Florin(Romania) Liver Steatosis, Diabetes, Obesity all GONE

[FlorinB]

I think here is the right place to tell my story and especially the story of my family, I’m sorry for putting this story in too many topics here but at the beginning I did not know where to put it. Now I am 100% sure the right topic for our story is this one, TESTIMONIES.

Hello to everyone, I am very glad to be here, a member on Dr. McDougall’s Discussion Board.

My name is Florin Bolocan, I am from Romania, at least 11000 miles away from Santa Rosa, California.
I would like to share with you all the benefits that come in only 5 months of a plant based diet, for me and my wife.

I am 26 years old and I'm 5,9 feet tall ( I hope I wrote ok in US units, or Europe units, 1,80m tall) and in December 2008 I was 220 pounds.

My wife is 27 years, 5,5 feet tall (or 1,67m of height) and in December she was 147 pounds.

We have here in Romania, an extraordinary doctor, Virgiliu Stroescu, a vegetarian doctor who apears on different tv stations (names of tv programs sound like this: Hrana care ucide (Food That Kills), Beneficiile unei alimentatii vegetariene (The Benefits of Vegetarian Way of Life), Prea multe kilograme (Far Too Many Pounds), Ne sapam groapa cu dintii (WE DIG OUR GRAVE WITH OUR TEETH extraordinary title), and many many other tv programs.

Here is the link towards the tv programs in Romanian of course, in the last 3 years he was present in almost 50 tv programs each one of 1h or more.
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=v ... mb=0&aq=f# but I only wanted to show you what is happening here.

This wonderful doctor brought on many TV programs the book, Studiul China in Romanian (The China Study) and he showed it to the world, I bought it, I read it and so I discovered a NEW world, I discovered Dr. T Colin Campbell, I discovered Dr John McDougall and his wonderfull wife Mary, Caldwell Esselstyn. Jeff Novick and many many other important names: Dean Ornish, John Robbins, Michael Klaper, Jay Gordon.

I bought the book for my parents, my grand parents, my friends I have shared all the information with my colleagues and a lot of things have started to CHANGE.

In December 2008 (six months ago) at only 26 years old I was having:

- Steatosis 2nd degree towards 3rd degree Triglycerides almost 300 and TGP and TGO far from the maximum limit (it is a liver disease which makes the liver very fat and very big, I am sure you know what I am talking about) - only because of the junk food that I used to eat. One doctor told me that I am going towards Cirrhosis and finally, LIVER CANCER in a few years

- Type 2 diabetes (127 the blood sugar and the normal interval here is between 60-105, at the first hour in the morning without eating anything.

- Obesity (I was 220 pounds and 5,9 feet tall, so the BMI was at least 31)

- My total cholesterol was 159 and the LDL was 87 (apparently ok, but wait and see the results after 4-5 months)

- My wife was and still has high level of cholesterol. But I am sure that in 1-2 years she will be much better. She had the total cholesterol 247 and the LDL 130

- Her BMI was almost ok, BMI 24 at the limit, but we can say ok, 5,5 feet tall and 147 pounds

On the 1st of January 2009 I decided to quit eating meat and all the dairy products that I was eating before, and my extraordinary wife decided to support me and she began eating with me the same things.

Many months before this decision we have learned a few new meals.

And so let’s take a look at the results in only 4-5 months of a plant-based diet.

- From 220 pounds I’ve lost 30 pounds (of course with exercise also) so now I’m 190 pounds and my BMI from 31 is 26.

- The most important thing my blood work for my liver are perfect now, Triglycerides 110 (bellow 140 so ok), my abdominal echography is perfect, the dimensions of my liver are perfect, the TGP and the TGO are perfect also.

(And please read carefully what MY DOCTOR told me: “And you don’t eat at all animal products ??? Fish ??? Dairy Products ??? Eggs ??? … You must eat, because they contain a protein which is far superior, and they cannot harm you” I looked at her, she is in her mid 40 years, so she is not old, and I couldn’t shut my mouth and I told her: “How is this protein superior to the vegetable protein ??? How ??? Please let’s make a test, a blood work who says that this is superior to that one. With all the cholesterol that kills us world wide, with all the antibiotics, with 0 carbohydrates, with 0 fibers to make the intestines work ok without getting colon cancer, please tell me HOW is this protein superior ???

She stood and looked once again at my blood work and she kept her mouth shut for a few moments.

- After that she looked at my blood sugar, after 2-3 months it was 98 and now is 82 (60-105 the normal value here in Romania) so I got cured from type 2 diabetes.

- Then she looked at my cholesterol, from 159 before, it’s 111 now, and we are talking about the total cholesterol, my LDL from 87 was now 57

My doctor she was was astonished, in only 4-5 months I got rid of: STEATOSIS, Type 2 DIABETES and OBESITY.

She finally said, you are ok (a little bit sad) you don’t need any drugs; I can’t give you any prescription. I almost started laughing and I told her that I am not here to ask her for a prescription, I am here only to investigate the results and to see what can do a plant-based diet.

- My wife's cholesterol from 247 is 200 now, her LDL descended from 130 to 110.
- She has lost 13 pounds from 147 to 133 pounds and she is 5,5 feet, her BMI descended from the limit 24 to 21.9

- We feel better than ever, the sensation of sleep after all the ancient meals it's gone, the sensation of heaviness is also gone
- We live at the 10th floor in a 10floors building and we don't use the elevator anymore, not even when we have groceries.
- We work out on an elliptical magnetical bicycle (I hope I said ok) once every 2-3 days, aprox. 10km each of us. 200calories my wife, 500calories me.

