Russert, Fixx & Heart Disease

Feeling like the purpose of life is to improve your community and world is what gets me up in the morning. That goal has been best served the past number of years by teaching my Cancer Project cooking classes and giving media advice to those in a position to best influence the health of others. Namely, the doctors and health care professionals I'm privileged to work with who support a low-fat vegan diet as the best medicine against diseases of affluence.

But was anyone else struck by the Tim Russert postmortems? Here's one from USA Today comparing Russert's sudden death from a heart attack to legendary runner Jim Fixx: "Both men took steps to reduce their odds of the same fate. Russert had been diagnosed with coronary artery disease...and his doctor prescribed medication and exercise. Fixx changed his diet, laced up his running shoes and ate up the miles." Fixx died alone, on the side of the road, of a heart attack similar to Russert's.

When will it become obvious to the majority of doctors that changing the diet didn't go far enough? When will doctors like John McDougall and Neal Barnard who have been singing this song for so long be appreciated and accepted by all of the mainstream doctors and media? How many Russerts will pass away before the light goes off?

I'm not a doctor, but I am a runner who suffered from angina when I did high protein diets and my cholesterol soared in one year from 135 to 203! My medical records are on Dr. McDougall's site...http://drmcdougall.com/stars/ellen_jaffe_jones.htm
All my ills completely evaporated when I changed my diet to low-fat vegan. I couldn't run without chest or joint pain until I lost the 25 pounds. My uncle dropped dead of a heart attack in his fifties, both parents had major heart disease, and so do my two sisters now. Did I get all the good genes? Don't think so. It really is this easy. I've seen it so often in my classes. More than half the class usually loses some weight after only six weeks...half of them more than 10 pounds. Without counting a single calorie or ever being hungry, and loving the great tasting CHEAP food!

Anyone concerned about the cost of food? This is the way to go. Three bucks a day. It can be done.

I'm just so weary of reading the quotes in the Russert/Fixx USA Today summary: "Though you can lower your risk of sudent death, you can't always prevent it...no matter how many veggies and miles he ran." McDougall and others have said, yes you can prevent and even reverse it. So tragically sad.

Vegan Veg Coach is back again

I took a little break while Google I hope took care of the spamming that happens on these blogs. It's been awhile since I've been here, and I'm glad to see that only one spammer has been here since my last visit. I continue to teach cooking classes, coach people individually on weight loss struggles and plans, and monitor, write and photograph the Ospreys that are camped outside our house in a tall tree. The story with photos were on the cover of our local newspaper yesterday. It is something to watch these awesome "birds of prey" tear into live, wiggling, flopping fish with a vengeance. As I pointed out in the diary that was published, these birds' beaks were meant for serious filleting.

As for us humans, many would argue if we were meant to tear through flesh like that, we would have beaks or canine teeth that could rip and shred. After watching this mom and pop operation, I'm really hoping that fish don't have feelings.

In between Osprey journaling, I'm writing the story of living well when your genes are stacked against you. The more classes I teach, students gasp when they see my "before" and "after" photos. I only lost 25 pounds, which for many is not a big deal. But on a 5'3" woman, it looks like a lot. Keep in mind, I was not trying to lose weight. I was just trying to save myself from the emergency room ordered hysterectomy. Fortunately, I had a great doctor who said, why don't you return to that low-fat plant-based diet and call me in the morning.

I was never hungry, never counted a calorie. A month later, all symptoms, including hot flashes and other problems associated with menopause were completely gone. 6 months later, so were the 25 pounds I'd managed to put on in a sedentary, stressful period of my life.

It wasn't until I'd lost the weight that I was able to return to my favorite sport of my 20's & 30's of running. Up until I lost the weight, I'd had knee, ankle and back pain. But once the weight came off and the inflammation resolved, the miles started packing on. One year later, I placed third, then second for my age group in local 5K races. Amazing.

It is possible to do this. I think this is the best kept secret. And cheap, cheap, cheap. Both in the food you eat, and the money you save in health care. Insurance companies tell me they fight over people like me. Who wouldn't? I pay my low premiums and don't go to the doc unless I overtrain in running. Who would do that? ;) Be sure to eat lots of green raw veggies to make that weight melt off. A salad at lunch and dinner will go a long way in revving up your metabolism. Despite what you may hear in pop-up daily journalism, (low-fat) vegans really are on average much healthier than other populations.

Vegetarian Coaching

Vegetarian Coaching

It's been awhile, and I'm resolved to keep my writing juices flowing. I teach veg cooking classes, and I am so rewarded by the success people find...in just plain feeling better and in unplanned, yet incredible weightloss. Many of my students are raving fans after a few weeks. Since I was an investigative reporter in my past life, I'm going to just start writing about current events in the veg world. There isn't a day that goes by that some study supports what I and the many excellent doctors whose work I follow is supported. Mainstream, I say. Mainstream. I've also come to understand that my 5 years as a financial consultant at Smith Barney (and the number one market performer in my entire branch...a branch of 70 men mostly, who had been in the business decades) has been invaluable in understanding the financial model of vegetables. That's right...there's just not a whole lot of money to made in veggies, or being vegan...which is really what makes the weight drop folks. Cut the meat and dairy, and watch your waistline reappear. I'm amazed when I think about my involvement with Race for the Cure. We (Smith Barney) gave a free lunch for our biggest contributors. Who were the guest speakers at the lunch? The internal analysts who covered the drug companies that were on the "cutting edge" of the new drugs and research and gizmos that would address breast cancer. So that our lunch guests, our biggest clients also, would invest in these companies. Not a bad idea, of course. Their hearts were in the right place. Once you understand the financial model and connections, then you begin to do your own investigating into finding truth, justice and maybe, the not so American way. Good luck on your journey! Let me know if I can help or offer support.