On March 18, 2013, I wrote a blog post about a diet experiment that my husband and I were embarking on. It's now exactly 4 months later and you know what? We're still mostly doing it and it's making a big difference in our health.
I didn't realize how much of a difference for me until I went to the doctor last week and the nurse did the usual weighing and blood pressure check. My weight is down about 5 pounds...which I know doesn't sound like much but I'm not doing this diet for weight reduction; in fact, I'm only doing a modified approach so I can show support to my husband. But my blood pressure was down substantially...(100/80). Considering that I've been on a blood pressure lowering medication for the last 4 years and it's hovered about 120/80, that was a big change. So big in fact that I thought it might be a fluke so I had my doctor daughter take my blood pressure again twice to see what she came up with. The numbers? 100/68, and 96/68. Wow! I'm stopping my blood pressure medicine and will monitor my numbers and see what happens.
My husband's diabetes is markedly improved and he's lost about 30 pounds. Not bad! He's feeling much better overall and doesn't want to go back to our old way of eating. I never thought I'd hear him say he doesn't want to eat meat or cheese anymore. Or that those veggie burgers actually taste good!
Often it takes a drastic event to help us make changes in our lifestyle. Other times it just takes the realization of "I'm tired of not feeling good" to start the process of change. Whatever the motivation, improving our diet by increasing fruits and vegetables, cutting back on meats and saturated fats, cutting way back on refined sugar and carbohydrates, and increasing complex carbohydrates, is never a waste of time or money. In fact, it's an investment in our future health and well being.
Anyone want a blueberry, beet smoothie? :)
Yes I do!
ReplyDeleteI have been starting my days with green smoothies for breakfast since three months now, and I lost 5.5 kilogrammes of weight. Plus the stool problems I struggled with since I had colorectal cancer surgery in August 2010 have disappeared and niow my life has become so much happier, I am much more self confident, feeling fit and energetic. I count my blessings, which are so many.
Cheers,
Jeanneke.
That's wonderful! We do have so many blessings, don't we?
DeleteIt is amazing how diet can make such a difference. I credit my diabetes diagnosis almost as a blessing - I am healthy now :-)
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. We called my husband's diagnosis his "wake up call" and the whole family is benefiting by our healthier lifestyle. Congratulations and continued good health to you!
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