socially conscious nutrition and wellness
Menu
From negotiating a 30-day trial to sharing heartfelt talks, strategies abound— and there are ways to help make it happen! Here, we offer a few ideas and some real-life stories on how you plant based believers can help your partners change their diets for the better (which makes it easier on you too!)
As the world continues to improve its view of plant-only diets, many people find the biggest hurdle to plant based health not in finding tasty and satisfying food, but in getting their partners to join them.
Opposing meals within the same household can work, but it can also be draining—physically, financially, and emotionally. It’s especially difficult to watch the one you love make poor food choices that may affect long-term health.
What people choose to eat is ultimately their choice, and as with anything in life, people will only make real change when it comes from within. However, exposing your partner to the right experiences and information can be a good influence and can pave the way to a decision that a healthy plant-based vegan diet is in each person’s own best interest.
As you reflect on your own strategies, the following stories of adaptation and partner support are great ones to consider weaving into your own family’s relationship with food.
Sometimes, sharing the emotional struggle can inspire change. It can be difficult to navigate relationships in which there is a disconnect in moral and health-related values and major diet differences. So, it’s important to gently help your partner understand your deepest feeling about your food choices.
Janne Swearengen (the Elf in the Kitchen, and a cancer survivor) says that initially she would compromise her ethics and prepare eggs for her husband (who was not on-board with an all-plant diet), while she prepared a second meal for herself.
As time passed, though, it became clear to him that cooking animals and animal products made her uneasy, and he empathized. First, he agreed to eat animal products only outside the home, but through small steps over time, he transitioned to a full plant-based diet.
Be understanding, flexible and work as a team. Let your own reasons show.
When Geoff Alexander (a musician, piano tuner, and fitness equipment technician) watched the “Forks over Knives” documentary, he began an internal conversation regarding the removal of carcinogenic foods from his diet. He wanted to develop the healthiest body possible, and also to resolve the moral issues around eating animals and supporting the farming practices they endure.
Geoff’s wife Laura came from a Newfoundland upbringing featuring heavy meat and dairy traditions, and although she understood the reasons Geoff wanted change in their diet, it was difficult for her to make the leap from her ingrained habits.
Geoff waited for Laura until his wife was ready to start a new way of eating. Time passed, but after small nudges and watching “Gamechangers” together, Laura decided she was ready, and they embarked on the journey together.
Share your feelings and ask for change for the right reasons.
Art and Lori Jensen are retired, and full-time RV adventurers. When Art came home from a doctor’s appointment with a high blood pressure prescription, Lori begged him with tears in her eyes to give a whole-food, plant-based diet a chance before taking pills.
She said, “The plant-based diet is a cure, while the medication just masks the symptoms. It does not fix the problem. You are my life partner, I love you more than anything, and I want you to be around for as long as I am. Please just try it for 30 days.”
Art agreed to the 30-day challenge, and soon saw results, so they had proof that it was the way to go. Art says his biggest issue with a WFPB diet was his own ignorance.
“So many years of advertising pushing the idea that meat and dairy were not only doing a body good, but there were no alternatives. I had no idea that there was another, healthier way of eating. If only people understood that the best life is there for them if they would only try. Change is difficult, but worth it. We are programmed to expect a quick and easy solution, and unfortunately a lot of doctors are willing to play that game with lots of prescriptions.”
Turn your quest for health into a couples’ project, and don’t give up.
Geoff says that taking small steps in the right direction together is the key. “Research the science of food, talk to people, get comfortable with the idea together. When you are both ready, make it a ‘couples’ journey.’ This way, you can encourage and support each other at the same time, and all the way through, staying on the same level.”
For Lori and Art, the new plant based diet they were working toward was a struggle once they retired and hit the road with their RV.
“There were so many great restaurants and breweries to try on the road. Meanwhile my hip gave me great pain, and often prevented me from walking. With our floundering habits, Art’s blood pressure readings were lackluster.”
They knew they had to get serious.
In June of 2019, they made a commitment to themselves and to each other: they would eat only plant based whole foods, with no oil, no alcohol, and for Art, no salt. They enlisted the experts in book and documentary form: How Not to Die, a book by Michael Gregor, MD; and the doc-umentaries “Forks over Knives” and “Gamechangers.”
Art says, ‘The research you do to truly understand the science is what will ultimately create your buy-in.’
