Not bad for juice pulp, eh?
I decided to make a super quick chickpea salad using the leftover juice pulp!
Leftover Juice Pulp Chickpea Salad
Chickpea salad Ingredients:
- 2 T EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- leftover juice pulp (I had 1 cup’s worth?)
- 1/2 clove minced garlic (optional)
- pinch sea salt
- bit of water as needed
Directions: Throw above ingredients into a food processor and process just for a few seconds until chopped. Stir well. Throw about 1 cup of chickpea mixture on a romaine and cherry tomato salad. Sprinkle with paprika and black pepper. Top with favourite dressing (mine was homemade balsamic vinaigrette).
Perfecto!
I love big salads.
My mother in law’s favourite joke when I make myself a salad is, ‘Are you going to eat all of that?!’ She’s super impressed by how many veggies I can pack down. ;) I eat ‘em like a champ.
The lemon in the pulp gave the salad a fresh ZING!
Dessert was a yet-to-be-named GLUTEN-FREE Glo Bar, which will be hitting Glo Bakery in upcoming weeks!!! Eric and I are obsessed with this bar. I am so proud of it and I know it will do you guys proud! After 6 trials, I almost gave up hope, but I am so glad I did the 7th trial for this bar. :)
It is DA BOMB, my friends.
How Would Illness Change Your Diet?
Remember when I told you that an immediate family member of ours was diagnosed with testicular cancer?
Well I have good news to report!!!!!!!!!
He had the surgery and the cancer was removed. The CT scan and blood work all came back normal, so he was given the thumbs up for being cancer free! :D He does not need chemo like we all feared.
We are so incredibly relieved, and obviously so is he. He realizes how lucky he is and is so happy to put this behind him.
However, I thought it was really interesting to note that his entire diet has changed since he received his diagnosis.
Before the diagnosis he was eating a meat-heavy diet, few vegetables, and he ate out for lunch every single day at work.
Since being diagnosed, he has done a complete 180 with respect to what he eats.
Here are some of the things he is now consuming:
- Fresh juice from a juicer
- Green Monsters
- Healthy packed lunch to work everyday now
- New veggies like kale and avocados
- Reduced meat consumption
It has totally impacted his life in a positive way! I am so proud of him for the changes he has made. :)
Do you think your diet would change if you were diagnosed with an illness? If so, what would you change?
~~~
I’m off to clean up the kitchen after a long day on my feet. Totally zonked & hoping I can fall asleep earlier tonight! Sleep deprivation and baking all day do not mix. On a brighter note, I had a crazy good workout this morning. Love getting it done first thing. :) Oh, isn’t American Idol beginning tonight with Miss ELLEN!? Please say yes! LOVE HER.
PS- Blogging is SO much quicker now that my hyperlinks work! I may be able to squeeze out 2 posts a day on some days now. :) I didn’t realize how much it was slowing me down.
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{ 87 comments… read them below or add one }
That is such wonderful news that he is ok!!
I eat a balanced, healthy diet now, and don’t think I’d have much to change if I got sick. It is amazing how some people change, tho.
I’m a new reader of your blog (the last month or so) — just made the breakfast pudding this morning, doing a modified whittle my middle (due to lower back issues), and am super excited about the gluten free Glo Bars. I’m sure I’ll be one of the first orders when you’re ready :-)
That is the most delicious looking salad! I LOVE chickpeas!
I wouldn’t change the way I eat if I were diagnosed with an illness. I would probably be more determined to keep my diet as clean and healthy as possible :)
I hope that you can crank out 2 posts a day! Your posts are always the first that I tackle from my reader. :-)
So glad to hear the great news about your family member! : )
I got to thinking about your diet changing question and I think I did change my diet because of an “illness”. Although the illness might not be cancer or some incurable disease I used to be overweight, constantly lethargic, and have low self-esteem seems like an illness to me.
That salad looks so good!!! I eat vegan now so I don’t think I would change my diet
Thats SUCH great news about your family member!!