I finally convinced my mother, to follow this diet, a plant-based diet, she is 54 years old, she has type 2 diabetes, she had 2 coronary attacks 2 months ago, obesity and other health issues.
In only 3 weeks, she had her blood sugar 130 and now is 115, she lost 20 pounds her BMI was 43 and is 39. She feels much better now. And she was convinced by the results seen on me and my wife.

I won’t ever stop telling everybody that A PLANT-BASED DIET (low on FAT) is the key to a healthy life, strong heart, no obesity, prevents many type of cancers, and if possible Organic food is the best for our health.

I hope I haven’t bored you with all the details, but things are complex and the RESULTS of a PLANT-BASED DIET are EXTRAORDINARY

[Faith in DC]

Bored? Heck no. You are an inspiration. First off, Wow, your comand on the English Language is wonderful. I can't believe you actually read all those books as some get technical. I am also totally impressed that Romania has programs like those you mention. Remarkable. I don't in my area of the United States. I wish I did, maybe then someone would take me serious on this way to eat. But I see you also had problems even with those shows.

Florin - be proud you have recaptured your health. I hope you stick around and join us on the board.

[Mrs. Doodlepunk]

Florin, I have enjoyed reading your story each time I stumbled upon it here! I NEVER get tired of reading about people getting healthy and feeling good!

[aussie]

Wow. That's really inspirational. Congratulations and thanks for sharing.

[sigma957]

That's fantastic! I wouldn't even think of climbing ten flights of stairs. Keep up the great work!

Barbara

[chmouse]

FlorinB ~

Thank you for your inspiring story! I am impressed with all the study and reading you did to prepare yourself for this plant based diet. Please keep posting here about your future progress and that of your family.

I have seen NO programs on the television in my area of the U.S. that mention vegetarian or vegan eating. Maybe this is because the population of hogs and cattle in this area far outnumbers the human population. Not very many folks here think about eating any other way than the Standard American Diet (SAD).

[Starchyme]

Florin and wife, what a success story it is! So happy you chose to join us and tell us your inspirational story. Wishing you both, as well as your mother, much success on your paths toward great health. Congratulations!

[FlorinB]

Thank you all, thank you for your kind words.

On the 1st of January this year we decided to try this way of life for 1 year, and at the end of this year we will decide if we are going to keep this path.

But only if we take a look at all the benefits that already came in only 4-5 months I think that this will be our path for the many years to come.

Thank you once again.

And remember that the beginning is a little bit difficult because you need a strong reason to renounce to all of the so called "tasty products" but the results will keep on coming each single day.

Today with the knowledge shared by John McDougall, Caldwell Esselstyn, Colin Campbell, Jeff Novick, John Robbins, Jay Gordon, and many many others we only have to decide WHICH OF THE NUMEROUS REASONS WE CAN TAKE FOR THE BASE OF OUR DECISION TO CHANGE OUR LIFE, TO BE HEALTHY AND IN MORE RESPECT WITH THE NATURE ???

And remember another thing the so called "tasty products" like animal products equals many many diseases, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis and many many awful disease.

There can be a lot of taste in the plant based diet we only need a little bit of imagination.

After only 5 months I can really say that our way of eating before was not at all varied, meat, dairy products, potatoes (french fries), some salad, pizza and that was about all.

Today on a plant based diet, almost every week we find another combination of tasty meal.

[Nettie]

Congratulations, Florin, for your and your wife's success! You must feel wonderful. And good for you for standing up to your doctor!

Nettie

[Mommylut]

Florin-
You have written such a lovely and inspirational story. Thanks for sharing. I guess McDougalling is the same in any language!

[ivy]

wonderful story!!!

[FlorinB]

I have some more updates to share with you all.

I had 222 pounds (5,9 feet) my goal is 165 and now I'am at 178. I've lost 44pounds in 15 months eating a healthy vegan diet. I am sure the last 13 pounds will go away in a few months, now my BMI is 25.

But the biggest improvement is in my health my total cholesterol has dropped to an astonishing number of 108 ! My LDL is around 50.

My health is better than ever. The health of my familly is better than ever.

My wife has also lost about 22 pounds, from 148 pounds (5,48feet) to 126 pounds. Her BMI is 20,8 ! I'am very happy for her especially because her total cholesterol dropped from around 250 to 163 in 15 months and I'm sure it will continue to go down.

This way of life is the best thing that could have happened to me and my familly.
Thank you dr. John McDougall, thank you Jeff Novick, thanks to all the others Colin Cambpell, Caldwell Esselstyn, Joel Furhman, Jay Gordon, Lila & Jeffrey Masson, Neal Bernard, John Robbins, Ruth Heidrich, Rip Esselstyn, Max Gerson, Charlotte Gerson, Howard Strauss, rev. Heng Sure, Virgiliu Stroescu, Calin Margineanu...

Thnak you all once again for being there for us, for helping us in these crazy days.

With all the respect in the world,
Florin Bolocan

[Faith in DC]

That is so wonderful and you did it the proper way, you worked the program, kept learning and didn't worry about time. You just kept (and keep) aiming for the health.

I'm so glad you can find the material over there.

[ivy]

Thanks so much for posting this update! This was wonderful to read.

[DangerousKiwi]

Thanks for the update! That's great that your family is doing so well. It's also good to see that the word is spreading in other countries and that you have so many great resources.