Robert's Theory of Diet and Health

Continually revised and updated, last update 09-02-26


Student of Nutrition Science over 51 years, Results to Prove my Assertions



Some Background: I have two close friends just a bit older than I. When my friend Bob was in high school his body looked like that of muscular Tarzan from the TV and movie series, girls everywhere were hypnotized by his physique and his appearance, Bob was an absolute “magnet” for women most of his life, (but married-divorced 3x and now single). Now at 72 years, Bob has severe cardio problems, genetic “Afib”, as his brother and sister both also have Afib, he is ~100 Lbs. overweight. Bob also has been diagnosed with sleep apnea and is being successfully treated on a CPAP machine. Like most men, meat is part of his diet.


My other friend David is 77, he has been a fitness nut and athlete all his life. I knew he had a cardiac stent from more than 10 years ago, I didn't think much about it. But after I mentioned it some years ago, he became a total believer in the keto diet, a big meat eater. In February 2026 he had a mild heart attack while walking, was rushed to the hospital, doctors told him he needed open heart surgery right away. He said that is not gonna happen, told the doctors just stent all the blocked arteries. Doctors did that, and said it was successful. They said he had classic artherosclerosis plaque in his vessels. David's brother had just had open heart surgery the year before, so it could likely be genetic. David had refused a doctor's diagnosis of sleep apnea several years ago, he refused to use the CPAP machine, and instead sent it back. David lives in “denial” as many men do, refusing to reveal his cholesterol levels, refusing to be treated for his sleep apnea diagnosis, and not revealing to me his calcium score. I suspected both cholesterol and calcium score were elevated. David also injects “peptides” from grey market / black market sources.


From my high school days I have another old friend Pete whose cholesterol levels and calcium score are “off the charts”, as he says. He recently had part of his jaw removed from a stage 4 cancer tumour. Pete also has been diagnosed with sleep apnea and is being successfully treated on a CPAP machine, he says he loves his CPAP machine.


Another guy I knew in kindergarden all the way through high school named Otto whom became a "landman" and then a lawyer has passed from prostate cancer.


Recently I reconnected with Pat Harrington, whom I knew in high school. He was a candidate for the olympic trials in backstroke, straight out of high school I heard. He now is coaching swimming in Houston at an athletic club, level 3 Master's coach. He told me he is a cancer survivor. Then he shocked me in August 2026 when he said he was going in for open heart surgery, quad bypass or similar. Do What !?, everyone I know from high school (if still alive) has had cancer, or cardiovascular problems, or both !


On the other hand, I graduated with a B.S. in Horticultural science from Texas A&M with honors, double academic scholarships, forgive me, this has nothing to do with diet, just rambling. I taught advanced lifesaving while at Texas A&M, I will never forget water polo coach Dennis Fosdick appearing on pool deck the day we were to test all the students in the pool for their lifesaving skills, and announcing to all: "you guys are going to save me". Fosdick was huge, like 250 Lbs. at least. He FAILED all my students in the class for what was his determination of their <lack of> pool lifesaving skills. I read on the internet years later he finally died of cancer. Aquatic lifesaving goes full circle:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122192598416830296&set=gm.1729822058130000&idorvanity=1530461628066045


Sidetrack on being a lifetime entrepreneur: After I graduated Texas A&M I started my own company as a landscaper, licensed irrigator, licensed drainlayer. Then in 1992 started up an agency that found me traveling all over the former USSR with my fiancee, that business lasted about 6 years (really high "overhead"). One of my competitors had his face “rearranged” by the Russian mafia for not agreeing to give them a cut$ of his revenue. That's when I said “enough is enough”. I printed 13 catalogues averaging 32 to 35 pages over those 6 years, average print run of 35,000 at typically about ~$35,000 cost. Some years later by 2010 I finally found my what would become my reasonable fortune in a niche business installing and servicing underwater pumps on the area lakes for the absolute wealthiest waterfront property owners (really low "overhead"). www.austinlakepumps.com In that niche business you need to be an experienced scuba diver, part plumber, part electrician, pump engineer, web designer, salesman, and "general everything". As I mentioned, I discovered it was a VERY LOW “overhead” business for me. Over 250 completed dives in the area lakes around Austin. Still trying to sell that business.



