that it hadn't dropped as much as I thought it would. And, I hadn't lost a single pound--but that didn't bother me--since I figured my weight was just fine--with a BMI of 24. Wrong!
Here's the thing. Plant-based isn't necessarily heart healthy. I was still loading up on olive oil, canola oil, Larabars, hummus & baba ghanoush loaded with tahini, avocados on all my sandwiches, coconut milk in recipes, lots of dark chocolate, lots of nuts, Earth Balance margarine, a favorite chipotle spread with 6 grams of fat in 1 tablespoon, too many desserts, and vegan cheese.
When I asked Dr. Esselstyn why I wasn't seeing major changes in my lipids after eating plant-based for two years, he generously invited me to attend his day-long session at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Center on June 18th, 2010. He challenged me to do it right--100%.
So, I jumped in 100%. No exceptions. No slip-ups. I really wanted to see how my diet could affect my cholesterol--and the only way to do that was to be true blue. To read the results of my first four weeks on the diet, click here.
The Best Advice I Ever Got--Too Bad It Took Me Nine Years to Follow It
About 9 years ago I attended a Grand Rounds at my hospital on the benefits on a plant-based diet.
Dr. G advised, "You can ease into this--or jump into it 100%. But, let me warn you. If you ease into it--it will take you a long time to see the benefits. And you'll probably lose interest and quit before you get to that point.
If you do it 100% you'll quickly see changes in your body & how you feel--and that will motivate you to keep it up. And you'll be able to more quickly lose the cravings for fatty, salty, & sugary foods. Read more here.
According to the Monell Chemical Senses Study you will actually down regulate your fat receptors when you eliminate fat from your diet. You will stop craving it & wanting foods made with fat. The "fat craving" takes 90 days to go away.
It's Not About Willpower. Make It Easy On Yourself. It's About Removing Temptations. Changing Your Tastes. And Staying Full.
The work counter that sits smack dab in the middle of the medical library's back offices is often filled with sugary treats.
Yesterday J. brought in a gorgeous homemade strawberry cake frosted with strawberry buttercream. M. brought in blueberry scones. Last week it was donuts. Other times it's chocolates or pound cakes or chocolate chip cookies.
I can easily ignore them all. Really. They've lost their power over me. No, I don't have extraordinary willpower. I know that if I had one piece of J.'s cake I'd want more. So, I just ignore it.
The office refrigerator is loaded with delicious food that I bring from home everyday. It keeps me full--and if I'm full, those goodies have no power over me.
How can you have room for cake if you've already eaten a huge bowl of steel-cut oats with fresh peaches & chia, a giant portion of African Sweet Potato Stew that's made with red lentils, garbanzo beans, & loaded with spice? Plus I have a 27 ounce green smoothie, cherries or plums waiting for me in the fridge--and in a real emergency there's always a Hammer Bar tucked away in my desk.
Why would I want to waste 500 calories on a giant piece of strawberry cake?
Source: Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Eat for Health. Book One, 2008. pg. 68.
If you haven't already read it--be sure to read NYT science writer, John Tierney's latest piece, "Do You Suffer From Decision Fatigue?" in the August 17, 2011 New York Times Magazine. Then you'll understand why I've been able to stick to this diet.
The Esselstyn Diet works because if you follow the simple rules, you can't make a bad decision. Esselstyn has already removed the "bad guys" from the decision-making process. You don't have to waste time deciding what not to eat. Plus, you stay full--your blood sugar stays steady--and if you're smart, you've eliminated all the "bad guys" from your pantry & fridge.
“Good decision making is not a trait of the person, in the sense that it’s always there,” says Roy F. Baumeister, a social psychologist with an expertise in decision-making research.
“It’s a state that fluctuates.”
His studies show that people with the best self-control are the ones who structure their lives so as to conserve willpower. They don’t schedule endless back-to-back meetings.
They avoid temptations like all-you-can-eat buffets, and they establish habits that eliminate the mental effort of making choices.
Instead of deciding every morning whether or not to force themselves to exercise, they set up regular appointments to work out with a friend.
Instead of counting on willpower to remain robust all day, they conserve it so that it’s available for emergencies and important decisions.
“Even the wisest people won’t make good choices when they’re not rested and their glucose is low,” Baumeister points out.