They now live a different life because of this commitment. Through weight loss and general better health, Lori’s hip problems are almost completely forgotten, and Art is an avid mountain and road bicyclist. His blood pressure is now 127/73, a drop of 59 total points.
Consider it an education, for yourself, for your world.
It’s real that folks will fear and not always understand your choices. In their minds, there would be nothing to eat that they would enjoy if they were eating only plants; they dread losing the comfort that their habitual diet gives them.
They have no idea until someone shows them that plant based eating is one of the most delicious diets a human can eat. Health, vitality, and cutting doctor’s visits is just the ‘gravy.’
Janne says, “It’s a matter of telling folks, ‘Look, it’s not about what you can’t have, it’s what you can and how good it can be!’”
When Lori and Art meet folks during their travels, their plant based diet is always a topic of conversation. “What can you eat?” and “How can you go without meat and cheese?” are the standard questions they hear.
Lori says, “We love it, because this is our opportunity to strengthen our own resolve, and help other folks along the way. We embarked on a whole new approach to food. For us, instead of replicating our old favorite dishes, we try new recipes that feature wonderful fresh vegetables, fruits, and grains. I am always looking at recipes and trying new dishes.”
Embrace long-term goals together.
Lori says, “Art and I have a shared goal: To live a long time together and be healthy. We didn’t find each other until our early 40s and we want to celebrate 50 years of marriage—with energy and clear minds to enjoy those years. How can you go wrong by eating flavorful food, until you are full, which gives you plenty of energy and cuts out any need for meds and procedures that will ultimately cut your life short?
Art says “With my wife’s unwavering patience and understanding in knowing how hard this would be for someone like me, she helped motivate me into doing my own research, and ultimately discovery. Thank you, Lori.”
The best approach to helping people make the adjustment is to intrigue rather than pressure. Be patient and positive. If you can pique their interest in a natural way, your influence will be better received.
Janice Williams is a passionate plant based home chef and ardent animal advocate. She worked as a wildlife educator in the Northwest for 12 years, and now volunteers as a wildlife rescuer for Wolf Hollow wildlife rehabilitation center. She is a writer and artist, and lives with her husband on Orcas Island, Washington.
Michael is 44 years old, and president and CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Dane County, Wisconsin. He and Toya have been married for 17 years, and they have three children.
I grew up on the west side of Chicago, in one of the most challenged public housing developments in the country. It was infested with gangs, drugs and prostitution.
Fortunately, I was able to get a scholarship to go to the University of Minnesota, changing my environment, and it’s where I met my wife, Toya. We are now in our 40’s and our children are 6, 9, and 15 years old.
Over my adult life, I ballooned up to 430 pounds, and my wife and kids gained a substantial amount of weight too. We made a family decision to improve our health, and started walking and exercising together.
I also knew I needed to change the way I ate but was not sure how to start. I began with a mild keto diet, and although I did lose some weight, a visit to my physician showed that my cholesterol and blood pressure had gone from bad to worse.
Determined to find a way to get healthy, I started working out at the gym. It was there that someone told me about the whole food, plant based way of eating.
Because my previous attempts at finding a path to good health were lackluster, in June of 2019 I decided to try plant based eating for a few weeks, to see what would happen. When I went back to my primary care physician three weeks later and my cholesterol had dropped from 300 to 237, it was all the motivation I needed to stay the path. My wife and family came on board as well, and within 9 to 11 months, our family collectively lost 225 pounds.
Our kids initially varied on their acceptance of eating whole food, plant based, but with vegan meat and cheese to help make the transition, they did quite well. When I would serve a meal and let them know after-the-fact that the ‘meat’ and ‘cheese’ they were eating was made from plants – the kids were in disbelief. They would say “Mom! this is GOOD!”.
They finally stopped thinking that if it wasn’t meat or cheese from animals, it wasn’t real food.
After watching ‘Forks over Knives’ and ‘The Game Changers’, our son who is a high school athlete was very inspired and ‘all-in’. He has now lost 50 pounds, and his remarkable physical transformation has convinced others on his football team (and their families!) to explore a whole food, plant based diet. He has since expanded his interests to baseball and running track. His mental clarity improved, and he is doing extremely well in school.
All members of our family are followed on social media, and we work to be an example of positive change in our community and the world. We have inspired plant based eating in our friends and family, young and old.
