Unfortunately this is one test that I can’t study or cram for. It is a blood test, which is tomorrow morning, but at least I have been preparing for it.
I am hoping that because we are now ‘almost vegetarian’ and have been for the last two and a half months (and love it), that it has been enough to at least lower my bad cholesterol levels enough that I do not have to begin taking medication. I don’t want to be dependant on big Pharmaceutical companies any more than I already am which I know is not very sustainable in the long run.
Anyway, I will know the results in a few days time, but in the mean time I thought I would share a veggie loaf that we made the other day. It was delicious, and a perfect addition to our Sunday roast dinner. Not a single animal harmed in its preparation.
Here it is in the loaf tin before it was cooked.
I almost forgot the sprinkle of Parmesan!
There it is after the oven. I don’t have the recipe because we kind of slapped it together. It had chopped onions (grown by me), cooked rice, grated carrots, crushed garlic (grown by me), stuffing mix, rolled oats, 2 home laid eggs (my chooks), half cup of grated organic cheese (my cheese), yellow capsicum (grown by me), bbq sauce, can of 5 bean mix, Italian mixed herbs, dash of chilli powder (grown by me), salt and pepper to taste. It was cooked for 1 hour at 180C.
We served it with roasted potatoes, steamed broccoli, cauliflower and peas, with a rich brown gravy. A veggie meal fit for royalty!
If eating like this doesn’t lower my cholesterol levels, then I will be very surprised indeed. Fingers crossed!
If you really want to see a positive change in your cholesterol you should go paleo.
Hi Mel, excuse my ignorance, but what is paleo. Is it something to do with Palaeolithic?
Yes, Paleo diet. Primal. Eating like a caveman.
It is hard to do as a vegetarian, but since ditching the wheat my family have all lost much weight and our cholesterol has improved out of sight. Much better blood pressure too.
Check out this site for info:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
What Mel said…genetically, the human species is poorly designed to handle a high carbohydrate diet – particularly one as heavily based on grains and sugars as the typical Western diet.
Good luck Gav! The loaf looks great, too.
Cheers L.
I have never heard of a veggie loaf, great idea! Have my fingers crossed that you go free of the big bad pharmaceutical compagnies, ane look forward to hearing about the effect of your almost-no-meat diet on the test, quite interesting. I could do with a change of diet too, we eat way too much meat, and on top of that loads of cheese and eggs…
I’m fighting the cholesterol battle too…and sadly the doctor has me taking one of the statin drugs. I’m not a happy camper. I have lost weight and kept it off for over two years, I’m totally vegetarian now…don’t even eat meat anymore at son and DILs home.
My last blood work my bad cholesterol level had come way down…but doctor still wants to keep me on the medication. My family, both sides (Mom and Dad) have a history of strokes! So I appreciate where the doctor is coming from but hopefully someday soon will be able to come off the drug…it does have unpleasant side effects like increasing chances for diabetes and causing memory loss!
Keeping my fingers crossed too for your lab results!
Are you still taking statin drugs? I hope you stop taking it. Try to look for a doctor that will help you do it in a natural ways. Save your life please. Avoid statins.
Good luck Gavin, I’ll be thinking of you!
You could also look into Nourishing Traditions and Weston A Price Foundation. Basically, grains are very healthy for you if you prepare them the right way (sourdough, soaking overnight), fats are good as long as they come from grassfed animals and are not highly processed. And since you mentioned cholesterol, here’s and interesting article about it.
Hi Gavin.
Just a note to tell you if you don’t already know, to be very aware of statins and the damage they do. Lipitor is a common one.
We have a friend who is to have more surgery on hands and shoulders due to it. The doctor will push for it because they get pay backs.
I did read that plaque in the arteries is not caused by cholesterol but will go get Dr Google to check that one again.
Wow!! It looks great. I’m a vegetarian too and I’ll try this one at home. Thanks for your article!
Good luck on your test.
I do paleo and Weston A Price for the rest of the family. Love it.
Sorry, Gav, but it’s all that lovely cheese you’re making (and probably eating – how could you not, it looks sensational!) that’s doing the damage to your cholesterol.
My husband had issues with his, thanks to our lovely eggs. Eating a couple for brekky every morning was raising his to high/normal. Cut the eggs, and it was back down again in record time.
Try going without dairy for a few weeks, and do a before & after test, and you’ll find this is the case. It sucks, but I’m pretty much 100% certain on this one.
Maybe the best way with the cheese is to take orders, and make it only for friends and workmates instead?
Good luck – the last thing we any of us want to see is a Gavin dependent on those nasty meds 🙁 We’d all much prefer to think of a hale and healthy 108-year old Gav lecturing those now-bankrupt ex-oil barons on how wrong they were! Hehe.
Hi Leanne, you are probably right, but I am willing to see if taking the first step of cutting out meat has got me over the line. I find out the results tomorrow night.
Gav x
I’m really enjoyng your blog and can’t wait to try this recipe. We also home educate. With a few adaptions (I’m also gluten/lactose free) my son will be able to make a version of this for his ‘sustainable meal’ challenge. Thanks!
Gavin I lowered my cholesterol from 7.2 to 4.1 in 6 weeks last year by following Dr Furhmans plan. I also used the pro-active milk & butter. They wanted to start me on statins. My dr was just amazed at the results in such a short time.