That’s why the truly wise don’t restructure the company at 4 p.m. They don’t make major commitments during the cocktail hour. And if a decision must be made late in the day, they know not to do it on an empty stomach.
“The best decision makers,” Baumeister says, “are the ones who know when not to trust themselves.”
Start with a Good Breakfast. Same Old Same Old Times Five
I've got about 5 breakfasts that I revisit over & over again. I never tire of them. They're delicious, hearty, and they're time-savers.
I make my steel-cut oats ahead of time--in a batch that's enough for 4 days. I switch between pumpkin-spice, fruited, & Cheezy Savory with Greens.
When I'm pressed for time I reach for a cup of Wildwood Probiotic Plain Soy Yogurt, mixed with thawed frozen berries, a couple crumbled walnuts, & a tablespoon of chia seed. It's loaded with protein, fiber, & antioxidants. Quick, filling, and delicious.
When there's no oatmeal made, or I haven't had a chance to restock the yogurt in the fridge, there's always PB2 (a defatted peanut powder) & an all-fruit jam, spread on a sprouted Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin.
Savory "Cheezy" Oatmeal with Spinach
Pumpkin-Spiced Oatmeal with Berries & Chia
Fruited Steel Cut Oats with Dried Apples, Cherries, Fresh Peaches, & Chia
Wildwood Probiotic Plain Soy Yogurt with Berries & Chia
PB2 with Fruit-Only Jam on Ezekiel English Muffins
FInd the recipes or product info here:
- Savory Cheezy Oatmeal with Greens
- PB2 on Ezekiel Muffins
- Wildwood Probiotic Plain Soy Yogurt & Berries
- Pumpkin-Spiced Steel Cut Oats
- Fruited Steel Cut Oats with Berries - I now make this with low-sugar dried fruit--like dried apples & cherries. I make it on the stove, rather than in the crockpot, but I make enough to last for four days. 1 cup of steel-cut oats, 2 cups of water, 1 cup of non-dairy milk, & 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Mix it all up in a pot the night before, stick it into the fridge over night, and cook it in the morning. It cooks faster, is creamier, & sweeter when you soak it overnight.
Do I Ever Cheat? Have I Loosened the Rules? Have I Modified the Plan?
Honestly? Just a very little. I'm quite happy to stick pretty close to the program. I guess you'd put me half-way between Rip's Plant-Strong & Dr. Esselstyn's Plant Perfect! Explanation? Click here.
1.No oils of any kind are in my house. I'm hard-lined about that! But, I sometimes use a little expeller-pressed canola spray on my air-popped popcorn, & on my outside grill, when necessary. It would be a mess without it.
2. No interest in meat, chicken, dairy, cheese, or eggs. No temptation there at all.
3. I don't have heart disease, so I definitely eat walnuts--but I don't overdo it. I notice that I want them more when I exercise a lot. Dried fruit & walnuts fill the bill when I've burned a lot of calories.
4. I very rarely buy avocados, but I will eat them, & have used them occasionally for company recipes. I wouldn't turn away from guac. Avocados are on on the OK Esselstyn list for those without heart disease.
5. I've deviated from "the program" by recently adding small amounts of cashews, peanuts, or tahini for salad dressings, or in recipes. Cashews really do add a delicious creaminess to dressings & sauces. Tahini is a unique taste & just a small amount can turn a so-so dressing into something extraordinary. But, I use them sparingly, & not regularly. Click here for those dressing recipes from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's, Appetite for Reduction.
6. I'm a fan of soy & seitan. I love Field Roast (seitan) sausage (but I use it very sparingly), Match (soy meats), Soy Boy Low-Fat Tempeh, Tree of Life Hot 'n Spicy Smoked Tofu, NaSoya Low-fat Tofu, & Wildwood Probiotic Plain Soy Yogurt. None of these would likely be on Dr. Esselstyn's OK-to-Eat List. Maybe not even on Rip's Engine 2 list. They're by no means "everyday" foods--but I do eat them--and enjoy them. To read about soy click here. To read about my favorite fauxs click here.
7. There are times when I've eaten wild salmon, or another fish--but, again, it's very rare. I will definitely eat fish this upcoming wedding weekend, because the fish option is healthier than the vegetarian option.
