From: Mora (cuscon10766.tstt.net.tt)
Subject: So far, so good--reporting after 2 weeks on the plan
Date: September 13, 2005 at 9:20 am PST
Hi, all.
First I want to say that the Star McDougallers have really inspired me. I've looked into this plan before, but I didn't feel I had the willpower to give it a try. I've been a vegan for 8.5 years (and lacto-ovo for six months prior to that). Of course, the only thing that stopped me from eating/drinking sweet stuff was the case where animal products were present. As you can imagine, there are a number of things animal-free that are still very sweet. One being soda. Now, I've been on and off soda a lot in the past years, just as my sugar cravings have been on and off. There's the scare factor of diabetes which runs in my family. So much so that I felt it was inevitable for me. I didn't want to just accept that though, don't get me wrong. Just because I feel something is inevitable doesn't mean I'll take it lying down.
When I was a teenager, I started testing my blood glucose level. At that point, 99% of my readings were 28. I know that's incredibly low, but I wasn't ill. I did read that there are cases where that is normal. At that time in my life, I was on a diet to lose weight and it had worked beautifully. I ate mostly vegetables. I really don't like rice at all, and, though I loved potatoes, I believed they were bad. I mean, I grew up hearing that they were 'fattening.' Imagine that. I was exercising three times a day and feeling very energetic.
Finally, three years later, I was 18 and the guy in my life felt I didn't eat enough. I hardly agree. I just never had food piled onto my plate, but he had previously dealt with an anorexic friend, so now it was my turn to have food shoveled into my mouth constantly. It seemed okay at first. I put on just a little weight--when my doctor wanted me to lose 10 because I was still recovering from an injury sustained in a car accident--in the beginning, and I worried a little because of it. He kept reassuring me that it was a good thing, and that he liked the idea of me having more meat on my bones--it's not like I didn't have before.
Anyway, what started as a slow weight gain got out of control. I didn't notice until it was too late that I was doing a lot more than just eating more. The things I ate were terrible. All the water I used to drink was now caffeinated sodas. I pretty much asked for pastry and got it. This was bad.
I've since tried to alter my diet in so many ways to lose the weight, but it never dawned on me that there was another problem creeping up on me. Not until last year. We got a new blood glucose monitor so I tested myself just for the heck of it. My reading was 90. I was never so shocked in my life. And now I was scared. I know that's in the 'normal' range, but I had never been nearly that high before. The highest I ever got in the past was 52. Clearly, something was happening to me.
Now, to add fuel to the fire, I've had endometriosis symptoms since my third period and it was finally diagnosed 10 years later when I was 21. For those of you who don't know what that boils down to, it means I'm estrogen dominant. We all are probably aware that estrogen is present in our fat and also causes us to gain more fat. A lovely cycle.
Still, being 5'4" and 190 lbs. wasn't enough to convince me to try this eating plan. It was when I tested my blood glucose and saw a dreaded 102 that I knew I had to try any and everything to get it down. I knew it was coming though. I could feel it. I was urinating very frequently, at least twice during the night. I did seem a little more thirsty, but I've been like that all my life really. Now, I've always had the problem of being extremely fatigued, but I just attributed it to endo or my anemia. In fact, I knew my anemia had gotten out of hand. When you have to pretty much squeeze your finger till it turns purple just to get a drop of blood for a test, you know your blood count is dangerously low. So the most important part of my eating schedule now is my mid-morning snack of 1/2 cup of beets. I'm not a fan of the flavor, but my blood count rose tremendously within just the first week. That's enough for me. I'm known to eat/drink some of the most horrid things just because they're good for me. Beets are a piece of cake--no pun intended.
Anyway, I ordered the 12 Days to Dynamic Health and Maximum Weight Loss books, but it was going to be at least a week before they got to me, so I had to try to behave till then. I was desperate to start on the plan though, so I searched the internet for any clues I could find regarding what I should/shouldn't eat. I started working with that, but then I lost 4 lbs. after the second day. I don't think that's good, so I got scared and tried to tweak it a bit more so I'd lose a little slower. Well, I stopped losing weight altogether. So I went back to what I started with because I'd really rather lose weight quickly than not at all. The weight proved to be stubborn, so instead of 30 minutes/day on the treadmill, I'm on it for 20 minutes 3 times/day--1/2 hour after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It seemed to help a little, but I lost a total of 8 lbs. then woke up yesterday to find I re-gained 3. This morning, I found that I've re-gained another. So I'm at 186 and feeling very depressed about that.
On the other hand, I checked my blood glucose on the 2nd, 9th, and--today--the 16th day on the McDougall Plan. The readings were 113, 102, and now 86! My resting heart rate was in the 90s and it's now in the 50s. My blood pressure was always a nice 120/80. Now it's slightly lower at 110/70--still very good. My only problem now is my weight, but the reason I started this plan was my blood glucose. I was in the pre-diabetes stage and it scared me so much. The first time I saw the 113, I went into shock. I couldn't find words, I cried, I almost had an asthma attack. The diet has done for me exactly what I was hoping it would have. Diabetes is no longer a worry to me. In fact, the second day on the diet was my worst. I had so many cravings, I thought I would faint from the pressure. Then with the third day came a new clarity. I've not craved sugar since and even wonder now why I ever desired it.
Thank you so much, Dr. McDougall. I've watched too many people around me sick from diabetes. I've seen some even lose limbs. Not having to fear it, being in control of it, it really eases my mind. So thank you from the bottom of my heart. You're an angel.
