Clint and Melanie's Health

This year was pretty life changing for our health.  I knew I would have to address whether or not I carried the BRCA mutation that would make my lifetime chance of breast cancer 90%.  Both Julie and Dana tested positive and it has been very challenging to process.  I had the baby blues after Paul's birth.  This was something I had not had to deal with before.  I knew I wasn't mentally prepared to deal with devastating news and put off the BRCA testing. 

At Clint's annual exam in August it was decided by he and his doctor that it was time to address his cholesterol.  His LDL (bad cholesterol) was 204!  We were referred to a cardiologist in Tulsa.  Clint has always been fairly healthy, but he clearly has a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol.  Clint went ahead and had a CT exam of his heart and it showed a 25-50% blockage of his widow maker (left descending artery).  We were strongly encouraged to start taking a statin.  Clint and I wanted to tackle his cholesterol by diet and exercise with the goal of getting his LDL below 100.

We pretty much removed all saturated fat except lean meats (no cheese), egg yolks, white flours, and refined sugars from our diets.  Clint immediately lost 35 lbs.  Me, not so much.  This baby weight is extremely attached to me. We started eating mostly organic which has been an adventure.  We are now part of several co-op type food services.  We have not had a pizza or burger since last August!  Clint cut out all beer consumption (but increased his red wine intake significantly. You got to have some treat).  I started cooking pretty much 3 meals a day, 7 days a week mostly everything from scratch.  Clint comes home for lunch almost every day now.  We've always had pretty much a whole foods diet with a weekly splurge.  Now there just is no splurge (and no bacon.)

Clint started running or lifting weights daily again.  I didn't really work out since I was always in the kitchen.

Thanksgiving week I had my BRCA test done.  I gained 14 lbs in December waiting on results!  I was sooooo stressed.  In December Clint had his cholesterol re-tested.  Clint's LDL cholesterol was down to 104!!!!  Our hard work paid off!  I got my results back and I tested negative for the mutation!!!

I think this picture is an accurate depiction of how skinny Clint is now and how much gut and according to Sawyer, "big, I mean really really big booty" I still have!  Since we'll be eating this way for the.rest.of.our.life I'm sure it will come off someday.  .  .