Friday, January 27, 2012

PLUGGED UP PIPES


I once lived in an old duplex, and my neighbor, who ate a lot of meat and chicken, had a kitchen sink drain which stopped up weekly. We shared the same old plumbing system, but since I was vegetarian and only fried my tofu in peanut oil, my sink never stopped up. Washing those pans caked with animal fat, which soon hardened in the cold pipes, was no doubt the cause of my neighbor’s problem.
          Similarly, when we consume a diet high in cholesterol-rich animal products over a lifetime, it is only a matter of time before our own “pipes”, i.e. veins and arteries, become clogged and can no longer carry the blood and oxygen supply needed to maintain proper health. We then experience weakness and sluggishness. Then we will likely call a “plumber” (heart doctor), who will likely put us on blood thinners or recommend heart surgery.
          It takes quite a bit of energy to digest bacon and other meat before they become usable protein for our bodies.  Also, there is NO natural fiber in meat, poultry, fish, eggs or dairy. This can be a major cause of constipation. Sometimes, companies add fiber to these products, hoping that this will entice people to continue with the Standard American Diet (the S.A.D. diet) rather than venturing “outside the box” to explore the wonders of a healthier lifestyle.
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            My Grandma Virginia cooked everything in bacon grease, loved dairy-rich desserts and believed that the more butter, the better! She was overweight (obese) and inactive physically. Sadly, she died of colon cancer while in her sixties. I miss her and wish she could have lived longer to enjoy her great-grandchildren.
          My Granny Goose, on the other hand, remained active her entire life. We often ended our dinner with a nice neighborhood stroll. Granny also swam every day, had a garden, and rode a bicycle. Although she enjoyed “partying” with a little drink in her hand, she didn’t overdo it. Instead, it put her in the mood to dance.
          My Grandfather, Pop Pop had been raised on a farm, and enjoyed a daily breakfast of hot oatmeal, or “oats” as they called it, a high-protein grain that helps to reduce cholesterol in the body. Granny Goose often asked him if he would like some bacon and eggs for a change. But he always answered, “Nope. If oats are good enough for horses, I reckon they’re good enough for me!” Granny reported to me that Pop Pop used to work longer and harder than any man who ever worked for him, and she believed that his daily morning fruit and oatmeal regimen may have been responsible for this. Granny Goose and Pop Pop both lived into their nineties, and Pop Pop built his last house when he was eighty.

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