Our family cooks together, and the kids’ participation self-generates their interest in healthy eating. We believe a little more time in the kitchen saves time and resources by not having to go to the doctor’s office.
Michael recently participated in a public community service event in which he came in second place with his plant based dish, beating out popular dishes that included pork, beef and chicken. Many attendees were amazed that his dish was so good, and were inspired to pursue a plant based lifestyle on that day.
Breakfast – Just eggs (vegan brand) and veggies in a flat wrap, oatmeal or granola with plant milk, berries with vegan whip cream.
Lunch – Beyond burger with salad.
Dinner – Cabbage steaks with vegan meat, tofu chili with cauliflower and rice, Teriyaki faux chicken with cauliflower rice.
We have more energy, stamina and clarity, and no colds or flus. The family runs 5Ks, and walks up to 10,000 steps in a single outing. Michael has had his most productive and focused year at work, and attributes it all to building his health through a plant based diet.
Many people are concerned about their health, and they ask us what we have done to make such a remarkable change. The role of WFPB mentor has been rewarding, although it can sometimes be overwhelming. Folks see the remarkable changes we have made, and they want that for themselves. As an example, Michael went from a 6X to a 2X t-shirt, and a size 64 to a 42 pant.
Toya’s mom has joined in, and is starting to incorporate Johnson family WFPB recipes in her own kitchen. She calls Toya to share her excitement over finding a new vegan product or meal preparation.
We cooked for a family member who was recovering from a stroke. We prepared delicious vegan meals as a way of helping him envision a healthier diet for himself.
We participate in a local vegan group on social media, and blog on our own family page. A local vegan chef we met at our favorite restaurant is now Michael’s nutritionist.
Take one step at a time.
A year ago, we started with walking. At that time, I couldn’t walk 3 blocks without taking a breather. Now I run 5K’s.
Start logging meals, micronutrients, sugar, calories, etc. It taught us the science that became the critical turning point for our family.
See your physician – it helps to know what your blood levels are before you begin, and after you have made the change. When I saw my stats change from ‘alarming’ to ‘perfect/normal’, I was relieved. Educate yourself on what you are putting in your body and how it affects you.
Janice Williams is a passionate plant based home chef and ardent animal advocate. She worked as a wildlife educator in the Northwest for 12 years, and now volunteers as a wildlife rescuer for Wolf Hollow wildlife rehabilitation center. She is a writer and artist, and lives with her husband on Orcas Island, Washington.
“Count nutrients, not calories, and you will be satisfied.”
— Gary Roopchand
Gary Roopchand is a 41-year-old truck driver, artist, and enthusiastic home chef.
Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, Gary’s parents provided him with wholesome, high fiber and nutrient rich meals, and encouraged an active lifestyle.
However, when he left home and got married, Gary began making poor decisions around his food choices. In eight years, he gained 165 pounds, going from his high school weight of 200 pounds, to 365 pounds by the age of 33.
When Gary’s doctor told him he had high cholesterol and was pre-diabetic, she recommended he go on a statin drug.
Dreading the idea of drugs as a fix, Gary asked his doctor to allow him three months to make a change for the better, and if he had not improved his health situation, he would agree to take the medication.
That same day Gary made a promise to himself — to take charge of his health and eat better. He began by adding many more fruits and vegetables to his meals. In 3 months, Gary returned to his doctor, and learned that his cholesterol had drastically dropped.
His doctor was amazed and told him; “Whatever you are doing, continue to do it!” Gary took his doctor’s advice, and over the following 18 months, he slowly adjusted his diet to ultimately become fully plant-based and lost 165 pounds, returning to his high school weight of 200.
Learn more about Gary’s journey…
This was a major turning point in my life, and I knew that at age 33, the last thing I wanted was to be on chronic disease medication. In my heart, I knew what I needed to do, as my parents had taught me well. Three months later, when new tests confirmed that I could make such a remarkable change just by the way I ate, it was all the motivation I needed.
Starting out, I hadn’t given up meat completely, but reduced it to add more fruits and vegetables into my meals. As my positive results continued, I became vegetarian, then completely whole-foods, plant-based; I knew it was the fruits and vegetables making the difference for me. It took 1.5 years to lose 165 pounds and to go fully plant-based.
