Sarasota News Leader
December 7, 2012
Page 74
I did not think I would have much to learn at 6.One's intake of added sugar, sugar substithe lecture because I felt I was pretty savvy
tutes and salt are to be limited. (Convenabout the subject already. I was 4 feet 10½
tional wisdom has always been that one
inches tall and weighed 124 pounds, a little
should avoid salt except when it is needoverweight but nothing horrendous. I had
ed after physical activity. A June 2012 New
been educating myself for years on healthful
York Times article, however, stated that evieating: I watched calories, cholesterol, fat and
dence supporting this advice is very weak.)
salt and had eschewed red meat for years, eat7.The handout recommended several books
ing chicken and fish instead.
and websites. Among the books were Dr.
At the Hamot Medical Center, Petrella had
Joel Fuhrman's Eat to Live and Dr. Caldgiven me a pamphlet titled, "Low Cholesterol
well Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart
or Low Animal Fat, Low Sodium Diet," dated
Disease. (You can read about Esselstyn.)
January 2006, which was pretty much what I
Among the websites was www.pcrm.org.
had been eating all along. In fact, I had wondered why I had had the blockages in my ar- In addition, a friend recommended a superb
teries since I had paid such close attention to DVD on the subject, Forks Over Knives.
my diet.
I came away from Jill's lecture totally bewilAt her lecture, Jill distributed a seven-page dered and with endless questions buzzing in
handout she had prepared. The principal my brain. How could I give up so many foods
points in her lecture and the handout follow: I enjoyed? Since I rarely cook, what grocery
stores could I shop at that would have such
1.Eighty percent of our diet has to consist of
foods already prepared? Since I frequently eat
vegetables, fruit, legumes and nuts.
out, what restaurants could I go to? No dairy
2.Dairy products and processed foods are to foods? What would I do for milk?
be avoided. (It took me considerable time
I learned that Jill's lecture and handout were
thereafter to determine what processed
only the beginning of an educational project
foods were. The definition can vary slighton which I needed to embark. I concluded
ly, but the term usually refers to foods that
that the project was worth the time, effort,
are packaged in boxes, cans or bags. These
and money it would entail because I wanted to
foods include bacon, sausage, hot dogs,
keep on living. The questions I had just kept
pepperoni, ham and packaged luncheon
coming, but I wrote them down and asked Jill
meat, including low-fat deli meat.)
if she could meet with me one-on-one to an3.Whole grain bread, cereals and other prod- swer them. She agreed, and we met on three
ucts are recommended.
occasions for about 45 minutes each.
4.One does not need to eat foods from ani- NEW DIETARY HABITS
mals to get enough protein.
I learned a great many things — for example,
5.Oils, including olive oil, are to be limited.
to seek out organic foods. I learned that many
