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Paleo Reverses the Aging Process

By Monica Bravo Leave a Comment

Today’s post is from Robert Louque, from New Orleans. We got in contact from a Facebook group called NOLA Paleo. 

My Paleo journey is not anything glamorous and did not involve any serious medical conditions.  It was sparked by photographs friends posted on Facebook during Mardi Gras this year.    I knew I was gaining weight but those photographs painted a complete picture and I could no longer deny that I had quite the gut.

I first heard about the Paleo Diet one of my law professors at a CLE late last year.  At that time, the Paleo lifestyle made a lot of sense but it did not seem realistic for a busy attorney juggling a full time private practice on top of a part time position with the Public Defender’s office in Jefferson Parish.  After seeing those Mardi Gras photographs, I started doing a little more research and came across one of Robb Wolf’s post about the 30 day challenge to change to a Paleo lifestyle.   That day I packed almost everything in my cabinets in Rubbermaid containers to be donated to family members and I jumped right into a Paleo lifestyle.   I have never been one to ease into anything and Paleo was not going to be any different.     That was in March and I have not looked back since that time.  

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Filed Under: Testimonial Tuesday Tagged With: before and after, Healthy Eating, healthy living, new orleans food, success, weight loss

Louisiana Girl in a Paleo World

By Monica Bravo 1 Comment

Today’s testimonial is written by one of my closest friends, Christina Grishman. She gives more proof that it TRULY is possible to eat Paleo in college and in nursing school. 

paleo in college

Living in a city like Baton Rouge, I found myself constantly surrounded by a myriad of late-night drive-thru restaurants, a plethora of fro-yo shops and local Louisiana kitchens, all of which compose the backbone of most college students’ diets. Approximately six months ago, I decided to make a lifestyle change after I researched information regarding the Paleolithic Diet. Typically, this nutritional plan, also referred to as the “caveman diet,” consists mainly of vegetables, eggs, fruit, nuts, fish, and grass-fed pasture raised meats.  It excludes grains, dairy products, legumes, potatoes, processed oils and refined salt and sugar.  

Before becoming a modern-day “cavewoman,” I maintained what I thought to be a relatively healthy diet. Frequently, my eating regime would include protein, some dairy products, whole-wheat foods, hummus, pita bread, a variety of salads and fruit. (Many of these foods include hidden sugars, processed flours, etc.) Consequently, during the first few days and weeks of my transition to the Paleo Diet, my body underwent a detoxification process. I experienced daily cravings; however, I made sure not to give in to these “diet crashers.” I kept reminding myself, “mind over matter,” and after a brief period of time, the cravings for “carbs on carbs on carbs” diminished successfully.

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Filed Under: Testimonial Tuesday Tagged With: before and after, Paleo, Primal, success

Heart Disease Saved My Life

By Monica Bravo 10 Comments

So when it comes to how I got here, you first may want to know how my dad got here. He was the biggest motivation in changing my lifestyle and in creating this blog. His prologue explains his medical issues that occurred in May 2010, and this testimonial explains why he says,”Heart Disease Saved My Life”.

 

heart-disease saved my life

I realize that this is a strange tag line, perhaps thought provoking, but it’s true.  My current heart situation made me focus on the question, “How did this happen to me?”  I mean really focus!  In essence my heart disease led me down a lifestyle path that I believe will not only stop but reverse my progression of atherosclerosis (plaque) and allow me to live to life expectancy and beyond.   My previous rant was written in the middle of the night in St. Tammany Hospital’s CCU unit, three years ago, about how I got to this point in my life.  This process of reflection, research and study has brought me to some conclusions that are undeniable.  First and foremost is that I am truly blessed!   Wait a second, you have four stents and are on your third pacemaker!  Yes, but I shouldn’t be here!  Heart Disease is the number one killer in this country, more fatalities than all the cancers combined.  Fifty percent of all guys find out they have a heart problem in a box!  I am here to talk about it!  If you clicked on the link above, you know I had a 90% widow maker blockage and my body miraculously created collaterals through endurance training to avoid a fatal heart attack.  I have had no further plaque progression since my original stents, confirmed by an angiogram last August.  Keep in mind, stents are only a band aid, the problem is plaque production.  The latest theories on heart disease revolve around sub-particle LDL.  Multiple VAP test have confirmed that I have had a significant shift from small particle LDL (Bad) to large particle LDL (good) strictly by lifestyle.  I am leaner now than when I did years of ironman training over ten years ago, and I haven’t ran, biked or swam a mile in over three years, losing 35 pounds in the process.  I am back to a 32 inch waist, which hasn’t happened since college, and at age 52 seems a lifetime ago.  I know what you’re asking, “How did you do that?”  We are not there yet!  Walk with me some more.

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Filed Under: Testimonial Tuesday Tagged With: Healthy, Healthy Eating, Healthy Life, heart disease, losing weight, Paleo, Primal, success, weight loss

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Monica Bravo Hi, I'm Dr. Monica Bravo! I am a Resident Physician working towards being a Board-Certified Dermatologist. I'm a real foodie enthusiast, aspiring cook, and long time food blogger. I want to help my readers eat healthier, one meal at a time! Read more!

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