I feel so much more energetic! I experienced immediate, multiple health benefits, along with a massive amount of newfound energy. I was not clogged up and inflamed. I was at ease. I wasn’t overtaxing and overstimulating my liver.
I learned that your stomach is your second brain. Whatever is happening in your stomach is also happening in your brain. We as humans have been given clean, nourishing, and perfect whole food, which can give us the optimum health we were meant to have, but in the modern world, this fact has been mostly forgotten.
I eventually started intermittent fasting; eating all the healthy foods I want between noon and 6pm, and fasting the other 18 hours. This wasn’t easy in the beginning, but I was getting fantastic results, and I was motivated by the change in my energy. I got used to my meal routine, and now I enjoy giving my digestive system a rest. Knowing I have most of the day to eat has become a comfortable and healthy routine for me.
Intermittent fasting is not for everyone, and you don’t have to eat inside a feeding window to get great results. I have just found that it works well for me.
For my physical activity, I enjoy walking, rebounding on a trampoline and rollerblading.
For breakfast (around 12pm) I have a smoothie, using a variety of fruits and vegetables, and I vary the ingredients from day to day.
During the day, I eat all the fruits and vegetables I want, in any amount I want, although the fiber from the produce fills me up and naturally regulates my eating.
Dinner is my main meal of the day, which I eat around 4 or 5pm. This might be a dish with quinoa, a salad, lentils, soup, or pretty much anything that is whole food, plant based.
I do a lot of reading and watch whole-food, plant-based documentaries. I will never stop learning! When you stop learning, you get old.
I have gained so much knowledge about the body-brain connection since going on this journey to health, not only through information from others, but also from what my body tells me.
Food gives your cells information. You need to ask yourself, What kind of information am I giving my body? Good? Bad?
Good food will totally change a person. When friends and family see you living a healthy life with an abundance of energy and a zest for life, the inspiration comes full circle. I count nutrients, not calories. Fiber and nutrient rich foods ease my body because it is getting what it wants. Eating this way makes a person satisfied without over stimulating dopamine.
The revelations I have made about food is what I enjoy sharing with people the most. I can talk for hours about proper care of the body, and the way my healthy lifestyle makes me feel is the big inspiration.
I want to help others get to the truth, and the truth is, diets don’t work.
90% of folks that diet gain their weight back.
I yo-yo’ed for 10 years.
If you ask yourself, ‘what is causing you to put the weight back on?’ the answer is important, and worth the time to figure out.
Plant-based eating is fantastic because it can truly be a lifelong lifestyle. Once you see and feel the results, you are inspired to do it forever. It is the optimal nutrition plan for human beings. You don’t have to count calories for it to work.
If you hit a plateau with weight loss, examine what you are doing or not doing during your days and you can usually find the answer to refresh your routine.
Stay consistent.
Ask yourself every morning, ‘How am I showing up today?’
The right meals are only part of the answer, the other part is to develop the routines that keep you consistent.
Everyone can lose weight, but not everybody keeps it off, and turning changes into a lifelong habit is initially the hardest part. It’s not an easy fix, but by showing up for yourself daily, you build that muscle and ultimately a solid routine.
I was incredibly different. I felt sluggish and clogged.
Now, both physically and mentally I feel young again. There’s no stagnation, no blockage. I am able to be creative because of the way I eat.
I’m not stressed out, because my bloodstream, stomach, digestive system and cells are not inflamed. I no longer experience temptation because I am not overstimulating dopamine in my system or facilitating bad choices in my brain. It’s a total 180.
Perspective is reality. Whatever is going on in your body is happening outside of you.
I will be this way for the rest of my life. I am not afraid of aging. I am only afraid of regret, of not trying to eat well or live well, and expressing that higher life to kids, family, and community. This is why it’s so important to teach our kids good eating habits, because developing bad eating habits causes disfunction in their brains and in their lives.
It starts at the table but also in your head. Life happens and you can be easily derailed.
Your family may not be supportive, and you may have to make sure you build your own like-minded community.
Put yourself around others who eat healthy. Find support, whether in your local community or an on-line community. It can make all the difference.
I find support in groups such as Forks over Knives, and many other plant-based Facebook groups.
I would someday like to start a local whole-food, plant-based meet-up group, as my local community doesn’t have one.
I have a YouTube channel, and will also have website soon.
© 2020, MY TRUE SELF, PLLC | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
