Discussion Board

Last week I turned 41 and I am happier and healthier than ever thanks to a diet based on plants and whole grains. When I turned 40, I promised myself I would get healthy, but I had no idea how to make it last long-term (believe me when I say I've tried just about every diet out there). Six months ago I came upon this lifestyle by reading The China Study, which led me to Dr. McDougall and this website. It has saved me from the typical diet of deprivation and hunger by trying to cut down on the foods that were making me sick. Since then I have lost 30 pounds, and I now have a BMI in the normal range.

I had all the markers for the onset chronic and degenerative diseases and I didn't understand how to resolve my issues, but I was set on not turning to pills. Since I was a teenager I have been on the higher side of normal for blood pressure, and by adopting this lifestyle, my headaches have gone away, my blood pressure is under control, and I have loads of energy.

I am not someone who loves to spend a lot of time in the kitchen and this still works great for me. I try to cook one day a week and have found many foods that are quick, convenient, and not processed at my grocery store now that I am looking for them. I am enjoying food more than ever before and am so thankful for the years it is adding to my life!!

I have given up trying to explain my changes to friends and co-workers for all the reasons many people have mentioned in their posts, and I want to thank all the wonderful people who share your stories on this blog. I have read your posts for information and to feel like there are others out there who have the same vision for long term health through nutrition.

Congratulations and happy birthday! Today is my 41st birthday. I still have a lot of weight to lose, but I'm feeling happy and healthy too! Yay us!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOADFOOD.! RAS

CONGRATS!

Congratulations for making a promise to yourself a year ago and keeping it! Wow! Great job!

Congratulations, vegAnn! Sometimes we just have to do it for ourselves, and for no other reason. Most of the population doesn't understand this way of eating, but we have to be brave enough to be different.

Nettie

Way to go. I have a question, what convenience foods have you found out there on the market. Except for basics used for cooking I haven't seen anything that is a convenient food. I make my own by having my own food cooked in adance, like you do. But sometimes I'd like something else. I just started an intensive course each weekend for the next 6 months, so something easy and different would be a nice change.

Some of the convenient foods I've found:

Breakfast- Uncle Sam's cereal w/ unsweetened almond milk
Lunch- frozen brown rice from trader joe's w/ frozen corn and canned black beans & salsa (I just throw it all in plastic ware and go), corn tortillas, carrots w/ oil free hummus
Dinner- luna brand vege burger (oil free) and ezekial buns. I think the Dr. Praeter's vege burgers are good too, but they do contain some oil.

I often snack on the lundberg brown rice rice cakes. Also, I do treat myself to a smoothie w a banana, almond milk, and a bunch of spinach most days.

I make big pots of soup (I use Bob's Red Mill vege soup mix) or I make black bean soup and freeze it. I will also bake a bunch of sweet potatoes and eat them over the course of a few days.

So, not tons of variety, but all very satisfying.

I had absolutely the worst eating habits before switching to this lifestyle, mainly a terrible sweet tooth. That has pretty much disappeared, although I do go a little overboard on fruit sometimes, but it's way better than candy.

Hope this helps.

Congratulations, sounds like you're doing great!

wow, and congrats!