Are You Ready For Your's? Our 50 Year High School Reunion is in 6 Months!

I wrote this blog 10 years ago, just after my 40th High School reunion. The guy in the picture with the red face didn't want to go. The shorter guy in the other picture couldn't wait to get there! Everything in the blog from 10 years ago still holds true today...

Eight Months A Vegan  (originally published 9/2/2014)

Me eight months before our reunion

Me with my friend, Dr. Goldstein at our High School reunion

I have been totally plant based for 8 months.  No animal products at all. Now I do a little exercise, not because I like it, but because I should and I can. Honestly, I feel great!

I had a conversation with a patient today who underwent gastric bypass surgery about 16 months ago.  He's lost 125 lbs! All he had to do was find a doctor, get all the pre surgical lab work, EKG, stress test, Psychological evaluation, prove that he failed at a structured diet and exercise program, meet with a Dietician, quit smoking for 6 months, follow the Dietician's food program for 6 months, go to the hospital for 4 days, be intubated under general anesthesia, have surgery to make his stomach smaller, take off work for a month, go on a liquid diet for 8 weeks, get back on the Dietician's structured post op food program, change his portions to avoid throwing up everything if he eats too much, eat only the foods that the dietitian  allows, start an exercise program and pay the portion of his medical bills that were not covered by his medical insurance.

.....or he could have gone on a Vegan diet, but that would have been too extreme.                                                                                                                                                                                                            

 Our 50th reunion was delayed by a year and is being held at the end of this summer.  Like everyone else, I've aged, but the clothes that I was wearing at our 40th reunion still fit! 

How about you?  If you have a special occasion you are looking forward to this summer and you want to look and feel your best, now is the time to get started.  There is no magic pill, device or single ingredient that is going to help you get into shape and lose weight. Moderation is meaningless and arbitrary. The foods you eat are 90% of the problem. They have become an addiction, stimulating the pleasure centers of your brain, releasing Dopamine and making you want to feel that pleasure every time you eat. So continuing to eat the same things that got you and your body to where you are  currently, but expecting different results is the definition of insanity. What you eat is key to how you feel and look. The best thing you can do is to educate yourself on the foods that have been making you gain weight, raise your blood pressure, disrupt your metabolism, tax your heart and vascular tree and prevent you from being the person that you deserve to be. Once you break the cycle of eating highly processed foods, your brain will adapt and the Dopamine with continue to give you that feeling. 

A Whole Food Plant Based Diet with no processed oil is the safest, most effective, least expensive pathway to optimize your health. 

Dr. Michael Gregor wrote a book, HOW NOT TO DIET, that explains everything you need to know including the reasons you have not been having any luck with food. 

There is also a  HOW NOT TO DIET COOK BOOK with 100 simple recipes. I like the spiral binding for a cook book like this. 

Another great choice is THE HEARTS QUIET KILLER by Dr. Joel Kahn M.D. which is geared toward the number 1 killer, Heart Disease. It's full of great information and great recipes as well. 

Most of the food is not labeled "Vegan", because it's things like fresh produce, brown rice, whole grain pasta, tomatoes, colored peppers, carrots, cucumber, peas, lentils, baked beans, lima beans, chickpeas, broccoli, brussels sprouts, onions, garlic, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, peanuts, walnuts, cashews, corn, squash,  flaxseed, citrus fruit, pears, apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, oatmeal, potatoes... You get the picture. The largest, strongest animals, like elephants,  rhinos, hippos, giraffes, elk, panda bears, gorillas and most apes are all plant based eaters. Even the largest dinosaurs were plant eaters. The plants are all nutritionally dense with all the protein, vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, iron and other minerals that you need with none of the cholesterol.  Whole foods with no processed oil is the key. You can eat olives, but not olive oil. Vegetables but not vegetable oil, peanuts but not peanut oil, avocado but not avocado oil, etc. The closer the food is to the way it was found in nature, the better. The hospital beds are filled by people with heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cancers, kidney disease and obesity related problems, not by people who ate too many apples.

What you need to prepare your food at home depends on what you want to make. In my kitchen that would include a sharp knife, a decent blender, an oven safe non-stick pan with a lid, an air fryer/toaster oven to replace that toaster on the counter and a pressure cooker. If space is an issue, you can get an    air fryer/pressure cooker combo (GREAT DEAL!). If you don't like chopping veggies, get a simple chopper.  None of these things are deal breakers. When I started out, I used what we had in the kitchen already and upgraded as time went by. 

Learn as you go. If you make mistakes, learn from them and move on. Nobody is perfect!  Its fun and it's something you are doing for yourself. Plus, when you're done, you get to eat it!

The fastest way to get  to where you want your health to be is start now!

FROZEN, CREAMY, CHOCOLATE TREAT! #WholeFoodPlantBased #Vegan #NoDairy #NoDairy #NoNuts

CHOCOLATE!!

Frozen Creamy Chocolate Treat!

