Eating Update

     It has been five weeks now since I changed what I eat, and it has been an interesting time.  I am opening myself up to so many new foods which I have never tried before, and eating more than I have in a long time.  I have tried kale, tofu, nutritional yeast, and portobello mushrooms (which I really love).  While what I have been eating has made me feel full at the end of a meal, I have not felt stuffed and sick like before.  I have not had to use any Pepsid Complete in over a month and have not had any problems with indigestion or acid reflux.  My weight has come down 18.5 pounds, 16 pounds of which is fat according to my scales which measure body fat percentage. 
     During this time I have also been watching videos (YouTube and Netflix) about the low fat, whole food, plant based diet that I have adopted.  Videos by Drs. Caldwell Esselstyn, T. Colin Campbell, and especially John McDougall (who has numerous videos on YouTube) have filled in the gaps of how and why to eat this way and greatly expanded my knowledge about nutrition and the history of how people ate.  Look for videos by these men, especially the longer ones (over 20 minutes).  It turns out that for last hundred years, numerous studies have shown that diet can affect if and/or to what extent we are affected by various diseases.  But many doctors today are totally unaware of this because they were trained in a system of medicine that only knows how to diagnose and treat diseases with chemicals.  They don't know anything about nutrition and it's affect on helping the body fight it's own battles against disease, of which it is greatly capable of winning.  Plus, with billions of dollars pushing drugs (often requiring a doctor's prescription but heavily marketed to the general population), the last thing this system wants is an actual cure (as opposed to a mere treatment of the symptoms) by something that is profitless for them and easy for people to do themselves without doctors (no office call charges).
     After only five weeks, I feel better, cleaner inside, and lighter overall.  I am able to climb stairs and walk across campus without being winded.  And I am loving my new diet and look forward to seeing where it will take me.

Update On Life

 It has been over a year since I updated this blog, and, despite the fact that I'm sure nobody reads it, I will update it anyways.  2015 is turning out to be year of change for me.  I watched a movie (www.backtoedenfilm.com/) earlier this year that I had watched before but never really paid much attention to.  But when I watched it this time, something within me said "do it".  So, this year I am putting in a Back To Eden garden.  I had planned on trying to grow as much of my own food as possible, and this seemed like a good way of going about it.  I figured I would buy meat, milk, eggs, and anything else I can't grow from a local source.  Since we have a lot of Amish around here I didn't figure this would be a problem.  I started watching YouTube videos (www.youtube.com/user/L2Survive) done by a guy who visits and interviews Paul Gautschi  (the Back To Eden gardening guy) about his gardening methods and his life in general.  Turns out he only eats what he grows (plants and eggs from his chickens) with very few exceptions.  So he only eats plants and eggs, and mentions Genesis 1:29 which says, "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."

     Then, earlier this month I scrolled through my Netflix playlist for something to watch and found a movie called Forks Over Knives that I had put in my playlist years ago and never got around to watching.  I watched it once, then again, then again, then I watched the follow-up called Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue.  These used clinical, historical, and scientific evidence for giving up animal products and processed foods and adopting a whole food, plant based diet.  For the first time in my life I seriously considered giving up eating animal products.  I am not getting any younger, plus I'm overweight by quite a bit (6'4" and a little over  300lbs)., and have eaten the standard American Diet for most of my life.  Maybe it was time for a change for a better future.  I knew if I did it wouldn't be that bad because I gave up meat for Lent last year with no problem.  Of course, this means I couldn't use milk, eggs, cheese, oils, butter, and such that I did use last year during Lent since I only gave up meat.  I watched the Forks Over Knives  Extended Interviews and Hungry For Change.  Then, a couple of weeks ago I saw that Penn Jillette, of Penn and Teller fame, had lost 105 pounds.  When I read how he did it, it mentioned Dr. Joel Fuhrman and his Nutritarian Diet, which is a whole food, plant based diet.  The exact same thing as in the movies I had been watching.   I couldn't ignore all these things coming up now and pointing in the same direction.
 
     So, two weeks ago today I started.  I had several eggs left and some butter, so I went ahead and used those through the first week.  All the meat I had went into the freezer for eating later in small amounts after I have lost a lot of weight and gotten overall healthier.  Although, I am now considering just giving it away to someone and not worrying about eating it later.  It has not been that bad.  In fact, I have started eating things I had only rarely had before, like kale and portobella mushrooms.  Overall I am liking what I eat.  I am eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and looking into recipes that use things I have never tried before, like tofu.  As for the results so far, this morning I weighed in at 282.5lbs, and I am feeling much lighter, having more energy, and generally feeling better, which makes it easier to continue.  I will update my progress on here as it warrants.

     I am also laughing a lot, which some say improves health.  I discovered a series of movies last year called the Carry On movies.  They are a series of 31 low-budget British films parody various aspects of life and are hilarious.  My favourites are Carry On Sergeant, Carry On Nurse, Carry On Cabby, Carry On Cruising, Carry On Camping, and Carry On At Your Convenience.

