Monday, July 13, 2015

Another report. WOW!

I have gained 4 pounds since I last wrote in this blog last February.  That was 5 months ago.  I now weigh 345.  However I still feel great and have started to really follow the diet correctly again for about a week.  I have been totally vegan all this time but have not been totally whole food plant based and have had some food that has been prepared with oils.  But I am repenting.  Please forgive me everyone.  Hopefully I started back on track.  In a month or two I will let you know how I am doing again.

I have tried to get all of my family to go on the program with me but no one is interested.  So i will just have to do it on my own.

The only medication I am on is 15 units of lantus insulin about every third days and a 45 mg water tablet each day.  I feel good, but kind of old (78).

Forever strong in life

Larry Strong

Thursday, February 19, 2015

One Year

I began a whole food plant based vegan no oils program on Feb 19, 2014.  Today marks my one year anniversary of staying on the program.  When I started I weighed 412 pounds.  Today I weigh 341 pounds so I have lost 71 pounds which is about 6 pounds a month.  One of the many benefits of losing weight is that my clothes fit better.  I used to take a size 70 slack and now I take a size 60.  My shirt size was a 7XL and now it is a 4XL.

Another great benefit of the program is the improvement in my health.
My blood pressure was 130/70 and now is 112/70.
My A1c was 8.4 in May and it is now 6.4.
My cholesterol is 144.  The good range is between 0 - 200.
My LDL is 80.  Good range is between 0 -130.
My HDL is 35.  Good range is between 35 - 55.
My triglyceride is 146.  Good range is between 0 - 150.

When I started the program I was taking 11 prescription drugs every day.  The only prescriptions I am now taking are:
Lantus Insulin for my diabetes.
Furosemide water pills for my Congestive Heart Failure

My doctor says my diabetes is under good control.  I used to take 4 shots of insulin every day and check my blood sugars up to 4 times a day.  Now I take one shot of 17 units of lantus insulin when I go to bed and check my blood sugars once in the morning.  It always reads between 70 and 100.

On May 7, 2014 I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation - new onset - SLOW when my heart rate fell to 44 beats a minute.  On the 13th of May I had a pacemaker installed in my chest. I also started taking warfarin to thin my blood.  Since then my A-Fib has stopped and I no longer have to take warfarin.  It is under control partly because of the WFPB program.

I now feel much better than I did before I started the WFPB Regimen.  I am enjoying my new clothes.  I enjoy eating the proper food and look forward to each meal. I have found a new way of life and plan on continuing with it forever (or until I die of old age).

Thanks to all my friends for your recommendations, encouragement and prayers, especially Jane Birch

Forever Strong in Life

Larry Strong

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Dr McDougall's Comments on Milk

Got Milk, Got Disease

1) The milk sugar, galactose, is toxic. As far back as 1981, cow’s milk was reported to cause cataracts of the eyes.

2) The fat you eat is the fat you wear. (Overweight and obesity.) Whole milk is 50% fat, milk advertised as 1% (low fat) is still 18% fat, and cheese is 70% fat.

3) Risk for heart attacks and stroke is most strongly tied to animal fats also called saturated fats. Dairy fat is 97% saturated fat. Dairy is loaded with cholesterol.

4) Milk is loaded with people poisoning chemicals. High levels of pesticides and herbicides are present in these foods. They cause cancer and brain damage.

5) Milk is filthy with microbes. Cow’s milk drinkers consume bovine leukemia viruses, bovine immunodeficiency viruses, listeria bacteria, mad cow prions, and much more.

6) Osteoporosis and kidney stones are from bone loss caused by eating animal proteins and dietary acids. Hard cheese is the greatest source of dietary acids.

7) Constipation is caused by lack of dietary fiber. Dairy products contain no dietary fiber. Plus cow’s milk protein causes allergic reactions, which paralyze the bowels making it almost impossible for children and adults to move their rock-hard stools.

8) Cow’s milk protein is the most common dietary cause of allergy and autoimmune diseases, including nephritis (kidney disease) and severe forms of arthritis. 

9) Lactose, the basic milk sugar, causes the majority of people worldwide to become sick with diarrhea, stomach cramps, and gas (lactose intolerance).

10) The factory farming of dairy cows is considered to be animal abuse and production of dairy foods is a leading cause of environmental pollution and climate change.



Saturday, August 23, 2014

Six Month Report

I began the Whole Food Plant Based Regimen on 24 February 2014.  So I have been following it for six months.  When I started I weighed 412 pounds and I now weigh 350 pounds.  This is a loss of 62 pounds or about 10 pounds a month.  I lost 20 pounds the first month, 10 pounds the second and third month, 8 pounds the fourth and fifth month and 4 pounds the sixth month.  I'm slowing down but I think it may be because of other health problems I am having, or perhaps it is just a plateau.  Nevertheless I am going to stay the course.

TALE OF THE CHANGES
 When I started by neck was 19" and it is now 18".  My chest has gone from 58" to 52" and my shirt size from a 7X to a 4X.   My waist was 70" and is now 60".  My pant size has gone from a 70 to a 60.  I have bought several new shirts and pants to fit me.  Yea!
My blood pressure was 130/70 and now is 102/60.
My A1c was 8.4 in May and it is now 6.6.
My cholesterol is 144.  The good range is between 0 - 200.
My LDL is 80.  Good range is between 0 -130.
My HDL is 35.  Good range is between 35 - 55.
My triglyceride is 146.  Good range is between 0 - 150.

