Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

Hopefully you aren't coming down with something, throw down some B Vitaimins (should help to stimulate appetite as well as energy) and try and get a little more rest that you normally would.

All the best, keep up the good work MF.

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1st Place Raw Champs 2011, 2012 (3 raw records)
Training for my first 100 mile running race

WEB: http://jimsty.wix.com/strength-vs-size
FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mini-Forklift/161273440616736?ref=hl
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/user/kiwilifter?feature=mhee

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Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

Thanks MF. I have been resting. Drinking lots of filtered water, green tea, eating very light. etc. I feel lots better. My energy has come back and I feel like I can slowly begin exercising soon. But going to take it slow and easy so not to have a set back. This whole journey in trying to recover from my prostate cancer has been one in which I have had to develop patients, persistence, and not lose my hope. Life teaches us the lessons we need to learn.

Just a quick update on some of the new elements I have added to my fight to win. A few weeks ago I bought a shower water filter to eliminate the chlorine and other water contaminates that are found even in treated water. I have also replaced all my personal hygiene products with more natural ones without any chemicals, preservatives, dyes, etc.

I have also purchased some Essay tea that was used by the Canadian nurse Rene Caisse with for many years to treat cancer. She receives the herbal formula from the Ojibwa Indians. She was very successful with it and many natural health partitioners still recommend it. The original tea contained Sheep Sorrel, Burdock root, Rhubarb Root, and Slippery Elm Bark. I bough my tea from a little store in Yellow Springs called the Village Herbs Shoppe that is run by Peter "Owa" Maqndelkern, a herbalist who makes his own version of the tea. He adds Kelp, Watercress, Red Clover, and Blessed Thistle to the mix. All of his herbs are organic. He has been doing this for 25 years plus and has a good reputation in this area. I drink two to four cups a day. He said I could add honey to sweeten it but I try to avoid all sugars. So I drink it plain and I find it vary pleasant. No bitterness at all.

A few years ago I would have laughed at a lot of the things I am now doing. But the more I learn as I have gone through all the BS of conventual medicine and how little they have helped me, even harmed me, I have had to open my mind to a more traditional and natural approach, cleaning up my diet and environment, and turning to herds, supplements, etc. I think my answer to how I will beat my cancer will not be just one thing or another but the entire gestalt of it all combined working together. Live and learn. Those who adjust and preserver will be those most likely to survive!

_________________
Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

Awesome! Rock on, dude. Rock on...

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My strength log

I had my first Skype video Conference with my Alternative Medicine Doctor this morning. I was very impressed with his knowledge, how comprehensive he was, and his humane compassion. I have already been doing lot of the things he recommends but he had so many new ideas and approaches that just impressed the hell out of me. I immediately developed a tremendous amount of confidence in him. And he tied together how each of the elements he recommends tie together to work together. I have always maintained a lot of hope I would beat this but now I know I have found a path that most likely with insure this success. He did not make any false promises but he did appear to be very confident that he could help me. I don't need any one to blow smoke up my butt, but I do like a Doctor that has such a positive attitude!

_________________
Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

Up early this morning. Feeling good. Still have my cough and weak voice but at least my energy levels are more normal once again (That is my current normal, not what my energy levels used to be a few years ago). I laid in bed the last hour wide awake thinking about my Skype conference yesterday with my new Doctor and how impressed I was with him. I feel so hopeful. I weighted in this morning on my gym "medical scale" and I was at 278. Been at that weight for the past few days. So I'm down from 360 a year ago last February when all my medical problems rose to the surface. So that is a lost of 82 pounds. It has been slow going but I'm very pleased with the over all results. As my new Doctor explained, heavy men tend to convert their testosterone to estrogen (Simple expiation to a complex process.) And there are many professionals in the medical field who think that may be one of the biggest factors in the growth of prostate cancer in men besides the testosterone. Research shows heaver men are much more likely to relapse than lighter men with their prostate cancer. So getting lighter is a main element in my over all treatment approach. I do wish I could speed up my weight loss somewhat but with my over all lower energy levels from a few years ago and my low testosterone levels due to my hormone depletion therapy, I may be going a fast as I am able at this time. Once I am rid of my throat problems, maybe I can start to move it along a little faster once again. My new medical treatment will be focusing on really increasing my immune system and beside fighting my cancer, I'm sure it will also help rid me of my throat problems. I can only hope! Going to take a nice walk later today and maybe even ride my recumbent bike if my energy levels remain good. We will see!