     Another change is that I am seriously working on saying as many of the Hours as I can each day.  I usually rise around 2:30-3:30 each morning to say the Invitatory and Office of Readings (Matins).  I then get up at 6:30 and watch mass from Holy Cross Monastery in Rostrevor, County Down, Ireland.  I then get ready for the day and say the Morning Prayer (Lauds).  Then on the way to work I say the Midmorning Prayer (Terce).  At noon I use my Inner Monk app from Saint Meinrad Archabbey and the Midday Prayer (Sext).  On my way home each day I say the Evening Prayer (Vespers).  At 6PM I say the Angelus.  Then, later in the evening I say the Rosary and Night Prayer (Compline).  On my days off, I say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3PM.  Since I am not allowed to follow my monastic callings I will try to imitate them as much as possible in my daily life.  One thing that distinguishes monks is also that they don't eat meat.  So the previously mentioned changes also fit in with this also.

     With all these changes, there is little time for me to get into trouble...or to have much of a social life.  So, I feel like I am moving in a positive direction in my life, and I will see where it leads.

More Reviews

This review has been sitting, waiting on additions to it which won't be coming anytime soon.  So, I'll put it out on it's own.

 
Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu
This golden brown beer has a huge head on it.  The taste has a spicy hard edge to it with a slight fruity flavor to it.  Overall a pretty good beer.

First Original Reviews from Indiana

I have finished and posted a few reviews recently that I had started ages ago.  But this will be my first, original post since moving back to Indiana last year.

Cerveza Negra Modelo
This beer in a short bottle is quite dart, but not black.  It has almost no head on it to speak of.  It has a tingly feeling in the mouth as a carbonated beverage would.  The taste is soft but solid with just an every so slight spice to it.  Overall, a good beer to drink but nothing extraordinary about it.

New Holland Brewery Dragon's Milk Bourbon Barrel Stout
This stout is very dark in color, almost black, with a large light brown head on it.  It has a thick, roasted flavor to it and goes down smoothly.  Overall, this is a very good stout.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale
I have been looking forward to tasting this ale for years and I finally found some at Jungle Jim's down in Cincy last fall.  It has a golden brown color with a bit of a head on it.  It has a spicy flavor with a hint of pumpkin to it.  It is a good ale but and I will probably buy some each fall when it is available, but it is not among the best I have tasted.

Yuengling Bock Beer
This beer has a dark brown color with a nice head on it. The taste has a hard edge to it in a good way.  It has a bold flavor with no bitterness to it.  I will be buying this one again.

Woodchuck Hard Ciders

Granny Smith
This cider has a very light green colored.  It is light on flavor too.  It has a slight green apple taste but not that strong.

Fall
This cider has a golden brown color to it.  It has a kind of carmelly, woody, apple flavor to it which is rather good.

802
This cider is a dark amber brown color.  It has a sharp cider flavor to it with just a hint of an alcohol taste.  But is it pretty good.

Amber
This cider has a dark yellowish color to it.  It has more of a cider taste to it, tasting like an actual cider that has gone a little off.  But there is no alcohol taste to it.  This is very good to drink.

Crisp
This cider has a light golden color to it with just a slight head on it.  It has a light cider flavor with a bit of a bite to it.  Overall it is pleasant to drink.

Pear
This cider is nearly clear in color with a slight green tint to it and not head.  It has a slight cider flavor with a slight bit of pear flavor that comes through with a bit of kick to it.  A nice light beverage that would be great on a hot day.

Raspberry
This cider has a very light yellowish color to it with a very slight white head on it.  It has a slight raspberry flavor to it but not much.  But it does have the kick of a cider to it.  So this is another one that is pretty good overall.

Winter
This cider has a golden brown color with no head on it.  It has a sharp, crisp cider taste with the taste of some spices to it.  It is one of the best ciders in the lineup of Woodchuck.

Another Round

Bell's Special Double Cream Stout
This stout is a dark brown in color with just a hint of a light brown head on it.  It has a thick, hearty roasted flavor.  Overall a good stout.

Henry Weinhard's Redwood Flats Amber
This ale has a dark reddish brown color to it with a bit of a light colored head on it.  It has a citris type taste to it with a hit of bitterness on the back end of the taste.  Overall it is a good amber to drink.

Samuel Adams Belgium Session
This ale is a medium brown color with a slightly brown head on it.  It has a very light flavor to it with a strong bitterness on the back side of the taste.  Although it was okay, I don't particularly care for Belgium beers so I probably won't be drinking this one again.

Black Sun Stout
This porter has a very dark colour with a brown head on it.  This porter has a dark roasted flavor to it like any other porter but it also has a hoppy bitterness to it also.  Overall it was an okay drink.

