Quote:
Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch
I'm vegetarian, but not vegan. I try to eat as much plant based meals as I can but I have SUCH a weakness for cheese. How do you get past the cravings? Do they go away after a while,? I was vegan in college for a year but don't remember feeling remarkably different.
What advice would you give someone who wants to move to a more plant based diet but struggles with being strictly vegan? I'm convinced it's healthy I'm just not convinced I can do it.
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That's a really good question, CCB; but I can only tell you that it's not been easy for me.
In my case, my work related accident impaired my ability to be mobile in ways like I used to be (I rode my bicycle to and from work, 22 miles daily, on top of the vigorous exercise my job duties required of me). Plus before this happened to me, I began to experience allgeric reactions to milk based products (I'd break out in hives).
So, I'm not sure I'd say that I'm strictly vegan or vegetarian, but I mostly consume only plants now. By switching to an plant based diet, I turned the tables on becoming diabetic. My mobility impairment placed me at huge risk to become diabetic if I refused to give up foods that my body can no longer process (ie, meats, milk, cheese, pasta, rice or even certain vegetables that I'm allergic too, like tomatoes or any nightshade plant like potatoes or eggplant, etc).
I've since learned to use nut based or plant based products to replace milk or butter or yogurt or cheese. They don't taste the same, but for me it's not about taste as it is about not succumbing to diabetes.
I was never at risk for diabetes until the accident impaired my mobility. And because I can't be as mobile as I once was, I decided to tackle my prediabetic condition by radically changing the types of foods I consume.
So my primary doctor set up an consult with an staff registered dietician, who gave me lots of research to read and made recommendations on how to create new food behaviors and choices.
I stick to the food choices the dietician and doctor recommended to me, to help combat blood sugar issues arising out of my post-accident condition.
I see my primary doctor this month for an blood draw to test my A1c levels. If my blood labs come back clear and free, and below the A1c test scores, then I won't have to take experimental medication to keep me from slipping over into an full fledged diabetic state.
I changed my food choices to directly tackle that health issue. So while sometimes I wish I could have meat or cheese or foods that rapidly convert to blood sugar in the blood stream, I stick to my plant based diet, so I won't become diabetic. I've got two brothers who areally full fledged diabetic and they have to take insulin shots several times a day. On top of it, insulin is terribly expensive and not covered by my insurance. So I took corrective action on what I could do to not become diabetic.
One of the benefits of making a choice to do this, has been the unexpected outcome of weight loss. Since March 3rd, of thia year, I've dropped nearly 40 pounds. Another gift directly related to changing how I eat foods is that I'm creating a way for my body to heal by not consuming foods that put me at huge risk to become diabetic.
I feel better. I've lost some weight. And there's a huge chance I won't have to take experimental medication anymore, if the corrective measures I've taken leads to an medication free life.
My story about utilizing an plant based diet might not be the same for others, as to how or why people choose plant based diets over consuming food in ordinary ways.... But it's working for me, and I'm grateful for the gift of wellness, by rectifying my choice of foods.
K.
