[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

No true in all cases. Dr Permutter recommends large quantities of green leafy vegetables and other sources of fiber. He only suggests that, along with most grains, we eliminate very starchy vegetables such as potatoes ad carrots.

Sounds like "Grain Brain" may be the better of the two books. Although there may be something worthwhile to be learned from every book, I don't think I will finish reading "Wheat Belly". There's just too much about it that I object to. No doubt it may be good for someone with celiac or IBS but I don't see it as good for the average person. I'll start reading "Brain Grain" and see how it goes. Not that I'm looking for a new lifestyle but I just want to see what different authors are talking about.

For myself, I put a heaping tablespoon of sugar free Metamucil in a large glass of water every morning and drink it followed by another large glass of water. I also eat a lot of salad and have spinach, kale, broccoli and other green vegetables with my meals.

Thankfully, I don't have a problem with constipation. Most days I have 2 BMs. But I eat a tremendous amount of fruit and vegetables. Also I have measured amounts of beans/lentils, split peas, walnuts, almonds, Ezikiel bread, steel-cut oats, whole grain pasta, whole grain rice, barley and olive oil. The measured amounts for grain: One serving or less with each of 3 meals. Nuts: about 1 servings per day. Olive oil: Two teaspoons per day (one with salad for lunch and one with vegetable soup for dinner). Beans: about 1/2 cup with lunch and 1/2 cup with dinner. It all adds up to a lot of good nutrition and fiber. I don't eat white potatoes or anything made with flour.

And like I mentioned in another post, once or twice a month I let myself go and have a few beers or a pizza or some pasta.

I can't do any of that. I would tend to overdo it and my stomach would feel awful.

I'll leave you with one last quote. Dr Ancel Keyes, who is generally recognized as the father of the Framingham study has said, "There is no connection between cholesterol in diet and cholesterol in the blood unless you happen to be a rabbit or a chicken." This refers to the fact that in an experiment when they fed huge amounts of cholesterol to rabbits and chickens, both herbivores, their serum cholesterol increased. No study with humans has ever shown a connection to cholesterol in food and cholesterol in the blood.

That may be true for those who have an ample supply of cholesterol receptors in their body. They can eat a lot of cholesterol and it gets processed fast. So it doesn't build up in their blood. But Dr. Dean Ornish says there are those who are not so lucky. They have too few cholesterol receptors and cholesterol can build up to a high level.

If a person's liver is producing too much cholesterol it probably won't help much to cut back on dietary cholesterol. A person can have high cholesterol if they suffer from chronic stress. So it's not always clear what's going on. However, if a person has high cholesterol, it certainly won't hurt to try lowering it with diet. I wouldn't automatically believe a doctor who says diet doesn't make any difference. Especially if the doctor favors a high protein, high fat diet.

I never had high cholesterol but when I changed to a vegan diet back in 2006, my cholesterol went down over a period of a year. If you try it don't expect quick results. For some reason it takes time. Give it at least a year.