8. If I'm at a celebration I'll eat a dessert if it looks extra-special. I'll eat an extraordinary wedding cake. But, mostly I stay away from making or eating desserts.
9. And yes, I've indulged in a few serving of the most amazing ice cream that I know of--Jeni's. Salty Caramel, Buckeye State, and Poached Pear & Riesling Sorbert. I know my limits--I'm staying far away from Jeni's in the future.
But, none of these have sent me down that slippery slope. They are once-in-a-long-while treats. I choose carefully--and they're usually worth it!
Oops! I've Run Out of Time
OK, once again I've run out of time, and haven't even gotten to the cooking tips, my favorite night-time snacks, my favorite food finds, my favorite kitchen tools & pantry staples.
Check back later--probably next week for the rest of this post! It's a wedding weekend.
And until then--please share some of your own Esselstyn-friendly tips & favorite foods--how you're doing--and how you're "working the plan"!
I'm sure Bill Clinton would appreciate your advice!
I'm also 61, started the diet 6 months ago, and my cholesterol plummeted! I've also lost about 15 lbs. - from 140 to 125. I'm hoping to drop a few more pounds.
Here's the downside: I have terrible neuropathy in both legs and it hasn't helped that - but I didn't expect it to. From what I've learned from years of neurologist visits at Mayo and Cornell Weil, it's an unstoppable situation (way too long a story to go into here). It limits exercise so I can't really tell if I'm better able to perform.
Also - big problem for me is travel and dining out. We're not party types so most of our social life consists of dinner out with friends, as well as travel where we eat a great many of our meals in restaurants. I just don't find ANY restaurants who happen to cook without any oil or fat, and I just get tired of ordering a salad with no dressing for lunch and dinner (breakfast is easy: oatmeal). So I tend to go off the reservation - quite a bit - when we travel or when we go out. I just don't see an easy solution to this problem until the rest of the world has seen the light and converted and all restaurants offer China Study meals!
The upside: I feel as if I actually have a future! My father died at 64 of his 5th or 6th heart attack, and my mother had a massive, crippling stroke in her 80's and spent her last years in a wheelchair requiring 24/7 assistance (and HATED IT). I've had a black cloud over my life as I approached my 60's thinking life would only get worse. Now - I expect to live a long life - yeah, with a lot of neuropathic pain, but it could be a LOT worse! I can study painting, hang out with friends, be with my husband, read, laugh, and love life without dreading that heart attack or stroke. It's changed my entire outlook on life!
And thanks in a very large part to this website, which I followed for quite some time before I took the leap. So THANK YOU!!!
Chris O'Keefe
Posted by: Chris O'Keefe | August 23, 2011 at 02:50 PM
Hi Happy Healthy,
Please think about putting a bikini shot, or at least a workout wear photo of yourself and your husband on here. Nobody would think ill of it, and a picture is worth a thousand words ! You convinced me a year ago to eat this way - my only transgression is a bit of daily peanut butter. I forward your postings about the benefits of eating this way to friends and several have signed up for your blog emails themselves, but so far only one friend has bought into it. Maybe the photos would give other 50 and 60 year olds that seeing is believing factor ! OK,they see me, but think that is all due to exercise, which its not.
Posted by: Donna Cash | August 24, 2011 at 05:55 AM
Who knew Bill Clinton - of all people - would become a poster boy for the health benefits of a plant-based / vegan diet?!
Thank you for this down-to-earth run down of the practicalities and outcomes of a whole foods, plant-based diet. Most inspiring! And helpfully broken down into readable sections.
It's very timely as I'm currently doing the Plant-Based Nutrition course with e-Cornell (recommended - as much for student interaction online, as for the lectures) and so have just been introduced to Dr Ess and the science behind heart disease reversal.
I already eat a very green and clean diet, but have been reducing oil as an experiment based on what I've learned (bit of a sucker for coconut oil on everything). Helpful to hear about the 90-days needed to lose the taste for it. It certainly adds a certain 'mouth feel' otherwise.
A few other thoughts as I read through:
* I heartily concur with the concept of 'decision fatigue' (or 'the tyranny of choice'). It's so much easier to breeze through your shopping when you're ignoring the meat, dairy, processed foods etc.