Im looking forward to the gluten free Glo Bar!! YAY!!
The chickpea salad looks great! Congrats on your new glow bar! I have yet to try some of your glo bars. If I could change one thing about my diet, it would be to cut out meat and dairy, and go vegan. It just seems so hard. I know nothing about vegan diets, and I prefer the taste of real milk over soy milk. I know that it would help me be healthier. I’ll probably have to start out slow, and wean myself from animal consumption. Your recipes look so good. Congrats about your family member! It is great that he is now cancer free. I look forward to reading your blogposts; they are so uplifting and inspiring.
Try Almond milk it tastes a lot better than soy.
try hemp milk—yumm
some soy milks are way better than others as well.
i can’t stand the Silk brand but Edensoy makes a great soy milk.
What’s in the new bar? Congrats on finding a successful recipe – 7x the charm! Your salad looks outta this world.
Glad to hear that!
I’m excited about your gluten free Glo Bar! YAY!!!
So glad to hear your family member is doing well!
I eat pretty healthy already… would probably up the veggies :)
YES!!! my diet has changed many times in the face of illness. first off, when i learned i had celiac disease, i had to do a major revamp and learn how to eat without gluten (so i am SUPER EXCITED about your GF glo bar!!). then, a few years later, my brother was diagnosed with cancer. he is still dealing with it today, and a diet full of veggies and antioxidants seems to help him keep going. in light of his struggles, i also started researching healthier, anti-cancer ways of eating and living, and have recently turned vegetarian (nearly vegan, even!). it is good for EVERYONE. i’ve also started doing yoga.
but for me, it’s more than just the anti-cancer side of things. i don’t want to support factory farming, or eat anything that is factory farmed! eating a plant-based diet is one of the best things you can do for yourself AND for the environment. i just plain feel good about it.
I’m glad to here that your family member got such good news! My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago (she is now completely cancer free) and that changed the way I look at everything. My diet changed ALOT, I didn’t eat horribly before but it wasn’t great. I cut out most processed food, cut out dairy, very limited meat, and stuffed my face with tons of fruits and veggies. I also went back to my first love, running and I haven’t looked back sense. Everything I eat I always think what is this food going to do for me and my body?
So nice to hear that he is better. Since people in my family have been diagnosed with cancer, I have changed my diet even more; more organic produce and meat, an antioxidant multivitamin, and looking at the ORAC value of food. I have also balanced my training to not stress my body out with workouts lasting more than 2 hours.
I think i would incorporate more fresh green juices.
When I was injured, I really decided it was time to kick my weight gain into gear. I worked so hard to get my body to a healthy weight so it would have a chance to heal.
Hi Angela,
I have noticed that a lot of healthy food bloggers have taken to juicing and then using the pulp later for something else. I was wondering what the nutritional value of the pulp was…or is it just roughage and all the good stuff was already extracted into the juice?? Could you enlighten me? Thanks!
I was diagnosed with an “incurable” neurological disease that has tried to debilitate me. I changed my entire life, including going raw vegan. I write all about it in my blog.
Sending healing to your family xoxo
Can’t wait to try the GF Glo Bar! YAY!
Hi
I used to take major meds every day for my migraines. After a year of GFCFSF eating (there are the moments I treat myself…because I am not allergic, just sensitive) and acupuncture, I very rarely have them. Oh- I forgot, I also cut out diet coke and seriously upped the agua.
Now, I am trying to eliminate refined sugar. AND, I have fallen in love with green monsters.
GF Glo Bar!!! You rock! Can’t wait!
So glad to hear about your family member! Whoo hoo!
And I don’t think I would change my diet- it’s already pretty darn good! Maybe juice a little bit! Not sure… I do know that I would start an intense yoga/meditation program, read, read, read and laugh! Laughter heals all! ;P
First for all they look delicious and I am SO excited that you are making them for those of us who can’t eat gluten. you’re going to be a VERY busy lady now :)
I am glad that the relative is happy
Now…would you change your diet…? You’re looking at a girl who has had to.
