The 365 Day Project

I've started this project a couple of times now and haven't made it past the first week.  I'm determined to do it this time.  Occasionally I'll post the photos here as well but otherwise you can find the daily shots on my other blog: "Worth a Thousand Words: A Year in Photos". 

Since I hate to post without a photo, here's a shot of our coat hanger for children AKA Tyler.  Poor guy.  Every where he goes he has a child or two hanging on him.

How It All Vegan

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Then God said, "Let there be herbivores (or in this case macaroni 'n cheese-ivores) and there were herbivores.

Then God said, "Let there be carnivores and there were carnivores.

Then God said, "Let there be milk-ivores and there were milk-ivores.

Or something like that.

Well, as of this past Thursday I am officially vegan...at least for the time being. I've been a vegetarian in the past and admittedly as a family even today we eat more vegetarian meals than anything else. However, last May I had a physical and learned that my cholesterol was quite high. I was very surprised but found out two days later that I was pregnant with Jacob. My doctor told me that pregnant women had unusual cholesterol levels and not to worry. She suggested I have my levels checked again after Jacob was a few months old. I waited until last week and had a cholesterol test done once again. I was blown away when the resulting number was "316". Doug found one of my old flight physicals and even a decade ago the number was around 260. My dad's cholesterol was up to 350 when he had to go on medication. I guess it could be genetic. I also found a study in an AMA journal that said pregnant and breastfeeding moms can have levels up to 325. So, anywhoooo it's a possibility that it's high because I'm breastfeeding. Either way I wanted to see if I could possibly bring it down by altering my diet significantly. I've been following recommendations from Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's book on heart disease. I'm headed in to see a doc on base tomorrow and it will be interesting to hear what he has to say. I'm also anxious to find out if there's been a change in any of my numbers. As you know, the Peanut Gallery is always up-to-date with family affairs. As Anna was eating a bowl of cheerios today, she read on the box that it lowered cholesterol. She asked me, "Mommy, do you have high "cholester-yol"?" I told her I did. She responded, "Here, Mommy, have some of my cheerios to make your "cholester-yol" feel better". You gotta love those sweet mac'n cheese-ivores. :)