By Janet Verney.
If you have been following my columns, many of you already know my journey with a serious lung disorder and how I managed to go from very sick to thriving without any meds… You can read more about my story at roots2wellness.com, just click on the tab “BOOKS,” then “ROOTS2Wellness.”
Over this crazy spring/summer we have all been experiencing, I started to feel sluggish with episodes of severe fatigue. I had some achy joints and a host of other little signs and symptoms that something was just not quite right. I thought it may be a bit of depression, which I am not prone to, but given the circumstances, just maybe this was it? I decided it was time to get some blood work done and I had a bit of a surprise with some numbers being not so good!
Friends and family who know how I eat and live my life were a bit shocked as well. How can this be? All I can say is I am really glad I listened to my “Body Talk” and took action! I know genetics plays a huge role in this, and that as we age things can change, but I also know that there is always room to improve diet and lifestyle, one step at a time. So, I have stepped into a new lifestyle adventure. It is not too far from what I was already doing, but enough of a change to already FEEL a huge difference! The fatigue is gone, the ache in my joints is no more, and the brain fog has said hasta la vista baby! I am also down six pounds, which is a lot for someone my size. I am eager to do a re-check on my blood work, with fingers crossed, things will be back in line.
Okay, so let’s just stop here for a minute. I want to STRESS the LISTENING to your BODY TALK! Every day your body is sending you little, and sometimes not so little, messages. I call them the “Gremlins”…., but thank goodness they feel so free to speak to you in this way! The body is so incredibly smart! So please, please, don’t ignore those messages before it is too late! It is your bodies way to say “hey, I’m a bit out of balance here and I sure could use your help to make things right.” 
Now, making things right can be different for you than for me, but what I will say to this, is that there is one thing we all need more of…. to consume more PLANTS! If you want to learn more about the “Why” behind this, I highly recommend reading the book “Plant-Strong” by Rip Esselstyn! He debunks many myths about not getting enough protein, calcium, and so on. He offers some fabulous recipes and tips for when you are on the run or eating out. Trust me, it will be the best $15.99 you will ever spend.
So what am I doing different than before you ask? Well, I was about 90% plant based prior to my blood work and now I am consuming 100% plants. Many refer to this as a Whole Food Plant-Based Lifestyle (WFPB). One of the key differences in a WFBP diet and that of a vegan, is no extracted oils. Without a doubt, this has been a bit of challenge for me, as I so loved my olive and avocado oils. I am slowly learning to replace them with veggie broth, assorted vinegars, nut butters, fruit juiced sweetened jams, and pureed avocados. What I noticed right away was how much lighter I felt! I won’t get into detail about “why no oils,” but there is a wonderful explanation in the above-mentioned book.
I can already hear you… “I could never give up meat, oils, refined sugars, etc.” I get it! It’s not easy for sure, but not feeling well, being chronically sick, and spending dollars on meds & supplements isn’t a walk in the park either. If you are looking for a more holistic approach to feeling better, then I would encourage you to consider trying this for 30 days and see how you feel. As always, if there is an underlying condition, it’s best to check with your doctor before starting any new plan. I am happy to be a resource should you set out on this journey and I would recommend joining this free Facebook group with over 341K members: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FOKPlantBasedCommunity, and check out this wonderful website: https://plantstrong.com/.
Here’s to your health!
If you have a topic you’d like to learn more about, please email me at connect@roots2wellness.com. Until next time!
Janet E. Verney is an Author, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Wellness Designer, and Healthy Food Chef who resides in Higganum and loves helping others to “health-up” their lives! Also known as the Gut Guru, Janet oversees IIN’s advanced course in Gut Health. Have a burning health or nutrition question, write to Janet at connect@roots2wellness.com. To learn more, visit her website at roots2wellness.com.
