My Journey - Blog # 22
Hi Everyone! Welcome back to another Friday blog. When I started researching and writing the blogs, I told you all that I would share my own journey of healing with you. I can tell you that I was overweight, tired all the time, sick of trying everything to lose weight - and get my cholesterol down by eating lots of vegetables, salads and legumes...without medication. It wasn’t working. I was so exhausted coming home from work, all I wanted to do was sit down and have a glass of wine, or two... I had been reading a lot of studies about how extra virgin olive oil lowered cholesterol, protected your heart and helped prevent diabetes. But, how does it do this - and how much should I consume?
In 1960, Dr. Ancel Keys studied 12,000 men in 7 countries looking at their diets, health and longevity. Of all the countries and men studied, the men of Crete were the least likely to develop heart disease. Not only that, but 30 some odd years later when following up, the men from all other countries had died, but over 50% of the men from Crete were still living. “The low-risk Cretan ''is a shepherd or small farmer, a beekeeper or fisherman, or a tender of olives or vines,'' adding: ''He walks to work daily. His midday main meal is of eggplant with large mushrooms, crisp vegetables and country bread dipped in olive oil. Once a week there is a bit of lamb. Once a week there is chicken. Twice a week there is fish fresh from the sea. Other meals are hot dishes of legumes seasoned with meats and condiments. The main dish is followed by a tangy salad, then by dates, Turkish sweets, nuts or fresh fruits. A sharp local wine completes the meal.''
There are other articles describing how Cretans drink a glass of olive oil before a hard day of fishing or goat herding. The Greeks, on average, consume 1 L per person per week. That’s about 4 tablespoons per day, plus more for cooking. I was determined to get my health in check. I’m a goal-setter. I believe that in order to make a change you actually have to make a plan, set goals and implement a strategy. Goal # 1. get my cholesterol down for 2020.
So January 1, I started drinking 2 Tablespoons of high polyphenol EVOO with fresh squeezed lemon every morning on an empty stomach. I figured I might gain weight, after all it is fat and has a lot of calories. However, I was willing to try if it could help lower my cholesterol without taking statin drugs. I had no idea at that time that cholesterol IS NOT the bad guy- it is triglycerides and insulin!!
I knew I would get my bloodwork done in February and I wanted to see exactly how much the EVOO would lower my cholesterol after taking it for a month. After the first 2 weeks, I increased to 4 Tablespoons every morning.
The research clearly demonstrates the benefits are dose-dependent- the more you consume, the greater the health benefits. Several studies touted how it helped clean your liver too and I wanted to see for myself.
I began to notice improved energy levels, excitement on waking for the day and joint pain was going away! I had several patients that were sick with the flu as well as this was the start of Covid! One patient literally coughed in my face without covering her mouth as I was taking her blood pressure. I had not gotten the flu shot. I thought, “great. Just in time for me to get the flu before going on my trip with Charles to Chicago for my birthday.” But, I never got sick... Not even a sniffle. Every year, I would get a sinus infection or a bad cold, but not 2020. Not a cold, not the flu, not Covid. It boosted my immune system.
In February, 5 weeks after starting the EVOO, I got my bloodwork done. When I got the results, I was stunned. My cholesterol dropped 78 points in 5 weeks. I couldn’t believe how fast it happened!! Not only that, but my kidney function went from 78% to 94.7%!!!! WHAT???? Okay. I’m in the medical field. Kidney function DOESN’T EVER IMPROVE!! It’s unheard of. Not only that, but I had dropped 10lbs without even realizing it. I could fit in some jeans I hadn’t been able to wear in a few years! (Just in time for my trip!) I had to find out what was happening to me. How could I be losing weight without even trying?? I hadn’t been to the gym in months and I was NOT dieting. I began researching, delving into study after study, trying to tweeze out HOW the EVOO was making this happen. After all, I’m consuming 500 calories BEFORE I’ve even had my coffee!!
As I began discovering ALL the amazing things EVOO does for your body, I wanted to share with everyone else. This is when I started the Friday blogs. The studies are there. There are a LOT of studies. Doctors and the medical community as a whole are not aware - they don’t tell the American public about what EVOO can do for you because they can’t sell a pill!!! They don’t tell you the HORRIBLE side-effects of statin drugs, such as muscle wasting, diabetes, heart failure, obesity and more...like death. No thanks. LOL.
