Parenting with the Stented Papa #16 : Cholesterol and plant-based foods
How often do you get your cholesterol checked? Do you do it only when you’re told too? Or like me, is it because you know you have to?
I’ve to get mine done every six months. I got it done three weeks ago and, as it turned out, it was ten months ago since my last check. It was my first slip in time since getting four stents inserted into my ticker back in 2016.
It keeps me in check. That’s a good thing for me by the way because it tells me if I’ve acted the maggot in terms of eating the wrong kind of fats and enjoying too much beer and/or wine (since the last results).
There are normal levels of cholesterol for everyone. As I’ve 4 stents - one in each main artery - aka ‘The Widow Maker’ - my normal levels are reduced by at least 50%. Total/Bad/Triglycerides - with the Good being the exception.
Most people look at the total and think either I’m doing good or my cholesterol is high. What you’re reading is the quantity.
It’s an indication but nowhere near accurate enough to determine if your arteries are in serious trouble or not. Breaking the results down helps to determine the quality of the blood cells flowing through your heart. This can - and, trust me, will - impact on weather you are in line for a heart attack or stroke, either of which can be fatal.
Veganism: Whether you like it or not, whether you agree with it or not, whether you fully understand it or not, or whether you hate it or not, the fact of the matter is in our lifetime, especially when you marry it to the global climate change every part of the world is currently experiencing (just Google Greta Thunberg), everything we do and eat has a serious role to play for us as individuals and a global race.
What we’re doing might not have an immediate effect (in our lifetime) but what about our children’s time? To narrow our minds to the point of thinking that what we do today, how we do it and what we eat presently - won’t affect their lives and beyond is foolish in the extreme.
I’m not a vegan - presently. That said, I have been eating food that I make from scratch, following plant based recipes for over three months now, mixed in with both animal and dairy products. Based on this and in today’s world, I guess I’m what is known as a ‘Flexitarian’ - laugh as you may but it’s a real thing.
That said, two weeks ago I committed myself to doing my utmost best to following a vegan diet for the foreseeable future. I have not become a ‘save the whales’ merchant. I do, however, have numerous reasons involving my girls but it is largely due to the recent increase in my blood lipid results along with the strong advice I received - namely to cut out all fat and cheese plus a reduction in alcohol (triglycerides) and the positive effect it can have on my cholesterol/heart.
Scientific evidence is the live and well to support the benefits a plant based, whole food diet can have on you over time. If you haven’t, I suggest you watch The Game Changers on Netflix. It’s excellent.
The hard thing here for me is (i) I love all kinds of meat and (ii) I love dairy. Steak amd Irish butter, salt and pepper is without a doubt my all time favourite dish. But as a SAHD, my family depends on me and I will not let them down.
If that means stopping meat and dairy, even for a while if not the long haul - and check my blood results in two weeks time to see what the difference is since the last time, while abstaining - that’s what I’ll do. I am committed to improving my health.
Chat next week folks,
Ross (The Stented Papa)
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