After I turned 31 this month, I realized I was overdue for my annual physical.  I also realized that I haven’t had a physical since I started running or switched to a whole foods, plant based diet.  It got me excited to see my numbers… had my cholesterol dropped?  My glucose levels?

My health history – a high risk for diabetes: I have high cholesterol in my family, but in my personal health, glucose has always been a bigger issue.  At my last physical before I got pregnant with Will, my physician told me I needed to stop eating more than a palm sized piece of bread in one sitting.  “You mean I can’t have a SANDWICH?!” I exclaimed.  She sighed the way I sigh when Will asks if he can stand on the kitchen counter, and explained that my elevated glucose levels put me at high risk for Type II Diabetes.  If I wasn’t careful, bread restrictions would be the least of my worries.  (Gluten, btw., wasn’t her concern – refined carbohydrates were.)

High risk?  Type II Diabetes?  I was 26 years old.

A few months later, I was happily pregnant with Will. I reluctantly gave up my glass of wine with dinner, replacing it with an evening ice cream.  I deserved a little indulgence and needed the extra calories, right?

A failed glucose test – possible gestational diabetes: Towards the end of my second trimester, I received a phone call from my doctor telling me that I had failed my glucose test and they needed me to do a 3 hour fasting test to determine whether or not I had gestational diabetes.  When I received the phone call, I was out with a friend for ice cream.  (I can’t make this up.)  I passed the 3 hour test by a narrow margin.  I had eluded a diabetes diagnosis for the second time.  (Related: my post about making sure your favorite stress relief is healthy!)

So blood tests make me a little nervous.  I don’t really like being told I can’t eat things I love.  But I realized that since I adopted a whole foods, plant-based diet, I eat very few of the unhealthy things that would be restricted.  I eat carbs, but very rarely refined ones.  I eat so little refined sugar it borders on socially awkward at holidays.  (I worry that people think I’m concerned for my weight, really I just feel sick after I eat refined sugars and most cookies aren’t vegan.)

I’m exercising.  I avoid processed foods 95% of the time.  I don’t eat any cheese, milk, meat, eggs or fish, no animal products of any kind.  I limit my refined oils to small amounts for cooking.  What do I have to be afraid of?

As it turns out, I have nothing to worry about.

My cholesterol and glucose numbers are AMAZING.  I compared the numbers to my last physical before I got pregnant with Will.  I was 26 years old, eating a standard american diet, and walking occasionally for exercise.  Now I’m 31, eating a whole foods, plant-based diet, and doing cardiovascular exercise (running or cycling) four times a week.

I’ve dropped my total cholesterol by 19 points.  My “bad” cholesterol, LDL, has dropped by 33 points and my good cholesterol has increased by 10.  My glucose levels?  They’ve seriously benefited from the way I limit my refined carbs and sugars to a minimum.  I’m down 16 points to near the bottom of the reference range at 76 points.

I still have some questions.  How are my levels of B12?  Should I be taking a supplement more regularly?  What about my iron levels?

I’ve read enough about plant-based eating not to be concerned about my protein levels.  Eating a variety of plant-based foods every day provides me with plenty of protein.  But I’ll be excited to hear at my physical if there are any imbalances that I can address by incorporating plants that are rich in the vitamin or mineral I’m lacking.

Overall, I’m pretty excited.  To be 5 years older and see my blood work coming back as healthier than ever is pretty validating!

I wish there were blood tests to calculate our cancer risk, the way cholesterol levels can predict our risk for heart disease.  I know my risk in that category has also significantly decreased, and it would be fun to see the numbers.

My cholesterol and glucose levels are great, but it’s just as important to me that I have such a positive relationship with my food.  When you eat nothing but real food that comes from plants, you stop feeling guilty or physically ill about anything you’re eating.  I reach for seconds without hesitation.  I eat until I’m full.  I’ve lost weight, and lowered my risk for heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

It’s awesome, and trust me, real food tastes so good I don’t miss any of the processed stuff or animal products.  I honestly, truly don’t.

Want to join me?  You’re probably already a runner, and that’s great!  Also check out these resources to incorporate plant-based meals into your lifestyle!

Will’s Birthday! Will turned 4 on Saturday!  All four of his grandparents came down to visit, and we surprised him with a Fire Truck ride from Smokin’ Joe’s!  In the spirit of doing more as a family instead of buying more stuff, he didn’t get presents from us.  We had bought him one small thing, and it was such an exciting day, with presents from grandparents and lots of family time, that we didn’t even remember to give it to him.  I think the spirit of minimalism is sinking in a little!  We’re going to save the present for Christmas.

No presents & no party favors! We invited Will’s classmates from school to come see the Fire Truck, and put out mini vegan cupcakes, strawberries and blueberries.  We asked everyone NOT to bring presents, and our request was honored!  We got a couple hand made cards, and one mom said “I know you said no presents, but we got so much produce from our CSA share this week…”  Exception made.  🙂  It was so nice not to receive tons of toys we don’t need and books we don’t have room for on our shelves.  So few kids open presents during their parties that Will didn’t even realize there was an element missing.  (Besides, he received gifts from grandparents!)