Some mornings I skip breakfast and extend my overnight fast. When I eat breakfast it now includes pasture- raised organic eggs (3-4), a side of cottage cheese with microgreens and tomatoes, pre & probiotics. I drink 4T high polyphenol EVOO with fresh squeezed lemon and enjoy an organic full-fat whole milk (organic A-2 casein) latte. I try hard to eat a balanced diet rich with fresh fruits, vegetables, wild-caught fish, grassfed beef, pastured chicken and some legumes with full fat organic dairy. I have omitted the bread, pasta and grains. I have 1-2 glasses of wine a couple days/week -consistent with the Mediterranean way of eating. I eat fresh in season, local, organic and grass-fed as much as I can. And yes...dark chocolate is a food group. LOL. I avoid pesticides and plastics (they are endocrine annihilators). I drink a lot of water. Rule of thumb = drink your body weight in oz of clean filtered water per day!! If you don’t filter your water - you become the filter! So important!!!! I lost 55# since January, without trying! I’m now at my ideal weight. When I started, I had no idea the EVOO would help me lose weight! Charles started doing it with me and lost #30! We jokingly said that between the two of us we lost 3 whole grandkids in weight! Lol. I am consuming about 500 calories every morning before I’ve even had my coffee. I feel full and satisfied for several hours and have lots of energy. My stomach has shrunk and all bloating is gone, so I don’t eat the quantity of food I used to consume. Charles’ chronic back pain is gone! We bought kayaks and started living again. It was the unexpected weight loss, improved kidney function, normalized cholesterol and triglycerides, diminished joint pain, improved digestion and feeling of well-being that spurred me to do more research that led to these blogs.
I am still researching. I DON’T miss my EVOO shot in the mornings. I FEEL GOOD! I no longer feel like “give me the wine and no one will get hurt!” LOL. When your body heals itself from the inside out, everything works better! Digestion has NEVER in my life been so easy and normal. When I go to the grocery store and look at the price on some of the organic foods, I think “this is my medicine.” I don’t ever want to be on any prescription medication. Food is cheaper than medication and doctor’s visits. You can heal your body with the proper food. When I’m shopping, I choose a variety of colors in peppers, onions and greens that give me a variety of phytonutrients that feed the microbiome and decrease inflammation.
EVOO enhances the uptake and bioavailability of these health-promoting nutrients, while providing an array of polyphenols! High polyphenol EVOO is the super-food that will allow you to enjoy life. If you are obese and don’t feel good, have a fatty liver, slow digestion, high cholesterol, blood pressure problems and low energy, how can you fully enjoy life? It has changed my entire world and has allowed me to enjoy life again and return to a sport I really love.
So, until next time my friends…Drink, Drizzle, Digest HP-EVOO 2-4T raw daily, - use more for cooking and drizzling onto your food - eat the rainbow of organic or wild-sourced or organic veggies (7-9 C) and low-glycemic fruits (to get the rainbow of gut microbes!) - eat wild-caught, pasture-raised, grass-fed - get plenty of sunshine - supplement magnesium, zinc, vitamin D3 + K2 - get your trace minerals and electrolytes with good sea salt *Himalayan was formed before plastics - eat foods high in lutein - drink your body weight in oz of water - get a good pre/probiotic - consume digestible and indigestible fiber for your gut microbes - adaptogens (such as mushrooms) and methylation donors (kale, beets, spinach, cruciferous, lion’s mane…), marjoram, rosemary, oregano, parsley and other herbs to detox, enhance overall health and reverse aging and disease - exercise your body and mind - add a few minutes of mindful meditation to your day to combat stress - take a hot Epsom salt bath and follow with a cold shower/ice plunge - practice “earthing” as an anti-inflammatory - remove EMF (electromagnetic frequency) devices and blue light - use IR (infrared) from incandescent lighting, non-toxic candle or light a fire to enhance sleep and...turn off the light!! #HP-EVOO
Comments (11)
Such an inspiring message . Thanks .
That is me .
Your story is so inspiring! With the info from you through all your blogs, I am on a plan to change my life too. High blood pressure and hypothyroidism have plagued me for years! The medicines have devastating side effects. Thank you for caring for others through your research!
what is a good pre/probiotic that you recommend and how do you take these with greens? In a smoothie?
Do you still have the EVOO as part of your morning routine?
Love this blog, Julie! I’ve been buying olive oil from Charlie for years. Eating and cooking with olive oil my entire life, I had no idea about actually consuming it by the tablespoon. I’m going to give it a try. I have high cholesterol and have taken statins drugs for the last 40 years. I would love nothing better then to get off of these meds. Thank you!!
Great article! What EVOO from your store do you recommend for this? It’s about time for me to order again🥰
This is an inspiring blog! Which EVOO oil from The Virgin Olive Oiler to you recommend?
Hi Sherry!
Thanks for your comment. Since I don’t work at his shop – and he gets the freshest oils available after harvest from all over the world – I recommend looking closely at the robust EVOOs. They will have the highest polyphenols and should be listed. This is the one I saw online with polyphenol count at 511!
Best health and well-being to you!
Julie
Hi Dee!
Thank you for your comment!! I recommend the highest polyphenol available. You can go to the website, choose a robust EVOO and the polyphenol count is listed. It changes because he gets the freshest oils available, so I always recommend checking the freshest oils!! Here is a link to the current highest polyphenol EVOO.
Wishing you the best of health!!
Julie
Can’t wait to get some ELOO and try this breakfast routine! So ENJOYED MEETING YOU!