Don't know if you love chocolate but you will after this! No processed sugar, no dairy, no nuts and gluten free.  Four ingredients:

3 over ripe bananas - Slice up and freeze 

1 Tablespoon vanilla plant milk of choice

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

6 Pitted Dates 

Blend until completely smooth.

Freeze for 4 hours. 

Makes 2 generous servings.

If it freezes over night and is too solid, pop it into the microwave for 15 seconds.

....and you thought vegan meant bland!

The Ninja CREAMi Deluxe Frozen Treat Maker is PERFECT for this!!  Click the link.

It lets you skip the FREEZE  for 4 hours step.  Instant gratification!!!!!

WHOLE FOOD PLANT BASED HOW TO BASICS!!!! #WholeFoodsPlantBasedNoOil #WFPB #VeganSalad

   

ANYONE CAN LEARN TO COOK.  EVEN ME!!!!

 It has been 10 years since I decided to change my lifestyle from a couch potato, living on the Standard American Diet (SAD). There were a lot of choices, but I landed on the square labelled "Vegan".  It turns out there are different kinds of vegans. There are ethical vegans who don't want to hurt animals, environmental vegans who don't want to be part of damaging our planet with factory farms, and people like me who are more focused on personal health.

     I was at least 100 lbs. over weight, taking a handful of pills every day, sedentary and not looking to change. At age 58, I was pretty set in my ways even though I knew I was a disaster waiting to happen. But after the sudden loss of a few friends and a 1st cousin to heart disease, the decision was made to make a change. It took me 3 months to learn enough about food choices to feel safe, a few weeks to gather about 10 recipes that would keep boredom away and about 4 weeks to realize that the change should have been made a long time ago! The weight fell off with no exercise and I was eating more food more often so I never got hungry. 

     The foods were NOT labelled "Vegan". They really, for the most part, had no label. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a lot cheaper than meat and processed foods. They are easy to prepare, especially if you like cutting and chopping. If you don't, there are lots of shortcuts. We already had a decent blender and a food processor. There are quick veggie choppers for a reasonable price that also save a lot of time.  

     Honestly, I was doing fantastic before the Pandemic. After losing 100lbs, running became my hobby.  My favorite distance was 5K (3.1 miles) and I would do it 3 times a week. Over about 2 years, I pushed myself up to 10K (6.2 miles) and felt great!  My doctor took me off all the blood pressure and cholesterol medications because I no longer needed any. Cooking became a passion. Before I knew it, there were 180 recipes in my notes for everything from oatmeal to lasagna! They are all written out on this blog. All you have to do is scroll through it and try some of them.

     During the Pandemic, I became less strict in my food choices and some of the weight crept back. I gained 35lbs and stopped running. The gyms were closed due to Covid and we don't have a treadmill. I wasn't even eating any animal products, but foods with oil in them were everywhere!  All oils are 120 calories per tablespoon, even olive oil, and they suppress my metabolism. 

     Now I'm working hard to get back into the routine, following my own advice and we will see what happens!  A food journal helps. After eating anything, I write it down and look at it before I eat again. When my eyes tell my brain what I've already eaten, the choices become healthier and healthier!  It's funny how well that works.

     If you want to learn more, I suggest you watch the movies FORKS OVER KNIVES and EATING YOU ALIVE, both on Amazon for a small fee with no commercials, or on YouTube. I just bought the Forks Over Knives 100 Best Plant Based Recipes Magazine, hoping for some new ideas!  Ignore the many nutrition gurus that pop up and want to sell you magic supplements.  There is no magic. Eat foods that have low caloric density, lots of fiber and stick with things that you can make in your own kitchen from natural foods. You don't need to count calories or worry about protein. Contrary to popular opinion, plants have plenty of amino acids in them and your body strings them together to make human protein. That's what DNA is for! If you eat enough to make yourself feel satisfied, you are getting more than enough protein. You can take B12 and D3 if you live in a place that isn't sunny all year, or if you wear sunscreen like you should, but that's really all you need. 

A calorie density guide, like Chef AJ's, is very helpful:

If you don't already have one and want to save time, click the links to get a decent blender, a chopper, a pressure cooker and an air fryer.  If space is an issue, you can get a combination air fryer/pressure cooker!  Amazon has it all!

It's going to be the very best health choice you will every make!!!

You're never too old or too young to eat healthy!!!

 

Plantar Fasciitis, Heel Spurs, Running Shoes, Arch Supports and Custom Orthotics #HeelPain #HeelSpur #PlantarFasciitis

Heel Spurs and Plantar Fasciitis

I am a Podiatrist who happens to have suffered from heel spurs and plantar fasciitis in the past. I know first hand how painful it is. Plantar fasciitis is a common, painful problem. Heel spurs are associated with plantar fasciitis. Patients describe the pain as sharp or stabbing and it is generally worse when you first get up in the morning. After taking about 10 steps, it eases up. But it always comes back after any rest and can be much worse with activity, standing in one place, like at the kitchen sink, or at the end of the day. The pain can be covered up by oral anti-inflammatory medicines like Naproxen, Motrin or Mobic, but the relief is temporary and my have side effects like stomach pain, stomach ulcers or kidney damage. Diabetic patients tend to be more susceptible to side effects and should avoid long term use of this class of medication. For some patients, stretching, Physical Therapy, local cortisone injections and custom orthotics may provide long term relief. But steroid injections make blood glucose numbers rise and should be avoided in patients who are diabetic. As a last resort, surgery is an option, as long as general health is good and there is adequate circulation to allow healing.

