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February 18, 2007
more on this veganism thing 
Today is day 4 for caffeine-free. We went out for breakfast this morning, and I wanted to order coffee -- out of habit -- but I was fine without. The second day was the worst, especially combined with coming down with the flu. Bad idea.
So in my mind, I like to call this the geek detox, because I learned about it online.
First, I heard about it in November in Wendy McClure's blog Pound who refers to it as This Thing I’m Doing.
Then, in January, I saw a mention in BoingBoing that Xeni Jardin was doing this vegan bodyhacking thing that Joi Ito was writing about. About the same time, several friends mentioned that Joi seemed to be really digging this new detox.
So finally, I went to Joi. His first entry starts thusly:
Almost like clockwork, hitting 40 years old seems to have triggered a series of alarms that I need to watch my health more. Blood tests show various things that I need to watch out for and I continue to be fatter than I should. I used to do low-carb diets when I got overweight, but it seems like a fat/meat diet right now wouldn't be good for my heart and other things.
That intrigued me, because I usually look at diets as a vanity thing -- I don't like how I look, so I'll lose weight. And it's been my repeated experience that I gain it back and more some, so while I'd love to lose weight, let's face facts -- what's the use?
But in reading about the Eat to Live diet, it seems like it's less about weight loss and more about improving your health.
I'm 44, and I've been falling apart, it seems, for the last 7 years. I've had awful heartburn and high blood pressure, and lately I've been freaking out. It's great that I'll be able to retire early, but what if I don't live that long? What if I retire just to have heart attacks or be diagnosed with cancer?
So I read two of Dr Joel Fuhrman's books, including Eat to Live. ETL is your typically badly written diet book, but unlike most, his claims have citations attached to them, indicating serious medical studies. He refers heavily to the China Study, a huge study which suggests that medical woes like autoimmune diseases, cardiac disease, and cancer are linked to the Western diet of frankenfoods, refined grains, dairy, and meat.
As I read it, I started actually getting hopeful that I could get healthier. And there you are.
So, for the next 6 weeks, starting Tuesday, this will be how I'm eating:
Eat to Live 6-Week PlanUNLIMITED (eat as much as you want):
* all raw vegetables, including raw carrots (goal: 1 lb. daily)
* cooked green vegetables (goal 1 lb. daily)
* beans, legumes, bean sprouts, or *tofu (minimum 1 cup daily in total of these)
* fresh fruit (at least 4 daily).
* eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, onions, tomato and other non-starchy vegetables, cooked and raw (unlimited)*Beans should be eaten daily; tofu should be eaten less frequently.
LIMITED (not more than one serving):
* cooked starchy vegetables OR whole grains--Maximum 1 cup per day (butternut or acorn squash, corn, sweet potato, brown rice, cooked carrots, whole grain breads*, whole grain cereals*)
* raw nuts and seeds (1 oz. or 28.5 grams a day) or 2 ounces avocado
* ground flaxseed (1 tablespoon a day)
* soymilk, low-sugar preferred--Maximum 1 cup a day*avoid breads and cereals as much as possible
OFF-LIMITS:
* dairy products
* animal products
* between meal snacks
* fruit juice, dried fruits
* salt, sugar
I have to say, just having increased the amount of fruits and vegetables, and having kicked caffeine, makes me feel so good physically. As I go through these last few days of "gosh, I won't be able to have pasta, I have to have pasta", I can really tell the difference in how I feel between when I eat a plant-based meal, and when I eat something else.
So I'm excited.
Posted at February 18, 2007
Comments
I'm 41 and have been thinking along these lines too. I'm vegetarian but eat mostly grains and fat: bread, butter, peanut butter, pasta, cookies, tea with milk. I'm also a very lazy cook who's too cheap to eat out. I can't imagine how I'd consume 2 pounds of vegetables a day. (I see this as a failure of my own imagination, not a criticism of the plan.) Still, I really should be able to consume ONE serving of veggies a day and eventually work my way up from there.
Posted by: hhw at February 18, 2007 3:18 PM
I can't believe it; we're right in sync. I've been a vegan groupie since I was a teenager, either on or off the wagon, and in the last few days I've been back on. I feel a lot better physically, too. I'll be curious to see how this goes for both of us!
Posted by: cheesepuppet at February 18, 2007 8:15 PM
Yay for you! I've missed hearing from you - I hope you'll post & let us know how this works for you!
Posted by: neca at February 19, 2007 7:08 AM
OMG. That is so awesome you are onto ETL. And a triathlete to boot. I found your blog through Iron Wil's and I've been doing ETL (not perfectly, but its still changed my health profoundly) since last July. Hang in there - it gets easier and before you know it, you're craving kale.
Posted by: Phoenix at February 20, 2007 10:00 AM