Forever Young?

My quest for health began 12 years ago, New Year's 1998, when I was so huge I couldn't find decent clothes to wear to a party.  My efforts were renewed along the way, with various health wakeup calls...high arterial calcification, high LDL cholesterol, rising blood pressure...
In these years I've gone from 315 pounds to 190 pounds, from a size 56L jacket to a 42L jacket, from 18"  to 15 1/2" dress shirts, from 2XL or 3XL to M or L shirts and sweaters, and from a 48 inch to an honest 36 inch waist.  My LDL cholesterol has fallen to near 100, while my HDL cholesterol has risen to near 70.  My blood pressure which was as high on a daily basis as 140/85 now averages 110/65, and my waking heart rate has dropped from 65 to a consistent 40.
Getting to where I am and setting realistic and sound goals for the future has involved continual change and adjustment.  Many things I considered "health facts" a decade ago I now know to be false.  In fact, the only real constant has been change - learning how to best take care of my one and only body and brain.
There have been many fundamental paradigm shifts along the way.  Perhaps most fundamental has been my dietary changes, essentially switching from eating what I "liked" and was "hungry for" until I was "full", to eating what and how much I've determined that my body wants me to eat.
Much of the dietary transition could have been predicted, as I am now a vegetarian.  That is, from being a guy who was known by his friends for eating "slab-o-beef" on a daily basis, from 24 ounce bone-in cowboy rib-eye's cooked in butter to someone who now grows his own sprouts, wheatgrass and buckwheat lettuce and who grinds his own fresh organic grains.  I've been a raw food vegan for a period of time along the way, but have now settled into a comfortable balanced view.  Perhaps half of my calories still come from raw fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetables, but I'm not religious about it.  I have even eaten some poultry from reliable sources, and also sometimes eat egg and dairy products.
It's not about being fanatical, just about being healthy.  We all have to figure out what works for us.
I've learned a lot these years, about diet, exercise, nutrition and natural cures, and I've decided that I'd like to share some of it with those who might like a similar pursuit.
In this blog I'll explain how and why to grow your own sprouts and wheatgrass, among other things.  I'll get into the what's and why's of supplementation too.  I'm convinced that there is a lot of misinformation out there.  And, I'll talk about exercise, and my passion - which is cycling.
No, we can't stay young forever, but that doesn't mean that we have to throw in the towel before our time.  One person I admire, pastor Erwin McManus of Mosaic in Los Angeles says that we may not be able to choose how or when we die, but we can choose how we live.  Health is just one aspect of "stewardship", but without health we have little time or energy for anything else.
I hope you'll participate in this blog.  Let me know your thoughts, comments, questions, and we can learn together.
"May you build a ladder to the stars, climb on every rung, and may you stay forever young..."