From Couch Potato to Extreme Athlete … Going Strong at 75 with Dr. Akil Taher

“It’s never too late to change,” states Dr. Akil Taher. At 75, Dr. Taher, author of Open Heart; Transformational Journey of a Doctor Who, After Bypass Surgery at 61, Ran Marathons and Climbed Mountains, is on a mission to share his story of redemption.

Dr. Taher went from a self-proclaimed couch potato to an example of what health can look and feel like when one is a plant-based lifestylist. During this episode of the Health Science Podcast, he shares his transformation journey from a life-threatening health situation to a place of personal and spiritual growth with Dr. Frank Sabatino.

Dr. Taher has practiced as a medical doctor in a number of countries like Bahrain, India, and the United States for over 50 years.

For years, he did not exercise, ate a horrible diet, and prided himself on being a couch potato. Until he ended up on the operating table as an overweight patient with nearly 100% blockage in one of his arteries, he had no idea that his life was about to change…dramatically.

The stents failed, landing him in the hospital a few years later. He was warned to change his lifestyle but threw caution to the wind. “I ended up lonely, sad, and empty inside. I reached a point where I knew something had to change,” he shakes his head.

One more time he was being wheeled into the operating room for open heart surgery. On his way in he turned to the nurse and said, “In a year, I will do a half marathon if everything goes well.”

Find out how he did a complete 180. He began a whole food, plant-based diet, began exercising, got enough sleep, and implemented the Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine.

His book, Open Heart, is a testament to his commitment to inspiring and encouraging people around the globe to lead a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle.


Day 265 of Year 9 Low-SOS Vegan Plan

EXERCISE:
* Jog 5k outdoors – pre-meal
* Lift (ab day) – post meal

WATER:
(2) × (32) = 64 oz (+)


EATS:
* rolled oats w/ water, orchard apple, pomegranate & splash of almond milk
* banana & 4 Trader Joe’s kitty XL-crackers for humans
* clean-out-the-fridge veggie bean soup (mung, garbanzo & black-eyed pea) w/ multi-grain sourdough toast & served over leftover rice

… SUN HAS SET …

* second bowl of soup w/ leftover corn bread muffins

You’re Not the Problem… The Food Is with Dr. John McDougall


Renowned as a board-certified internist, bestselling author, and co-founder of the McDougall Program, Dr. John McDougall’s impactful journey in plant-based nutrition unfolded in a revealing interview with NHA Health Science Podcast’s Dr. Frank Sabatino.

Facing challenges at St. Helena’s Hospital, Dr. McDougall navigated conflicts between profit and patient well-being, advocating for informed consent legislation.

His efforts in Hawaii and California aimed to empower patients, especially those with conditions like breast cancer and diabetes, to make informed choices, showcasing a commitment to transparency.

Discussing a one-year study on multiple sclerosis, Dr. McDougall showcased the McDougall diet’s efficacy in reducing insulin levels and improving fatigue. Notably, a New Zealand study echoed these positive outcomes, affirming the power of plant-based nutrition in managing chronic conditions.

https://www.drmcdougall.com/https://www.drmcdougall.com/

Day 264 of Year 9 Low-SOS Vegan Plan

EXERCISE:
* Jog 20 minutes outside to gym
* Lift (push day @ gym) – triceps, shoulders, upper & mid chest – pre-meal
* Jog 20 minutes outside to home
* Stroll 15 minutes – post meal

WATER:
(2) × (32) = 64 oz (+)


EATS:
* peanuts, fruit & also steamed veggies (leftovers from yesterday’s trays) served over leftover black-eyed pea chile
* gorilla salad w/ crisp bbq’ed soycurl & homemade salsa
* taco XL-shells filled w/ rice, pico de gallo & XL-avocado, pinto beans on side

