Plant Based Diet Archives - Page 9 of 9

What would you rather do? (Your answers matter!)

March 28, 2019 By Cyd Notter

If you had the chance to attend a weekend event where you would have fun, eat delicious food, and learn how to begin (or enhance) cooking a healthy, plant-based diet, which of the following activities would be highest on your priority list?

Please choose your favorites from the below list, then rank them in order of interest (with your highest interest listed first). Spell them out in a reply to this post; there's no need to list them all, only your favorites. You can also email me privately at [email protected]. The thought of offering such weekend retreats in sunny Florida is on my radar. Your feedback will be greatly appreciated and will help me determine the most helpful things to offer. Thank you!

___ Cooking demonstrations (with no personal involvement)
___ Meal preparation with hands-on participation
___ How to batch cook (hands-on)
___ Short slide preso on various health topics (diabetes, heart disease, cancer)
(which topic?_______________)
___ Short slide preso on the topic of dairy
___ Short slide preso on the topic of inflammatory foods
___ Short slide preso on the topic of Brain Health
___ Tips for transitioning to plant-based eating
___ Tips to overcome obstacles and procrastination
___ Label-reading mini-class
___ Watch a popular health/nutrition documentary
___ Develop meal plans to fit my family
___ Go on a grocery shopping tour
___ Learn how to choose wisely from a menu
___ Morning exercise session (yoga, walking, swimming – your choice)
___ A free-time session to do as I wish (pool, sun, read, whatever)
___ A combo – I like them all
___ A combo - I like them all - plus include devotionals
___ Other: ___________________________________

If you don’t ask for advice, your plans will fail. With many advisors, they will succeed.

(Proverbs 15:22, ERV)

Oil-Free Pumpkin Bread (REALLY good)

February 7, 2019 By Cyd Notter

In my kitchen, pumpkin bakery isn't just for fall weather - I love it anytime!

So while searching through my 'bread' folder, I came upon this recipe I had printed back in 2010. The time to make it was obviously overdue!

Oil-Free Pumpkin Bread, by www.fatfreevegan.com, was simple to make and I must say it was the most flavorful and moist pumpkin bread I've ever baked (the pumpkin was noticeably prominent and yummy).

The recipe calls for "egg substitute equivalent to two eggs." I made flax eggs. One TBS ground flax and 3 TBS water, blended or whisked until frothy = 1 egg. (So for this recipe, I used 2 TBS ground flax and 6 TBS water, whisked.)

I also used whole wheat flour, and added about 1/2 cup walnuts.

Give this one a try. It's an official "keeper" in our house, and would probably make great muffins, too!

Support for Plant-Based Diets Continues to Grow

January 8, 2018 By Cyd Notter

It's exciting to see more and more doctors getting on board with the benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet!

A peer-reviewed study published in the Canadian Family Physician's Journal confirms that what we eat greatly influences our personal health; it also points out that the typical Standard American Diet (SAD) is strongly linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, unhealthy cholesterol levels, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease and certain cancers.

The author encourages us that a plant-based journey begins with the first step. Take yours—reduce your meat intake, open your mind to the interconnectedness of human choices and planetary health, and, most important, eat your fruits, grains, and vegetables!

P.S: Don't forget to consider the bigger picture. Maintaining and caring for the gift of your incredible body pleases the Lord!

When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God. (1 Cor 10:31, CEV)

Cindi R. – Reversed blocked carotid artery

January 12, 2015 By Cyd Notter

Testimonial by Cindi R.

In February of 2010, a chance screening at a local church changed my life forever when an ultrasound revealed a 90% blockage of my right carotid artery. My physicians referred to me as a mystery. Having never smoked even a single cigarette in the 55 years of my life, I maintained perfect “numbers”. --My cholesterol fell into a small percentage of patients my primary care physician had labeled as “perfect” The same was true of my weight and fitness level. A seasoned half-marathoner, I consumed what I believed to be an incredibly healthy diet, and was preparing to run another event. Despite all of this, I found myself being wheeled into surgery the following month. The carotid endarterectomy (surgical removal of plaque) left me with an arterial graft and 100% blood flow through that artery. Mission accomplished! --Or so I thought. I left the nationally- recognized hospital on a low dose statin & aspirin, anxious to move forward with my recovery and resume my active lifestyle.

At my postoperative evaluation six months later I learned that my recently-cleared artery was beginning to show signs of blockage, once again leaving my physicians perplexed. And leaving me frustrated. One year postoperatively an ultrasound indicated that the blockage had worsened to approximately 60%. What more could I do?!

As I began to consider my options it appeared to me that I had only one card left to play-- for I was already the model patient, exhibiting no risk factors for premature atherosclerosis. I began to reflect on a class on an Anti-Inflammation diet which I had taken months earlier. The class, taught by Cyd Notter, introduced me to a host of authors, rationales, and recipes for a plant-based diet free of oils. The media at the time was also abuzz with news of former President Clinton’s success in reversing his cardiovascular disease with the assistance of Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn (both are leaders in plant-based research and practice). By following what they coin as a “reversal diet”--eating nothing with a mother, no oils, seeds, or nuts--our former president touted significant weight loss and gains in his health. After months of consideration, I took the plunge into the world of a plant-based, whole grain diet. And I haven’t looked back.