Many VIP's living on waterfront property (Lake Austin and Lake Travis are the most expensive waterfront real estate in all of Texas) called on me for this version I have redacted their names in the interests of their privacy. Very interesting people.


More recently I encouraged my son to establish with me an Endowed Family Scholarship at Texas A&M, with a preference for students majoring in science who have financial need. We have our first student Joshua, a EE major, who is such an incredible “gift”, such a wonderful human being. I have not discovered any of my classmates from back in my college days who have been able to achieve the level of success I have, I felt it was important to give back, I recall how needy I was in my time at Texas A&M. In fact, back then I drove a beat up green chevy pickup that was too often a “fix and repair daily” model, no AC at all. Looking back that was embarrassing. Oh, by the way, I am senior enough to recall when I bought gas for as low as 28 cents a gallon.


I am 72 yrs. old, and have been a vegetarian since about 21 years old. I recall being 155 lbs. weight in high school, now 53 years later I am 168 to 172 lbs. on the scale with clothes. That's 13 to 17 lbs. more. Oh well, I have seen a lot worse. My recent calcium score (CT scan) of the heart was ZERO. My cardiologist Dr. Lee at Austin Heart ordered an ultrasound of my carotid artery (jugular) in my neck with a whole heart echocardiogram in July 2026, both came back normal. By the way, Dr. Lee is incredible, I respect and appreciate her immensely, not to mention she looks like a fashion model.


My total cholesterol levels have always been under 100, recently they jumped to 140-ish. I will be bringing the score back down with fiber, like oat bran. My blood pressure at rest is 120 over 60 (varies). I have had 3 successful colonoscopies over the years. I have had my gall bladder removed years ago, I have been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea over 10 years ago and treated successfully, now with Bipap. At my age my lower spine is giving me problems. About 10 years ago I gave up almost all dairy except parmesan hard cheese, I also gave up pizza.

As my physician customer Dr. Ellis says: “Humans are not and were not destined by evolution to drink cow's milk”. Dairy fats and animal fats in meat accumulate the herbicides, pesticides and other poisons farmers spray in their fields and their animals they spray for ticks and other parasites, etc. Egg yolks contain massive amounts of cholesterol, egg whites are extremely high in protein, free of cholesterol, but the sulfur component in egg whites can have you passing rather foul gas.


The importance of exercise:

I have been a lap swimmer for at least 45 years. From right after I graduated Texas A&M University, I joined a dance group and spent ~9 years in social dancing, Country Western, Swing, Whip, Latin, Waltz, etc. After studio lessons in the early evening, a group of us went out to the clubs at night to practice our dancing. Most did not drink alcohol, but we danced so much we were sweating and thirsty, we drank a lot of water. The downside was during the 80's tobacco smoking in clubs had not been banned. Sure, they installed several air filters on the ceilings, each of them were often as large as washing machines, but even then some places such as the country western dance halls were so full of 2nd hand smoke at night you cut almost cut the air with a knife. I fully expect that 2nd hand smoke damaged me.


Minimizing the risk of diabetes: More recently I have concluded that WAY too much of our American diet is composed of starches (carbs) and simple sugars. Rice, pasta, breads, chips, potato, chickpeas, most all flours. Beans have a good deal of complex carbs and some protein. Seems almost everywhere you eat out, they want to shovel carbs in front of you, for one because they are cheap, so they gain a higher profit off the meal they serve you. Refined sugars are everywhere too, in sodas, in deserts, in all types of foods. American flavored yogurts contain obscene amounts of sugar. Ever read the labels at Trader Joes ? Almost everything has refined sugar in it. I converted over to zero calorie monkfruit sweetener 3 years ago and never looked back. They claim 200 times sweeter than sugar. Monkfruit can survive 450 F baking-cooking and not miss a beat. I buy it directly from Monkfruit Corporation as monkfruit is really expensive when bought retail. Don't buy Lakanto brand which is mixed with erythritol powder (an alcohol sugar) that has been shown in research to potentially damage your vascular system. Lakanto does offer a small monkfruit pure liquid extract for about $9 to $10, and most recently an 8 oz. allulose-monkfruit blend for about $13.