* You really do a LOT of exercise by normal standards. You put me to shame and I'm quite a bit younger! Particularly impressed at how you manage to fit it all in. (ps. I've tried spinning and it KILLS).
* I was slightly disappointed / surprised that you're opting for hormonal creams in what is presumably the postmenopausal stage of your life. Do you not think food can be your medicine in this stage too? (I have an interest here as I advocate a plant-based diet to manage PMS and perimenopause: www.pmswarrior.com).
* There are both pros and cons to some foods, including plant-based ones. I agree with you about tahini being tasty, and I usually indulge on the basis that the sesame seeds it's made of contain a lot of iron.
Thanks again for the marvellous blog. Here's to your continued good health and 'zip'!
Posted by: PMS_warrior | August 24, 2011 at 08:43 AM
I started doing the Esselstyn food plan almost one month after you did, and I was fortunate to stumble onto your blog which convinced me to jump in. I immediately lowered my cholesterol, my blood pressure and my weight. I lost about 15 pounds and would have lost more except that I have had a really difficult summer staying on the plan due to our long trip to Africa and our son's return home from college. HOWEVER, I am going to go back to being strict about it since I feel so much better and I noticed I got acid reflux when I went off the plan! YUCK. That is a nasty problem. I like that you are sharing your favorite recipes. I too try to stick to some basics that I like. For me it is raw whole oats mixed with Ezekial grain cereal, ground flax seed, stewed prunes and fresh fruit with almond milk (40 cal). I also like a whole grain muffin with a teaspoon of PB. For lunch one of my favorites is to mix organic black beans with fresh salsa on a n Ezekial whole grain tortilla. Dinner is usually a mixed green salad - kale, spinach, arugula with chopped fresh apples, walnuts, dried cranberries and shallots. I sometimes add lentils or beans too. I also find that when I go out I order Salmon and that helps with socializing because I do agree with the other poster that it is hard to be social around food when going out with others or attending their celebrations like weddings etc...Skipping oil is easier than I thought it would be, but I still add about 1/4 teaspoon of olive oil and basalmic vinegar to my salads. I do not have heart disease. I started doing this for my overall health and in order to live long and stay away from taking medications. It is working great! Most people are shocked to find that I am 52. I went to my high school reunion (35th)this summer and definitely felt that I looked great. I really appreciate your blog. I think it is excellent and I love all the science you have behind your postings. Personally I believe you should write a book. It could be targeted to older women who wish to look their best, feel their best and eat well without being hungry. That is the best thing about this food plan. YOU ARE NOT hungry.
Posted by: Amy | August 24, 2011 at 06:36 PM
I was bummed that Bill Clinton got pre-empted Sunday night but am looking forward to watching this weekend. I really appreciate all of the recipes, tips and products that you share. Looking for powdered peanut butter next.
You've been a great inspiration to me. I've lost 10 pounds since January. It's slow coming off but I am thrilled to have reached this weight and will continue on to lose 15-20 more. The blogs and recipe/diet books are a godsend to me as I do better with a daily boost. So fortunate that my husband and daughter are mostly with me plus 2 friends.
I met Isa C. M. at a vegan meetup in Lincoln NE a few weeks ago! What a thrill and I hope to see her at future meetups.
Posted by: Penny | August 24, 2011 at 06:45 PM
Your website introduced me to Dr. Esselstyn. And I like your many links and great recipes.
I also have followed Esselstyn for a little over a year now, with the exception of using fish oil (morning and evening). This appears to be the only point of difference between Dr. Ornish and Dr. E, when one is on the reversal diet. I have a 30-40% blocked right coronary artery, no symptoms, no risk factors, no family history, but wanted to nip any further clogging or damage in the bud. After 13 months, my lab numbers are the best I've ever had in my life, and they weren't very bad before. Everything, including blood pressure, is just perfect, including lipid readouts. I take no meds other than vitamins and one 81mg aspirin daily. I also lost 17 pounds, though was not a big fatso prior. Never went above 15% bodyfat. For the previous seven years before encountering Dr. E on your website, I had thought I was doing everything right with diet (e.g., using canola and olive oil), no non-skim dairy, lots of beans, other veggies, meats once a week max, and heavy
gym workouts for 2-3 hours several times a week. I'm 66.
