Never trust a skinny cook, right?
Well, my rolls (…or marbling, as I like to call it) give me a little credibility here. My family is on the same journey as many other families. We’re not perfect. And, I’m confident that we never will be.
At the end of the day, you should trust and believe in YOURSELF to help your family. I’m just some crazy woman on the Internet who can give you a little help, support and a good laugh along the way – probably at my own expense.
No. Always get advice from doctors and other health care professionals. Think of me as your best friend who passes along killer recipes and meal plans.
Do yourself a favor though; find a doctor that doesn’t just let you off easy. Popping pills isn’t always the answer, my friend.
Yes. I’ll work with anyone on their food journey. I can’t promise that I won’t try to sneak in more grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables though 😛 Actually, we’re a mixed diet household as well. You can learn more about my crew’s eating habits here.
I knew someone who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and addicted to food (hard core.) A couple years ago, he went to the Dr. John McDougall Health and Wellness Center for a 7-day Live-In Program – or as I jokingly called it ‘Fat Camp.’
The joke was on me.
When he came back he was completely off his prescription medications, weighed 25 pounds less and had a new perspective on food as nutrition. It was truly inspiring. Unfortunately, this transformation only lasted a couple months. Without the proper support system in place, he couldn’t maintain his new lifestyle.
I was still intrigued by the transformation.
As I started to research the science behind his original transformation, I learned that by eating the traditional American diet we are increasing our weight daily but yet we’re malnourished. We’re eating too much protein, sugar, and fat. And, we’re not getting nearly enough fiber, fruits, and vegetables.
In my own family, I saw this playing out as well. We battled a number of chronic issues that ranged from autoimmune diseases to constipation.
Inspired by what I was learning, I enrolled in the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies through E-Cornell and earned a Certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition. In this program we studied:
- How what we eat impacts chronic disease and weight loss
- Why we feel like we can’t give up certain types of foods
- How eating a whole food, plant-based diet can support optimal health and performance
- How to incorporate a whole food, plant-based diet
- How government and industry can affect dietary choices and the environment
Being inspired by what I’ve seen with my own eyes and learned from leading experts in the field, I’ve made the decision that it’s in my family’s best interest to eat more beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Each week, I focus on trying to get my family to eat better than they did the week before. With perseverance, I know that I will be successful over time.
I’m glad you asked. Please feel free to stalk Vaguely Vegan’s social media sites. Everyone loves a good creeper! 😆 It’s on those sites that I will keep you updated on our journey.