Check back regularly for the latest on following a plant based diet, staying fit, personal spirituality and living a balanced life. I will be sharing my experiences as well as providing answers to some of the questions sent to me.

I will be posting some of my favorite recipes and hope to somehow find the time to setup some cooking demonstrations. I also will be posting some great resources for those who want to learn more about plant based diets.

I believe that today is an awesome day,

but tomorrow is going to be even better!


Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Dr. Esselstyn on Reversing Heart Disease

Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D.

Dr. Esselstyn of the Cleveland Clinic
http://www.heartattackproof.com/



Here is a link to several videos about reversing heart disease by following a plant based diet that are very educational and helpful.  I suggest the 4th one down, "Making Heart Attacks History."  It's just a little over 14 minutes.  It could change your life.  It saved mine.

http://www.heartattackproof.com/media.htm

Questions and Answers

I have been getting questions through my email and want to share some of my responses with you.


What store type pasta sauce is heart healthy??? That question I got today. And the answer is.... Prego "Light Smart" (light blue lettering) Veggie or Traditional. It is all natural and has no oil. I loved it. I have checked the lables on dozens of pasta sauce jars and this is the only one that met all the criterea. Try it. Remember to read the lables. There are a lot of sauces marked "heart Smart" or "heart healthy." That's marketing...


Why can't I use non stick spray like Pam? It says it's fat free on the can. I got that question yesterday. I have gotten that question a lot. The truth is, it is 100% fat that goes right to your heart. I know... it says fat free because the food and drug administration allows any product that has 1/2 a gram of fat or less per serving to be labeled as fat free. The trick is to get the serving size down to that point. In the case of cooking spray, the serving size is 1/4 of a second of spray! It takes at least three seconds to spray a cookie sheet... That is TWELVE servings! Read the ingredients. Pure fat! That's why.

But I thought olive oil was good for your heart. It has omega 3... Isn't olive oil heart healthy?
As Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn says... "NOOOO OILS... NO OILS!" It may have some omega 3's but it doesn't out weigh the fact that it is pure, refined fat with no nutritional value. It too will contribute to clogged arteries. Dr. Esselstyn wrote the book on reversing heart disease, literally. He knows what he is talking about.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Simple Cooking Tips to Get You Started

Cooking TipsThat will help you make changes in your cooking habits without sacrificing quality.




I have found that it’s the little things that often make all the difference. And, when done faithfully, add up to a much healthier life with little or no sacrifice. Here are my top twelve.

1:     Never grease another cookie sheet before baking a pizza or anything again. You are adding pure fat, pure cholesterol. Instead, use parchment paper or non-stick Reynolds wrap.

2:     In place of dairy, use plant milks like almond or soy. The results are the same in cooking and in cereal, there is about a one week adjustment period. You may experiment with different brands. A primary ingredient in milk, “Casein”, is one of the most cancer causing agents known to man. It’s true…. Research it for yourself. You will be doing yourself a favor. As a side benefit, you will reduce your chances of getting cancer by as much as 60%.

3:    In place of ground beef in meals such as chili, use “Boca Crumbles.” You cannot tell the difference.

4:    In place of grilling hamburger, try grilling an “Original Boca Burger” there are many other brands on the market, but this one is lowest in fat. Or, get creative with a portabella mushroom burger with a little BBQ sauce for a little zip.


5:    Never ever Sauté vegetables or anything else in any kind of oil, not even olive oil. Use instead, vegetable broth, water, wine or juices. The desired result is the same or better. Remember, olive oil may have some healthy properties, but they are out weighed by the 120 calories per tablespoon of pure fat. Let’s face it, when cooking, like in the cooking shows, they say one tablespoon, but then they circle the pan at least twice and that’s at least five tablespoons! Who are they fooling? It is that pure fat that will clog those heart vessels.

6:    Never cook or eat fried anything. I will show you how to bake and get a fried taste!

7:    Minimize cooking with any products that have ingredients that you cannot pronounce. If you cannot pronounce it, I would leave it on the shelf at the store for some other sucker. Your goal is to cook with whole unprocessed food. Those foods that don’t have labels.

8:    Never believe the hype on the packages. If it says “Healthy” of something like that…. It’s “Hype” Go to the ingredients label and the nutritional section and read. Check the total fat per serving and the serving size. Your goal is fat free or at least, less than 10% fat per serving. For example, if it is 100 calories per serving, then no more than 10 calories from Fat.

9:     Bake with whole grain flour.

10:    Try “new” to you, vegetables and fruits. I am still discovering great tasting options… Make the produce section the main area of focus at the store. Visit places like “Whole Foods” and “Earth fare” for more variety. Trust me, they are much more than your typical grocery store. (Although, you can find most of what you need at your local store.)

11:     Start cooking using beans, lentils, and whole grains like brown rice or quinoa and whole lot more.

12:     Experiment, experiment, experiment! I love good food and I love to eat! I do not want to sacrifice that... Lasagna, other pasta dishes, soups, stews, tacos, burgers, casseroles, Wraps, salads, potato dishes, and a whole lot more are out there… and all are plant based.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Thanks, Phyllis!

Oh, Phyllis, what have you done?

Phyllis Molnar is a registered dietician from the Elyria Health District who graciously agreed to come and speak as part of SWIMBAS (Seeking Wellness in Mind, Body and Spirit) at St. Judes in January.  She gave two great presentations and passed out a lot of great information to all of those who wanted to lose weight and eat healthier.

As part of the presentation, I also told my story.  I told about my heart surgery and the struggles I had when I found out that medicine and surgery weren't going to cure my condition.  I told about the doctor who told me about another doctor at the Cleveland Clinic who was well known for his research about how following a strict plant based diet can actually reverse heart disease.  And I told how I changed my life by deciding to follow this doctor's recommendations.

Phyllis thought my story needed to be told and asked if I would agree to allow her to do a column on me for The Chronicle Telegram.  My dear wife suggested that maybe God was calling me to a new ministry and that maybe my story could help others.  How do you say "no" to that?

So Phyllis wrote this great column that appeared in yesterday's Chronicle complete with a picture of me spinning at EMH Fitness Center where I work out.  She included my email address for those who might like more information.