Describe your "aha" moment - when you decided that you were going to commit to eating a plant-based diet. Did you read a book? Listen to a lecture? See a movie? Talk to a friend? All of the above?

Comments

[Elena]

My husband was diagnosed with high cholesterol, and I had health issues that went misdiagnosed for years. Finally we had enough of "medical" advice and start researching our options. I came across THE CHINA STUDY, and we were on a plant based diet before I even finished reading it. We haven't looked back since. The evidence was too hard to argue, and the truth was too simple to ignore.

[Pamela Yenawine]

I landed in the emergency room with high blood pressure (they thought I was having a stroke for some reason - my symptoms were not matching what they wanted to see). My cholesterol was elevated. Took a very low dose of BP meds. I was unable to tolerate statins or red yeast rice. Changed my diet, added more exercise, and had regular acupunture, chinese herbs and CranioSacral Therapy. Was able to go completely off the meds after 1.5 years. That's when I finally said yes to Juice Plus. Eating Juice Plus helped my body begin to CRAVE fruits and vegetables. Now that I have my own JP business, I am passionate about helping others learn more about health and nutrition. As a CranioSacral Therapist, I have the opportunity to help many people reclaim their birthright of health.

[Audrey Quick]

I stopped eating meat/chicken/pork when mystery meat showed up on the college menu. That was just my personal preference. In 2005, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy who had a milk allergy. At first I panicked. What would I feed this child? I didn't eat meat, and he couldn't have milk products. Somehow I stumbled upon the Wellness Forum, and everything started to make sense. I gave up milk products so that I would not have them in the house. I didn't want any accidents with my little guy. Instead, I was the one to really benefit. My asthma and allergies are practically non-existent now. I've since taken every course offered by the Wellness Forum, and am working towards my Nutrition Educator Degree so that I can share what I've learned with others.

[Steve M]

More of an Aha metamorphosis, but over the years of gaining the cellular health benefits with Juice Plus and attending seminars, I've finally begun to swing my lifestyle eating away from mainly meat and sandwiches over to more live foods. Still a carnivore at heart, but my health has improved and stayed on a healthy field since starting JP+ and now getting better with more and more self regulation of eating meat products.
I listen to Dr. Popper's voicecom messages often and learn a great deal from them.

[Nancy MacCarter]

My change to plant based dieting started gradually. I had one foot in the door and the other still dragging me back to animal proteins even though I was eating primarily vegetarian. It wasn't until I went for a Wellness Check with my medical doctor and found I had high cholesterol that my wake up call came. Believe me, I ate better than most and wondered if my tests were even correct. However, when my doctor recommended I take a statin drug is when I put my foot down and said, "I know how to do this myself." I switched not only to plant based, but am using Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. This has been my guide for eating. I have lost 17 pounds since May 1st, dropped two pant sizes and feel better than I have ever felt. With Juice Plus and a plant based diet, you can't go wrong. I listen to Dr. Popper's messages and attend her seminars when possible. I'm looking forward to the conference in November.

[Maria K. Gordon, RD]

My 'aha' moment started after I watched part of the documentary "Fast Food Nation." The scene where they were butchering the cows in a Mexican feed lot (had to film in Mexico because no US company would allow filming of such a thing) made my stomach churn. I vowed to give up red meat at that point (with the exception of the occasional family farmed grass-fed, no hormones/antibiotic beef). I then gave up all other meat after watching "Food Inc." two years ago. My cholesterol was never high, but went down quite a bit since adopting a plant based diet, and I can say with confidence that I am "heart attack proof." Since giving up dairy this past January, my skin has never looked better! It was not the formal education that I received in dietetics that opened my eyes up to what health benefits a plant based diet has to offer. Beyond watching the above mentioned films, I have to thank the Juice Plus+ community, Dr. Mitra Ray and Dr. Pam for enlightening me.

[Susan Fielding, LMT]

I started with taking Juice Plus 6 years ago to get more fruit and veggies in to my system. I had already slowed down on milk products because noticed sinuses were better staying away from dairy. Slowly gave up red meat and all meat and then "AHA" The China Study, Colin Campbell in April 2010. Plant based diet since then.

[Melinda Vale]

My manager at work recommended a book that she said changed her life. The book was Diet for a New America by John Robbins. After reading it, I stopped eating all animal products immediately. Everyone I knew who read the book did the same, including my husband.

[Bob Farr]

At 70 you wouldn't expect me to change, but my doctor said I had slightly elevated blood pressure and that I should lose 100 lbs. That night Dr. Pam did a speech in Cincinnati, and I made immediate changes. No dairy (almond milk tastes great), cut way back on meats. And I am enjoying "Solving America's Healthcare Crisis". The difference was the compelling studies she cited. How could I argue with that info? And she did a great job presenting.

