bring on the polyphenols

if you looked at a graph of my blood work over the past couple of years, you would notice that as soon as i started working at an olive mill/buying more high-polyphenol oils and adding them to my diet, it steadily improved my numbers.

my cholesterol was never bad, but i told my doctor about my intentional experiment to see what would happen and and it's true--i just got my results yesterday--olive oil really does work!

no fixes worth doing are usually quick; it took time and was done in tandem with other healthy lifestyle factors.  but it's really the only major thing i changed. (also upping soluble fiber, pre & probiotics, and fermented foods for inner diversity--there are so many delicious foods in these categories). adding high-polyphenol oils into my daily routine over the span of two years dramatically increased my HDL good cholesterol, lowered my bad LDL cholesterol and, even at 50 years old, my triglycerides are that of a healthy 20-year-old!

for me it's all about a sustainable healthy lifestyle which really does mean moderation and enjoyment. i aim for an overall 80/20 life rhythm. 80 percent discipline and 20 percent not so much.  it keeps me motivated for the long-haul, because if we're lucky to live a long time this is a marathon, not a sprint.

i'm not a fitness fanatic, but i make sure to always be moving my body as much as possible simply because it feels good (even if all i can do on a busy day is to park further from the store or take stairs instead of an elevator).   

i enjoy my hens' eggs as well as full-fat dairy products and dark chocolate.  i cook at home and pack my own lunch, but i also dine out as part of connecting with my community.  it's all about the ratios.  think like a European--don't deprive yourself but mind the portion size.  plus fat isn't what makes us fat (it's chemicals, sugar, fake foods, and weirdly-processed unpronounceable multi-syllabic nutrient-depleted things created in factory labs). 

what else makes for my healthy heart?  relaxation/massage, friendship, talking about and expressing my full range of feelings, laughter, and naps/lots of sleep.  that and getting quiet and creative or being "in the zone" of focused imagination and play. 

i also find it helps to have some kind of prayer or way to relinquish things beyond our control.  (i've had more than a big dose of both concentrated/prolonged stress & grief combined which makes everything else here all the more important.) and even throughout that time, my lab work moved steadily in a beautiful direction.

so call up those friends, find your mantra, have a good cry now and then, get your body moving in ways that you look forward to, put on a silly movie, and go ahead--slather your meal in EVOO.  your heart will thank you!