1 Year & 3 Days Ago This Happened

I thought I was doing a pretty good job at feeding and exercising myself. I thought I was being in pretty good service to others by sharing my nutrition understanding by blogging and Facebooking. But then I was attacked for my hypocrisy. And while it was a humiliating and uncomfortable experience, once I dusted myself off, picked myself up, and learned the lesson meant for me, I changed.

Yes, I changed. I committed to a 100% vegan lifestyle on 1 January 2015 and nothing has been the same since.

• I am more clear.
• I am more passionate.
• I am more confident.
• I am more active.
• I am more effective.
• My message is stronger.
• I live in full purpose daily.

And then my daughter became vegan. I asked her last night what was her catalyst. She said me her mom and the movie Unity. I am so proud of her as she’s been able to keep her vegan practice in tact as the only vegan on campus at boarding school at age 14. This is one strong girl!

And then my husband became vegan. When he announced it lying in bed one causal morning my heart leapt and then it froze. I asked him why he wanted to be vegan and explained that I didn’t want him to do it for me because I didn’t want to carry that responsibility. He said he no longer wanted anyone to suffer because of him. I felt like he proposed to me all over again. Yes, I fell in love with him more deeply because he made more space in his heart for compassion. I am so proud to be married to a vegan man.

I love living as a vegan family. I still can’t believe it’s true. I never, ever, ever thought my daughter and husband would join me. I didn’t ask them to follow me. I simply lived my truth with joy and happiness, pursued my work and greater understanding, and somehow, somewhere along the way it impacted them enough to choose the lifestyle for themselves.

Has it been easy?

No, of course not. We are still discovering new meals to enjoy together. I love just about any fruit, vegetable, bean, grain, nut, and seed. My daughter not as much and my husband even less. In fact, he detests beans which makes for much challenge though he will eat tofu and tempeh, but no hummus or whole beans. We eat a lot of grains, potatoes, salad, salsa, nori seaweed, and a wonderful Omega 3 seeds sprinkle. I still love my fruit nice cream for breakfast but have started switching it up with grains and veggies or oat groats some mornings. I am becoming much more sensitive to fruit sugar and can better sense the full-blast of fuel it gives so I try to save the consumption of fruit for prior to exercise.

My husband and I attended the Food=Medicine conference in Atlanta at Emory University this Fall. We fully understand and embrace the low fat, whole food, plant-based vegan diet and eat accordingly most of the time. There are a few recipes where we use a tiny bit of oil and when we eat out or go to the movies we know that we’re eating more oil and fat than is ideal.

Our daughter tends to favor more vegan “fun” foods like mac & cheese, nut cheeses, vegan pizza, veggie burgers, and vegan cookies. She knows that whole, simple foods are better for her however her adolescent tendencies tend to override her knowledge and she often goes for these more processed vegan foods. I tend to view these foods as transition foods rather than staple items, however right now they help her to stay committed to veganism and hopefully she’ll adopt a more wholesome vegan diet as she matures.

It’s been a stellar year and I look forward to introducing more people to the low fat, whole food, plant-based vegan lifestyle for health, planet, and animals. It’s the only disease preventing, environmental, and compassionate way to eat.

Like most vegans, my only regret is that I didn’t become vegan sooner. #GoVegan

Additional Resources

• Getting Started on a Low Fat, Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet

• Buy This Book

• Join My PlantPure Nation Pod or One in Your City