I was hospitlised in Dec 2008 and have TOTALLY changed my diet. No more artificial sweeteners, hardly any meat, no gluten or dairy.
Veggies, rice, beans and tea. The only ways that my life was going to change is by changing my diet.
It’s saved my life.
~M
Too funny! My dad says the same thing when I sit down to a huge salad at their house “You’re gonna eat ALL that?”….They never understand…
In response to your question, I absolutely think that illness would make me eat a healthier diet!! however, I eat mostly healthy foods now in hopes of preventing illness and preserving my health.
by the way, your new glo bar looks awesome!
You know, I think my diet would stay relatively the same. Maybe bump up the antioxidant-rich things. And more green tea! :)
hi Angela! I have been following your blog and you are most inspiring…I went raw 7 weeks ago in hopes to ease my Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) . I am starting to incorporate some cooked veggies now, and I will probably end up a high raw person. I love your vegan recipes and I am so excited about your gluten free glo bar! I am staying away from all allergens, like dairy and gluten to see if that will help my yukky RA.
Thanks for your blog…I love reading your posts and following your workouts. I guess I will have to start whittling my middle!
when i was diagnosed with something, i already ate a clean diet but honestly, getting sick had an opposite effect on me. for some reason i was like: if i take all this effort and time to take care of myself how am i getting sick? though i stick with eating healthy even with my sickness, it can be frustrating when healthy people do get sick. thats great that your fam member was the opposite in that he used his sickness to overcome his eating habits and get healthier. good story!
I eat very, very healthy as is, so I don’t think I would change much. But I have witnessed through other people how much impact changing one’s diet can have in terms of beating illnesses (even cancer). Pretty impressive!
There’s a really great book in the psychology field on this topic. It explains that SO MANY people faced with a situation in which they are told they need to make adjustments to lifestyle (eating, drinking, health, working out, etc) or they will die actually DON’T make a change. We like to think we would if faced with that decision, but so many don’t. There are certainly exceptions out there, of course. And then the other question this book raises is if we think we WOULD change our habits if faced with that decision, why aren’t we already changing them? It’s really interesting!
I’m so happy to hear that your friend’s cancer is gone AND that he has made such healthy lifestyle changes! What a wonderful outcome!
My mom had breast cancer and ever since, i’ve tried to take care of myself really well. I really feel like hers was more lifestyle related than it was genetic. I also believe diet plays a huge factor in whether or not we get certain illnesses but it’s never too late to start eating healthy, either!
xx
My diet actually has changed because of an illness.
With Crohn’s disease I am free of gluten, dairy, refined sugars and a few other foods.
I eat tons of veggies, minimal fruit (as there is too much sugar) and lean meats with healthy grains and fats!
Check out my blog :)
I like gigantic salads too! It’s interesting you bring up the topic of food and an illness. It’s not something I would have given much thought to until I met a fabulous blogger named Alicia (http://veganepicurean.blogspot.com/). You should read her story. I won’t go into all the details, but they now follow a vegan diet and it seems to be make a major difference for them. It certainly has made me think a lot more about what I eat.
I second this! The recipes Alicia makes up are amazing, inspired and very healthy!
I can’t wait for the GF Glo Bar!! It looks good! Can you give us a hint as to what’s inside???
That is scary to think about illness … but it is important to think about. The way I would eat if I was very ill, is how I should be eating now. I think I should keep that juicer.
Wow your salad looks delicious! This makes me want a HUGE salad for dinner!
mmmm I love huge salads so much I eat them out of a serving bowl! That’s such a relief about your family member!!!
p.s. I absolutely love your blog, your recipes (just ate a huge bowl of lentil soup for dinner yumyum), your attitude, your drive, etc etc you are such a role model for other young women :)
I would LOVE two posts a day from you!! I just love seeing what you eat too even things that are not recipes per se inspire me on things to put together for meals!