Oxalic acid, an anti nutrient in some foods to avoid: This is a food born substance in certain foods that contributes to kidney stone formation (along with bacteria that contribute). If you mistakenly ate some oxalic acid from a lab - - - it is a known poison. Present in soy (tofu), I “deactivate it” with added extra soluble calcium which binds it, uncooked spinach has the highest amounts. Many nuts and seeds eaten in large quantities are a risk. I once suffered a kidney stone attack from gorging myself on a huge 30 Lb. box of raw pecans I ordered and consumed a pound or more daily for a month or two. Tiny 1 and 2 mm stones were found in X ray, the most painful thing I ever experienced, there was no body position you could obtain to ease the pain, only codeine pills gave temporary relief, before my body finally passed the 2 tiny stones. Making certain you have some forms of soluble calcium in your meal can bind with the oxalic acid in the stomach before it ends up in circulation to arrive in the kidneys. One of the most soluble forms is calcium acetate, a liquid form can be created at home by adding powdered limestone (calcium carbonate) into simple vinegar stepwise in small amounts while stirring to eventually neutralize the vinegar, until finally a small addition of CaCO3 does not result in bubbling.


As I like to say: “In reality, every cook is a chemist, but not every chemist is a cook !”


Fats – Oils – Lipids: All my friends I mentioned previously ate meat in their diet. Meats contain high amounts of SATURATED FATS and CHOLESTEROL, which typically end up contributing to arteriosclerosis. The human body is mainly composed of the unsaturated 18 carbon oleic fats and fatty acids, olive oil the best example of the oleic fats. Oils derived from fish have become recognized as important to health. Both long chain “readily available” DHA and EPA are present in fish oils, specialty algal oil, and krill oil, which are essential to a healthy brain, especially among aging seniors, I take fish oil with lecithin every day. Flax oil is another of the omega 3 type oils, such as alpha linolenic acid, but it must be converted in the body to EPA and DHA, and this is not efficient. Also, the short chain lipids in flax oil are highly subject to oxidation (rancidity).


https://www.empirical.health/blog/saturated-fats-cholesterol-heart-disease/



Cardiac imaging study found plaque in 34.6% of men in their 30s – Published in the prestigious New England Journal of Health Aug 29, 2026.


https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2609059


Newest info from The American Heart Association:


Cholesterol Panel – All adults 19 and older should have a cholesterol blood test panel that includes total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels. This establishes a known baseline for life.

Lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a) – New guidance recommends that every adult get tested for lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), at least once in their lifetime. High Lp(a) levels (125 nmol/L or 50 mg/dL and above) are often inherited. Lp(a) levels should be combined with other health measures to assess heart disease or stroke risk and help guide next steps in prevention or treatment.

Apolipoprotein B or ApoB – Testing for ApoB can help when someone has high triglycerides, metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes. These conditions can increase the number of harmful cholesterol particles in the blood, even when LDL cholesterol looks normal. An ApoB test gives a clearer picture of heart disease risk.

Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Scan – Men 40 and older and women 45 and older can be considered for a CAC scan to check the artery walls for early plaque buildup. This simple imaging test is most useful if the decision to start a cholesterol lowering medication is uncertain.


Unfortunately many US insurances do not cover Lp(a) or ApoB test, unless you already have cardiovascular problems. The Europeans are ahead of us on this. Empirical Health offers a huge blood test of something like over 100 factors including the Lp(a) and ApoB tests for $190, well worth it.