Assessing the patient's shoes first is a good starting point, making sure they are getting the basic support they need.  Naturally, they look to see which shoes I'm wearing. My feet are not necessarily the same as theirs, but I wear Saucony brand  or Brooks running shoes for various reasons. One is the price. They have quality shoes that vary in price from under $60.00 to over $200.00.  The Brooks shoes tend to be slightly more expensive than the Saucony brand. The more expensive styles are geared for competitive runners and are not necessarily what the average person wants, needs or can afford. Regardless, they are all well made and provide good cushioning, stability and support. They come in a wide range of colors and styles that are attractive and functional. They all come with a removable insole known as a sock liner that can be replaced by either an over the counter arch support or a custom orthotic without making the shoe feel tight. Power Step arch supports are a good choice. They are in the range of $50.00 a pair and come in a variety of styles for the different arch heights, from flat feet to high arches. 

Custom orthotics, made by a Podiatrist, who will either take a mold of your feet or do a digital scan, will last much longer. Since they are custom made, they are more expensive, but may be worth it if the cheaper arch supports helped but not completely. I prefer the mold technique because it captures your foot in a functional position rather that at rest, sitting in a chair with your feet up. Custom orthotics cost $400.00 to $500.00 dollars, but will last for many years. I have just one pair I wear for work, golf, running, walking and just day to day comfort. They are now 20 years old and have never been refurbished.  To me, that's a pretty good investment.

If you do develop heel pain that is not going away by itself, do yourself a favor and make an appointment with a Podiatrist near you. X-Rays will be taken to make sure that is no stress fracture or tumor in the bone. The sooner you get evaluated the better chance you have of avoiding long term pain that interferes with your day to day activity and lifestyle. 

SPICY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER #wholefoodplantbased #Vegan #Nut-free #Dairy-free

Spicy roasted cauliflower. Simply put it in a large pot on a steamer tray. Surround it and crown it with colored peppers and cherry tomatoes. Add 3 cups of water, letting it run down the cauliflower to wet it so seasoning sticks. Sprinkle it with a little nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper and season salt. Cover and bring the water to a boil, steaming it for 15 min. Then take off the cover, pour your favorite BBQ sauce over it. Put the cover back on and bake it in the oven at 420 F for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake it for 10 more minutes uncovered. Plate and serve hot.

( I saved the stock from the pot to make spicy mashed potatoes)

Veggie Chopped Liver on Rye! #wfpbno #VeganVeggieChoppedLiver

VEGGIE CHOPPED LIVER ON RYE!

Veggie Chopped Liver…

It's made in a non stick pan with about a pound of portobello mushrooms, a large-ish onion, 14 oz of extra firm tofu, the juice of half a lemon, 1 TBSP of beet juice (or 1 slice of a roasted beet), 2 cups of rolled oats ground into rough flour, 1/2 cup of tamari, 1 TBS garlic powder, 1 TBS onion powder, a pinch of black pepper, an avocado, and 2 tsp of fennel seeds ground into powder.

Chop the mushrooms and in a non-stick pan, on medium heat dry sauté the mushrooms covered until they give up their water. Add the onions and cook covered until caramelized, then uncover to cook off some of the water. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mushrooms from the pan to a blender or food processor. Add the avocado and the dry seasonings to the blender and run it but don't puree it. Press the water out of the tofu and crumble it into the pan. Add the lemon juice and tamari to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to stir the tofu and cook off the liquids like a tofu scramble. In a bowl, mix it all together adding some of the oat flour until it reaches the desired thickness and texture. Cover it and store in the refrigerator overnight to let the flavors meld and to let the oats soak up any extra liquid.

Oil Free Air Fried Potato Wedges! #wfpbno

Seasoned Potato Wedges

Here's my quick and easy recipe for air fried potatoes.  I used my convection toaster oven and it worked perfectly. Mine is the Cuisinart Air Fryer Convection Oven which happens to be on sale !!!

Preheat the oven to 450F. Wash 2 medium size Yukon gold potatoes, leave the skin on and wrap them in moist paper towels. Microwave them for 4 minutes or 2 minutes per potato for a bigger batch. Slice them into wedges. Brush on a little water so the seasoning sticks. Sprinkle on your seasoning of choice. I used rosemary and garlic powder. Place them on the rack in the oven, skin down. Let them cook for 375F for 15 minutes until they brown. Remove them from the rack. Drizzle with hot sauce or ketchup or both. Serve hot. No oil needed!!