There are three things I feel compelled to mention. First, Esselstyn says to use flaxseed instead of fish oil for n-3 fatty acid intake. Ornish says to use fish oil, for which there is more than ample evidence. There is also evidence in Am Jl Clin Nutr 2006;83(suppl):1526S-35S that fish oil does indeed provide plenty of DHA and EPA. However it does not provide adequate ALA. Flaxseed oil does indeed provide an ideal source for this third n-3 fatty acid. What it does not appear to do, yet Dr. E says it does -- without published evidence but only his say-so as far as I can make out, including his personal conversation with my niece -- is provide adequate DHA and EPA. Dr. E says that the flaxseed oil is converted to these two in adequate amounts, CONTRARY to published evidence cited in the above paper and elsewhere. It has also been said that he does not have an animal rights agenda, which might skew his judgment, so I find his strong belief puzzling, and
possibly harmful, if it is not evidence-based. I use both freshly ground flaxseed (electric coffee mill) on my oats each morning, and the fish oil as mentioned. From my reading of the *evidence* this appears to be the rational choice if I want to be certain, certain, of all 3 adequate omega-3 daily intakes. While Dr. E is never mistaken, I am not a faith-based person when it comes to avoiding strokes or cardiovascular "events" so prefer to maximize benefits there according to published peer-reviewed evidence in reputable journals.
Second, I was really hoping to read what your lipid numbers before and after (now) year were, and I'm *astonished* that you could wait several years to find out. Or perhaps I read wrongly. Even with no insurance, unless I were broke (hence had to have a yard sale or ebay sale), I would pay for a lab test out of pocket (they are not that expensive), especially if I had your expressed familial concerns for being proactive and evidence-based about your health. My cousins here get blood work done once a year, sent to them and to their family physician, by companies that come through town and charge 60 dollars. But even the in-town labs aren't that expensive. so I don't get it. I hope I did misunderstand what you wrote and apologize if I did.
Third, because I exercise so much and keep my body fat below 10% max, I find what appears to be a glaring omission from much healty eating advice, including Drs. E and O. Namely, adequate daily protein intake. I am not a bodybuilder or power lifter but do my best to maintain the muscular physique I had in my twenties, and do a pretty fair job of it. Even at my geezer age and short height, I get satisfaction is being one of the strongest people of any age at my gym, and for certain movements am the strongest regardless of age. Real athletes, which I am not, have a need for a certain amount of daily protein intake. But so do the rest of us, and that is the problem. What I find when reading suggested vegan-vegetarian diet recommendations for a person of X years of age, or for athletic folks of any age, is a deficient amount of daily protein supplied. When I actually add up the numbers of grams of protein provided in a daily meal summary, it is way too
low, even for a normally lazy layabout, such as most of my neighbors. I do eat loads of beans daily, whole grains, lots of fruts and veggies, drink light soymilk on oat breakfast. But based upon published requirements also drink combo shakes of pea protein, soy isolate protein, and whey protein isolate (2 scoops of whey protein max daily, it contains 8 mg of cholesterol total daily), all of which are quite healthy with benefits according to published evidence, and which give me adequate protein which otherwise would be lacking. Would I die or fall ill without it? Of course not. But that doesn't mean I would be maximally healthy or not lose strength due to normal protein-based bodily tissue turnover. After all, some poor people live and work by eating out of the public dumps in poor countries and appear fine and often to old age.
Most vegans and vegetarians may be (are?)shortchanging themselves, as pointed out in this definitive paper by a vegan, surprisingly. Especially for those of us over 60.
Protein
http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/protein
Thanks for a great website, one that changed my life for the better.
Posted by: BC | August 24, 2011 at 06:58 PM
This was a fantastic post. You are an inspiration! Great reminder to make those cheesy oats. Got the ingredients out on my counter for later.
Posted by: Wendy (Healthy Girl) | August 26, 2011 at 06:24 AM
I hope many more become inspired by you. You are quite an example and spokesperson for a healthful plant based diet(and exercise ;-) )
Posted by: Steven Rice Fitness | August 26, 2011 at 07:53 AM
Hi BC,
Thanks for your thoughtful & detailed reply. Lots to discuss--but I'm limited by time. Sorry about the delay in getting back to you--very busy week & a half.