Gut health: which is being implicated in so many diseases lately: I eat fermented food daily (along with probiotics) is a must for gut health. I was buying UNPASTEURIZED, refrigerated sauer kraut (Woodstock brand garlic dill flavor at Central Market South in the cooler section) and then consuming at least “1 teaspoon” captured on a fork, 2 x a day. It tasted great ! But then Central Market stopped carrying it.

I also keep a head of RED cabbage in my refrigerator, I slice off a chunk and consume daily. Green, unripened bananas are a great source of what is known as RESISTANT starches, for lower gut health.


In late August 2026 I began lactobacillus fermentation of quarts of unsweetened soymilk (add just ½ tablespoon of sugar per quart to feed the lactobacillus), with great success. All the sugar is consumed in the fermentation. Now I create my own lactobacillus monkfruit sweetened, key lime flavored “pudding” (much like yogurt), and also a key lime pie with no cholesterol or saturated fats in the filling or the crust, that tastes very close to the original (but without any of the sugar and cholesterol of the egg yolks in the original). I found that this culture has quite low acidity. I add substantial amounts of rice protein extract. I do not cook or heat the pie filling culture, it remains “live” probiotic. I used ground roasted hazelnut meal since it has the highest levels of monosaturated oils, a bit of almond flour I have previously treated with calcium acetate and baked to bind the oxalic acid and dry out the flour, avocado oil, and a vegetarian binder / thickener for my crust.


Protein:

The key is obtaining your protein from sources WITHOUT TOXINS, WITHOUT SATURATED FATS or excessive CHOLESTEROL, such as present in most meats. Saturated fats have also been found to promote prostate cancer growth, likely other cancers too. The American Heart Association highlights that saturated fat, more than dietary cholesterol, raises blood cholesterol levels. Red meat generally has more saturated fat than fish or chicken. Interesting that fish meat consumption bucks the trend and is considered very healthy.


Recently I chose rice protein extract as it does not upset my stomach like pea protein, which pea proteins contain lupins that cause stomach upset. Caseinate proteins derived from dairy are reported to promote cancer growth, specifically prostate cancer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEWAf6sOGv0


Whey concentrate (WPC), also isolated from dairy, has not been shown to promote cancer and it contains the highest amount of biologically active peptides such as lactoferrin, α-lactalbumin, and β-lactoglobulin—known for their antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anticancer effects. Whey isolate (WPI), and whey hydrolysate are “more processed” protein sources without lactoferrin, α-lactalbumin, and β-lactoglobulin—again, which these 3 are known for their antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anticancer effects. Soy products contain oxalates. Egg yolks contain massive amounts of cholesterol, egg whites are incredibly high in protein, free of cholesterol, but the sulfur component in egg whites can have you passing rather foul gas.


Fried Foods: Absolutely no fried foods should be consumed at all. All fried foods, but particularly starchy items like french fries and potato chips, contain acrylamide, which has been linked to cancer and is formed when foods are cooked at high temperatures. Potato is one of the highest glycemic index foods you should avoid. Acrylamide is produced through the Maillard reaction, which browns food, typically occurring during frying, baking, or roasting at high temperatures above 248F. Fried / grilled / barbequed foods can also contain other harmful compounds like heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, especially in meat.


Supplements: Yes, I take significant amount of supplements based on science. On even days mostly hydrophobic supplements with fish oil and lecithin: B-12, Co-Q-10, vitamin D, pterostilbene, EGCg, astaxanthin, lycopene + lutein complex, grape seed extract (90% polyphenols), zeaxanthin, liposomal luteolin, curcumin.


1 multi vitamin on alternate odd days.


Just before Master's swim practice, each session: The mitochondria in each of our cells are like the engine in your car, the “energy factory”. Natural NADH+ is involved in regenerating natural adenosine triphosphate or ATP, the human bodies energy molecule. NAD+ and NADH+ levels decline with age. Some researchers believe that these supplements below should not be consumed if a patient has cancer. Several movie stars take these supplements.


https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.056589


https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9495723/


I am experimenting with these mitochondrial energy supplements to boost my NADH+ levels: Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMNH) – nicotinamide riboside, combined with nicotinamide, resveratrol, quercetin. Total combined 900 mg.


