Go pho it! Will Vietnamese soup keep me lean and avoid statins ?

Today’s spinach/ tofu pho

Pho. I’m still unsure about how to pronounce this Vietnamese soup, but I am getting pretty good at whipping up a big bowl at lunchtime.

My cholesterol numbers from blood work done last October are a concern, specifically my LDL of 140. Given my family history and the new guidelines, I was prescribed Lipitor by a local cardiologist. I filled the prescription, but decided to let it sit on the shelf until April, when I’ve scheduled a visit with my primary care physician. I’ll get another lipid profile blood test and check the new numbers.

I asked for options, so the cardiologist gave me a dietary recommendations protocol to lower LDL. He told me that some of his patients had lowered their LDL by 40% by following these guidelines.
In sum, I am avoiding all deep fat fried foods (no more fried clams), and high fructose corn syrup, which pretty much eliminates most of the food sold in a supermarket.
Meat, bread, pasta, and potatoes are on my “ Reduce” list.
Let me introduce my “Include Daily” dozen: plants, psyllium powder, a handful of nuts ( mostly walnuts and pistachios), fish / fish oil capsules, a bar of dark chocolate, 1 cup v8, 1 cup yogurt, extra Virgin olive oil, red yeast extract capsules, soy/soy milk or almond milk, and a glass of red wine.
I am taking this grand nutritional experiment seriously. There are already immediate benefits-like weight loss. I have always carried 212-215 pounds on this 6’2” in winter. Right now, I’m down to 199. I like that.

I think the pho is responsible for the weight loss, and I am banking on it even helping the blood work results in April.

Pho is a traditional hot soup, primarily served with noodles, beef, and vegetables and herbs. I have tweaked it. It’s typically 500 calories for a 22 oz. bowl. More commercial bowls are prepared to yield 300-800 calories. I have kept track of the calories of the ingredients. This lunch nets me 400 calories, maybe some day as much as 500.  There is no oil in the soup-it has low carbs, and no fat, except when I occasionally make adaptations, like this kielbasa/ sweet potato pho.

kielbasa pho

Here’s my new daily lunch recipe. It’s really tasty. I vary it with different veggies, and protein. :

20 oz. well water
vegetarian broth ( powder) 30 calories
2 ounces wide rice noodles 180 calories
assorted sliced veggies- e.g., green onion, broccoli, carrot slices, mung bean sprouts 50 calories
miso 30 calories
herbs-1 slice fresh ginger, basil,
vegetarian protein source- tofu, Quorn, chickpeas 100 calories
lime juice
Lan Chi Black Bean Sauce with Chili
I have yet to add hoisin sauce, buy may work that in too.

I start eating with chopsticks and finish with a spoon.

Here are a couple more pics of my gustatory creations.

standard bowl with Quorn

This lunch takes about 15 minutes to prepare. Go Pho it!

fresh mung beans in this one