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 have tried to be vegetarian before, but I gained a lot of weight, as I have just recently done again. 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. For me, just strictly vegetarian eating allows me to eat the foods I love, ie., potatoes and bread, and I just don’t know when to stop. See, those food issues and I evidently haven’t gotten through them yet.
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.
Healthy food is what this blog is about. Making this journey and feeling that I have to find a way to eat that I can live with. I do know however, that I have to take this one day at a time, so while I am choosing to make this journey, 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. What I hope to accomplish is to show, every day people, that even small changes can have huge results!
If nothing else, From Jackie Vetter’s Kitchen is a record of my nutritional journey to wellness with food via an advancing and sometimes ever changing food lifestyle.
My goal is to create a forum where I share my food discoveries, and over time, others on a similar journey will share their tips and secrets with us as well.
Here you will find some non-vegetarian, vegetarian and vegan meals that are pleasing in appearance as well as delightful to eat.
Additionally, my intention is to present recipes that will inspire accomplished cooks and chefs and at the same time be presented in a way that even a novice in the kitchen will know they can prepare and enjoy these dishes.
I hope you enjoy reading and trying the recipes as much as I enjoy preparing and sharing them with you.
Also, this is our first attempt at a blog, so as with everything else, I’m sure we’ll get better with time. 
Jackie Vetter
I will chronical my journey here at From Jackie Vetter’s Kitchen.
Jackie Vetter
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