I doubt I would change much about my diet. Maybe try and buy more organic produce and eggs (don’t eat meat or dairy). But I would like to do that soon anyways, right now I just can’t afford it, although I do some, I eat such huge quantities of veggies my bill is too high already!
I’ve changed a LOT of my behaviors since my cervical cancer diagnosis. I eat much, much differently now, following the suggestions from my naturopathically-minded doctor; I’ve lowered my meat consumption, drink fresh juices, increased my consumption of green veggies, eat mostly raw, think about the order/mixture of my food types, etc etc etc.
I’ve also committed myself to daily exercise that is heavy on yoga. There’s a wealth of health psych research out there about the positive impact exercise, particularly yoga, can have on cancer prognosis. I also pay attention to the chemicals I’m putting on and in my body. I now only use cosmetics and hygiene products that are free from carcinogenic chemicals. It’s really amazing the absolutely terrible things we’re routinely sold under the pretense that they’re safe. There’s a reason breast cancer rates, for instance, have been soaring in our society.
While my diagnosis was and is scary, and I’d certainly take having a complete cervix any day, I am thankful for the changes I’ve been encouraged to make. I am very much in remission and feel healthier than I ever have in my life.
Wow, that salad looks delicious Angela!!! I just LOVE chickpeas. :)
I’m so happy to hear the good news about your family member!!! Cancer is one of the scariest diseases to have to fight, simply because we all feel so helpless. But it’s so true that lifestyle changes can make all the difference in healing.
xxoo
Heather
Very interesting thought about changing your diet after finding out you have an illness. Also, good luck falling asleep tonight!
Congrats on the new bar Angela! I have excluded wheat (not gluten) from my diet for almost 6 months now due to an intolerance – and am always on the lookout for new products. Let me just say…those bars look AMAZING! Wish you could deliver to Australia hehe :)
What a great way to use your juice pulp! I’ll remember this ; )
That’s so wonderful to hear that your family member is doing well! Scary stuff can really impact how a person looks at themselves and what they do with their life…I think if I was diagnosed with an illness I would do everything in my power to enjoy and get the most out of each moment. If that included changing my diet. I would.
First, i’m so happy for you and your family and that he is doing well!!! Cancer is horrible and to overcome it is incredible!!! So happy for you!
And if I was sick, i’m not really sure my diet would change. Mine is pretty healthy with some treats thrown in now and again. I think though I might take the time to savor food more… instead of just inhaling it and not stopping to take the time to appreciate it. Because eating is not just about fueling our bodies, it’s the whole experience.
But a healthy diet can do so so so much for our bodies!
Also, that salad looks delicious!! And I can’t wait to try that bar! Glo Bars are seriously hands down the best granola bars I have EVER had. They are INCREDIBLE!
First of all, I am so happy that he is doing well. My father had cancer and it was such a rough time for the family so I am ecstatic for you and your family!
And I am very excited about this new Glo Bar too! It looks really tasty, just like that incredible salad.
Mmmmm :)
xoxo
Karina
My FIL found out he was diabetic and called me the very same day asking for meal planning and recipe advise. Guess what?! He went to the doctor for a routine check up after three months and he was told he does not need to use insulin any longer! His blood sugar has returned to a normal range with diet alone. I am so proud!
So glad to hear he is doing well!!!
I am slowly trying to eat less meat and more organic. My diet is fairly healthy but it could be better. Despite all I do, I still got a bit freaked when I find out I have a “huge” ovarian cyst. Yes my doctor said “huge”. I asked if there was anything I could have done to prevent it, she said no… but still I think eating a cleaner diet doesn’t hurt. So I think that was my mini wake up call… especially as I get ready for surgery on Friday.
I was disappointed Ellen wasn’t on A.I. tonight and the show just won’t be the same without Simon next season. No matter what it looked like, we’re not all freaks in Boston ;)
Cancer is horrible! There is a local bike race I do in the summer for an awesome cancer hospital in my town. I lost my Mom at a young age to that disease, so I am so happy to hear your family member beat it!! Really…and this summer when I am riding he will be one of the people I think of on my trek. As for changing my diet – totally. I mean I try to be healthy now but if I was faced with something as scary as that I would be doing anything and everything to help myself be as healthy as possible. You know the saying you are what you eat :)
that’s such encouraging news that he’s ok…i am going through the same thing right now with an immediate family member who already eats extremely healthfully. definitely need all of the encouragement i can give and get!
