Forums: September 2011 Kickstart Forum: My Vegan Story
Created on: 09/09/11 09:01 AM Views: 1790 Replies: 14
onlychild1956 Joined: 09/05/11 Posts: 3	My Vegan Story Posted Friday, September 9, 2011 at 9:01 AM Hello everyone. I just wanted to share my story with all of you and especially for those of you who are new to the kickstart. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in November of 2005 and at first did well with the low carb, low fat way of eating. Then I experienced the loss of my father and well, I'm sure many of you have experienced the same thing, eating to sooth the heartache. Needless to say, everything including my A1C went up again. While not really high, not good either. By the way, I also had issues with my heart about 12 years ago at the age of 42. My weight was up and down over the last 4 years, then in January of this year, I went Vegan and was fortunate enough to have been in a study group with Dr. Barnard and the wonderful people from PCRM. When I started I weighed 231 pounds, my cholesterol was 205, my triglcerides were around the same and my A1C was 6.7. Nothing dangerous, but higher than I wanted it. I went into this thinking, what I am going to eat, I hate vegies and what about all the carbs, those are supposed to be bad for a diabetic. I made up my mind that I was going to do this right and give it my best. I used a lot of the kickstart recipes when I started and I didn't like all of them. But some of them, like Hoppin John Salad, I would never even have tried were it not for the kickstart. I travel a lot and it has been challenging some times, but it can be done. I've learned to travel with my own oatmeal and bowl.(Thanks for the tip Dr. B) You can run the water through the coffee maker and use it for your oatmeal. That way at least you always have a healthy breakfast and bananas travel pretty well packed in your suitcase. I always make sure I have some kind of Vegan bar with me too, just in case. Just make sure you read the labels carefully, they put milk and milk by products in lots of stuff you wouldn't expect. Slow cooker recipes are great if you have a busy life ( and who doesn't these days). I cook on the weekends and then use it during the week so I don't have to worry about it. My morning fasting numbers are better than they ever were eating low carb, low fat and I can eat fruit again. In fact, I eat all the time. I don't measure, I don't count, I just eat no animal products, and try to stay low fat. If I'm hungry I eat. The thing is I found that after a few weeks, I was satisfied with less and stayed full longer thanks to what I was eating. After a life of depriving myself to lose weight, this is awesome. In 20 weeks, I lost 23 pounds, with no exercise and my A1C was down to 6.2. As of August 12th, I'm down 30 pounds, have added some exercise, my A1C is 6.0 and my cholerterol is 156. That's great but the best part is that I feel better than I've ever felt in my life. This is the best life change I've ever made and I can't wait to see my results as time goes on. My goal is to dump my diabetes meds at some point in time.(With doctor consent of course) I know this isn't easy, and it requires a new way of eating. I also know that you can do it and the results are so worth it. Good luck to all of you Jan S
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carrottop Joined: 09/21/10 Posts: 36	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Friday, September 9, 2011 at 9:24 AM Wow... what a wonderful change! Congratulations!
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vegankitty Joined: 12/29/10 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 109	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Friday, September 9, 2011 at 9:26 AM Hi Jan! Congratulations to you for obtaining amazing results with a plant based diet! Your story is very inspiring! Cheers Minu It is easy to be mankind, Difficult to be human Striving to become human!
