Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024

Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024
Sunset, Kailua-Kona, The Big Island, Hawaii, March 11, 2024

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Wake Up Call and Dietary Changes - Sun., Aug. 25

The good news is, Bob's plantar fasciitis is under control. Our Volksmarch on Sunday was back to our normal 10K and our usual pace.

On the other hand, Bob's "routine and preventative" physical exam last week was anything but. He had routine lab work done a few days prior to his family practice doctor visit. When he saw the doctor, his "one to 1-1/2 hour appointment" turned into three hours. Additional blood tests were drawn, he had to have a urinalysis, an EKG, and a sonogram.

The doctor was very worried about Bob and wanted to admit him to the hospital on the spot. Bob's diagnosis is atrial fibrillation in which one valve of the heart doesn't pump properly causing blood to pool. This condition can lead to a stroke. He also has diabetes, and edema in his ankles. The doctor told Bob to lose 80 lbs. ... Bob hasn't been at that low a weight since college. A cardiologist appointment was set up for the next day. Needless to say, Bob and I were completely shook up by this.

Bob loves his cardiologist, who is also a runner, is the same age as Bob, and recently lost 80 lbs. The cardiologist told Bob to take his medications and he can keep running marathons.

What this means is, we are changing our diet. We plan to avoid wheat breads, pasta, and sugar, and eat highly sweet, starchy vegetables (white potatoes, carrots, yams, corn, peas, etc.) in moderation. No more soda for Bob (my soda intake has been almost nil for a couple of years) and cookies, cake, pie, candy will be only for very special occasions. Thankfully, we have limited drinking beer and wine (not into heavier alcohol) to once in a great while. This will not be easy because most of our eating habits have been ingrained over many years.

My "routine and preventative" physical exam is Tuesday. I wonder what they'll find. My guess is he'll tell me to lose 30-40 lbs.

In a serendipitous turn of events, while I was working in the RV park office one of the long-time residents brought in some books for the park library. Brenda (my boss) and I looked over what he was dropping off. In the stack were many cookbooks and books about health. I snagged some low-fat, low-cholesterol cookbooks and a book called, "The Engine 2 Diet," by Rip Esselstyn. Interestingly enough, we already have a book called "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease" by his father, Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D.

So, a new diet will be a challenge and will require cleaning out our cupboards, learning new recipes, and making a shopping list of what we'll need. I love to cook so this will be a fun, interesting process. Eating out will mean closely studying menus and opting for healthier choices.

All this makes the plantar fasciitis seem tame.

We choose to be healthy. We'll keep you posted on updates.

Travel Bug out.


15 comments:

  1. You can do it! Joe and I started the Sugar Busters diet...not so bad once you get used to it. Also, we grind up 1/4 cup flax seed to a powder and mix it in O.J. for breakfast. A great way to lower cholesterole.

    Good luck Susan...keep us posted!

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    1. Hi Gay and Joe,
      Thanks for the hint about the Sugar Busters diet. We put 2 Tbsp. of milled flaxseed in our oatmeal every morning along with cinnamon and nutmeg. We also throw in some chopped pecans or walnuts as well when we have them on hand.

      Susan

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  2. What a long, scary day for the two of you. Thankfully it was caught early and you can do something about it. There's a wealth of information on healthy food choices on the internet. We've been eating healthy for years now and once you begin the journey it gets easier. We started by eliminated ALL processed foods and choose REAL foods instead. What a difference that simple step can make. Good luck and keep us posted.

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    1. Right now it feels a bit overwhelming, but change is good and we'll do our best.

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  3. Yes, it will be a challenge, but over time it will become habit. It's great that you like to cook, that's got to help... Fingers crossed that your doctor visit goes smoothly!

    Metamorphosis Lisa

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    1. This is a good excuse to try out all those healthy recipes I've got lying around. You know you really can get into a rut with the foods you eat. We will be trying lots of new recipes and flavors. I'm sure some will become favorites.

      I'm hoping my doctor visit goes well, but I'm a chocoholic and have been giving in to ice cream temptations recently...certainly doesn't bode well for low cholesterol numbers.

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  4. Jim had a heart scare years ago and we started doing the Dean Ornish diet. Had already been vegetarians so it was not a difficult transition. It does make eating out a challenge, and now we aren't quite as strict, but it definitely lowered his cholesterol and triglycerides. The China Study cookbook has some good recipes, along with the ones on the Ornish and Esselstyn plans. Since you love to cook, it should be fun for you to try new recipes. Good luck!

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    1. Hadn't heard of the Dean Ornish diet, we will check it out.

      My son gave us The China Study book a few years back. Bob read it but I haven't. Guess I have some more reading to do. We just have to find the book...you think it would be easy to find in a 5th wheel, right?

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  5. We have been following the plant based diet as found in FORKS OVER KNIVES. The knives meaning heart and other surgeries. It will be one year next month. That coupled with exercise, John is down to the weight when we were married! Me, not so much. Because of the exercise I have lost 3 pant sizes, but only 20 pounds. I just don't think it is fair for men to lose so easily and women have such a hard time. lol...but not really lol-ing.

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    1. Congratulations on your weight loss. 20 lbs is a big deal as are the three pant sizes. Good job. I hope I do that well.

      I know what you mean about mean losing weight faster than women.

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  6. Sorry to hear about the issues that Bob is having. I am really into fitness (as you are) and find that a low-fat, low carb diet is really quite doable and can be enjoyable. Maybe not as enjoyable as high fat diets but then having optimal numbers in our blood work and not having weight issues is a great incentive. I have tons of books on low carb diets.
    If you want to shoot me your mailing address, (my email address is on my blog) I have three that might appeal to you to get you started. (I have read all of these so I no longer need them and am happy to pass them along)

    The Carb-Careful Solution ...Adele Puhn...a good place to start on low carb as it isn't so strict that the diet is quickly tossed to the side.

    What's Cooking at the Cooper Clinic ...this is strictly a cookbook put out by the Cooper Clinic in Dallas. They do an excellent job of perfecting tasty and nutritious.

    AND the last book is a local cardiologist here in KC who is married to a registered dietician. They co-wrote a book about how they eat. Some of it is a little outside the box but they have some great ideas. I know Joan O'keefe (the co author) and she oozes of good health.

    The Forever Young Diet and Lifestyle James O'Keefe and Joan O'Keefe.

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    1. That would be so sweet of you, Cheryl. I'm sending you an email.

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  7. OMG, what a scare! I know you both can do anything when you put your minds to it! When we get back to Texas, we'll all be eating healthier. :) Take care!

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  8. I don't know if you follow aluminarium.com but you should check it out. Leigh and Brian are vegan and gluten free. Her blog is very short but she puts the link to their dinner meal. She makes amazing healthy food. We mainly eat veggies so I have found yummy ideas. Good luck to the two of you:)

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    1. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll check out their blog.

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