If diagnosed with cancer i would do strict vegan for sure. I consider myself flexivegan at the moment. I would also drastically increase my bikram yoga sessions. Good for your family member!!! Wish my FIL did that (he had prostate cancer and I think has adult onset diabetes)
I completely changed my diet last year after being diagnosed with Melanoma. Luckily I didn’t have to go through any chemo or radiation but after having this serious health scare I stopped eating meat, seriously reduced my dairy consumption and buy as much organic as possible. My healthy eating habits are a work in progress and I hope to be even healthier this year!
I think I eat fairly healthy now, but it’s not surprising at all to me that people will start eating healthier with a diagnosis like that. I would probably eat even healthier at that point, probably going fully to vegan and cutting down on sugars.
I got a little more accomplished this morning before heading off to work (yay!), but I’m still struggling with the night time schedule. We’ll see how that goes!
P.S. That’s wonderful news about your family member, what a relief!
I have a chronic illness called Cystic Fibrosis which impairs my ability to absorb nutrients due to enzyme deficiency. The diet recommended diet for CF is high fat, high calorie. My dieticians have encouraged me all my life to consume calories in he form of icecream, McDonalds (seriously)and other such things which made me even more ill and worsened my digestion! A cleaner diet, with lots of OSG tips and daily green monsters has been a major turn around. My doctors can’t stop commenting on my health and glow. In the end it is a gift. Without sickness, I wouldn’t have been able to put such value on my health.
I am SO GLAD he is ok. I have been thinking about him a lot!
That bar looks great… I cannot wait to order bars from you in a few weeks ;)
Well Done on the Gluten-Free Bar! I guess it’s as they say “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”.
such fantastic news, Oh Glowy One.
A friend was recently diag.with stage 3 ovarian cancer and we are working together to revamp her diet like there’s no tomorrow.
Im praying, if we do this, there may be one for her.
Such great news! I’m so happy for you! Cancer seems to occur in every family I know. :(
Glad this had a good outcome though!
If I was diagnosed with an illness I might be a little less strict with my diet, I don’t like eating things which, in some way, might not benefit me. For example, I rather eat a high calorie nut & fruit snack than a low calorie, sugar/salt filled bag of chips.
But I would totally up the amount of fish and seafood as I am still debating if I should let fish in my diet, I know it’s very good for you but I kind of feel like cheating if I ate it (I’m vege!).
Hoooray for the good news!
I can’t wait to try the g-free glo bar! I am curious what steps you are taking to avoid cross contamination. My home is completely gluten free now but in the beginning, I had a lot of trouble with baking/pans/utensils.
I have completely changed my diet for my health. I feel so much better for it and can only think that I am doing good things for my future health as well. It took me a long time to realize that the food we put into our bodies directly impacts how we feel and our long term health.
What a creative use of your juicing leftovers!
I’m so happy your friend is doing well. Sometimes it takes a real scare to overhaul one’s diet and to embrace health.
I can’t wait to try a gluten-free Glo bar… I am looking to find good gluten-free replacements for every food I’ve had to give up since discovering my gluten intolerance.
I’m glad to hear that things are looking better for that family member of yours and I”m very glad to hear he has changed his diet. If I was sick then I think my diet might get cleaner, and I’d force even more green juice into my belly!
Hmmm…if that bar is ‘da bomb’ you should name it the Bombastic Bar. It looks delicious, can’t wait to hear more about it.
SO SO SO happy to hear the good news about your family member, Angela! That’s amazing :D
My diet is pretty clean as it is, but I would probably decrease my sugar intake and my alcohol intake.