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vegangirl65 Joined: 08/31/11 Posts: 110	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Friday, September 9, 2011 at 9:29 AM That's AWESOME!! Keep up the good work!! Kathy
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Susan Levin Joined: 12/26/09 Posts: 1212	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Friday, September 9, 2011 at 1:21 PM I have to say, that while Jan is doing really well on the inside and is a beautiful person in many ways, she LOOKS truly stunning! Susan Levin, MS, RD PCRM Director of Nutrition Education
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jonay01 Joined: 09/07/11 Posts: 19	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Monday, September 12, 2011 at 9:53 PM Jan...good for you. Sounds wonderful. But I have some concerns and am wondering if someone can give some advice. I HAVE BEEN A TRUE VEGAN FOR NINE WEEKS NOW. Am doing the 21 Kickstart for the 2nd time. I am following things to the letter...no animal protein, no sugar, minimum amount of fat, eating the rights foods...veggies, complex carbs(beans and whole grains), fruit and some soy. I have lost 16 pounds in 9 weeks,(very happy about that) but this is my issue...my blood sugars are still high(150-225 area) and I am still taking insulin. Shouldn't this way of eating cause me to need less insulin? One of my major goals is to get OFF of insulin. I know taking insulin does not help in the weight losing department. I've thought about just stopping the insulin or take very little, bur I am afraid to do anything without the advice of my endocrinologist. When you're a vegan shouldn't insulin cecessity be a thing of th past? Thanks for any help or advice. Jonay01
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Pritiwoman Joined: 09/12/11 Posts: 2	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Monday, September 12, 2011 at 10:31 PM That was an inspiring story. I am also new, and having a bit of difficulty being true to the program. But I do believe it works and makes sense. to jonay, I hope one of the doctors will answer you. I am guessing that you are simply being too impatient. It sounds as if you are doing a great job, and I hope you are working with a physician. People need to be very cautious about getting off medications, although it sounds so tempting. I was a Pritikin girl six years ago, hence my moniker "Pritiwoman" and was very gung-ho. It is not vegan, but also promises to get people off medications. And often that happens. I was on Pritikin and my internist felt that I was doing so well, he advised me to stop my statins and blood pressure medications. Three months later, at age 57, I had a heart attack. The women's heart specialists at UCLA determined that it was likely I suffered from what is called "Statin Rebound Effect." In a small percentage of people, when statins are stopped (even slowly weaned) there is a period of time (around six months) in which the body MAY experience difficulty adjusting. Things go haywire and the risk of heart attack is dramatically increased. I was one of the few who reacted this way. Now I combine diet and medication--and I speak out to groups for the Red Dress program and tell my "statin rebound" story. The message is: NEVER GET OFF A MEDICATION WITHOUT CLOSE DOCTOR'S SUPERVISION. Needless to say, I now have a new internist. Some discount the "statin rebound" effect, but I would not want to take a chance. You, of course, are talking about diabetes and not statins, but I can't help but think you are expecting too much too soon! I hope one of PCRM physicians responds to you. You are doing GREAT!
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Pritiwoman Joined: 09/12/11 Posts: 2	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Monday, September 12, 2011 at 10:31 PM That was an inspiring story. I am also new, and having a bit of difficulty being true to the program. But I do believe it works and makes sense. to jonay, I hope one of the doctors will answer you. I am guessing that you are simply being too impatient. It sounds as if you are doing a great job, and I hope you are working with a physician. People need to be very cautious about getting off medications, although it sounds so tempting. I was a Pritikin girl six years ago, hence my moniker "Pritiwoman" and was very gung-ho. It is not vegan, but also promises to get people off medications. And often that happens. I was on Pritikin and my internist felt that I was doing so well, he advised me to stop my statins and blood pressure medications. Three months later, at age 57, I had a heart attack. The women's heart specialists at UCLA determined that it was likely I suffered from what is called "Statin Rebound Effect." In a small percentage of people, when statins are stopped (even slowly weaned) there is a period of time (around six months) in which the body MAY experience difficulty adjusting. Things go haywire and the risk of heart attack is dramatically increased. I was one of the few who reacted this way. Now I combine diet and medication--and I speak out to groups for the Red Dress program and tell my "statin rebound" story. The message is: NEVER GET OFF A MEDICATION WITHOUT CLOSE DOCTOR'S SUPERVISION. Needless to say, I now have a new internist. Some discount the "statin rebound" effect, but I would not want to take a chance. You, of course, are talking about diabetes and not statins, but I can't help but think you are expecting too much too soon! I hope one of PCRM physicians responds to you. You are doing GREAT!
