I go Veggie and like it

I have not posted this but, back in May, I had a stroke. The doctors called is a "Tia" (trans ischemic attack). It was very scary because I could think about what I wanted to say but what came out of my mouth was not what was intended. My husband got very upset and immediately called an ambulance over my protests. By the time the ambulance got to the house (which probably took perhaps 4 minutes) I had lost the feeling in my right hand and arm and was losing also the feeling in my left. My eye sight began to blur. I went into a sort of semi coma. I could hear and see but I was floating around the universe. I thought I was dying and I was okay with it at that time. The medical techs told me I was having a stroke and instantly put me on oxygen. They explained to me if they catch a stroke within 3 hours of its onset the person has a greater chance of living and also not having side effects.

I was lucky because we live only a few blocks from the great medical complex of UTMB (University of Texas Medical Branch). I was in UTMB for almost a week. They conducted almost every test know to man on me and nothing could explain the reason for the stroke: heart perfect, veins in great shape, head okay too....but I am very overweight even though my cholesterol levels are all very low.

But, the doctors also told me - I was diabetic. This is purely a weight issue because we have no diabeties in my family for many generations. I cut out all sugar and had an appt. with the dietition. She made things fairly simple for me: Splenda, I could eat fruits but watch the intact. Careful with simple carbs and go for complex carbs.

I began to read anything I could find on diet and diabetis.

I also recorded everything I ate and tested my blood sugar 2 or 3 times a day.

At first I thought I would have to maintain almost an Atkins like diet. But after an initial weight loss; I stopped losing weight.

My blood sugar did not go down. It pretty much stayed around 136 - 175 and sometimes higher which was very scary.

It took me all summer to come to grips with myself. I was very tired but within 24 hours the speech problems and numbness in arms and hands had almost disappeared. My memory was somewhat whacked but I am happy not to remember a lot of things anyway.

So, I took all summer to rest and get it together. There were also follow-up visits at the UTMB family clinic and more tests. I was allowed into the practice of a wonderful young resident named, Marisol Beividez. We continue testing me and my next clinic visit is January 2006, although I just had a mammogram because my cousin was diagnosed with breast cancer last summer.

After reading a lot of material and getting used to keeping the food chronicle, I decided to do a radical thing and go vegetarian. Fro many years I had wanted to go veggie but just felt I did not have the lifestyle to support the commitment. It seemed for me the best thing would be to try an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet. So, three weeks ago I stepped off the cliff and quite eating meat or meat products.

How do I feel? I feel like a big stone has been lifted from me. My blood sugar is now 90 to 115 (without medication). I am losing weight rapidly, although I do not get on the scale because this is about diet not necessarily results except for the long term.

I have re-educated myself to cook delicious meat free meals and also trying to cut out fat as well. I do still have whole milk sometimes and I eat a lot of cheese - grated so I get the taste but not a huge amount of calories.

Time will tell, so stay tuned and watch how I diminish.

My husband has seen such a marked difference in me after one week he decided to try going Veggie too and after two weeks he has had remarkable relief from arthritis in his hip.