So glad to hear that your family member is improving. I do believe making changes in your diet can have a very positive impact. I was diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) when I was 18 years old. I suffered severe abdominal cramps and other “symptoms” usually within 30 minutes of eating throughout my life (I’m now 38). About 3 years ago, I gave up eating red meat and one day noticed that I no longer had the IBS attacks. I try to follow a vegetarian diet several days a week and will have chicken breast, fish and turkey on some occasions. Of course, my favorite breakfast items is a Green Monster Smoothie!!
I totally think that what you eat has an affect on how you feel and how you fight illness. The way I see it, the better you eat while sick, the better you’re going to feel inside and out which ultimately helps you fight your illness!
That is so great that he changed his diet. Has he heard of the Gerson Institute? That is what I would do if I got cancer. It is all about eating right-pretty much vegan- and juicing and a few other things. There is a great documentary on netflix about it.
Ellen will be on Idol starting Feb 9. And she’ll be the only reason I’ll ever watch, I’m so looking forward to her and Simon together!
Oh YUM, there is nothing better than a great chickpea salad! Looks delicious!
how is drinking juice better for you than eating the food straight-up? if you eat every component of the food anyway, why break it up into juice and pulp? Is the body better at digesting the juice?
So I read! :)
Dirty trick Angela!
Continually creating more yummy glo bars that I MUST order!?!
geez.
;)
Thanks for addressing this topic! When I was diagnosed with late stage Lyme Disease I had to make an immediate switch to an immune boosting diet, which meant no more sugar or synthetic sweeteners, no more dairy (I now eat goat dairy products which don’t hurt the immune system and also yogurt and cultured dairy for the probiotics), no more refined wheat (substituting complex grains and sprouted/living bread instead), lots of healthy fats from olive oil and nuts, and no more alcohol and caffeine at all. At first I thought it seemed so hard, but now I wouldn’t have it any other way! Nearly every system in my body was out of balance, so my body needed tons of vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes from as many living foods as possible which meant I eat a ton of veggies every day. I’ve fallen in love with nutrition just seeing what it can do for health!
I used to only eat lean protein like chicken and fish since I’m allergic to soy protein, but now I’ve added hormone free and abx free meat into my diet. And I just cut out meat like pork and shellfish that carry high levels of toxins in the flesh. That was hard since I loved shrimp and lobster. Recently I had to add more healthy meat into my diet. For some reason it was something my body needed. I do love, love, love vegetarian cookbooks and raw food recipes though since they’re packed so full of living nutrients.
And even though I don’t have celiac disease, I do follow a really low gluten diet, so I’m super excited about the Gluten Free Glo Bar! (Of course I couldn’t help but enjoy one now and then before it was gluten free too) :)
Very excited about the report.
Its funny – my Mom and I talk a lot about this. I get jokes because I don’t eat all the sugary things at breakfasts we have in the office. If I was a diabetic they wouldn’t laugh at me, or if I had celiac disease, but just because I am trying to limit my calorie intake of no nutrition foods (junk food) they poke fun.
That salad looks awesome! I put chickpeas in my salads all the time. PS: I also have that set of plates, bowls, and mug(the one you were using).
Glad he’s okay! I have no idea WHAT would change if I were diagnosed with a serious illness, but I’m sure there would be a lot in my life that I would make an effort to change.
Angela – love this post, first off because of the gluten-free glo bar in the works and also because you talk about illness & diet. I have two autoimmune diseases (lupus and polmyositis), and my diet has changed tremendously from hen I got diagnosed. I went from fast food, sugar, sugar, and even more sugar (!) to healthier things like lots of veggies, no red meat, and I try to avoid gluten because it supposedly exacterbates muscle diseases. looking forward to those gluten free glo bars!
I’m glad to hear your family member was ok. An illness would change my diet tremendously in every way. I turn vegetarian everytime I get a common head cold.