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jonay01 Joined: 09/07/11 Posts: 19	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 12:01 AM Thank you so much, Prittiwoman. I so appreciate your comment. I too, take statins...I, too had a heart attack 14 years ago. (read my story, if you like, in success stories.). You have most certainly raised my consciousness. I do hope I hear from one of the docs also. I really don't think I would ever stop anything on my own. You should excuse the term..."I'm chicken". ha ha. funny thing coming from a vegan, huh? Thanks again. Perhaps, I am in a hurry. So excited about this new way of living. Jonay
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JamieR Joined: 01/01/10 Location: Mendocino Coast, Northern California Posts: 116	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 3:25 AM Jonay, We are all different! I've been low-fat vegan for a year and a half, and I still have to take some insulin! Believe me, I understand the strong desire to be off medication--especially insulin, as it can cause weight gain or keep you from losing weight. The fact that you are seeing weight results is fantastic! That is something I still struggle with. (I lost weight at first, but it plateaued after I discovered my husband's affair. While I am not an emotional eater, the craziness of this past year has somehow, but definitely, kept me from losing weight even though my labs continue to improve.) It may take your body longer to catch up in the insulin-resistance department. Remember, it took years to become diabetic; you most likely will not be able to reverse all of it in mere weeks. Your BG numbers just don't reflect your diet--newly healthy vegan--but your level of insulin resistance, which may take some time to go away. While I am still on insulin, I firmly believe within the next year or 2 I will be off of insulin completely. As my body heals from long-term diabetes, I will need less and less! In a year and a half, I came down from 95 units to 22...which is pretty darn good! September Kickstart Goals: Walk/bike daily, keep up with forum, 100% low-fat vegan experimenting with maximizing FLAVOR! www
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Dilska Joined: 09/01/11 Posts: 11	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 8:53 AM Jan S. Thank you for sharing your story. I wish I could get my mom to try this. She is 75 and diagnosed w/diabetes II 15 years ago & has struggled ever since. I am trying to be an example, because we all know that we can't force anyone to do anything- or talk them into it even! I have been terrified of becoming diabetic myself as I have predisposition up the ying-yang: mom: diabetic, both grandmothers: diabetic, me: gestationally borderline diabetic- all 3 times! I keep sharing my experiences, and those of others, with a plant-based diet, with my mom, in hopes of swaying her to at least try to be "Veganist"(Kathy Freston's term). I don't think she wants it enough, sadly, but I do, and your story inspires me further to keep working at it. Tina Marie
	Edited 09/13/11 8:54 AM Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
vegangirl65 Joined: 08/31/11 Posts: 110	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 8:57 AM Tina: have her watch Forks over Knives!!! there is a lady on there with diabetes. Kathy
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Dilska Joined: 09/01/11 Posts: 11	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 9:08 AM Kathy, Thanks- I am currently on the wait-list at my library to get that DVD. I will watch it first, it only played one place for one night here in my neck of the woods in Maine, and I couldn't go! Then I'll buy & send her a copy (she is across the country from me). Tina Marie
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Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2087	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 9:28 AM Insulin resistance is definitely an issue and one that won't disappear overnight. Also, it is possible that some type 2 diabetics are/will become insulin dependent as if they were type 1 - the results are similar but the cause is different. Once those insulin producing cells are shot, they're shot. Even if you get a handle on reducing insulin resistance (and low fat vegan plus exercise will do a pretty good job with that - either one will help, together it's dynamite), your body may no longer be producing adequate insulin. You'd no longer be resistant but you'd also no longer have 'enough' so supplemental insulin would be needed (some level of it at least). --Deb R
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jonay01 Joined: 09/07/11 Posts: 19	RE: My Vegan Story Posted Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 9:36 AM Thanks, JamieR...your points are well taken. I also agree with you that if you are stressed out from anything, emotional or otherwise, one cannot lose weight.
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