Welcome to health!

Welcome! I am beginning a new blog to promote a plant based diet. Yes being Vegan. I have been making this transition over several years but have never fully committed until last June. I have know for quite sometime that this was the right path but did not want to upset the family dinner table cart so to speak. I was born in West Virginia. My Dad was raised on a farm and I participated in butchering hogs and chickens as a kid. Nothing was wasted. My job was to render the fat into lard. It made for great breads and pie crusts as well as diabetes and heart disease. My family always had a garden so we ate what we grew and raised. About the only store bought goods were flour and sugar. Oh and Captain Crunch. There were few fast food stores and you had to drive 30 minutes to get to one. We only had a rare Big Mac and rare KFC takeout.

I became a Cardiologist to help people like my family who had heart disease. There was not much talk of prevention in medical school and residency. A healthy low fat diet was suggested and exercise but no specifics. Statin drugs seemed to be the best way to prevent coronary events in those with a strong family history.

I read Diet for a New America by Robbins. It was an eye opener. I was was hooked in the early nineties. My family thought I was crazy and thought I was going to starve. I lost weight and felt great. I started swimming then running. I signed up for a marathon and became an “exercise nut” so said my mother. I was living by example. My family said I was ruining dinner and did not want to be involved. I gave into eating a little fish at first. Then a meat at dinner. I tried to convince myself that if I ate organic it would be ok. Then my mother got lymphoma and my dad developed dementia. I was the cook and the family was falling apart. I cooked vegan. I preach the benefits of a plant based diet. My Dad ate without complaint and my mother ate with reservation. She got well and started experimenting with plant based cooking. We did our Christmas party 100% vegan. No one left hungry and they all showed up. My friends eat my vegan pizza and I go out with them and order off any menu. They are tolerating my change and even try some vegan recipes themselves.

So I have decided to share my experiences and menus with those who wish to look.