Brandon's Story

In the fall of 2015, my doctor did blood work because it hadn't been done for over 10 years.  My diet at that time consisted of whatever I wanted to eat. There was no concern about health, no worry about what was good for me and what wasn't.  I ate what looked good, in any quantity I wanted, and paid no attention to what it might be doing to me.  I especially loved steak, seafood, and whole milk.

When my bloodwork came back, it was quite alarming.  My cholesterol was 265, I had high triglycerides, and worst of all, I was pre-diabetic with a fasting glucose over 100.  In addition, I weighed 225 pounds (I'm only 5'6"), and my blood pressure averaged 140/90.  I also had severe heartburn, and took an antacid every night so I could sleep.  I decided it was time to do something about it;  my mom was diabetic and I was not going to go down that road.

I immediately started using a fitness app to track my calories, asking my sister (who is a registered dietician, trained by "the establishment") what I should do about the pre-diabetes diagnosis. Her advice was standard:  Try the 40/30/30 diet (40percent of calories from carbs, 30 percent each from protein and fat).  I lost some weight, but three months later my fasting glucose was no better, and my blood pressure had only improved by a few points.  I continued tracking calories, and added daily exercise.  I lost a bit more weight, but the fasting glucose and the blood pressure still didn't improve much.  On top of that, I developed a pain in my upper abdomen, which to this day remains a mystery.  I had an ultrasound, but they didn't see anything that would be causing my pain.

I kept working at my weight, thinking that losing some weight, counting calories, and counting carbs would solve the problem.  My sister also told me to make sure I have protein with each meal (of course, to me, protein meant fish, chicken, beef, seafood, etc.).  I lost about 25 pounds in a year, but still my fasting glucose was over 100 and my blood pressure was only marginally lower.  I almost resigned myself to becoming diabetic, thinking that it was "just genetic."

In the summer of 2017, I was browsing Netflix and came across Forks Over Knives.  I like documentaries, so I watched it.  I was skeptical, but I figured I had tried everything else, so why not try this, too?  I made a total change the very next day, going plant based and not using oils, extra salt, etc.

I later heard of Dr. Fuhrman and checked out Eat to Live from my local library.  I began the Nutritarian way of living as it just made sense to me.  I was all in 100 percent. Since August 1st, 2017, I've lost an additional 50 pounds, and I now weigh 150 pounds.  My blood pressure is consistently in the lower 100's over lower 60's (about 102/63, on average).  My heartburn is completely gone, my cholesterol is 132 at last check, the pain in my upper abdomen is gone, and best of all, my fasting glucose at last check was 76!  I have an amazing amount of energy, and my perseverance is stronger while exercising. 

I can't believe how I feel. It's amazing!  Through my research, I am convinced that eating this way makes the best evolutionary sense.  What else could explain the reason so many people get better when they begin eating this way?  I began to realize that it isn't so much that this diet is magical, but it's the fact that eating this way means I'm no longer poisoning my body; it can heal itself when it gets what it needs and doesn't get what it doesn't need.  This is the diet humans are supposed to eat. Thank you to for getting this message out - more people need to hear it!