… SUN HAS SET …

Taco Pie

Sauce Ingredients: ½ cup raw cashews, soaked 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard * ¼ cup water ¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth * 3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast 2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar 1 teaspoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon sweet paprika ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder 2 Tablespoons dried minced onions ½ teaspoon sea salt (+/-) * Bean-Veggie Layer Ingredients: ½ cup yellow onions, fine dice 1 jalapeno pepper, fine dice 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 – [ 15.5 oz can ] black beans, drained and rinsed 1 – [ 15.5 oz. can ] pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup frozen corn 1 to 3 teaspoons lime juice (+/-) ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder 1 teaspoon smoke paprika 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon cumin ½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt (+/-) * Other Ingredients: 8 – 6-inch tortillas (or 4 to 6 – 8-inch tortillas) * Optional Ingredients: Chopped fresh cilantro Chopped avocados Shredded lettuce Chopped tomatoes Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. 2. Line the bottom of a small casserole baking dish (or an 8-inch spring-loaded cheesecake pan) with parchment paper. 3. Make the sauce. Place the cashews into a small bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 15 minutes, or place the cashews into a small stockpot and boil for 10 minutes, drain off the water, then place them into a high-speed blender with all the remaining Sauce Ingredients and blend on high until smooth and creamy. 4. While the cashews are soaking, make the Bean-Veggie Layer. Place the diced onions, bell pepper, and jalapeno into a non-stick skillet and sauté for approximately 8 to 9 minutes until tender. If the veggies start to stick splash a little water in the pan. 5. Then add all the remaining Bean-Veggie Ingredients into the pan, saute, stirring constantly until heated through, approximately 3 minutes. Then remove from the stove and set aside. 6. Crisp the tortillas: Place the tortillas onto a large baking sheet and place into a preheated 400 F oven and toast until lightly crisp, approximately 5 minutes, then remove. 7. Assemble the casserole: Place one 6-inch tortilla on the bottom of the spring-form pan, then take one 6-inch tortilla and cut it in half and place it on the sides to cover the bottom of the 8-inch spring-form pan (see notes below). Then take ¼ of the bean-veggie mixture and place it on top of the tortillas and spread into a thin layer. Cover the veggie layer with ¼ cup of the sauce, then repeat 3 more times, ending with sauce on top. Note: Don’t worry if the sauce doesn’t completely cover the entire veggie layers. 8. Place the taco pie into a preheated 400 F oven and place a baking sheet over top (cookie sheet) to lock in the heat and bake for 20 minutes until heated through. 9. Serve topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, avocadoes and cilantro. Cut into wedges, enjoy! For notes, updates & add-ons click:

What should we believe and who can we trust?

Dec 4, 2023

By Dr. Tess Lawrie

Events of the past week in relation to the New Zealand population data share have been confusing to say the least. With so much contradictory information and intrigue, people have been left wondering what to believe and who to trust. How do we check and verify the integrity of these NZ data and, for that matter, of any other data and events occurring around the world in the name of health, freedom and sovereignty?


Just as we can be sure that academic science has been infiltrated and corrupted, one can be certain that truth and freedom movements have too.

With unprecedented excess deaths being recorded on official databases and witnessed by ordinary people in most countries, do these NZ data add to what we already know about the covid-19 vaccines? That they are harming and killing people worldwide?

No it doesn’t.  

So the answer to the question, whom can we trust is simple. We must trust ourselves, we must trust our own intuition, and we must trust our own hearts.

The old world with its non-sensical, corrupt, and anti-human rules and regulations is crumbling fast. We are in the process of creating the new. A new healthy, sovereign and equitable world where we all have what we need to thrive is not for everyone, especially the minority interest groups that have captured our governments and are dead-set on owning us.

It has been said that civilisations progress through the following sequence:

‘From bondage to spiritual faith,

From spiritual faith to great courage,

From courage to liberty,

From liberty to abundance,

From abundance to complacency,

From complacency to apathy,

From apathy to dependence,

From dependence back into bondage.’**

We are at the end of this sequence. We are in bondage. A civilisation is on its way out, thrashing and destroying as it goes. So let’s be careful, let’s step back. Let it thrash and crumble, and let’s avoid getting caught in the rubble.

For we are all precious.

Every loving man, woman and child is needed for the better world we are creating afresh.

So let’s hold onto our loving kindness and compassion for one another, including for those who wish us harm, find that great courage and spiritual faith inside each and every one of us, and keep moving steadily in the direction of our liberty. Just like the sun rises every day, our freedom and a better world are assured.

https://drtesslawrie.substack.com/p/what-should-we-believe-and-who-can?r=o554c&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

**The quote has been attributed to the Scottish historian Alexander Fraser Tyler but may originally come from Henning W. Prentis.