Kari's Story

“I started my journey when I was in my early 20s as a single mom. I was with my high school sweetheart, but he was in the Marine Corp.

I noticed myself getting sick; headaches, passing out, and losing my vision. After 2 years, I was diagnosed with almost a complete brain blockage and pseudotumor cerebri. This condition tricks your brain into thinking you have brain tumors all of the time. 

I was put on 52 different medications that I took daily.  I went from 260 pounds to 406 pounds in a year. I was bedridden because of my disease. I developed diabetes 2, and my sugars were completely out of control. My blood sugar was normally in the 400-500s. My hemoglobin A1c was 14.8.

I was able to start losing a little weight with the help of some friends at a weight loss support group called TOPS. I clean houses, and one of them happens to my best friend’s house. Her husband is a book collector. I was really complaining about my lupus causing me extreme pain in my hands. He handed me Dr. Fuhrman’s book, Eat to Live. They told me how family gave it to them as a wedding gift 12 years prior, along with a trip to one of Dr Fuhrman’s retreats.

My friend has severe psoriatic arthritis. They embraced the Nutritarian lifestyle, and they said that it helped them to conceive after being told that it was impossible.

I read the whole book in a day, and immediately made the lifestyle change. I now read the book at least twice a year to remind me of why I do this, and to make sure that I’m doing it all correctly.

I went in 100%.  My family thought I was being extreme, but I said that I was going to give it the 6 weeks and see how I felt. 

I stopped eating gluten. Vegan eating only – and I also gave up sugar, caffeine, and processed foods completely. After 6 weeks, I stopped having my lupus symptoms, and had lost 26 pounds.

I stayed on the plan and reached my original goal weight– set by my doctor’s office – of 180 pounds.

I went to see my liver doctor, and we had plans to put me on the liver transplant list that day. The transplant person was there to help me navigate my next steps. Only 2 days earlier I had scans, biopsies, and bloodwork done.  He hadn’t received my results yet.

A very persistent medical assistant got the results to him while I was there.  He came in astonished: Not only was I down nearly 100 pounds, but I was no longer in stage 4 liver disease – I was at a low stage 2.

He said that in his 45-year career he had never seen anything like it before. I told him about “Eat to Live” and he now shares my story with his other patients with my blessing. He also has copies of the book that he lends to his patients.

I have now completely reversed my liver and kidney disease. My A1c is now 4.6. I have continued my weight loss, and have maintained a weight between 125 and130 pounds for almost 2 years now.

Dr. Furhman saved my life!  I embrace the Nutritarian lifestyle whole heartedly, and share it with everyone I come in contact with.

My next step is to get skin removal surgery. 

My whole life has changed.  I even enrolled back in college and am going to get my degree to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.  And I plan on becoming a Nutritarian Coach."