It was about 15 years ago that I had given up eating red meat, and it was a great improvement in my health and well-being.
Since then, I had consumed quite a bit of poultry products, mostly chicken and fish, and also egg whites.
Then, in the middle of last year, I had read up alot on the subject, and due to what actually happens to process animals for food, and what it does to your body to have all of those hormones and antibiotics that the animals are injected and fed, I decided to give up poultry.
And then just 4 months ago, I decided to not eat any dairy products either.
During this time, soy products where a huge part of my diet, and I was feeling good about that because soy is a plant.
The only thing I have kept to this point is fish. I'll typically eat salmon, halibut, mahi, tuna, etc. And up until I learn more about sources of plant protein, I'll keep that as a small part of my diet.
BUT I HAVE TO SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE. VERY IMPORTANT.
About a year and a half ago, I started feeling kind of tired all the time, so I went to the doctor. They did all kinds of blood tests and everything was fine - except for one thing: My testosterone levels had dropped to an insanely low level, in fact a dangerously low level. And this was the reason for me feeling tired all the time.
So the doctor gave me a prescription for something that comes in a 30-day supply to bring my hormone levels up to a normal balanced level. So I said fine, I'll do that to correct the problem.
(And anti-health-care reform people please make note of this: The prescription costs $400 per month!!)
So I figured I would take it and get my levels going again, which I did. I then asked the doctor how long I have to keep taking the prescription before I can stop. And he tells me NEVER!! That I basically have to keep taking this prescription for the rest of my life and keep paying $400 a month for the rest of my life.
So I thought to myself - NO, I DON'T QUITE THINK SO!
It is at that point I started delving heavily into researching nutrition and processed foods.
I found out that certain processed soy products like certain tofu's, soy milks, soy protein powders, etc. contain genetically modified soy. And this genentically modified soy (GMO's) SCREWS UP YOUR HORMONE LEVELS!! And since I was eating so much of it, I attributed that to the source of my problem.
So I stopped eating any processed soy products. I only eat whole soy like edamame, tempeh, etc.
With all that being said, I AM NOW FEELING THE BEST I HAVE FELT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!
With the elimination of animal products from my diet and the focus on whole foods and whole grains, I'm in a place with my health where I never thought possible. I had just thought that as you get older, it's just someting you have to come to bear with. NOT TRUE!!
I'm an avid tennis player and I have wheels now that I haven't had since I was in my 20's. The agility and speed that I have I am completely blown away with.
Didn't mean for this to be such a long-winded blog, but I just wanted to share this with everyone.
Almost all of our health problems stem from THE WRONG FOODS WE EAT THAT HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TO US BY OUR PARENTS, AND THEIR PARENTS, AND THEIR PARENTS! We can't blame them because they were only doing what they thought was good and right.
AND DO NOT EVER PUT UP WITH ANYONE TELLING YOU THAT YOU NEED A PRESCRIPTION FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD. THAT IS JUST THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES INFLUENCE WANTING YOU PAYING THEM FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!
Educate yourself! Read up! Take good care of yourself and eat whole foods! If it's something your great grand parents would not recognize as food, then DON'T EAT IT! If the ingredients can't be read by a 3rd grader, then DON'T EAT IT!!
With much love and care to everyone,
The Ralphster-Mobile
