Riding to Work
The commute to work is ordinary, predictable and without merit or adventure. I’ve convinced myself, on many days, that there is nothing new to see or experience and that, at best, all I’m doing is going through motions and movements to move from home to office. In a car, the radio would fill the mental space that it seems many seek to avoid. On a ride to workI’m often engage is a full scale dialogue about what ails the world.
This morning was fueled by satisfaction related to being on the road again, and on vegetable mathematics.
Vegetable Mathematics
I’ve made no secret of the fact that a couple years ago I had a heart attack resulting from an important coronary artery being 100 percent blocked. It was not fun and has had on ongoing rippling effect through my life. The most dramatic and ongoing — dietary changes that are more revolutionary than evolutionary. An vegetables play an important part.
A high fat diet has given way to one of reduced everything. And high in vegetables. At last six to eight servings a day. This sandwich is typical of a midday meal — whole grain bread, hint of mayo, grilled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions.
My next vegetable fix is often on my mind. It’s a challenge because my experience with those plant treasures has been limited.
Homeward Pilgrimage
Aside from vegetables, it was good to be riding to work again. And home. The days are getting longer and I can navigate the pathways toward home before dark. The temperatures have risen above the freezing mark and the snow and ice give way to mud and muck. But it’ s all part of the rhythm of life now.
Like vegetables.
Really want to help your heart? Lose the bread! Read “Wheat Belly” and you’ll understand why! Honestly, give up wheat and I predict you’ll feel a LOT better in so many ways! But either way, congratulations for having the courage to make the changes you had to make!
Lose bread?? Say it ain’t so!
I’ve read some about wheat and gluten and have spoken to believers and others who think outside of genuine celiac disease that there’s no such thing as sensitivity. I”ll have a look at Wheat Belly though. Thanks for the head’s up.
For a good read, check out, “How Not to Die” by Michael Greger MD……Good luck on the dietary changes, it’s difficult but possible. I’ve been on a plant based diet for over 30 years and while it’s no guarantee the facts are positive.
Don
http://www.2vegans2Wheels.com
I’ll check it out Don. Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve certainly scaled back on meat and fat but still am a ways off being a vegan. My daughter and son-in-law are both long time vegans. They’ve surprised me a few times with some really great food.
I try to eat healthier but it’s hard to kick the fast food habit sometimes. If you really want to help your heart, no kidding, a glass of red wine daily will help a lot. Both my parents are consuming wine on a daily basis and at age 90 show no signs of slowing down. They say a good grape juice has the same benefits if you don’t choose to drink alcohol.
Fast food was the first thing to go for me. I do get a turkey sub from Subway, no cheese, tons of veggies though. That’s the fast choice. Can’t drink any alcohol because of one of the medications I take but I’ll need to look at grape juice. I cut out juices too to keep my weight where I want it.
Man, I remember now caring at all about what I ate…
Sorry that you had a wake up call on how short life can be but I’m grateful that you were given a second chance. I love reading about your journey. Keep eating healthy!
Thank’s for the words of support. Keep working at being healthy.
Very difficult to change one’s habits; especially ingesting edibles.
As noted there are solutions; reducing the intake of gluten is one; keep in mind the so-called bread of today is nothing similar to the bread we ingested when we youngsters, the whole concept of bread has changed. it isn’t as it appears, trust me.
The red wine it interesting, prefer pure grape juice. the alcoholic factor can be a bummer.
And who prepares your lunch, Kim or you and do the dogs assist?
RE: breads – there is a bakery I really like in Lancaster, Thom’s Breads. Their breads only use 5 ingredients (no preservatives), comes in several varieties (like olive loaf, cranberry/walnut, and chocolate boule). Can be found in a lot of area farmers’ markets and some indie grocery stores. http://www.thomsbread.com/ Doesn’t seem like they distribute any further West than Hershey , but you might have something similar. Or a good excuse for a ride.
For me, it was my father suffering a fatal heart attack 40 years ago that was a wake-up call for me: curiously, I didn’t change my diet much, but I did get back on the bicycle for the first time in eight years (I was 21 at the time), and have largely stuck with it ever since. Probably the largest factor in regard to my current state of health.
The rest has been evolutionary: I gave up cheap fast food some 25 years ago, and most processed foods a few years after that. Fried food is kept to a minimum (no one in these parts, it appears, knows how to make good fried chicken anymore anyway). But I pointedly don’t eat like a Trappist monk: a favorite drink is enjoyed with dinner, and a decidedly non-fast-food burger and fries makes a nice occasional treat. The upshot of this being what my GP told me quite a while back: other than general advice on what obvious bad stuff to avoid (smoking, excessive drinking, pork-rind binging), there’s no silver bullet that covers everybody. (Okay, there’s Mom going on about “eating your veggies.” I’ve stuck with that one too.)
Of course, stuff that lifts one’s spirit is a healthful tonic as well…and, for the monent, I can’t think of a better one than the days getting noticeably longer. Certainly does my heart good.
Hi Steve. I’m not my anti carbohydrate diet again. By diet I mean changing what I buy when I shop. Exchanging protiens /vegatables and fruits for breads, cakes and pancakes. It takes me some work and effort because I have to pay attention at coffee shops and make more trips to Wegmans to stock up on such. I’m sure you noticed that after you veg upped it got easier after a month or so. It’s murder initially becauses fatty meats and carbs are awesome! I could eat a stick of butter wrapped in a cheap bun right now for example.
Fortunately you are in an area where vegetables are readily available at a reasonable price. I was going to say “fair” but my version of “fair” probably doesn’t reflect the shipping reality.
I’m about to make a huge dietary shift, and I’ll be eating lots more veggies. No heart attack yet, I’d just really like to be able to wear my riding pants again.