I often share my story of becoming a vegetarian and later transitioning to an ethical vegan lifestyle. However, there’s an important chapter I don’t often discuss—the step towards adopting a whole foods, plant-based (WFPB) diet.
To take you back to the beginning, I became a vegetarian in 1976, when I moved into a vegetarian housing co-op named Prana House during my early 20s. Initially, I wasn’t vegetarian, but the co-op’s counter-culture vibe attracted me. It sounded so cool and different! As it turned out, I ended up fitting in well at Prana House and became a committed vegetarian. I was really surprised with how much I enjoyed eating foods like beans, vegetables, and buckwheat. Cooking became a part of my routine as we all took turns preparing meals, and eventually, I became the food buyer for the co-op.
For 27 years, I remained mostly vegetarian (with the occasional piece of fish), until 2003 when I transitioned to ethical veganism. This change was largely influenced by my conversations with animal rights activist Lauren Ornelas, who encouraged me to dive deep into the issue of livestock animal welfare. You can read more about that decision here.
The next significant shift came after reading two life-changing books: The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell, and Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell B. Esselstyn.
In 2005, I read The China Study, which profoundly impacted my perspective on health. But it was Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, gifted to me by my good friend Bruce Friedrich, that really got me thinking. It largely caught my attention because of my family’s history of heart disease. My father had heart disease, my mother passed away from it, and my brother and sister both struggle with it as well. The book’s rigorous, black-and-white approach to a “plant-perfect” diet—a whole foods, low-fat, plant-based diet that can prevent and reverse coronary and cardiovascular disease—resonated with me deeply. I embraced this lifestyle wholeheartedly for several years.
With the world being a small place (especially the grocery world), I eventually got to know the son of Dr. Esselstyn, Rip Esselstyn. Rip is the author of The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter’s 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan That Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds, a book which I read and really liked. He coined the term, “plant-strong,” referring to a plant-based diet that prioritizes whole foods, is oil-free, has no refined sugars, and no excessive sodium.
While I still strive to eat as close to a plant-perfect diet as possible, staying completely oil and sodium-free can be really difficult. This is especially challenging when traveling and eating out with friends and family, but I always try to do my best. I would put myself more in the plant-strong category, but I do feel my best when I’m eating plant-perfect.
I’d like to add that I’m not here to say that this is the only route to good health. Everyone’s body and nutritional needs are different, but for me, a whole foods, plant-based lifestyle has worked best. I just turned 71 and I feel fantastic!