I have been a “big” girl most of my life. I have been a “fat” girl for the last few years. I’m tired of it. I’m also tired of being sick, and living with the effects of diabetes and high blood pressure.
It became time to take control.
I have studied food and nutrition for 15 years. I could spout all kinds of information about food and why you should eat certain ways and not others. It’s easy to tell others, but hard to incorporate for yourself. You have to deal with your stuff and why you eat. I run as far away from that as I can, as you can tell if you look at my recent pictures. I try not to put up too many pictures of myself.
I began to study some more, looking at vegetarian eating. I had tried to be vegetarian before, but I gained a lot of weight. I had friends, who were vegetarian, who didn’t look healthy. In my recent studies, I discovered that the reason for that is that they still ate too much processed foods. Not much changed in their way of eating, they still continued to eat processed food as before, the only thing they changed was that they didn’t eat meat anymore.
My husband, Ken, my brother, Rusty and my sister-in-law, Penny and I took a trip together to Shelby, North Carolina and visited a place called Hallelujah Acres. Our life began to change. I remember that, while we were there, I placed my hands on my hips and said to my husband, “I’m not giving up my meat, I will continue to eat meat.” He just laughed and said ok.
When we returned home, I began to implement some of the dishes from Hallelujah Acres for Ken. Their philosophy is mostly raw, but definitely vegan.
I continued to study and found other books on raw foods that have some great ideas and dishes that I will share here periodically.
I also found Dr. Joel Fuhrman, John A. McDougall, M.D. and Dr. Neal Barnard. They are all about plant-based lifestyles. I also found T. Colin Campbell’s book “The China Study”. WOW! I do believe that my life really changed when I began to incorporate some of the philosophies of these books.
Vegetarian and vegan (food) is what this blog is about. Making this journey and feeling that I have found a way I can live with. I do know however, that I have to take this one day at a time, so while I am choosing this lifestyle, I have not jumped in to Eat To Live with both feet. I am feeling my way, doing what I know I can be successful with. I have been on groups and hear people talk about how they have tried various plans and have not been successful, so here they are again, starting one more time. I want to start and stay. I cannot afford to not be successful. I have peripheral neuropathy in my feet, my blood pressure just continued to rise 190’s/100’s, my blood sugar levels just continued to climb 175-225, all this despite being on medication. I cannot live like this, and I sure do not want to continue with this medication. Since implementing what I have, and that is a 90%+ plant-based diet, many changes have occurred. My blood sugar is staying down below 125, my blood pressure is staying around 120’s/60’s-70’s, and I have lost 28 pounds! Side benefit, joint pain has disappeared! YEAH!!! I am sure that as days go by, you will see my recipes change as my style changes. What I hope to accomplish is to show, every day people, that even small changes can have huge results! The other change that I have noticed occurs is that I find myself wanting fewer and fewer “gifts” from animals and that is a good thing. Letting the change occur naturally…well I can live with that! :)
I will chronical my journey here at From Jackie Vetter’s Kitchen.
Jackie Vetter
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