Hi! I am Geri. In my past life not too long ago, we probably loved the same food. I loved brats, cheeses, ice creams, bread, pastries etc. I too didn’t think I could give them up but here I am now – at my high school weight and a lot healthier than when I was in college yet still eating the food I love. Only that the food I love has changed. And I simply wouldn’t have it any other way. This is my story.
My Story
Going plantbased was my 3rd attempt of going “vegan”. What I discovered with this last try was losing weight, maintaining the weight loss and being at the best health I can be doesn’t have to expensive, complicated or even hard. What I love most about it is that I am not hungry all the time even if at one point I was losing 5 pounds in one week.
A Brief Background
Weight has always been an issue for me since my tweens (way before this term was even a word back then). I identified as being a chubby girl. I started dieting on my own volition when I was 10 years. I just noticed that I was one of the heaviest girl in my ballet. It was just a series of yo-yo dieting from then on. Atkins, Herbalife, Weight Watchers etc. I tried them. It was a battle I was successful for only a few and short times.
Breaking The Never Ending Cycle
Then it ceased being how I looked but more about my health. All my life I thought I had healthy genes and that misguided belief continued through my 40s even when I was visiting the doctor several times a year. I started having chronic sinusitis, UTIs and seasonal allergies that won’t go away. Still it wasn’t as bad as diabetes or heart disease right?
Then I was diagnosed with hypertension. I was confused. How can than be when a few years back a nurse complimented me for having a blood pressure of a teen-ager and a heart rate of an athlete? So I thought this would motivate me to make huge changes and sticking with them. To my credit, I did try. I portion controlled and even ran marathons because it was the only was I can keep my weight down. Problem was after the race and the training is done my weight would creep back up.
To make it worse, the nightmare of my young adult life came back: severe acne. On top of it I was also getting red itchy skin allergies all over my limbs. “What was going on with me?” I would wonder in frustration.
The doctor prescribed antihistamines and steroid topical cream. The latter would cost me $80 out-of-pocket. Fed up, I read Super Immunity by Dr. Furhman and embarked on my plantbased, life changing journey.
Two years later?
1.) I don’t have mid-morning hunger tremors
2.) I don’t have afternoon slumps
3.) I only had 3 instances of cold and 1 instance of cough.
4.) My seasonal allergies has been cut down to under a week instead of months
5.) No more chronic UTI
6.) No more chronic sinusitis (and the headaches, toothaches, plugged ears that went with it).
And this is the most thrilling part –
7.) No more high blood pressure after taking meds for 3 years.
Yes, at 47 years old, I am free from all medications. Zero, zilch, nada. It’s pretty amazing. And oh, I almost forgot – I am 38 lbs lighter too. I am totally enamored with this lifestyle. I hope you will be too.
Yours in Health,
Geri