I Saved My Life With Food

By Deb Freeman

I watched the DVD Forks Over Knives with my husband.  Previously I was reading books on eliminating inflammation and pain in my body.  I have had pain for years and struggled with obesity.  My husband went from not taking any medication or getting sick to having 9 stents put in because of seriously clogged arteries and was put on four different medications.  The doctors could not figure out what kept clogging his arteries.

The Forks Over Knives DVD inspired me to read the book The China Study.  The more I learned, the angrier I got at our government wondering how this information could be held from the people and how much big money controls our lives.  I wanted to learn more because I realized it was up to me to take care of myself.  So, I signed up for and took the Whole Food Plant Based Nutrition course at e-Cornell.  I learned the bigger picture.was

Three weeks into the plant based diet my husband had to have some blood tests done.  His Drs. office called him because they were concerned that his blood pressure was so low.  They wanted to know what he was doing differently.  He told them he was not eating meat or dairy products and was mostly eating fruits and vegetables and other non-processed foods.  They cut his blood pressure medicine in half.

I was starting to feel better but was still having some inflammation issues.  I also knew I had to take the next step and cut out sugar like that found in my Chai teas and the special chocolates my husband would bring home to me.  Within two weeks my inflammation had finally disappeared and I could hardly believe how much better I could move.  Spring was upon us and I was gardening like never before.  I was getting up and down in the gardens with ease.  I decided to plant a three times larger vegetable garden.  Who knew we would be going into a drought but I just felt so good gardening again, pulling weeds etc. without the pain and feeling the next day like I got hit by a truck that I was not too distraught that not all of my plantings were going to produce.

I continue to read books, watch DVD's and learn as much as I can about the plant based diet and our health.  I can read between the lines when the study's come out either for or against any type of food that is out there.  Taking the course and reading The China Study really helped me feel good about the direction I am going.  I share my enthusiasm with anyone who will listen to me.  I am hoping to go out and offer classes on eating a plant based diet.  I know a lot of people want to eat healthier but don't know how, or where to start.

A year from now I hope to be at my goal weight and if possible, get off the only medication I am on (thyroid) and have hopes that my husband will be able to get off his medications and maybe have the stents removed as he would not need them anymore.  We need to be examples for those who may want to follow.

PS. If every one of us inspired ONE person to go meatless imagine the difference we could make in ten years time. I am going to collect inspirational vegetarian/vegan stories to share with everyone. If you think your story will inspire others, please share with me by sending it to info@veglov.com. I will post your stories on this www.veglov.com blog. I believe everyone has his/her own story, I think it must be great when we can share our stories and inspire others. Let’s make the world a better place. ~ Xiao Kang.

Making a Change for the Better World

By: Julie Anne Ianello

I'd like to tell you about my family's story.

I've been vegetarian on and off for a few years.  Two years ago, during a trip on I-95, I saw a poultry truck where a chicken was half in and half out of one of the openings.  He was obviously packed so tightly in there that he tried to escape.  I've not eaten meat since.

I quoted Ellen DeGeneres to my family at dinner last Thanksgiving:

"I can't imagine that if you're putting something in your body that is filled with fear or anxiety or pain, that that isn't somehow going to be inside of you."

With that, they watched Earthlings.  They've not eaten meat since that day.

We've had 'very vegetarian' holidays ever since.

My husband's cholesterol level has gone from dangerous to safe.  He is no longer on medications.  His blood pressure is down too.  He had an accident at work a few months ago where part of his finger tip was cut off.  Needless to say, within a week it was healing.  He swears it's because of his diet.  Let me add, he's lost 50 pounds too!

I am in the menopausal stage of my life.  I've always heard of and witnessed women have extreme mood swings and weight gain during this part of their life.  I'm consistently happy and I'm losing weight.

This way of life has been a positive in our lives.  We're a family who's making a change for the better and hopefully for the world.

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

PS. If every one of us inspired ONE person to go meatless imagine the difference we could make in ten years time. I am going to collect inspirational vegetarian/vegan stories to share with everyone. If you think your story will inspire others, please share with me by sending it to info@veglov.com. I will post your stories on this www.veglov.com blog. I believe everyone has his/her own story, I think it must be great when we can share our stories and inspire others. Let’s make the world a better place. ~ Xiao Kang.

A Guiltless, Meatless Diet

By: Jennifer lee

I refer to the column A Year of Veging Out (Life!, Jan 6) by Stephanie Yap.

Like Ms. Yap, I am concerned about animal welfare, but I loved meat and hated vegetables too much. In the past years, I made a number of failed attempts to go on a vegetarian diet by cutting off meat consumption completely. Everything felt wrong then. I felt hungry after meals and deprived of meal options. I felt like a drug addict undergoing rehabilitation, but I have come to realize these are mainly psychological effects of a bodily change.

