8th March Towards lower cholesterol by way of whole foods

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Sunday: 8^th March

Deciding to reduce my LDL cholesterol from 3.7 to below 2 in the next three months has led me to making radical changes in my diet. So its out with cheese, eggs, meat and dairy, and in with legumes, grains, pulses, and nuts. 

Earlier this year I systematically dropped 4 kilos over 3 months by focusing on a high protein low carb diet. The protein was mostly from cheese, eggs, meats, and fish, and carbs from vegetables. Together with joining a gym and exercising every second day, this required focus and attention to detail (not my strongest capacity). And by mid March I am at my goal weight.

Increasingly my reading leads me to believe if I am to make inroad with my cholesterol I need to cut out fats, and reduce animal proteins. So out goes salt, bacon and cheese. While I adore salty bacon first thing in the morning, or 100g haloumi with my early morning coffee and nothing better than a small tin of salmon for lunch, or 100 grams of ham; yes I love these simple nutritious lunches and I don’t feel hungry until diner time. Well, in comes falafel and humus for lunch!

Out goes café latte and in comes long black with a shake of cardamon.

Out goes bacon and egg, and in comes cooked oats with almond milk, maple syrup and berries.

So far so good.

I have decided I need help. I want to be eating food high in nutrition, low in salt, carbohydrate and fats. My whole food coach is Maddy Bellcroft from Nelson. I’ve known Maddy for years, mostly as an outdoor adventurer. Maddy is supplying me with background materials, heaps of recipes, ideas, links, hints and tips. And loads of resources.

Over the next three months, I will eat mostly whole foods. I have decided NOT to replace meat with tofu and tempeh; cheese with dairy free cheese.  Nor will I replace milk with nut milks, well, not in coffee and tea anyway. I’m going for black coffee with a sprinkle of cardamon, and teas without milk. I have red vanilla tea to kick this off, and I’ll stick with lots of sparking water and the occasional wine. I may replace salt with soya sauce. It’s a thought. I will try coconut yoghurt, knowing it is no good at all for my plan to reduce cholesterol. Maddy tells me I can make coconut yoghurt with a probiotic and coconut cream.

So that’s a treat in store.

So here we go.

Pink porridge with omega plums

First day I began I make rolled oats with water and some blackberries I had just picked. I put 6 in while I was stirring the porridge. It went pink. Already this was fun! Pink porridge. Once it was in the bowl I sprinkled cinnamon, added chopped almonds, drizzled maple syrup and plonked in the remaining blackberries. What a great breakie along with memories of just having been in our own blackberry patch! Eating super fresh just picked berries from our own place down by the river made this breakie super special. Question? Does this need a splash of almond milk? Not really. So far so good.