Thanks to all readers who have contributed suggestions on how
to keep friends and a FF diet. Some have suggested occassionally
eating a HF meal to "keep the peace." Unfortunately that is not
an option for many on this reader's group. Some have more than
one clogged or partially clogged coronary artery--some have
had recent angioplasties and simply CANNOT eat even one HF
meal. This is not a health column so I won't go into it,
because Michelle wants to keep that stuff out, and I want
to respect her wishes.
We have gone through friends like SAD eaters go through
chocolate chips. Mind you, they still talk to us, but
we just don't go to restaurants together or eat at their
homes anymore--so it is much less often. These are nice
people, but our eating has just been too hard on them.
I have to be very strict. Some of our friends have
thought that (and commented even) that they think
my "problems" with food are "in my head." I have
tried to keep my health history private, so I guess
I don't blame them for thinking that. As it is, I
am not completely vegan and eat egg whites, but
stick to Ornish very closely.
I do bring food, but my wife isn't comfortable
with my bringing food into restaurants, which she
feels embarrassing. I don't feel that way at all,
after all, if the restaurant has nothing for me,
the hell with them. She just wants me to eat
dinner first and just order a dry salad at the
restuarant. I hate dry salads, and would just
as soon eat nothing there. If any food item
I order at a restaurant has fat in it, or
if I think it does, I send it back and refuse
to pay for it. Sometimes, I pay for nothing.
Our friends are scandalized by this behavior.
No you can see why I am losing friends. But
I do want to respect my wife's wishes so I
will try it her way and see if our friends
are more accepting.
Mike Rosenblatt
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