I am so happy for you and your family. Cancer is very scary and will make you look at life differently. YEAH :)
Hi this is my first time in your blog. I just found out this while searching online. Well I believe that my diet would change if I were diagnosed with an illness. Only the foods that are good for me will be taken consideration. =) I hope everything’s fine now with your family. By the way, you might want to visit Happy Tiffin to see some of the stainless steel tiffins there. They are eco-friendly and safe. Its good for our health.
An illness *did* change my diet. And I swear that that’s what has allowed me to recover and remain healthy for as long as I have.
When I was 17 I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. I ate like a PIG (tons of junk) but lost weight rapidly due to my thyroid. I got down to 89 pounds, and looked/felt absolutely disgusting. I realized that I *needed* to gain weight, but I didn’t want to do so by eating pizza and cookies all day long. I start incorporating healthy nuts, avocados, etc. and slowly but surely I got back to my normal weight.
Fast forward 6 months, and my disorder became hyPOthyroidism (it’s very common for it to go from one to the other). And with that, I easily *gained* weight. Let me just say that these weight fluctuations really STINKED as a teenager! So once again I had to tweak my diet and add a ton of exercise in to lose the weight. Thankfully I did it in a healthy way, and everything I learned about nutrition and fitness has stuck with me. I’m even more passionate about it than ever :)
So, I can’t say for sure if my new lifestyle has “cured” my thyroid, but my levels have been normal for 5 years! Coincidence, maybe. I like to think not :)
My diet has changed as a result of an illness.
After spending over 2 years seeing over 20 specialists and several GPs all over the US (and even abroad!), the only conclusion they all came to was: “Wow, how interesting… There’s clearly something going on here but I don’t know how to help you. Sorry!”. Some even asked me to let them know if I ever found out what was going on and how to fix it…
Needless to say, I kind of lost a little faith in western medicine after that and started searching for answers in other areas. That journey has completely transformed my life. It started by changing my diet, but I soon found everything else in my life changed. I’ve changed career paths, mental outlook on life, and have just added so much to my life (yoga, meditation, journaling, green juice!!, and so much more).
I’m now a big supporter of integrative medicine and using nutrition to support and heal. So I’m overjoyed when I read about people who have had a similar “wake up call” that got them to change their diets and help themselves. It’s a beautiful thing!
“How would illness change your diet?”
This question is so near and dear to my heart right now. This summer my dad had a heart attack that we consider the “best possible worst thing” to have happened. As a result of his heart attack an aneurysm was bypassed and because of one Dr. (none of the other cardio doctors he saw even mentioned this, but one did and he ran with it), my dad has switched to a vegan diet. Mr. Meat and Potatoes switched to a vegan, no nuts, low oil diet. My mom has joined him on the vegan diet (easier for her – we’re more vegetable happy people). It’s amazing to see the change this has made in his health, his recovery time, etc. The most important thing I witnessed was that he made that decision for himself, he wasn’t coaxed into it, and now he’s continually educating himself about it and what choices he can and should be making. Is there scientific evidence enough for everyone to do this? Maybe not – but for him the limited studies that Dr. Esselstyn has done showing that this can add 15 years for a heart patient are worth it. Because once you’re a heart patient you are always a heart patient.
I’ve also made changes in my diet and lifestyle to help treat migraines, not nearly the dramatic changes my father has made – but it’s worth it, it’s worth it to listen to what your body needs and to support it. To care for it as you would care for a loved one. On that note – give your body a hug if you haven’t already today, it does so much for you, support it and help it continue to support you!
Also – I’m another person excited about the GF bar coming out :-)
Hi, I just found your site, looks like wonderful recipes! I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years, albeit not a healthy eating one, but needless to say a vegetarian. Last year I was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer, 6 out of every million, mostly males over 65 but, I’m female and 47..go figure. The doctors having me in a holding pattern watching my blood values before starting treatment. Since then I’ve been on a rollercoaster of eating habits (my old ways vs juicing and actually trying to eat more nutritious organic, gluten free vegetarians meals!) It is really hard to do! I really feel my health depends on it though. Soo happy I found your site…making my grocery list now, can’t wait to try your pumpkin recipes!!!!