A Bean Is A fruit- Get To Know Your Pulses

Check Your Pulses, They’re Good for You!

What Are Pulses?

“A pulse is the edible seed from a legume plant. Pulses include beans, lentils, and peas.”
— The Nutrition Source

Aging: The Moment You Realize Things Are Changing

Have you hit 40 yet? I don’t know how it was for you, but for me, it happened overnight.

One day, just after turning 40, I was working under the dashboard of a car, sorting through a tangled mess of fifteen or twenty different-colored wires. No problem at all.

The next morning, I went back to finish the job—and thought I was having a stroke.

The closer I looked, the less I could see. Not only was I struggling to make out the wires clearly, but I could barely distinguish the colors. When I called my doctor to report my sudden decline, he laughed and said:

“You need to go see your optometrist. You’re just getting older!”

3 Reasons You Should Be Eating More Pulses

Sadly, the same thing happened with my diet.

After 40, everything I loved to eat seemed to add a few more millimeters to my waistline every time I took a bite. A couple of slices of pizza and a glass of wine after 6:00 p.m.? Forget about sleeping. My guts would riot.

As the years rolled by, the list of foods I could eat without consequence grew shorter. So, like many people, I embarked on the Grand Quest for the Perfect Diet.

Have you found yours? If so, would you kindly share it with the class?

My wife and I have tried everything—the Whole30, the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet. We subscribed to websites, bought books, consulted doctors, walked until our legs ached, did sit-ups, treadmills, aerobics, and even prayed about it.

Still, the hips, the belly, and the restless nights continued.

My Wife’s Plan—Eat, Evaluate, Adapt

My wife may be shorter than me, yet much of her genius towers over me. She’s also an incredible cook.

So, instead of adhering to one rigid diet from any of the above, and since we have all these books and recipes, we would simply find meals that look tasty, appear healthy, and seemed digestible.

Here’s our process:

1. Find a recipe that looks promising.
2. Make it.
3. Eat it.
4. Evaluate the aftermath.

After each meal, we ask ourselves:

• Do I feel like I just ate an entire loaf of bread, or perhaps swallowed a live goat?
• Is my belly angry with me, i.e., can I feel the baby kicking? 
• What about thundering bowels—that ominous, gurgling, churning noise that you hope nobody else can hear?
• When I go to bed, do I have to sleep on my back to protect my “food baby”?

If a meal passes the test, it stays in rotation. If not, we move on. No crazy restrictions, no starving, just practical, sustainable eating.

Since starting this in mid-2023, I’ve gone from 201 lbs. to 184 lbs. The American Heart Association says I should be at 174 lbs., but I do fear that, at that weight, a strong gust of wind might take me out.

So, What’s This Got to Do with Pulses?

I titled this piece “Check Your Pulses” because, until recently, I had never heard the term pulses used in reference to food.

According to SilverSneakers (a health and fitness organization):

“With plant-based eating on trend, you may be hearing more lately about a food group called ‘pulses.’ We’re not talking about your heartbeat—pulses are seeds of plants in the legume family. They include beans, chickpeas, lentils, and dried peas.”

Turns out, pulses are nutritional powerhouses. They’re high in protein, fiber, and essential nutrients, all while being low in fat. Best of all? They’re versatile, affordable, and delicious when prepared well.

So, if you’re on the hunt for foods that won’t ruin your digestion, wreck your sleep, or expand your waistline overnight—maybe it’s time to check your pulses.