Comments for Dream Green

Comment on Day 35: Vegetarian Blood Work Disaster by Holly Corwin

Holly Corwin — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 04:24:16 +0000

I was reading your explanation about your blood work and not that I have any formal education or training on this but I was thinking that if you just started a vegetarian diet your body will be noticing the drop in fat and protein intake and start to save up the incoming fat to compensate for this change. I hypothesize your blood levels will go back down to where they were, or close to them, as long as you make sure to intake enough protein from other non-meat sources. Try it for about 6 months and see what happens…

Comment on Day 35: Vegetarian Blood Work Disaster by LSchneider

LSchneider — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:15:38 +0000

It is generally agreed that your blood lipids are very good. We know that the persons who have the most changes to make, benefit the most when the changes are made! There is a 2-3% decline in risk for each reduction of 1% of serum cholesterol. Your cholesterol went from 160 to 178, an increase of 18 mg. or 10%. However at 160 or even at 178 you are well below the 200 mg/dL which marks high cholesterol. The LDL cholesterol went from 86 to 94 but is also still below the 100 mg/dL which marks risk for the average person. A recently published study compared different soy protein products and animal products and found essentially what you found, that there is no difference in lipids with changes in vegetable and animal protein. It would be my guess that you were already following a low-fat diet even with the intake of some meat-containing products and it would be the switch in the type and amounts of animal and vegetable fats that would show the changes in the lipid profile. See: Matthan NR, Jalbert SM, Ausman LM, et al. Effect of soy protein from differently processed products on cardiovascular disease risk factors and vascular endothelial function in hypercholesterolemic subjects. (vol 85, pg 960, 2007) AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION 2 525-525
One other point to make is that reductions in dietary fat can result in elevated triglycerides. Your triglycerides were actually 87 when you started and went to 161 mg/dL. It would be interesting to know if your dietary fat intake actually declined with the changes you made. Ideally TG should be below 150, so this is the one reading that should be lowered. Perhaps taking the lipid readings in another 3 months would be instructive.

Comment on Day 35: Vegetarian Blood Work Disaster by Karen Breyer

Karen Breyer — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:01:34 +0000

Dr. Dyjack,
Maybe you should go to the International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition and ask them. Are you planning to go? I would be interested in what they have to say about your situation.

Comment on Day 35: Vegetarian Blood Work Disaster by Mike B.

Mike B. — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:36:33 +0000

Haha - what a shock! Here I was thinking, “I wonder how much his blood results will improve?” only to be caught off guard as well. I’m not sure if anyone has improved at all by going through this challenge, but I can say that my own scale weight went UP 3 lbs by the end of the challenge and then down 6 lbs AFTER the challenge (when I discontinued the vegetarianism). I was significantly hungrier and more often during the challenge, which I didn’t fully realize until after the challenge. I’m not sure what’s going on with my own body, or yours, but I’m not sold by the vegetarian lifestyle.

Comment on Recipes by Louise Schneider

Louise Schneider — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:14:01 +0000

Potato Cauliflower Curry

1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 tsp coriander
2 dashes turmeric
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup hot water
2 or 3 potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces

Brown onion, add garlic and continue to brown. Stir in next 4 ingredients and cook briefly.
Add tomatoes and salt and cook until tomato becomes watery. Add water and bring to a boil.
Add potatoes and cook for 2 min, then add cauliflower and continue cooking until vegetables are tender.
Add small amounts of water as necessary while you cook.
Optional: Add frozen peas for color
Serve over rice or noodles.

Fruit smoothies

1 1/2 C soy milk or fruit juice
4 ripe bananas, frozen and sliced
2 cups frozen berries or other fruit

Place soy milk and fruit in a blender and blend until smooth. Serves 6.

Per 1 cup serving: 112 calories; 2.9 g protein; 24.3 g carbohydrate; 1.6 g fat; 9 mg sodium; 10 mg calcium; 0 mg cholesterol

Comment on Recipes by Louise Schneider

Louise Schneider — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:12:51 +0000

Corn Chowder

2 C peeled, cubed potatoes
2 C water
1 C diced celery
1/2 C chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1 bay leaf (opt)
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp parsley flakes
2 C creamed corn
2 C whole kernel corn
3 C soy milk

Place all ingredients, except the last 3 in a large kettle and simmer over low heat until potatoes are almost done.
Sir in creamed and whole kernel corn and continue simmering for 10 min, stirring frequently.
Add soy milk (for thicker consistency, decrease amount of milk). Turn heat off and let stand for 15-20 min.
Remove bay leaf and serve.

Serves 12. Per 1 cup serving: 101 calories; 3.8 g protein (14%); 20.4 carbohydrate; 1.7 g fat; 443 mg sodium; 15 mg calcium; 0 mg cholesterol

Laura Alipoon’s modifications: I use no-salt corn, have never used the bay leaf, and I add either little links or tender bits cut into bite sized pcs so there is more protein for a one-dish meal.

Comment on Day 32: To whom much is given, much is expected. by Arthur W. Griffith (not griffin)

Arthur W. Griffith (not griffin) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:00:17 +0000

When my wife and i got married in 1944, we vowed to become vegetarians and live by the counsels of EGW. It was a good decision. Now at 87 and 86 we praise the Lord for His leading. Totally deaf at 40 and with only a grade school education I was guided into the ministry to others deaf like me, and served in Oregon and Potomac Conferences. Praise the Lord for His leading. Our first baby would become Elder Alfred Griffith, serving the N. California Conference deaf. Today there are 700 deaf members in India, and some more in other countries.

Comment on Day 32: To whom much is given, much is expected. by Jill

Jill — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 06:34:03 +0000

http://blog.vegkitchen.com/2006/07

Awesome follow up weblog on vegetarian dishes. Check July 2006 blog.

Congrats! I’ve been vegan since Jan 28 and going strong. HAHA!

Comment on Day 32: To whom much is given, much is expected. by Pat

Pat — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 03:37:29 +0000

Congratulations indeed, Dave. Not just for what you have done yourself, but for sharing it and really putting thought into what you were sharing. Of course I wouldn’t have expected otherwise.

Just got Sphere and another huge congratulations is in order. For a long, long time I have wished for such a journal from our School. You made it happen. The web site is great, too. Thanks for your leadership at SPH.

Comment on Day 32: To whom much is given, much is expected. by Tricia

Tricia — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:34:05 +0000

Congratulations! Both on finishing the Challenge and on continuing with the vegetarian (or pescatarian) lifestyle. I will miss the thought provoking blog entries. God bless you as you continue to provide leadership.