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS
The only prescriptions I am now taking are:
     Lantus Insulin for my diabetes.
     Furosemide water pills for my Congestive Heart Failure
     Pradaxa blood thinner for my Atrial Fibrillation.
I have stopped taking the following prescription medications:
     Novolog Insulin
     Testosterone shots
     Allopurinol
     Oxybutynon
     Finasteride
     Fexofenadine
     Klor-con potassium supplement
     Azelastine nasal spray
     Dexilant
I am still taking some non prescription medications:
     Tylenol - Two tablets for back pain when I get up each morning.
     Systane eye drops - Every morning for blood shot eyes caused by my water aerobics. 

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
On May 7, 2014 I was diagnosed wit Atrial Fibrillation - new onset - SLOW when my heart rate fell to 44 beats a minute. I asked my cardiologist if this could be caused by my new diet and he said no.  Just one of the gifts of the Golden Age (fools gold).  On the 13th of May I had a pacemaker installed in my chest.  This controls the low rate but I still had a high rate problem.  So on the 8th of July I had my heart "shocked" which put it back in rhythm.  However, 3 weeks later it was back in a-fib.  So I guess I have to live with it.  It causes me to be a little light headed and I have a loss of energy.

DIABETES
Before I started on my WFPB Regimen I was taking 4 shots of insulin and checking by blood sugars from 2 to 4 times a day.  Dr. McDougall makes recommendations on how to control type 2 diabetes while on the WFPB Regimen (https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2009nl/dec/diabetes.htm).  So I check my blood sugars each morning when I get up (they currently are running between 70 and 100).  Then I take a shot of Lantus Insulin when I go to bed (I currently take 20 units of Lantus).  My Family Dr. says my diabetes is now in good control and I should keep doing what I am doing.

HOW DO I FEEL
I now feel much better than I did before I started the WFPB Regimen.  However on occasion I do feel a little light headed and sometimes I have a little loss of energy.  I am enjoying my new clothes.  I enjoy eating the proper food and look forward to each meal.  I even occasionally receive comments from friend and family that it looks like I have lost some weight.  So I say I have discovered a new diet and they ask me what it is.  So I tell them.  I have discovered the word of wisdom!

Forever Strong in Life

Larry Strong

    

Saturday, July 26, 2014

Five Month Report

The 24th of July was exactly 5 months I have been on my WFPB diet.  I weigh 353 pounds so I have lost 59 pounds which is about 12 pounds a month.  My A-Fib is under control and I am starting to feel better.  My blood pressure is 112/66 and my cholesterol is 145.  The diet is starting to improve my health.  My blood sugar readings in the morning are between 70 and 100.  I am taking 13 units of Lantus insulin each night before I go to bed.  Next month I am going to have my A1c checked to see if it is coming down.  I will give a longer more detailed report on my 6 month diet anniversary which will be 24 Aug, 2014.

My diet is becoming routine and I think I have everything under control.  Thanks for everyone's support and prayers.

Forever strong in life.

Larry Strong

Thursday, July 17, 2014

A-Fib Update

On May 9, 2014 I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation - new onset - SLOW.  The following Tuesday I went into the hospital and had a pacemaker installed in my chest.   On the 8th of July I went back in the hospital to have my heart "shocked" to put it back into normal rhythm.  Last Tuesday I went to my doctor and he said my heart was "back in rhythm".  So hopefully this problem is under control and I can start feeling better.

My weight loss has slowed down with these problems but I am still trying to stay on the WFPB regimen.  I currently weight 358 which is a loss of 54 pounds in about 5 months.  My overall goal is to lose 10 pounds a month so I am still keeping up on that schedule.

I recently watched two interesting videos by Dr. Michael Gregor, author of NutritionFacts.Org
The first video is called "Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death".  You can watch it at nutritionfacts.org/video/uprooting-the-leading-causes-of-death/.  It lists the 15 leading causes of death in the united states, what causes them and how they can be prevented with a Whole Food Plant Based Diet.  Fourteen of the 15 can be prevented with this diet.  The only one that can't be prevented is accidents.  Nine of these causes of death can be treated with a plant based diet and 5 can be reversed.  It is a very interesting video which lasts about one hour.

The second video is called "More Than an Apple a Day, Preventing our Most Common  Diseases".  You can watch it at nutritionfacts.org/video/more-than-an-apple-a-day-preventing-our-most-common-diseases/.  He points out that 100,000 deaths are caused each year in the United States from the side effects of prescription drugs.  Medical mistakes cause 44,000 deaths a year and hospital acquired infection causes 43,000 deaths a year.  He then states that this is 187,000 deaths a year in the U.S. that are caused by DOCTORS. This makes doctors the sixth leading cause of death. He then lists the 12 most common reasons we visit the doctor and what we can do to prevent having to go to the doctor.  Another very interesting video which also lasts about one hour.

Forever Strong in Life

Larry Strong

 

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Just a Quick Update

Yesterday makes 4 months I have been on the program.  I weigh 360 pounds so I have lost 10 pounds in the last month.

I haven't been feeling very good lately because of my pacemaker transplant which I had about a month ago.  I feel quite light headed and have a lack of energy.  I will probably go to my cardiologist in a couple of weeks and have him "shock" my heart.  This is supposed to put it back in rhythm and then I will start feeling better.

Later,

Larry Strong