Thirty six years ago, I would have died. I was only 44 years old and had just been diagnosed with severe heart disease, high blood pressure, Thyroid Cancer, pre diabetes and I was almost 55 lbs. overweight. I was an aerobic instructor teaching 25 classes of aerobics per week. I thought I was eating a healthy diet of chicken, cheese, yogurt and ice cream. Luckily for me, my then new neighbor told me about Dr. John McDougall and I read his book. I could not believe that his patients were all getting over cancer, heart disease, diabetes and all chronic diseases. I jumped right in and never went back for more radiation and now I have perfect health. I just had to change to a starch based, whole food plant exclusive diet without oil. Now, at 80 I have great health and energy and still teach aerobics.

I went 100% plant-based in 2015 due to witnessing my parents’ declining health due to heart disease, diabetes and dementia. I am the eldest of 8 and the only one of my siblings who takes no meds or has any medical issues of any kind. I have more energy than even my youngest sister.

Vegan 8 years. Living it with my family of three!

So many things have healed in my body since going plant based. My dry skin and scalp have healed. My digestive issues have improved so much and my blood pressure is healthy now.

My journey began like most with a carnivore diet or standard American Diet (S.A.D). I used to love my meats medium rare. I used to love eating McDonalds for convenience. I used to eat dairy. You Tube shaped my life towards WFPB one unrelated video to another and the pop up video suggestions somehow led me to Dr Brooke Goldner’s story on how she healed herself from her autoimmune immune disease while becoming a doctor. Evidence based information appealed most to me and when I trusted the evidence I progressed to listen to other people’s personal health journeys on related vegan, Whole Foods plant based, and raw vegans stories. I am a Chinese female who came to America when I was 5 years old and Luckily before the age of 47, my lab work were all normal levels. My blood pressure and energy level were my only concern and was not on any prescribed medications. I only recently this year 2022 at 47 years old start my whole food-raw plant based lifestyle as an self experiment. I am 48 now and have been transitioning well with 95% whole food raw plant based diet and 5% seafood or poultry (social family gatherings). I had notice without cardiovascular exercise that my blood pressure remains steadily around 115/75. The biggest difference I notice is in my maintain level of energy throughout the day. I hike mountains and I used to load up on a heavy meal before the activity but now I either fast, hydrate with coconut water or have a green drink before hiking and I have not feared my energy getting depleted during the exercise up to 2-3 hours long. I do listen to my body’s needs and it has served me well. I will continue to maintain my lifestyle and eventually be 100% whole food raw plant based but for now I am happy with results and knowing I am my biggest preventer of my own demise. I hope my story reaches someone.

I will share only one of the many benefits a WFPB diet gave me. For over 15 years I strenuously trained in those chi kung and tai chi exercises without ever being able to settle and build up, harness and circulate my mind/energy/chi throughout my body in a natural, easy and smooth way. All this started to change when I adopted a WFPB lifestyle almost 4 years ago 🙂 I can now teach what I learned, finally…

Overweight, not sleeping, low energy and while up all night I found Dr Neal Barnard on YouTube. After one podcast I was hooked. I showed my 91 year old Mother the program and after two weeks of changing our diets she was no longer diabetic according to her doctor. We have each lost a tremendous amount of weight and my husband who is transitioning has lost twenty pounds without trying. Best sleepless night I’ve ever had!

I’ve been vegan for 11 years and WFPB for about 5 years of that. I am certified in plant-based nutrition from eCornell, and am trained in vegan cooking and desserts from Rouxbe cooking school. My family is also vegan (husband and two kids).

I have been vegan 10 years and 3-4 years whole food plant based. I have lost 140 lb over the past 10 years and came off 3 blood pressure medicines and 3 diabetes medicines.

Going vegan has changed my life…literally!

Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 41 ( an inflammatory autoimmune disease inflames the large bowel) and was given the same drug by the physician as was prescribed to my mother 40 years prior. I asked how the drug works and he said “we don’t know”. It did not help and I suffered for 4 more years. I decided to stop the meds and went vegetarian. Two weeks later, like a switch, the symptoms disappeared ( cramping and running to the toilet 10+ times daily). That was 2012 and I still have great bowel health today. Best decision EVER!

About 3 years ago I picked up a book from the Costco book stand. It was Dr. Greger’s How Not to Die. It was such an easy read that I read it real quick then I started making the recipes. I was pre diabetic at the time and obese, but little by little I started implementing Dr. Greger’s recipes and reading more and more health books, like Chef AJ’s The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss and many others. Soon I lost ten pounds and have kept them off but I am still struggling to lose weight because I have a hard time sticking to the plan on the weekend. I am a work in progress but I truly love taking better care of myself and eating healthy, wholesome food. I am no longer pre diabetic and my blood pressure has gone down. My Triglycerides went down too. I am very happy about that!

I have been vegan for 3 years, but slipped into bad eating habits during Covid. As a result, I gained 30 pounds and my blood pressure shot up. I realized I needed to get back to basics, and eat truly whole food, plant based. Since February, I have lost 22 pounds, and my blood pressure has returned to normal and I have cut my medications in half. I plan on being able to get off of my medication in the near future.

I stopped eating animal products more than ten years ago and am following a fully plant-based diet and am thriving! I’ve maintained a thirty-five pound weight loss and my doctor says my blood pressure is fantastic! The best part of my plant-based lifestyle is I feel really good every day! I’ve eliminated virtually all of the aches and pains that began in my forties, I stay well and don’t catch many cold and flu bugs that circulate and don’t need to take medications. I am positive that plant-based eating has benefited me beyond my physical health. I am more optimistic than I was when younger have less anxiety in general. I look forward to the coming years and the possibilities life holds. I have big plans for things I want to do and accomplish. Choosing to become plant-based is one of the best and most important decisions I’ve ever made for myself.