_________________
Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

Making good progress! Feeling better today. Not coughing nearly as much. Energy levels are going up too. Weighted in at 277 this morning. Another pound. My wife and I went to one of my favorite restaurants in Springfield last evening . It is a middle eastern restaurant. I always get just their appetizer with falafel, humus, baba, and fava beans plus a Jerusalem salad. And un-sweeten ice tea with a slice of lemon. Over all I have cut bread out of my daily diet but I do eat some of their pita bread with my meal there as a special treat. I always have a lot of the meal left over so I take it home for another meal the next day. Good eats!

_________________
Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

Can you give the name of this alternative doctor?

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http://www.the-phytoathlete.com/

277 is looking pretty damn solid !!

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1st Place Raw Champs 2011, 2012 (3 raw records)
Training for my first 100 mile running race

WEB: http://jimsty.wix.com/strength-vs-size
FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mini-Forklift/161273440616736?ref=hl
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/user/kiwilifter?feature=mhee

277 looking pretty solid? How I wish. Two years ago when I was lifting fairly heavy and weighted 360, I was much more solid than I am currently at at 277. With the hormone depletion therapy, I have lost so much muscle mass that I am not solid at all. I am fighting to get back some muscle tone but all my bumps in the road has really been a negative factor in getting my body tighter. My stomach is much smaller but so are my arms, shoulders, legs, and butt. I look fairly good in my cloths but I would be very embarrassed to be seen on the beach at the present time. But I'm maintaining a good sense of humor about it. And I know as I turn the corner on some of my physical problems, and can exercise more consistently, I will tighten up once again.

As far as the name of my new alternative medicine Doctor, I really don't feel comfortable revealing that on a public forum. So many alternative medicine Doctors have been harassed by the medical community, the FDA, etc that I really don't want to call attention to him and maybe cause him problems. On the other hand, it is my nature to want to help others and lead them to medical professionals who may be of more help than conventional Doctors. If I know someone and know their medical history, I would be more inclined to share that information. Sorry!

Today I had an upper molar pulled and the impacted wisdom tooth behind it. It was not as bad a procedure as I thought it may be. Feeling pretty good this evening. Now I can go back to my main Dentist and have my sliver/mercery fillings replaced. I'm hoping that will be of help in my over all fight to improve my immune system.

_________________
Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

276 this morning. My cough is almost gone but my voice is still messed up. Took my Father-in-law out to the dam today to just get him out of the nursing home for a little while. Very sunny but not too hot. He can't walk too far yet so we just sat at a bench for awhile next to the lake enjoying the out doors. Good for the both of us. Got to celebrate every day!

_________________
Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

274 this morning. I have been losing weight faster in the past few weeks than I have since I first began losing weight some 18 months ago. Most of the time it has been very slow going. I think this has been mainly due to a greatly reduced appetite, and some stomach problems. I have been on a lot of antibiotics over the past 18 months and even more so in the past three or four months. I'm sure it has destroyed the friendly bacteria in my gut. When I had my two teeth pulled a few days ago, the Dentist prescribed some more antibiotics. I think this was the last straw. My stomach has been very upset since then. I have even regurgitated a few times and had a lot of heart burn. I swear that modern medicine is killing me! So I have upped my probiotics to hope re-establish more healthy bacteria once again in my gut! While I am happy to lose the weight, I don't think this has been the most healthy way to do it.

My cough continues to slow down. My voice is still very weak. I think the regurgitating with stomach acid didn't do my throat any good. So it goes!

This forum is mainly for persons to build muscle, lower body fat, increase strength, and improve their health over all. Well, at least I'm doing some of that but I hope to become more true to all the goals once again in the near future! I won't give up!

_________________
Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

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_________________
Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

273. Now I'm beginning to scare my self. Now I'm losing too fast. I quit taking my antibiotics and have been taking my probiotics. My stomach has stetted down andI'm hoping my appetite returns today. I do plan on taking it easy and not over loading my stomach even if I feel like I could eat more. Am also going to eat bland foods for awhile. Just want to start feeling better once again. And my cough is slowly getting better. Keep hope alive!

_________________
Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.

272. Now I'm getting concerned! Too much weight loss too fast! And I actually ate yesterday almost twice the amount I have been able to eat the last several days. But apparently still not enough. However outside my throat, I'm feeling pretty good. Not great but a lot better than a week or so ago.

_________________
Lawrence M. Smith ACSW, LISW-S
Mental Health Clinician & Administrator
AKA as IronSmith (Pen name when I wrote articles in old PowerMag magazine)
Held Drug Free Powerlifting State, National, & World Records in the Federations NASA, AAPF, ADFPA, & Amateur IPA.