Bogged Down by Chronic Health Problems

Throughout my 20s and most of my 30s, I followed a diet that I thought was healthy: plenty of meat and dairy, because I’d been told they were necessary for protein and calcium. I’d add one side of vegetables, or fruit, and a sprinkling of grains to my animal product–based main course and call it a day. Compared with most Americans I thought I was doing pretty well in the diet and nutrition department.

Over the years, I developed an extensive list of health issues in addition to my gastrointestinal troubles—chronic migraines, a pituitary tumor, depression, anxiety, random aches and pains, and a connective tissue disease. In early 2020, at 38 years old, I underwent extensive abdominal and pelvic surgery to repair damage that connective tissue issues contributed to. The surgery was the final straw for me. I was so tired of feeling sick and tired, and I wanted to do whatever I could to make my surgical repairs successful and long lasting. That meant I needed my gastrointestinal tract to cooperate for once. 

Testing the Plant-Based Waters

I decided to try a plant-based diet to see if it would improve my gastrointestinal issues and aid in relieving my constant stomach pain, dysmotility, and colonic inertia. I’d always avoided plant-based diets in the past because of my soy allergy. I’d assumed that soy was the main protein source in a plant-based diet. But I was desperate and willing to try anything at this point. 

To my delight, after doing more research I discovered that there were many different ways to get protein as a plant-based eater. One of my other concerns was getting enough vitamin B12. This one was an easy fix with a supplement.

With this newfound knowledge I was ready to dive fully into a whole-food, plant-based diet. I knew that the structural issues I have would not be cured, but I hoped that I might at least improve my quality of life a bit while living with those conditions. 

I was not disappointed. In a matter of just days my gastrointestinal issues started to improve. I experienced less gas and bloating, and the gnawing, painful feeling of being overly full was markedly less.

Feeling Better Than Ever

It’s been almost a year since I transitioned to a fully plant-based diet. I have not looked or felt this good in a very long time! My skin looks radiant, my hair is fuller, and I have so much more energy. I have even lost 15 pounds. I’d never had success losing weight before despite restricting carbs and calories; now I feel satiated all day and not starving like I did before when trying to lose weight. The benefits to me personally have been invaluable. The added bonuses beyond myself of being kind to animals and the planet makes following a plant-based diet that much sweeter. 

My next goal is to get my husband and three children fully on board with eating plant-based. Through cooking amazing, tasty, plant based meals for my family I hope that they will be more likely to choose plant-based options for life in the future.

I never would have thought that there was a simple answer to feeling better right in front of me all along. I hope my experience will inspire you to give plant based eating a try!

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post A Plant-Based Diet Freed Me After Decades of Digestive Distress and Gastrointestinal Issues appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Then, while on my honeymoon in 2013, I started to experience severe stomach pains and bloating after every meal. I went to multiple doctors, and they couldn’t find anything wrong with my stomach. Eventually, I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and leaky gut syndrome. I was given medication, but it only seemed to worsen my symptoms. 

In 2015 I decided to try switching up my diet to see if that might help. I adopted a high-fat, low-carb diet that consisted of meat and vegetables, along with lots of oil and other fatty foods. I completely eliminated dairy, grains, and beans, and I ate very little fruit. I found some relief, but I was still having stomach issues and suffering from asthma and migraines. 

While on vacation in September 2018, I was scrolling through Netflix and came across the Forks Over Knives film and decided to see what it was about. When I was done with the film I was curious about trying the diet, but I was skeptical. At that point I’d been avoiding grains and legumes for years because I’d been told that they could worsen my stomach symptoms. I couldn’t see how I could eat those things and get better. 

Around the same time, I started experiencing unexplained chest pains and weight gain. Again, I went to see a specialist and they couldn’t determine the problem. They said that my blood pressure was perfect; my labs were fine; and my heart looked good. The only thing they could think to tell me was that I was obese and needed to lose weight. Eventually, I talked to a nurse practitioner who told me that my gallbladder could be causing chest pain. I went for a HIDA scan (an imaging test used to examine the liver, gallbladder, and small intestine), and sure enough the chest pain was caused by my gallbladder, which was functioning at less than 5 percent. 

On top of that, I was so tired all the time. As a registered nurse, I work 10- to 12-hour shifts, and I never felt like I had enough energy. I couldn’t believe I felt so bad at just 35 years old. 

In 2019, I found a great doctor who ran some more lab work for me. Two things stuck out: My A1C (a measure of average blood sugar) was 6.0, putting me in the prediabetic category. My C-reactive protein level—which measures inflammation and should generally be under 3—was 8.4. I was stunned. I had not had a grain or fruit in years, and yet my A1C was high; I was prediabetic and overweight; and my entire body was inflamed. 