Also, Nicotinamide Adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) 500 mg. Also, magnesium glycinate caps to avoid any cramps and protect the heart muscle.


After swim workout I take one pill of HMB (beta hydroxy beta methylbutyrate), the claim is that it “locks in” the muscle building effect. The science behind it is not strong.


Well worth mentioning:

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) researchers discovered recently that ED medications are associated with significant reductions in deaths, cardiovascular disease, dementia in middle aged men. I expect the findings will apply to women as well. I take “low dose” prescription tadalafil by splitting a 10 mg. tab into 4 parts, ¼ part daily. Dr. Dietrich Jehel of UTMB states: “These medications, such as Cialis or the generic Tadalafil (the weekend pill) and Viagra (the one night pill), are believed to offer cardiovascular benefits through improved blood flow, lowering blood pressure, enhancing endothelial function, and providing anti-inflammatory effects”:



https://www.foxnews.com/health/popular-erectile-dysfunction-drug-linked-eye-disease-can-cause-irreversible-vision-loss


So you have been clued in what I consider a more perfect healthy diet, regardless of taste - - and based on science, not on fads ...


All my drinking water is carbon filtered to get rid of the chlorine.


I visit the salad bar at central market almost every day for greens.


I try for low starch fruits and or vegetables with every meal.


Cruciferous vegetables along with raw, crushed garlic twice a week or more, broccoli is the best, I often eat ground, frozen cauliflower which I place in the microwave in a dish of water to heat it up, then drain to get rid of the sugar and salt that HEB adds in their “cauli-rice”. This product is almost tasteless, very filling, and near zero calorie. Add HEB frozen fajita mix which onions and red peppers which I microwave, NEVER FRIED. Add Paul Newman “no sugar added” pasta sauce. Stir well.


I was also practically living off fresh guacamole mix from HEB. I eat a slice of ripe cantalope every morning, along with a cup of strong “Joy Luck” brand Jasmine hot tea with mulberry leaf, sweetened with monkfruit, a touch of lemon.



AVOCADO DILEMMA in Late August 2026 !

I have been consuming a MAJOR amount of fresh guacamole from the supermarket, as much as a pint a day for 1.5 to 2 years. Recently I started more investigation of avocado and was shocked to discover I was literally almost poisoning myself. Avocado contains like twice the potassium of bananas. High amounts of potassium are hard on the kidneys. I calculated I was consuming around 3 grams a day of potassium by my excessive avocado consumption, way too much. Accordingly, I cut way, way back.


My daily protein drink I started creating in June 2026, which lasts throughout the day. Now that I have perfected my lactobacillus culture of soymilk (as mentioned above) I will add protein powder and shift to this as my main protein source:


Previously I would take 16 ozs. or more filtered water heated to warm in the microwave. 3 large scoops of rice protein powder, 1 teaspoon oat bran (fiber !), 1 teaspoon gum acacia (fiber !), 1 teaspoon psyllium flakes (fiber !), 1 teaspoon calcium citrate powder, stir very well, place in microwave for 3 minutes and watch carefully through the door to turn off the microwave just before it boils over (to pasteurize it). Cover with a lid and let sit 10 minutes. Add a bit of monkfruit and flavor with a couple drops of extract of key lime, or strawberry, or the many flavor extracts I buy less expensively off Amazon, just like the other ingredients above. Stir well, and just before sipping a gulp, stir very well. Once cooled down in an hour or so I crack open a Jarrow probiotic capsule and stir in the bacteria. I stir and then swallow a “swig” of this mix throughout the day.


I eat ~4 ozs of frozen organic blueberries daily, and 2 organic strawberries daily (for the senolytic fisetin).


On Sundays when I meet my son for dinner, we each drink a large shot of organic kale juice I process myself in my juicer. Kale is ranked as one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, often taking the #1 spot in rankings of salad greens. I add to the kale shot: chokeberry powder, elderberry powder, and bilberry powder with antioxidants added like calcium ascorbate and ascorbyl palmitate.


