I am taking control of my health. I’m not young anymore. I’ve already had a stroke — and worked very hard to recover. I’ve had type 2 diabetes and reversed it with food. I’m having all kinds of health issues with my skin, joints, and the type 2 diabetes had returned (because I went back to old food habits). There is no need for me to have these issues and I’m doing something about it.
Have you heard of the Netflix documentary, “What the Health” or “Forks Over Knives”? I watched these and two others recently and they left me thinking long and hard about what and how I eat.
These documentaries focus on plant-based diets and the way Americans eat. Even though they focused on Americans, there’s no question here in Canada we follow deathly close to Americans in how and what we eat. In turn, our rates of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer have skyrocketed in a parallel trajectory. In recent decades I’ve been amazed at how doctors, dieticians, government, and everyone who listens to them rely on information provided from the food industry. I’m referring to all those companies producing their highly processed ‘foods’ or food products. Thankfully there are a few doctors who not only rely on real scientific studies (rather than manipulating the out-of-context information) and who also think for themselves rather than falling in line with propaganda from the giant food (food-like) industries.
One quarter of what you eat keeps you alive. The other three quarters keep your doctor alive.
Egyptian Proverb
Further punctuating and enlightening what I’ve learned through the documentaries, I’ve read a couple of important books recently — The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II, MD plus Forks Over Knives, the Plant-based Way to Health edited by Gene Stone. Well, one of them I haven’t yet finished (The China Study) but it’s a comprehensive textbook-like book filled with eye-opening facts. The Forks over Knives book is like a Coles Notes version of this important nutritional information while The China Study is jam packed with actual scientific information yet easy to read.
I should mention what the China Study actually is. The China Study was the largest, most comprehensive human nutrition study in history. It was the culmination of a 20 year partnership between Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy Of Preventative Medicine. It is the legacy of Dr. T. Colin Campbell.
I’ve often thought – or wondered – how certain populations are all so healthy looking with slender bodies and living to a very old age. The absence of obesity and absence or rarity of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes (type 2), cancer, and many other chronic health issues also seems to go hand-in-hand with some of these populations. Well, now I know.
This isn’t a new way of thinking for us either. Ever since 2000, we quit feeding our dogs kibble. That’s just an artificial processed food-product and not what dogs are meant to eat. Since then we’ve fed all our dogs a species-appropriate diet of real meat, bones, and on occasional some of our leftovers. So now we too are finally avoiding any type of processed food (even though we barely ever ate processed food) and eating purely whole plant food.
When I told my husband I was planning to commit to transitioning to a fully whole food, plant-based way of eating, he ended up agreeing to ‘come along for the ride’ for a 30-day period. We jumped in and made December 27th (2022) our official start date. Since that time, he has informed me he’s in this permanently. So we’re both fully committed. What does it mean to eat this way?
We don’t look at this as some experiment, or a diet, or that we can no longer eat X, Y and Z. It’s all about our long term health. We are eating a vast world of whole plant foods full of a huge range of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. I realized quite quickly that, after eating meat and dairy for so many decades, that there’s a learning curve during the transition in terms of planning and preparing meals. With help from Forks Over Knives website plus a couple real life people sharing how they do it, (Pick Up Limes and Alexandra Andersson in particular), we’re finding the transition easier and tastier.
Both my husband and I would fall into the category of ‘foodie’ and I’m sure some of our friends are perplexed. There’s no reason we can’t have utterly delicious meals made with real whole foods while totally avoiding all meat and dairy. So loving delicious food won’t change. Unfortunately I haven’t thought to take photos of some of the good-looking meals we’ve had (burgers, soup n sandwiches, kebabs) so these breakfast and lunch bowls will have to do as my presentation to a new life.
Leave your drugs in the chemist’s pot if you can cure the patient with food.
Hippocrates
I realize this post is a great departure from what I usually write and it may even be controversial to some. But I’d love to hear from you if you’ve made permanent changes for your health or if you have watched any of the documentaries. Or maybe you have a favourite whole food plant-based (basically vegan) dish you’d like to share.
If you enjoyed this why not share it with a friend or post about it on social media. Thank you for reading and sharing your time with me. — Diane
I hope it is still going well & you are reaping the benefits of ‘ you are what you eat.’ Congrats.
Hi Diane, I’ve read your “food as medicine” blog posts and have benefited greatly from them. A recent A1C test result showed that my blood sugar has crept up into pre-diabetic range. Since I got that test result, I’ve read deeply on nutrition, watched the two documentaries you recommended, and am switching over to a plant-based diet. I appreciate how you are using your photography and writing skills to share your and your husband’s journey and also inspiring people like me. Many thanks! — Andrew
Thank you for this post. I have followed your links and am in the last half of The China Study. Such good informative information. I’ll be incorporating a whole food vegetarian menu into my lifestyle. I’d be interested in hearing about how you are progressing. By the way I have been reading your blog for a long time and thoroughly enjoy it.
Diane, I’ll check out those links. It’s wonderful that you and your husband both thrive on the same way of eating. Not the case with us. Early in our marriage my husband agreed to try my vegetarian diet. After a month he had to give it up. Despite the diet being much more than adequate in nutrition, he was losing weight, weight he could not afford to lose. Having virtually no fat on him, he was losing muscle mass. As soon as he resumed eating a small to moderate amount of meat, he stopped losing muscle mass. I couldn’t argue with that. Though I thrive on a vegetarian diet, with a little dairy and eggs, I had neither the time nor the energy to make two different meals for us every evening, so I began eating a little meat as well. I buy organic, grass-fed meat and we eat it in small amounts. Works for us. Your breakfast and lunch bowls look delicious!
PS I have two posts on my blog that describe two of the most important aspects of my diet: 1) Sugar – Toxin or Treat? and 2) Intermittent Fasting 16/8 – It’s Not Just About What You Eat, But When You Eat.
I’m on a similar journey to better health and found this post so interesting, Diane. It is amazing how well you can eat when eating healthy. Good luck to you both and well done!
Amalia
xo
So proud that you and your husband have undertaken this to be proactive! I have also signed up and have looked at the weekly planner. What I love is that it generates a grocery list for you. And when you have a grocery list, you are less likely to stray and buy things you don’t need, like sweets. No sure about the smoothies. Perhaps after tasting, I will be convinced. I, myself, am not diabetic or overweight, but I would like to lose about 20 pounds. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Diane, Interesting post and I relate to it!
I am pre-diabetic, have been since 2016. Diabetes runs in my family and I don’t have any other risk factors – I am quite skinny and exercise daily, have always prepared my own food vs processed food.
I went to low carb Way of eating (not a diet!) – essentially following Keto guidelines except I don’t count macros, I don’t measure stuff. I still eat meat and dairy and 99% of the time it’s whole foods – lots of non starchy veggies, some berries, etc. I find the bean, pulses, grains, starchy vegetables spike my blood sugar. My goal is to stave off medication as long as I can.
The challenge always becomes going out for meals / travel, but I’ve found I can find appropriate food with pre planning.
Pre processed food, most fast food burger joints, convenience foods are filled with inflammatory ingredients that impact our health. Food companies supply consumers with cheap, extremely palatable food at the detriment of our health.
I wish you the best with your new Way of Eating!