My Profile

December 2, 2020 - My name is Howard Veit. I am retired at age 78. My wife and I divide our time between our homes in Atlanta, GA and Longboat Key, Florida.

My wife, Kelli, and I have been happily married for 34 years. 

I am a retired management consultant in the health care industry. Click here to see my bio.

Why do I have a blog?

The more people talk about health with each other, the better. Taking charge of your health is up to you. I believe in taking personal responsibility for everything that has ever happened or will ever happen to you - and this applies to health. This is the best, most proactive, effective way to live life. Now, more than ever, you cannot simply hand over your health to others. The health system cannot keep us healthy. We have to take matters into our own hands. Hopefully, my blog will provide useful information to others.

How do I stay fit?

I follow a routine that includes a workout 5 to 6 days a week for anywhere from 45 minutes to 2-4 hours. I alternate between bike rides, walks, and resistance training with free weights and body weight (pushups). I try to balance cardiovascular exercise with strength training, although I lean towards cardiovascular exercise on my recumbent bikes.  When I am at our home in Florida, I mostly ride because the weather is so beautiful and I enjoy being outdoors soaking up the sunshine.


What is my health philosophy?

My health philosophy is simple. I generally follow a high nutrition whole foods plant-based diet based on the advice of physicians and other professionals who have done research, writing and teaching about nutrition. These practitioners are a rare breed who believe that a healthy lifestyle based on sound nutrition is the key to good health. Those that I have studied most include Joel Fuhrman, M.D., John McDougall, M.D., Dean Ornish, M.D., Michael Klaper, M.D., Michal Greger, M.D., Matthew Lederman, M.D., and Jeff Novick, MS. RD. LD. LN. I believe that eating style is the most important ingredient in a healthy lifestyle. But, healthy sleep, stress management, healthy relationships and moderate exercise are also very important. I don't believe in dieting. We all should commit to a healthy eating style and stick to it for a lifetime.

In a nutshell:
- fresh, organic (when possible), unprocessed food
- no junk! I eat no foods from animals.
- I add no salt to food and keep my salt intake from natural foods below 1,000 mg/day. Too much salt is underestimated as a health hazard.
- I eat moderate amounts healthy fats from nuts, seeds, and avocados and lots of vegetables, and fruit. I eat bread, pasta and whole grains a few times per week. I try to make fresh vegetables (especially green vegetables) and fruits the center of my diet.
- daily activity - whether it’s a bike ride, a walk, the gym or a short run, it all counts
- plenty of quality sleep (8-9 hours per night)
- taking responsibility for yourself and your life
- openness to new things and ideas

What do I think of modern medicine?

I am outraged by the mass-marketing of drugs, surgery, and lifestyles that do nothing more than harm people’s lives. We can do much better than depend on drugs and medical procedures to keep us healthy. Modern medicine can be miraculous, but we overuse the health system, take too many drugs and depend on physicians to keep us healthy. They cannot. Only we can assure our health by leading a healthy lifestyle.

What is my favorite food?

My favorite food is a large bowl of vegetable soup (without salt). I also love large salads with lots of ingredients, fruit and vegetables. Most every morning I have a green smoothie made up of various fruit, usually organic baby spinach and other leafy greens, Garden of Life sports protein, Garden of Life Green Juice,  and dates.  Sometimes I have an oatmeal smoothie for breakfast the green smoothie for lunch.

What are my top 5 values?

1) Respect 2) Balance 3) Excellence 4) Integrity 5) Curiosity: having a critical openness to new ideas