She then tested me for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and found that I had hydrogen sulfide SIBO and that meat and other foods were causing me to have a reaction. That was the final thing that convinced me to go whole-food, plant-based.

Making the Transition

In November 2019, I went in 100 percent to the whole-food, plant-based way of eating. I found some plant-based YouTubers, such as Brittany Jaroudi, who talked about their journeys, and that gave me a lot of inspiration. I also had a chance to meet Michael Greger, MD, in person and listen to his seminar, and that really helped solidify that WFPB was the right path for me. I downloaded the Forks Over Knives Recipe App and signed up for Forks Meal Planner, and I picked up the magazine. I also bought the How Not to Die Cookbook. As I became more confident in my plant-based cooking, I started creating my own meal plans. 

The thing that surprised me the most was the diversity of food available to me. Even though I was not eating meat, processed foods, oil, or dairy, I still had so many options. For the first time, eating became exciting to me, and I found a love for cooking that I never knew I had. I started to enjoy coming up with new dishes. 

And I began to see the health benefits. I had more energy. My mood got better. My asthma symptoms decreased. About six months in, I discovered that I had some food intolerances due to leaky gut, but I made the necessary adjustments and stuck with the WFPB way of eating.  

Thriving Through and Through

More than a year later, I continue to see the benefits of this lifestyle change. Today I hardly ever need to use my inhaler. My labs have shown significant improvement: My A1C dropped from 6.0 to 5.3, and my C-reactive protein dropped from 8.4 to 3, putting me in the normal range for both. And my iron doubled! I’ve lost more than 50 pounds, and I continue to lose weight just by eating the foods I love. For the first time in a long time, I’ve had the energy to actually want to exercise.  

My favorite thing to eat now is beans. I love making soups loaded with beans and veggies; they are convenient for lunch during my long, busy workdays. The No-Tuna Salad Sandwich is another go-to meal for me. 

When the people in my life saw the weight dropping off me, they asked me about it, so I’ve been able to share my story many times. Three of my co-workers have now switched to the WFPB diet, and some friends and family members have started trying to eat more this way, too. I hold information sessions over Zoom to help them understand what WFPB is and how to make the transition. I can’t remember ever feeling as good as I do today.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post From Prediabetic, Asthmatic, and Anemic to Positively Thriving on a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Hurting and Desperate

Throughout my childhood, I was dragged to more doctors and had more scans, but the treatment options remained the same: painkillers and patience. I hated migraines for having taken over my life. I sought refuge in tasty treats whenever I felt a migraine coming on. I stuffed myself with doughnuts or muffins, finding temporary pleasure in the sweet taste. Sadly, this troublesome relationship with food soon turned into something dangerous. A doctor who believed that yeast was the root of many ailments told me to stick my finger down my throat and induce vomiting in order to prevent a migraine attack whenever I had eaten any food containing yeast. I ultimately employed this strategy as a way to avoid gaining weight, and I developed bulimia. 

Even though doctors hadn’t helped me resolve my health conditions, I still pursued a career in medicine. I studied the body while I battled my own. In my first year as a medical student, I was admitted to the hospital for analgesia withdrawal and detox. The regular use of vomiting and analgesia led to gastritis, constipation, and medication-overuse headaches. I spent the majority of my fourth year of medical school bedridden and in pain. 

After graduation, I moved to the United Kingdom to work as a doctor, hoping to start fresh by hiding my migraines from colleagues. I loved my job, but as time went on, I felt professionally frustrated, since my migraines rendered me incapable of completing my membership exams. My family was wrong; I wouldn’t just grow out of it. Finally, I threw in the towel and stopped practicing medicine as I knew it. 

Healing From Migraines Through a Plant-Based Diet

As food was associated with my greatest downfall, it would soon be the source of my greatest success. In 2018 I happened to attend the Nutrition in Medicine Conference organized by the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK. It was the first time I was introduced to the idea that food could be medicine. That simple truth changed my life forever. I set out on a new journey that harnessed the power of nutrition. I had been vegan since 2014, but now I learned about a no-oil whole-food, plant-based diet, and I started reading articles and watching webinars. I was inspired by the personal stories of how people overcame the greatest odds by modifying the foods they put into their bodies. I allowed myself to wonder whether such a diet could address my life-long attacks of migraines as well. The truth is, I was desperate. 

Finally, in April 2018 after a five-day migraine attack, I adopted a whole-food, plant-based diet, which was free of oil. Five days into the new diet my ever-present migraines disappeared. On the 11th day, I did develop a migraine, but it was short and less intense. Over the past two years, I have averaged just two migraine days per month—down from 18. For the first time in years, I have my life back. 