Erie Brewing Company Derailed Black Cherry Ale
This ale has a golden brown color to it with a lot of head to it.  The taste is that of an ale with some spices present but I don't get black cherry from it.  It's a bit bitter but not too bad.  Overall, it's an okay ale to drink.

Moerlein Barbarossa Double Dark Lager
This lager is a dark brown in color with just a bit of a head on it.  It has a deep, rich taste to it with just a hint of roasting to it.  It is surprisingly light and easy to drink given it's thick flavor.  I would definitely buy this one again.

I think I'll have another

Samuel Adams East-West Kolsch
This kolsch style beer has a deep golden color with a thick white head on it.  It has a light flavor to it.  So light that there is only a bit of flavor with an ever-so-faint bitterness on the back side of the taste.  Overall, it is a good drink on a hot day.

Southern Tier Creme Brulee
This stout is very dark with just a little bit of a head on it which forms after it is poured.  The smell is a sweet burnt smell like burnt sugar.  It has a heavily roasted flavor to it similar to coffee, which is the only downside of this stout seeing that I don't like the taste of coffee.  I am not sure if I like this stout or not.  I do like the smell but the taste is too much like coffee for me to drink it regularly.

Henry Heinhard's Premium Reserve
This northwestern style lager has a rich golden color to it with a thick head on it.  It has a rich, smooth flavor to it with just a hint of bitterness at the end of the taste.  Overall a very good lager which I will be buying again.

Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale
This dark orangish-brown ale has a large orangish head on it.  The flavor is quite spicy but not too strong and nothing special.  I don't know that it tastes like pumpkin but it is an okay ale.

Dogfish Head Miles Davis' Bitches Brew
This ale is very dark, almost black, in color with a thick brown head on it.  The ale has a heavy, thick, roasted flavor to it.  The roasted flavor is so intense that it is almost too much.  But it is okay to drink on occasion.

Breckenridge Brewery Christmas Ale
This ale has a very dark brown color with a bit of a head on it.  The flavor is a mix of spices that really hit the palate when you drink it.  There are no distinguishable flavors that can be identified, it is so well mixed.  Overall it is a good seasonal ale that matches the spiciness of many foods we eat this time of year.

Rogue's Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale
This ale is a dark golden color with a big head on it.  It smells just like a buttered waffle.  The flavor has a bit of a kick to it with a hoppiness.  But there is a kind of artificial taste to it.  Overall, it is okay.
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More Beer

Abita Amber
This beer has a dark golden color with a thick head on it. It has a good flavor to it with a bit of a tang to it. Overall, this is a good beer, but nothing remarkable.

New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire Amber Ale
This ale is a dark golden color with a nice head on it.  This ale has a good wheat beer style flavor to it with some ever-so-slight bitterness at the back of the taste.  Overall, it is a good beer.

Samuel Adams Summmer Ale
This ale had a golden brown color with a thick head on it. The flavor is slightly fruity, light, and has just a hint of bitterness on the back side of the taste. It is a good ale for the hot days of summer.


Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
This IPA has a light golden color with a bit of a head on it. It has a spicy flavor to it with just a hint of bitterness in the middle of the taste. Overall, it is light and refreshing to drink.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA 
This IPA has a golden color to it with a bit of a head on it. This one seems to have a bit more of a kick to it, being more spicy than the 60 Minute IPA. The spiciness of it almost drifts into a fruity flavor. This one is a bit heavier than the 60 Minute IPA, but still an enjoyable drink.

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
This IPA has a dark golden color with a bit of a head on it, but less of a head than the previous two IPAs. The flavor of this one is similar to the previous two IPAs, but the bitter kick at the end of the taste was a bit of a surprise. I expected it to be more hoppy than the previous two, but it was much more than I thought it would be. But it is still a good drink.


Bell's Oberon
This ale is golden in color with a descent head on it. The flavor is that of an ale with just a hint of fruitiness to it and almost no bitterness. The flavor is light and pleasing. Overall, it is a good drink.


Dogfish Head Noble Rot
This light golden colored ale has a nice head on it.  The flavor is like that of a white wine with the hint of grape and a slight musky flavor to it.  Overall, it is a pretty good drink.


Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat
 This beer has a light golden color to it with a large head.  The dominate flavor to it is that of cherry, which one could expect from the name.  There is almost no bitterness to it and overall tastes very good.

To What Purpose?

When one is born, there is a purpose for them to fulfill in the life given them.  So, when that purpose is blocked, and they are prohibited from fulfilling that purpose, what are they to do?  Stand still?  Or choose another purpose to pursue on their own?  If they choose another purpose which is different from that for which they were made, will that purpose be blessed and assisted or cursed and hampered?  If the former, than that proves that there is a higher power than man that can overcome the wishes of man.  If the latter, then that proves that whatever higher power there is, it is either limited in it's power over man or cruel at heart and enjoys creating beings to watch them suffer.  So, which is it???