I was an early reader of the 858 page book “Life Extension” in 1982 by Shaw and Pearson.

My health and diet choices were further reinforced by the China–Cornell–Oxford Project, a 20-year study that looked at mortality rates from cancer and other chronic diseases from 1973 to 1975 in 65 counties in China, and correlated this data with 1983–84 dietary surveys and blood work from 100 people in each county. From this research the book The China Study book emerged in 2005, written by Dr. T. Colin Campbell and his son who is a MD. The elder Dr. Campbell is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, and he has received more than 70 grant-years of peer-reviewed research funding and authored more than 300 research papers. The China Study which examines the link between the consumption of animal products (including dairy) and chronic illnesses. The authors conclude that people who eat a predominantly whole-food, vegan diet—avoiding animal products as a source of nutrition, including beef, pork, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, and milk, and reducing their intake of processed foods and refined carbohydrates—will escape, reduce, or reverse the development of numerous diseases. They write that "eating foods that contain any cholesterol above 0 mg is unhealthy”. The book recommends sunshine exposure or dietary supplements to maintain adequate levels of vitamin D, and supplements of vitamin B12 in case of complete avoidance of animal products. Over 1 million copies have been sold. The New York Times has recognized the study as the “Grand Prix of epidemiology” and the “most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease. The younger Dr. Campbell has written a companion diet book titled The China Study Solution . The China Study and the original research are not without controversy.


Natural recipe I have discovered shortens the time I am sick with a virus:


One crushed garlic clove, then finely minced with a knife, stirred into a cup of yogurt or pudding. Twice a day. Kale juice will also help greatly, if you have a juicer, run the garlic through the juicer. HEB sells organic kale leaf. I grow large Aloe Vera plants in my yard, if I get a burn or cut I apply antibiotic ointment with a piece of aloe vera leaf (gel side down) wrapped – taped onto the wound.


Dentist: more recent research is discovering that oral bacteria can travel from the mouth to the heart to cause disease, even to the pancreas to result in pancreatic cancer. I visit the dentist for cleaning and a check TWICE a year instead of the typical once a year. I should be using my water pic device more often.


Familar with neti pots used to cleanse your sinuses when sick ? ALWAYS use boiled tapwater since brain eating amoebas have been found even in city water pipes (people have died). Table salt added to boiled water to taste, you want it strong, but not too strong. A turkey baster or a big syringe bought off Amazon also works. You can lay of the bed on your back with a towel under you and inject the gently warm saltwater into each nostril, wait a few minutes, then blow your nose gently. Once you try it you will be hooked.


Pneumonia vaccines especially for seniors and why not everyone ?: I encourage everyone to get all the various pneumonia vaccines available as they have different variants of the bacteria that cause pneumonia in each one. Research has shown that one bout of serious pneumonia can take years off your life, if not kill you. Pneumonia is one of the more common causes of death of seniors.

Even younger folks cannot afford $$$ to miss weeks of work, or an expensive visit to the hospital. Children could miss weeks of school.

When you get a cold or worse, take doses of Guaifenesin every 4 hours and drink lot's of fluids to “expectorate” or cough out the mucus. The time release versions are quite expensive. Buy a good humidifier and have multiple gallon jugs of distilled water on hand, as tap water ruins the new ultrasonic humidifiers. Keep the bedroom at least 50% to 55% humidity at night. I found the better ones with more features on Amazon.


Osteoporosis ? Many years ago the Russians were the first I am aware of discovered that intense vibration sessions for their athletes strengthened bone structure, like a strong floor foot massage machine. This also brings back memories of those machines from the 50's and 60's with a large wide belt that women placed around their waists and fired up. I tried to find a used one but no luck so far.


This document is available on the web at one of my websites:


http://www.exoticdigital.com/Health-Diet2.htm



http://www.exoticdigital.com/Health-Diet2.pdf