So you had a TIA, is that right? Sounds like you are doing what works for you. Thankfully I don't have any health issues other than high blood pressure and occasional indigestion, but I feel I should be eating healthier. I watch a documentary and suddenly decide I need to make life changes, haha. My husband is a smoker, too. He has smoked for 40 years and I suppose he always will. I know he'd like to quit but that's his decision to make.
@Beth Gallagher Well, obviously, smoking is bad for people's health, but so are car fumes and Tylenol. The last time I spoke to my husband was on Christmas eve in the hospital. I brought him holiday food and all the man wanted afterwards was a cigarette. They wouldn't even let me take him outside in a wheelchair. Not allowing him a few puffs didn't serve to prolong his life in any way. He died that night without his last cigarette. I was really aggravated at them. So, I'm glad you are letting your man enjoy his.
Aw, that's sad about your husband, Bess. I'm so sorry. I'm just not a naggy wife; I know my husband is an adult so he doesn't need me bugging him. (Besides, that would give him the idea that he could nag me, too... haha)
@Beth Gallagher Smoking often leads to stomach ulcers. Proven fact. Giving up smoking is easier when the individual is faced with the "do or die" circumstance: When I was about 10, my Dad was experiencing stomach problems- pain, etc. Our wise old Doc (from Wales originally), told him he had a "pre-ulcerous" stomach, frightened the wits out of the old man, then 51. He threw away the pack in his shirt pocket, threw away the supply at home, was put on a dairy only diet for about a week........the stomach symptoms disappeared. My wife's dad, a veteran smoker ( "I can't quit!"), had plenty of stomach problems, they then removed half his ulcerous stomach, he did quit, and his symptoms also went away. I am firmly convinced that Yul Brynner was absolutely right when he publicly stated, as he was dying, "Whatever you do in your life, don't smoke!". Plenty of bad stuff has touched and passed through my lips over my lifetime, but never did they see a cigarette. No way I would be writing this now, had I smoked. Frank
I've never smoked either, Frank. And I grew up on a tobacco farm. I know how bad smoking is, but like I said... it's his decision to make. He has never smoked in the house or in any vehicle we've owned; most people don't realize he's a smoker.
@Yvonne Smith, your salads look amazing. I am trying to gear up and give the vegetarian thing a go. I recently watched a documentary called "Forks Over Knives" and it really presents convincing arguments for a plant-based, whole foods diet. So I downloaded a vegetarian cookbook to my Kindle... baby steps!!! I would love to give up taking blood pressure medicine; that is the only prescription I have and it would be great to live a "scriptless" life.
I've been reading everything on the internet about vegetarian/vegan diets. I'm going to try the plant-based vegetarian; I don't think I can do vegan. I might want an occasional egg or some cheese or olive oil. We'll see how this goes.
I can’t do vegan either, at least not at this point, but a mostly plant-based way of eating seems to work well for me. I try to listen to my inner voice if it is telling me that I am craving something ( intuitive eating, not junk food), and sometimes, I am hungry for meat and then I eat meat. About a week or two ago, I totally craved liver, and that is what I ate for several days, and then the craving went away. For me, it does not work to tell myself that I am making a permanent change, because I immediately feel deprived of whatever foods are being eliminated, so the goal I set for myself is to try and have 80+% of my food from plants, and at least 50% of that should be eaten fresh and raw if possible. I do better with that in the summer because I love salads, but in the cold winter, I want hot food, and make soup; so I get less raw foods in the winter time. This leaves me a “loophole” for sometimes just eating food that I simply enjoy, while still not making it an everyday type of food. If we go out for lunch, then I eat whatever I feel like eating and don’t worry about whether it is heathy or not, it is an enjoyment meal. A really great book to read is “Green for Life” , by Victoria Boutenko. They are totally raw food vegans, which I am just not ready for; but she does explain a lot about greens and nutrition , and why greens are so important for us to eat. She is an interesting writer, and you will enjoy reading her book, and she and her son, Sergei, also have a YouTube channel.
Thanks for the book recommendation; I have about a dozen on my read list. I should know everything there is to know about raw food vegan; my oldest son has been a raw foodist for years. (All I know is, he's a PITA with all the weird food when he visits.) I discovered that there is a vegetarian/vegan group on the My Fitness Pal community forum so I've been poking around there. Apparently there are a lot of people like me who are just dipping their toe in to test the waters! I've been having some digestive issues lately and I think this might be a good move for me, health-wise. Thanks for your input, @Yvonne Smith .
I don't personally think meat is bad for you. However, they way they are now fed and harvested is a bit troubling. Fresh meat from a local farm source tastes way different than the supermarket stuff. There is no telling what crap they give the animals which ends up in our bodies.
Agree, Bess. Seeing some of the programs about how our meat is grown and sourced can be really disgusting. In fact, I was watching a show about a dairy farm recently and just seeing those poor cows standing on concrete with those awful looking "milking machines" attached to them was heart breaking.
@Beth Gallagher Maybe also keep an eye on your gluten intake. It is nothing but a gummy filler of sorts. As we get older, our digestive system doesn't seem to process it well. This is why I avoid breads and some other foods as well. It should be illegal for them to put it in foods. There is no nutritional value to it at all.
@Bess Barber Not intending to sound as though I support gluten in the diet, but please explain where the "no nutritional" value came from. Frank
@Bess Barber "Avoiding foods that contain gluten can lead to deficiencies in essential nutrients, including iron, calcium, fiber, folate, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. Whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, contain important nutrients" This is a pretty impressive list of missing nutrients of importance, especially iron and calcium, IMO. See: https://bosque.agrilife.org/2013/08/07/low-carb-diet-or-gluten-free-whats-the-difference/