OK, got where you're coming from. Funny thing is that I haven't been on this forum for a long time due to the madness of a poster who is no longer around, but I realize I've come back in a definitely defensive mood because of them (won't ID who they are now), so was already to get into it with you, but it's so nice not going there, being able to have an exchange of ideas without a flame war! PS - don't know how long you've been retired, but we're a lot closer in age obviously than I think you think, and in fact I remember diets that you've forgotten :-). I do know that for me, high cholesterol and all, the Atkins/protein thing works fast and well (though it's almost impossible to avoid some carbs after all), compared to others (though I'm not a 'dieter', never needed to be one until a lot more recently than otherwise). Metabolic syndrome is a consequence of our society, and how sad is it that we want to chop pieces off ourselves to 'fix' it! I do have a pretty good take on what foods are made up of though, for the record, e.g. starch is sugar is fat is... so can we KAMU? We're probably going to agree on it all anyhow :-).

Hi! I live in US6, SWPA. I grow perennially, easily: SUN: oregano, thyme, marshmallow, elecampagne, roses of all sorts, lavenders, st. johnswort, joe pye, yarrows, lily of the valley, marjoram, strawberries, currants, orange butterfly weed, mints of all sorts, valerian, schizandra, chaste tree, sorrel, mullein, violets, honeysuckles, burdocks, dandelions, docks, plantains, horseradish, tansy, rue, poke, coneflower, bergamot, feverfew & the ever ubiquitous Japanese knotweed... SHADE: witch hazel, lenten roses, sweet woodruff, lungwort, foxgloves, lady's mantel, black & blue cohoshes & locals including canadian ginger, mayapple & trilium (both popping up now). Annually, in raised beds or patio pots I grow calendula, sages, rosemary, tarragon, chia, gotu kola, geraniums... I could not get rid of the skullcap--had it for years-- full sun--until I overseeded heavily with larkspur & I think that just finally shaded it out. Things that in the southern US would require afternoon shade don't up here unless it's been a long, dry stretch. My soil runs the gamut from boggy to retaining wall clay; my light full shade to full sun. I do this on a standard city-sized lot--25 x 100', with an E-W exposure & an additional 4' x 25' retaining wall beside the driveway on the other side of the house & still have enough grass to play a game--albeit confined--of guerrilla bocci. My suggestion to anyone who wants to set up an herb garden is to decide what you want & why you want it, then network with herbalists & other gardeners & experiment with your land & soil types & go to every garden club plant sale or swap you can find-- people grow the most amazing things.... Even tho' I come from a long line of sustainable city & country gardeners I read books, consult with neighbors, call the cooperative extension for the most simple-assed questions imaginable. And, while some things in my garden have been passed down, literally, through generations & carted from house to house with us-- and while I have spent a considerable amount of money over a considerable number of years on plants-- the majority of my existing, long-term plantings have come from local sources: the aforementioned garden club sales, friendly neighbors and-- I am not ashamed to admit, since my neighborhood has experienced somewhat of an urban decline over the past few decades-- a fair amount of abandoned property plant-poachings & rose rescues. Every year this time of year I stare at different bits of green popping up and go, "What the h*ll is that?" & tell myself to be patient because in another few days I'll either remember what I put there or somebody will have unwittingly stepped on it or possibly eaten it. Last year Neighbor Joe got a new roof & fixed his gutters & the sweet woodruff under his foundation-grown mulberry all but dried up, though it's going strong about 10' away. This year some of the strawberries also migrated about 15 feet completely around a couple of shrubs towards the north-- they'll probably make Canada in another couple hundred years... & I have no idea where the st. johnswort will show up, but it always does. So trust the garden, as well, to tell you what it needs. And enjoy the adventure.

Hah, well I have an in :-) A calcaneus fracture can be slow to heal, and they are very painful because your Achilles's tendon attaches at the point where most fractures of the calcaneus tend to occur. And the fracture frequently involves the subtalar joint, which again, complicates the healing process. It's a severe fracture anyway you look at it. And really severe fractures can take a long, long time to heal (up to 1 to 2 years). It's a tough rehab, Mike. So sorry you're going through this. But, for a yummy recipe that you can use some of your citrus in, here you go. Very healthy for you too, especially if you can use Quinoa pasta. This is about 450 calories per serving, so just the right amount for a meal: Chicken & Citrus Pasta Salad Serves 6-7 (about 1 1/2 cups each) 3 cups medium-sized pasta, uncooked (farfalle, penne, rigatelli, etc.) 2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed 3-4 mandarins, peeled, sectioned & de-seeded 1 Cocktail, Melogold or Oro Blanco peeled, sectioned, de-seeded and membranes removed if bitter (be sure it's a sweet one) 1/2 red onion, sliced and separated into rings 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 -2/3 cup lowâÂÂfat mayonnaise or low fat Greek yogurt (start with 1/2 cup, and add a Tbsp. or more at a time if too dry) 1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed dash paprika Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water and drain again. In a large bowl mix chicken, mandarins, grapefruit, celery and onion. Add pasta and gently mix. In a separate small bowl, mix together mayonnaise or yogurt, orange juice concentrate and paprika. Pour dressing over salad mixture and mix gently. Chill until serving. Patty S.

If you are a vegan, you may or may not eat "healthy" but there is little chance you are going to have a high intake of cholesterol, since plants are very low in cholesterol, if they have any at all. The highest oils for cholesterol are cottonseed and corn oils, two common oils found in pre-packaged and junk foods. Canola oil is also on the high end too. But even on the high end, it is only about 20% of what a common animal product might have. For example, butter has 2.5 g/kg cholesterol and canola oil, one of the highest, has ~.5 g/kg. Olive oil has .05g/kg. And these oils are some of the highest plant sources of cholesterol. So by its very nature, a vegan diet is low in cholesterol. It is possible to eat a low cholesterol containing diet and NOT be a vegan, so you don't have to adopt a vegan diet to eat low cholesterol, but you will have to limit your intake of animal fats and increase your intake of plant products and fiber. One way to lower your cholesterol intake is to eat vegan meals. So maybe not become a total vegan, but eat vegan some of the time, which is what I think a lot of folks are doing these days. I know BF and I eat vegan about 50% of the time. We still eat animal products but limit them. I guess also there is one school of thought that says that plant sterols compete with cholesterol binding sites in the body (not sure where these all are) and therefore will help lower cholesterol levels. Not sure where the research is on that one at this time, I've only scanned it. I've never had to worry about cholesterol, luckily! And I try to avoid high calorie foods, which are usually high in saturated fats, so I just naturally eat low cholesterol. So anyhow, as others have said on here, it matters more from a cholesterol standpoint, what kind of oil you use for your mayo, than the tiny bit of egg in it. I found a great site for info on plant cholesterol, BTW. Linked below. I'll be taking BioChem this fall for graduate school. I can't wait (NOT!!) Here is a link that might be useful: Cholesterol and Plants (from Bowling Green Univ. Dept. of Biochemistry)