FeeFiFoFum, I smell the blood of a Vegetari-un

Thanks so much everyone for all the get well messages!  I don't have any answers yet, but as the lab results come in, I can certainly share what is good about them.  Here are some of my blood values from now compared to one year ago, before the 100-day vegan challenge:

Glucose:  1-yr ago = 85     today = 84
(In 2001 I was bringing in blood sugar numbers way over 100 and brought it down with diet and weight loss, so yay me!  And I just want to point out that I get these kind of blood sugar numbers even though I am eating a lower-protein, whole grain carb and fruit-heavy VEGAN diet.  You don't have to go low-carb to control your blood sugar, folks!)

Total Cholesterol:  1-yr ago = 162     today = 156

HDL:  1=yr ago = 69   today = 61

LDL:  1-yr ago = 84  today 83

Triglycerides:  1-yr ago = 44     today = 50

So all that's pretty great, right?  I'm probably not going to get diabetes or die of heart disease in the near future.  Unfortunately, the panel gets less brag-tastic after that.  I don't know what a lot of it means so I'll wait to get more info before I blab on.

But enough about me...


So before I get into the whole Fermentation discussion, I wanted to share a recent recipe.  These are Banana-Orange-Corn Pancakes and Strawberry Sauce.  The kids loved 'em!

Banana-Orange Corn Pancakes
1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 banana, mashed
3 eggs
juice of one orange
pinch of cinnamon
few sprinkles of any whole grain flour to make a thick batter

Mix together all the ingredients.  Fry em up in a lightly oiled pan and serve with or without...

Strawberry Sauce
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1/4 cup water
1 T ground flaxseeds or agar agar powder to thicken

Blend all in blender to desired thickness.

Next subject is Fermentation:
So, what's the deal with fermented stuff and why would I want to eat it?  Fermented things are pickles, pickled vegetables, kimchee, kefir, sauerkraut, sourdough bread starter, rejuvelac, kombucha, yogurt, etc.  These are all kinds of different items that we can make in our homes and as they ferment, they are enriched with helpful yeasts and bacterias from the air, such as the all-important Lactobacillus acidophilus.  Sure you can buy these products from the store, but then they will be pasteurized and it's questionable how many of the good germs survive the process.  All of those good bacteria help us with proper digestion and keep harmful diseases and other bacteria in control. 

In fact, whatever my problem is health wise at the moment, is probably due to some of the bad guys who have run rampant and done some damage.  Most digestive disorders, such as Crohn's, IBS, ulcer, Colitis, chronic diarrhea, bloating and gas, leaky gut syndrome, food allergies and intolerances, parasitic infection, Celiac, Candida, and even some cancers, often take hold in a poor digestive flora environment.  If you were not breastfed, have taken a lot of antibiotics in your life, have eaten a poor diet with lots of sugar and processed foods, or have been on hormonal birth control for a long time, you too may have an imbalance in your gut bacteria.

I have long wanted to try making some of these items and getting sick has been the impetus to get on it.  Here we have some sourdough starter bubbling along...

and here is some kimchee

I will let you know how they come out.  I'm a little dubious about the sourdough.  I can't decide if it smells horrible (which means it got invaded by bad bacteria) or if just smells sourdough-y?  At any rate, if these turn out good and I don't kill myself eating them, I will definitely pass along the recipes and how-to. 

If you are a successful fermenter yourself, PLEASE share your tips and advice with me and the readers!

(Disclaimer:  Remember folks, I am not a doctor and whatever you read here is my opinion.  Always, use your own common sense and the advice of a trusted medical practitioner!)