Will’s birthday treat at school: Will’s day to bring his birthday treat to school was today.  Instead of sending in cupcakes for kids to eat at 10:30 in the morning, we decided to have him bring in his favorite (healthier) snack.  He picked homemade granola bars from the Oh She Glows cookbook! We modified them to use Sun Butter instead of peanut butter so they’d be school safe, since some of his classmates have nut allergies.  They taste just as good and hold together just as well, so these are a great alternative to store bought granola bars if you’re interested in making some for school!  There’s a free recipe on her blog, as well.

Tapering for my fourth half marathon: I’m officially tapering – the half marathon is Sunday!  I wish the last six weeks of training had gone as well as the first 10 weeks.  I had a nice, easy four mile run on Sunday and it did great things for my mood.  It’s nice to run just enough to get some endorphins, and then go on with my day!  There was a beautiful moment when I was running down hill on a scenic woodland road to the Beastie Boys, pace dropping, feeling fabulous. I love those moments.

My Better Life Projects: I had a bit of a breakdown a few nights ago talking to Greg about reading Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson.  The book has opened my eyes to all of the waste in our lives.  Will’s mini vegan birthday cupcakes came in plastic containers that will be recycled into… what?  More plastic that won’t biodegrade.  All my favorite superfood smoothie add-ins come in packages, not bulk.  Those birthday balloons Will wanted so much?  Not real earth-friendly.  I realize that I need to take deep breaths and find ways I can reduce our waste without completely sacrificing our quality of life.  But it’s hard not to look around with these re-opened eyes and see all the ways we could do better, and want to implement them simultaneously.  But we’re working on it.  We didn’t give out cheap plastic party favors at Will’s party that would clutter someone’s house and ultimately end up in a land-fill.  I brought reusable bags to the grocery store to buy bulk rice and oatmeal.  I now check all my grocery staples to see if they come in glass jars instead of plastic.  I’m moving forward, one step at a time, towards a more earth-friendly lifestyle.  Especially choices that aren’t hard to make.  (I love buying bulk staples and storing them in glass jars, it’s gorgeous.)

Will is four, and soon I’ll be through my fourth half marathon.  Slowly but surely, we’re growing!

I’ve been following the news about the Climate Change protesters, and it’s amazing to see so many people rallying together for an important cause.  We need to think about it, and sometimes it’s hard for me to remember when I’m walking through my smog-free streets taking my clean surroundings for granted.

I think it’s important to let corporations and our government know how important we feel Climate Change is.  It’s not just about putting pressure on them to change, it’s about showing them we will support them when they do change.  We need to vote for change, we need to accept that we may have to pay more for products, buy fewer products, and give up some of our conveniences.

I found a book that can help you reduce your environmental impact at home.  It’s called Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson, and she writes a blog where you can find many of her tips online for free.

The author has eliminated her need for a trashcan in her home.  Read that again.  SHE HAS NO TRASH CAN.  It took her time, and there were many challenges, but she’s found a way for her family to live without creating trash.  And she wrote it all down so we can learn from her!

Our family has a long way to go before we eliminate our trash can, but I’ve found her strategies aren’t that difficult to incorporate into my life with a little planning.  You can see how they could become second-nature.  Once you’ve found your favorite bulk cereal and set up your storage containers, it’s pretty effortless.

It’s even saved her a substantial amount of money on her grocery bill.  Worth checking out!

I’m going to start making small changes to reduce the amount of waste our home produces.  Step one?  Get back in the habit of making almond milk at home to eliminate the cartons I throw away.  By bringing a mesh drawstring bag and buying in bulk, I also eliminated the plastic bag I used to bring my nuts home in.

I bought some dried cranberries that way too, and stored them in pyrex.  That eliminated a plastic bulk container that I used to recycle regularly.  (Reducing is more important than recycling, and now my family isn’t eating those cranberries out of a plastic container.)

I also picked up some bulk cereal – it was packaged, but it still eliminated several cardboard boxes buying it this way.  It’s a learning process, and I’m making steps in the right direction.  Small steps make it easier to sustain, so I’m going to keep reading the book to find ways I can make changes, and not try to do it all at once!

I stored my home-made almond milk in a 32 oz canning jar and wrote on the lid with one of Will & Andrew’s bath crayons.  They’re washable, so I can wipe the lid off and re-label it for future use.

(when I first read her suggestion that washable crayons be used for this purpose, I thought, huh? washable crayons?  what are those?  OHHHH, BATH CRAYONS!  Yeah.)

Zero Waste Home is a great way to learn strategies for reducing your waste and saving money in the process.  Another great way to have a positive impact on the environment is to eat more local, and more plant-based foods – one meal at a time.  Meatless Monday, Wednesday, Friday anyone?

By buying fewer things we don’t need, reducing our trash, and eating foods with a lower carbon footprint, we can help slow the climate change… right here at home.

What do you do to live green?

Make yourself a cup of tea and take time to sit down.  Plan meals for the next two days and make it to the grocery store instead of watching television.  Go for a fifteen minute walk on your lunch break.  Clear some of the clutter from your desk.

Don’t choose between today and tomorrow – do something to make both better for yourself.  A little healthy indulgence for now, a little planning and foresight for then.

Have a great day!

(And a great tomorrow, too.)