My health before and after

Before I changed my diet I was plagued with numerous health issues including GERD, increasing blood pressure, increasing blood sugar, hip and back joint pains, fatigue and low stamina, episodes of chest pain, low mood, anxiety, weight gain and more. I felt like I was living in a old body. The symptoms were so subtle that overtime I just accepted these symptoms to be normal. 

I considered myself to eat a "Healthy" diet and I did in comparison to a lot of other people I know.  I also walked on the treadmill 30 minutes per day 5 x per week, which is the "recommended" minimum.  Yet I just always felt like I was struggling to get through most days. 

Within DAYS of changing to a plant based diet, many of my symptoms cleared up. With the increased energy, I went from walking to running. Running felt freeing and pleasurable - something I had never felt before. As time went on, I noticed my joints were painless, my GERD cleared up, I was better able to handle stresses/anxiety, and I started to lose weight slowly and steadily. After several months, I went for bloodwork and to my surprise, ALL my numbers had improved. 

My new "prescription" for health is eating plant-based 3X per day and daily running and strength training. This is a lifestyle change and creating daily habits keeps me going strong. The payoff is feeling good, feeling healthy and thriving. And it's worth it!

One year ago...

One year ago I started my plant based journey. I watched "What the Health" a documentary on Netflix. It got me to start thinking about food in a way that I had never thought before. It started up my "curiosity gene" as Dr. Pamela Popper would say. I started an intense amount of research from watching "Forks over Knives" to reading books like "Proteinaholic" by Dr. Garth Davis. Everyday was like seeing with new, clearer eyes about the impact of food and health. Everything kept leading back to the healthiest diet being a "Whole Foods Plant Based" diet.

But I can't give up meat, eggs, and dairy...

My first few days of eating plant-based where a bit like being in the Twilight Zone. It was very sureal to imagine that my entire life was about to change. It was like the facts were telling me to do it and my emotions were telling me to panic. What would my family think? Would I ever be able to eat out again? Was I doing the right thing for my health?

If it were not for my continued learning and exploration of nutrition facts, I don't think I could have stuck with it. Here are some resources that I found helpful in my first few weeks:

Melanie Joy
https://youtu.be/o0VrZPBskpg

Doug Lisle
https://youtu.be/jX2btaDOBK8

About Me

I'm simply someone who is passionate about helping others improve health. I've worked in the health care space for over a decade and have regular discussion about health and wellness. However, after becoming plant based, I feel like I have more to give than ever before. Now I can help others with recommendations that really work! I can help give others knowledge they might otherwise never have known. Now I can give hope.