I took a different approach last year, by cutting out one type of meat from my diet at a time, at a pace I could manage.

I started boycotting cruel an unsustainable dishes including foie gras, shark’s fin and blue-fin tuna. Next, I cut off beef and pork. Chicken was next to go. I went on pescatarian diet for a few months before I embraced the vegetarian lifestyle.

The new diet has changed me physically, emotionally and mentally. I stopped feeling guilty about what I eat. My tummy deflated, my bowel and menstrual systems regulated themselves, and my complexion took a turn for the better.

The growing attention surrounding factory farming and unsustainable seafood has brought more people on the route to responsible eating.

As Chinese New Year approaches, it would also be respectable if companies and individuals can take into consideration the removal of controversial dishes such asfoie gras and shark’s fin from their lo hei menus.

PS. If every one of us inspired ONE person to go meatless imagine the difference we could make in ten years time. I am going to collect inspirational vegetarian/vegan stories to share with everyone. If you think your story will inspire others, please share with me by sending it to info@veglov.com. I will post your stories on this www.veglov.com blog. I believe everyone has his/her own story, I think it must be great when we can share our stories and inspire others. Let’s make the world a better place. ~ Xiao Kang.

The Beneficial Journey

By Saman Tahmasbi

Hey,My name is Sam and I am a 24 years old boy from Iran.I’ve inspired one of my friends to become veg. It was just a simple story, we went together to a three day journey, and all through that we were forced to go to different restaurants for our meals.So he observed the way that I did and he found out that its not as hard as he always imagined (of course its harder than most of the other regions in the world in my country because you’ll have less than half a dozen options.)

After the trip when we were coming back to Tehran he asked me "Why do you do it? What is it all about?" and I replied him with something like this "That`s something peaceful and you can`t imagine how its like unless you’ve experienced it and if you do that for a time period you will find out about the results in yourself, both body and soul". So he decided to do that for a time period and the time period is becoming longer and longer day after day, just as I expected! Now he is one of the veggies, loves his lifestyle and is glad of himself and the decision which has been made.

You may connected with Sam through his facebook : http://facebook.com/smntnms

"That`s something peaceful and you can`t imagine how its like unless you’ve experienced it and if you do that for a time period you will find out about the results in yourself, both body and soul".

PS. If every one of us inspired ONE person to go meatless imagine the difference we could make in ten years time. I am going to collect inspirational vegetarian/vegan stories to share with everyone. If you think your story will inspire others, please share with me by sending it to info@veglov.com. I will post your stories on this www.veglov.com blog. I believe everyone has his/her own story, I think it must be great when we can share our stories and inspire others. Let’s make the world a better place. ~ Xiao Kang.

The one week vegetarian challenge

Hi, my names Hannah, I am 17 years old and Live in England. I have been vegetarian for 2 years.

I became a vegetarian simply because Icouldn't win a battle as a meat eater against a Vegetarian Friend.

I used to be practically a carnivore, I'd eat meat all the time, every day, and even now, ashamed to say, I get craving on the odd day (I have never acted upon my craving since becoming vegetarian). I hardly ate/eat any vegetables but I'm not overweight.. So..I was arguing my case all fired up and competitive in a little friendly debate and suddenly I paused for a moment or two.. I thought, what this guy is saying is true, I can't really be siding against him, what he's saying is understandable. I have always adored animals ever since I can remember and now that I was old enough to make my own decisions in life why couldn't I become a vegetarian? So I gave in to him, told him he was right and the debate subsided.

I then decided to try being vegetarian for a week, I think I called it 'Veggie for a week' challenge.

I was doing well until I gobbled up a few mini marshmallows, not for a split second thinking they could have gelatin hidden inside there squishy appearance.

So I tried again, but as a pescetarian. So the only creature I was eating was fish for about 6months until I saw a TV comedy show where they killed one.. In which I cried my eyes out for hours.. :( Poor fish! I've had my gelatin slip ups/accidents I admit, feeling extremely guilty! But I press on.

I've tried being vegan but as a teen in a family struggling to pay even the rent it was hard to buy special food and expensive to constantly buy healthy foods all the time and I felt bad for my mom, putting extra stress on her even though I'm independent and cooked my own food. I got quite poorly because of those reasons so I decided it would be better for ME to stay as a vegetarian.

I am passionate about being a vegetarian and trying to care for the planet/global warming and if we can TOGETHER as VEGETARIANS/VEGANS inspire even one person to change their diet to meat free then at least its a step closer to a happier world.

PS. If every one of us inspired ONE person to go meatless imagine the difference we could make in ten years time. I am going to collect inspirational vegetarian/vegan stories to share with everyone. If you think your story will inspire others, please share with me by sending it to info@veglov.com. I will post your stories on this www.veglov.com blog. I believe everyone has his/her own story, I think it must be great when we can share our stories and inspire others. Let’s make the world a better place. ~ Xiao Kang.