First, congratulations on all your successes! Our experiences seem very similar--thinking we were eating very healthy, exercising, no weight problems, etc---but then learning otherwise.
Re the fish oil---that's a big long complicated story because it's almost impossible to do the research on how plant ALA behaves when a person only ingests omega-6s at a ratio of 1:1 or 4:1, instead of the typical Western diet of 17:1. There are hardly any research subjects who eat that way to test it out!! n-3 & n-6 compete for the same receptors in the body--which is why all the fish oil research finds it necessary to use 1 to 6 grams of fish oil to show benefits.
Since that Am J Cln Nutr article was published in 2006---there have been 2 or 3 recent articles showing decreased carotid intima, & other postive end-point cardiovascular markers in vegetarians/vegans who are eating a lot of plant-based ALA--much better than compared to fish eaters. So the jury's still out. I've spoken to 2 omega-3 researchers & they both agree that if omega-6s are lowered you need far far less omega-3---and that omega-3 from algal sources will be the way to go--not through fish.
Dr. E's concerns about fish oil are because it's in oil form, which can get rancid, & oxidized, release damaging free radicals, plus the issue of mercury & pcbs in fish.
Like you, I hedge my bets. I've taken a pharmaceutical grade fish oil (about a gram--but not daily) for years, so I don't worry about the mercury & the pcbs & they're individually wrapped to prevent oxidization---and I also take a DHA capsule made from algae.
I will definitely make sure that I get my blood work done before 5 years go by---but unlike those who have heart disease, I don't have the luxury of getting every 3-6 month lipid numbers to post. I'm sure I'll have them taken on my own dime when I have opportunity---but, frankly, I'm more interested in my HS-CRP than anything else. From what I've learned---numbers definitely don't tell the whole story--and can be deceiving. High HDLs are no guarantee---see research on efflux capacity, & hdls that behave like ldls. And not-so-low ldls aren't necessarily atherogenic---light fluffy ldls aren't atherogenic.
Re protein---I've posted on it in the past--and cited the same Jack Norris article as you have in your email. Like you--I make it a point to eat enough beans, soy, etc & don't take the protein issue lightly. But--beware of too protein from animal sources--which includes whey. Whey has casein, and that's the cancer driver in Dr. Colin Campbell's original research--turning on & off cancer cells. It's also what was fed to the rats in the NEJM study on high protein diets--and it caused atherosclerosis. You can't overdo it with plant protein--but you can with animal protein.
The body can't store protein, so too much can cause kidney stones, put stress on the kidneys, or get stored as fat.
You tracked your protein from your diet--which was very wise. I agree with you, that people can get into trouble with ingesting too little protein--especially if they exercise a lot--particularly weight-training.
I tracked my yesterday, motivated by your email--and it was right where Jack Norris' studies recommend for over 60 athletes at my weight--but that was with the help of some brown rice protein powder & soy yogurt. We've ditched soy protein isolates & whey in our household. My husband, who runs ultras will use brown rice or hemp protein in his smoothies if he feels he needs more. Would love to get the pea protein--it's good to combine them--but I thought it was no longer available--not that I've looked, though.
Thanks again for writing--for sharing your personal experiences and adaptations to plant-based no-oil eating. Like you, I don't blindly follow one path--I read the scientific evidence myself--and then make decisions.
Posted by: The Healthy Librarian | August 28, 2011 at 05:27 AM
Hi,
Is the PB2 ok under the esseltyn diet ?
Posted by: sdn | September 16, 2011 at 04:44 PM
SDN,
PB2 is not a product the Esselstyns recommend. I've given them a jar to try out--but I have yet to ask them about it. They really do not want their heart patients to eat nuts--so perhaps they prefer to not encourage that taste preference. I don't know.
There are small amounts of sugar & salt in it for taste--and it does have 1.5 grams of fat in it--per a 2 TBS serving. Obviously, most of the fat's been removed.
We don't use it often--but it's a great take-along for traveling, and for a quick breakfast spread on an Ezekiel English muffin. It also works well in an Asian peanut sauce, and in recipes that use peanut butter. It tastes delicious--but, it's in no way a food you would want to overeat---probably because the fat has been removed.
If you are not a heart patient--give it a try!
Posted by: The Healthy Librarian | September 18, 2011 at 05:13 AM