Alert

• You can be a fat vegan. You can be a skinny vegan, yet still be unhealthy. How can you avoid this? Eat more whole foods, less processed, refined foods, and less saturated fat.  Rule of thumb by Michael Pollan: "If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't." There is a free app that helps make sure you get the right amount of good food in your body to stay satisfied and healthy. It's called Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen. Get it!  If you can eat right 100% of the time, GREAT, but try not to exceed 80/20. 80% whole plants, 20% what you should avoid.

• If you have a lot of belly fat, you are at high risk for a heart attack, stroke, and/or diabetes. A 35 inch or wider waist on women and a 40-inch waist or wider on men, puts you at greater risk. The bigger the waist/gut, the higher the risk.

• The first sign of heart disease or stroke in men is impotency, even if it happens infrequently. See a cardiologist as soon as possible. Viagra is a BAND-AID. Eventually, a cardiac event will occur at the rate you are going. Click to read "The Warning Signs of Clogged Arteries article."