Why can't the Healthy things in life be more fun?

I borrow the title from Rhonda Schrock's column on January 19, 2009.

She described good food as "rabbit food (lettuce), bird seed and sawdust."

It was an article that hit the funny bones of many people who related to her feelings about healthy food and exercise.

Most of us look at a diet with dread.

I must be wierd. I feel the best when I am on the Healthy Heart Food Plan I designed after being on many diets through the years. Oh Yes, I've been on Weight Watchers, First Place, Atkins, South Beach, LA Diet, Holly Wood Diet, Biggest Loser, Medifast, Fit for Life, Curves, Diet for your Blood Type.

I designed a Diet designed for the Shape of my body. I took the Biggest Loser Shape Diet as my base, but I added in all the Heart Healthy Foods (nuts, yogurt, good oils, nuts, red wine).

When I delve into the "special foods" people celebrate with, my body resents it and I feel bloated. So I am pleading to all of you to listen to your body. Foods that have too much sugar weaken our digestive systems. They make our children act like they have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorders).

Like Dr. Ulan says, most of us spend a lifetime trying hard to become Diabetics and getting Gallstones by all the sugar and fried foods we consume on a daily basis. Our bodies can get rid of bad food and toxins if we don't consume Krispy Kreme donuts every morning. But after 20 years of coffee and donuts, our Digestive systems say "Enough is enough, I've worked too hard for you, and if you don't care, then I won't care either. This shows up when we are in our 50's. Men start getting "beer bellies" and women can no longer maintain their earlier weight. And of course, most women blame it on Mid life menopausal hormone changes.

It is at this point that we see big stomachs, bloating, and right shoulder pain from gall bladders that are inflamed. We also see high blood pressures, sleep apnea. If I have chronic low blood pressure with a high pulse, I am an accident waiting to happen.

You would be surprised at how many of our health problems can be fixed by eating a well balanced, every 3 hours, sugar free, white flour free diet. Blood sugars return to normal, blood pressures return to normal (without medication), sleep is not disrupted with bathroom breaks, and the immune system is strengthened.

And the diet is not hard. You don't skip meals. Your Food is good quality "wood" for the thyroid (fire) to burn and it burns long and bright. It doesn't sputter (burp, belch, gas). I often find myself going home from a church Fellowship Meal feeling like I am not satisfied because I ate too much "junk food."


Here is a typical good Heart Healthy diet for a Shape C. (Pear shaped)

Breakfast: not to exceed 400 calories
1 eggs with 2 slices Canadian bacon and slice of Provolone cheese on whole wheat toast. 1 cup of Coffee
or
3/4 cup of raisin bran or whole grain cereal with a banana and 1 T of ground up flax seed. 1 cup of Coffee
or
2 egg and 1 egg white Omelet with fresh spinach and feta cheese
or
Hot cereal (oatmeal/wheat/rice) with 1/2 cup of milk, and coffee
or
1 banana split with 1/2 cup of plain yogurt sprinkled with ground flax seed and granola.

Morning Snack: not to exceed 300 calories
Protein Whey or Rice Shake (can be Medifast or Slim Fast)
or
Tuna kit
or
yogurt
or
apple
or
2 oz of chicken, turkey or fish


Lunch: Not to exceed 400 calories
Sandwich with 2 oz of chicken, turkey, or fish
or
Salad
or
Soup
or
1 cup of cottage cheese with 1/2 cantaloupe



Afternoon Snack: Not to exceed 350 calories
1/4 cup of almonds or walnuts or pecans or macadamia nuts
1/4 cup of dried cherries, or raisins, or dried cranberries
50 calories of dark chocolate (preferably 70% dark)

Evening Meal: not to exceed 500 calories
4 oz of Fish, turkey, or Fowl (consume beef once or twice a week)
1 Baked Idaho or Sweet Potato or 1 cup of rice or Whole wheat or Rice pasta
1 cup Fresh or canned green vegetable
Optional: 2-4 oz of red wine (not to exceed 4 oz)

(this can also be a soup with all these ingredients)

Evening Snack
3 cups of popcorn
or
1/2 grapefruit, or orange, or 1 cup of fruit such as strawberries, blue berries, raspberries

If starved before bed: Protein smoothie with frozen strawberries or cherries.

On this diet we recommend the following Vitamins: OrthoMolecular Essential Pak (includes Multi, Minerals, Vit E, Omega3) If you have heart problems and high blood pressure you should include Cardio Plus. If you have low thyroid, you will need to continue your thyroid supplements.

This diet consists of approximately 1600 calories. When I first followed it, I didn't believe I could lose weight on ths many calories because it is what I used to Maintain weight. And here is the key. If Idon't cheat, I lose weight. If I eat the amount of calories I specified at each meal and keep those calories 3 hours apart, I lose weight. If I decide to cheat and eat sugar or white flour at any meal, I probably won't lose weight.

If I skip a meal, I can't make up for those calories at the next meal. Remember the concept of a fire. When the fire goes out, a full load of wood will choke the fire. If the body is too hungry, it is better to start out with the next meal being small and then tell yourself you can eat again in 3 hours. I can't save up my calories for the day so I can go out and eat an evening meal of 1000 calories. It is better to divide the food in half and take half home with me and eat it in 3 hours than to consume the 1000 calories at one meal. 600 of those calories will go into fat. The gall bladder just can't take care of that many calories at one time and my digestive tract will suffer with burping, belching and gas.
I can lose weight without exercising, but if I exercise, the weight will come off at a faster rate.

This diet will reduce Sleep apnea, reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels. Cholesterol and Triglyceride levels are raised with sugar and white flour products.