[Tina]

I just watched "Forks Over Knives" and "Earthlings". I have eaten meat, dairy and processed foods my entire life. I am a 35 year old female and I have eaten a vegan diet for the past 10 days. I will never consume meat or dairy ever again. Thank you for all of your hard. I wish I hadn't been so ignorant of these issues for all of these years.

[Carrie Deane]

My aha moment came after watching the movie and then reading the Forks Over Knives book and learning about the connection between diet and alzheimer's disease. I have noticed for years that my memory has been getting worse, to me far beyond what is normal. Cancer and heart disease run in my family, but nothing scares me like alzheimer's. Over the last 9 years I have improved my diet, eat no fried foods, consume lots of fruits and veggies, but never cut out oils, dairy or animal products. The movie got me thinking and the book made me take the leap.

[Chris Dykema]

My husband and I took a class...each week gaining more information on a whole food, plant based diet. Learning that "food is the medicine" made us want to change how we were eating. We are not completely there-but getting better all the time.

[Jana Yowell]

My 'aha' moment came after I heard Dr. Popper speak at a conference. I had no idea that eating too much meat could be so unhealthy. I then decided to give up meat for lent. Well, I felt so good I knew I had to learn more. I then read "Mad Cowboy" and I was amazed at just how unhealthy animal foods were. From then on I decided I would not be consuming any animal foods. It has been the best decision I ever made. I am happier and healthier because of it. Not to mention the desire it gave me to learn all I could about nutrition. It is my passion and as a personal trainer I get to teach my clients about an optimal diet as well. I even started a blog with health information at www.RunningVegan.com

[Ellen]

My husband survived the "widow maker" 2 1/2 years ago. He was almost 100% vegan, but I wasn't quite there yet. I was trying to lose weight, and did every diet out there. When on the Atkins Diet, I had my cholesterol checked and it was in the risk zone. I was also diagnosed with Arthritis, Spinal Stenosis, and a bone spur in my neck. I was told to do PT and take meds. I started changing my eating habits. We then bought Forks Over Knives, and bought the book as well. That was the final push! We are 100% vegan now. Recently I saw my docs, and it was all wonderful news! All my blood work is normal, the arthritis pain is gone along with constipation, and the pain from the bone spur is almost non existant (I had inflammation around the spur). When my GP asked what I was doing, I told him and he's interested in it as well!

[Katy]

There is no evidence, nor does the scientific community believe, that diet has anything to do with the development of Type 1 Diabetes. Lumping it in with Type 2 diabetes and suggesting it is an avoidable illness is a disservice to the multitudes of people who suffer from this random, autoimmune disorder. I'd be willing to bet that, statistically, as many people who follow plant-based diets are afflicted with Type 1 diabetes as those who follow a 'standard American diet'.
I'm not promoting a SAD, as I do believe adding more plant-based foods and fiber is healthier in general. But don't expect it to protect you from T1D.

[Pam]

Actually, there is lots of evidence concerning diet and type 1 diabetes. One of the leading causes of juvenile diabetes is consumption of cow's milk by infants and toddlers. In fact, the connection between cow's milk and juvenile diabetes is stronger than the connection between smoking and lung cancer.

And, studies have shown that a low-fat plant based diet can lower insulin needs by as much as 40% and cholesterol by 30% within a couple of weeks.

There is more information and references for these statements in my most recent book Solving America's Healthcare Crisis.

[Monica A]

I started working at Whole Foods a couple of months ago and learned new things everyday. One of my co-workers suggested Forks Over Knives and WOW! That was the best hour and a half of my life! I was in shock and totally excited to spread the news, I told everyone I came into contact with about this documentary. The information was so provocative that it made me want to learn more! It changed my life and has the opportunity to change A LOT of lives in our society!!

[Pam Popper]

I am so glad you liked the film! You may want to consider joining the Wellness Forum and learning more about diet, health and healthcare. Let me know if you are interested.
Pam

[Eileen]

My husband and I watched Forks over Knives and several other programs that promoted the plant based diet. This changed our eating habits three weeks ago and we already feel so much better and we don’t crave the junk food we used to. We feel satisfied juicing and eating healthy, like our bodies are getting the nutrients they require. My husband is on meds for high cholesterol. We’re hoping to drop the dosage and hopefully, the meds altogether, under the doc’s supervision, of course. Our co-workers are seeing a difference and asking about what we're doing. We tell them about FoK. Great learning tool.
However, I have Hashimoto's thyroid disease and suffer mostly with exhaustion, poor memory, poor concentration and weight gain along with many other miserable symptoms. I’ve read gluten prohibits the thyroid from working properly, so I've gone on a gluten free diet. I also read that thyroid problems cause high cholesterol. I came upon a diet program “Hypothyroidism Revolution” which is specific for those with Hypothyroidism. However, this diet requires dairy, meat, adding sugar to a glass of milk, and salt to meals. I'm hoping to get some professional feedback on this type of diet, if it really helps or if I'm risking more health problems. I’m nervous about starting back up on dairy and meat, now that I’ve heard what it can do to the body.