After six months on the reversal diet, my carotid ultrasound showed a slight regression (reversal) of the previous blockage. One year later, slightly more regression was noted. My physicians, pleased with my progress, endorsed my decision to pursue management of my disease with diet only---no more statins!

Cyd has become a valuable resource and friend. As a plant-based nutrition coach, she has guided me through some of the challenges of meal planning, evaluation of nutritional balance in my diet, etc. As a friend, she has provided me with the oft-needed encouragement to stay the course when confronted by doubters. During all of this time I have felt fabulous and have had the energy needed to fuel my distance running, proudly (!) completing my first marathon in November 2013.

Our household is a “kitchen divided”, as my husband finds it unpalatable to sacrifice his All-American diet. But he would agree that “the proof has been in the pudding”. --In this case, the soy pudding. ~ Cindi, Momence IL

Thank you, Cindi! Your testimony is so powerful because as you mention, you were the picture of health…. trim, active, and with ‘perfect’ cholesterol numbers. I guess what Dr. McDougall says is true: Diet trumps all. Your commitment to reversing your blockage through a plant-based diet has inspired me beyond words. You are actually the one encouraging ME, my friend! ~Cyd

Tim P. – Off all 8 Meds

January 12, 2015 By Cyd Notter

May I share a local SUCCESS story? In the spring of 2013, a couple from Braidwood named Tim and Teri began to search out dietary options as a result of Tim’s failing health. One year later, because of their conversion to a whole food, plant-based diet, the results are speaking for themselves. Below is Tim’s story. Please read it and be inspired….because results such as this ARE typical! ~ Cyd

Post Written by Tim: In the beginning I was a dyed in the wool meat eater who thought that vegans were a bunch of liberal wackos. It's not about being a vegan…. It's about being healthy. I had some health issues but did not relate them to my diet. I decided I was getting too fat and wanted to lose some weight. My son had been on Atkins before and lost weight so after trying Weight Watchers with my wife and having no success, I thought I would try Atkins. I lost some weight on Atkins and thought I was doing okay. Their plan tied into my meat eating habits rather nicely. I always had the nagging feeling in the back of my mind that eating all that animal fat and bacon was going to clog my arteries because I already had a stent in one of my arteries and was diagnosed with heart disease.

Then one day I noticed myself turning a yellowish color in my skin. I also had a hard time with my recovery after working out, and my muscle ache was constant. It just seemed like it would not go away. I still did not relate this to my diet. I, like so many others, decided to consult Dr. Internet with my symptoms to try and see what was wrong. With just googling my symptoms, I started getting all kinds of information popping up on low carbohydrate high protein diets and how they can cause all the symptoms that I was experiencing. Basically it said I was stressing my liver to the point of failing. Liver failure due to unused proteins. Thus the yellow skin tone, muscle ache and fatigue.

My wife had been training with a personal trainer for some time and had mentioned that he was a plant-based eater and preached it religiously. At the time I figured he was just a nut. It wasn't that I was stubborn it was just that I was uneducated. She was also in contact with a plant-based nutritionist through the newspaper named Cyd Notter. She suggested we make an appointment and just go to hear what she had to say. I am not afraid of learning new things so I was okay with it. After talking with her, a lot of what she said made sense. She sent us home letting us borrow the video “forks over knives".

Watching that video pissed me off. It opened my eyes to the hog washing that I had been subjected to all through my life just for someone else's profit. I immediately bought copies of that movie and the adjoining literature and cookbooks and sent a package to each of my kids. I felt it was my duty as their father to let them know what I have learned. Unfortunately they, like so many others, refuse to respond because they are too comfortable in their standard American diet. 🙁

Ever since that time my wife and I have been 100% whole foods plant-based in our eating. We can't be happier. Prior to my diet change I suffered from high blood pressure, reactive hypoglycemia, acid reflux, plantar fasciitis, heart disease, arthritis, incessant back issues, digestive problems, high cholesterol, being overweight, and a general feeling of poor health. As per my doctor’s orders I took eight medications to try to fix it. Nothing worked. Now I am cured of all of the above. I take no medications. I am the same weight and waist size as I was as a senior in high school. My energy levels have increased. My pain is way, way lessened. My back issues have almost entirely ceased. My arthritis has stopped. And my general sense of well-being and feeling of health are off the charts. Did I say BAM?............BAM!

Funny what an open mind and a little bit of research can do for a guy. I am living proof of what a plant-based diet can do for your health. I don’t understand why people seem to want to fight against good health. Such negative strong reactions to a positive and harmless message. Maybe it’s caused from their addictions to meat and animal products and processed foods. Or guilt in having to face up to the fact that they are making informed decisions to pursue their poor choices and not being able to hide behind ignorance. If we would only shut up they wouldn’t have to feel uncomfortable. The one best single thing I’ve ever done for my health is to change my diet to whole foods plant-based. I guess that's why I try to spread the info as much as I do. Hopefully it catches on with someone else.

Thanks Tim! Its commitment and results such as yours and Teri’s that inspire and energize many of us! Not only did you seek out the right information, you were both open to it and jumped in with both feet. So proud of what you’ve accomplished! I pray your story will inspire others to follow suit – so that they can regain their health and experience their own BAM! ~ Cyd

Testimonial by Cindi R.

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