Forks Over Knives has been a pivotal part of my journey. In the early months, FOK was my sole source of delicious WFPB recipes. The gorgeous pictures and creative ideas made me believe I could incorporate this diet into my life. Some people call my diet extreme, but the truth is that no food, no matter how delicious and appetizing it may be, is worth sacrificing my life and my dreams for. 

My commitment to helping others through nutrition led me to complete T. Colin Campbell’s Plant-Based Nutrition certificate, and then I decided to pursue a postgraduate degree in nutrition. In 2019 I earned a master’s degree with distinction in Clinical and Public Health Nutrition. I can’t regain the years I’ve lost to migraines, but it is comforting to know that I am now equipped with the knowledge and skills to help other chronic disease sufferers reach a better life at the end of the tunnel. 

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post Migraines Held Me Back for Decades, Until I Went Plant-Based appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

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Ready to get started? Check out our Plant-Based Primer to learn more about adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet.

The post Our Most-Shared Success Stories of 2019 appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

After Justin’s successful thyroid removal and radiation treatment, we began our plant-based journey. Justin did a juice cleanse and then transitioned first to a plant-based diet. The kids and I were slower to transition but started by cutting out all processed food.

For me, this was the most difficult part. I don’t mind cooking, but finding dishes that were easy to fix and tasted good was a challenge. But one by one, we cut out dairy, oil, and meat from our diet. After that, we began to incorporate more whole foods and plants into our meals. The last part of the transition was our kids’ lunches at school. The total transition took three months.

I couldn’t believe the difference in how I began to feel. Within a year of eating plant-based, ailments I had struggled with for years began to lessen significantly or even fully disappear like my chronic migraines, skin problems, low energy, and painful menstrual cramps (from my endometriosis).

In total, I lost 100 pounds while my husband Justin lost around 200 pounds. He also saw a significant improvement in his overall health and no longer suffers from back pain or sleep apnea.

But we also noticed changes in the health of our two kids, Hannah and Hayden. Not only did our kids’ concentration and grades improve, their moods became more level, Hannah’ s acne cleared up, Hayden’s eczema healed, and Hannah lost around 15 pounds, while Hayden lost 20 pounds. For snacks we can take with us, we love air-popped popcorn with nutritional yeast, and homemade granola and kale chips.

We love how our family spends more time together now. We’ve become more active and do more activities together. We even started having family movie nights together to watch documentaries about plant-based lifestyles like Forks Over Knives, Food Inc., and Vegucated. Ever since we switched to plant-based, every year has been more rewarding than the last with more physical activity, family adventures, and improved quality of foods in our diet.

The post After a Cancer Diagnosis, Our Family Went Plant-Based and Lost Over 300 Pounds appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

I stand at 5 feet 2 inches, but there was a time when I was wider around than I was tall. I’m 62 inches tall and back then I measured 90 inches around my hips and belly.

As a child, my parents were completely baffled by my weight. Unaware of how to help me, they put me on a strict diet, but all this did was isolate me more. They made a mistake that a lot of parents do: They singled out the child as opposed to committing to a healthier lifestyle together as a family.

When I reached 436 pounds in my 40s, I vowed to lose the weight and, this time, to keep it off. I had lost over 100 pounds three different times and had taken off more than 40 pounds at least 20 times, but whenever a crisis occurred, the stress would drive me back to comfort foods. That’s when I decided to try a whole-food, plant-based diet. And it worked.

I’ve now lost over 240 pounds. Whereas I used to be in constant pain in my back and joints, even while sleeping, I now sleep easily and walk pain-free. My sleep apnea, migraines, and need for medication have disappeared. I attribute my success to focusing on the behavior I need to maintain to achieve my goals rather than the outcomes.

The truth is these are the behaviors I need to do for the rest of my life so this weight stays off. I believe I have a brain that’s especially sensitive to sugars and simple carbohydrates. Now I avoid those things. I eat very simply. I avoid sugar, oil, flour, and salt. I eat a strictly plant-based diet. No meat, dairy, or eggs.

When I see someone struggling with obesity, I have nothing but empathy for them. We judge fat people so much and it’s an anguished life. But I want others to know it’s possible to break out of the vicious cycle.

My Tips & Tricks for Success
• I keep healthy foods in my pantry and close at hand.
• I prepare food ahead of time and often plan my meals.
• I eat simply.
• I don’t eat at restaurants often, which helps keeps me on track and also saves money.
• If I’m feeling vulnerable, I don’t feel the need to attend every social engagement or party.
• If I slip up, I don’t beat myself up. I get back on track.
• The longer I’m on my plant-based path, the more bulletproof I feel. So stick with it!

The post I Beat Food Addiction and Lost 240 Pounds on a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.