This week marks the 14th anniversary of Forks Over Knives. To celebrate, we caught up with a few of our favorite success stories from over the years. We hope you enjoy their updates as much as we have!

Editor’s note: If you’ve improved your health after going whole-food, plant-based and would like to share your story—or if we’ve published your success story in the past and you’d like to let us know how it’s going today—please do so here!

Aaron Calder: From Severe Liver Disease to Weight Training and Fitter Than Ever

Almost 10 years ago, Aaron Calder reversed severe liver disease and a host of other health complications on a whole-food, plant-based diet. Today, Calder says he’ll never go back, “My overall health and especially my liver disease have continued to improve. I joined the gym back in 2021, and I work out two hours a day, every day—something specialists said would never be possible. I have built a lot of muscle and have never felt better. I have learned plants do indeed have protein, and my physique and strength show it.” Calder says that, over the years, many people have reached out to him about their own struggles with addiction and liver disease. “I have passed on my knowledge of what has helped me, and those people who have gone plant-based have seen their health improve, too.”

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Pamela Footman: ‘I Lost 100 Pounds in a Year on a Plant-Based Diet—and Kept It Off, at 60!’

When we last saw Pamela Footman in 2022, she had just gone plant-based a year earlier and had already shed excess weight that she’d been carrying for decades. Today, Footman is more enthused than ever about the WFPB lifestyle and continues to enjoy her passions, such as swimming. “My doctors are absolutely amazed that I’m not taking medication to control high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol,” Footman says. Footman, who was 60 when she started on this journey, says, “It’s never too late for anyone to turn their life around and improve their health.”

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Amy Horn: From Overweight With Type 2 Diabetes to Ultramarathons

After going whole-food, plant-based six years ago, Amy Horn beat the disease that had plagued her family for generations: Type 2 diabetes. Her husband, Rod, was motivated to join her in the WFPB lifestyle after he suffered a widowmaker heart attack. Today, Amy and Rod remain plant-strong. Since we originally published her success story in 2021, Amy has run three ultra-marathons and several 50K trail races, and writes, “My diabetes and autoimmune condition continue to be diet-controlled—no meds!” The couple continues sharing their story with others, inspiring several friends to cut back on dairy. Horn notes, “This whole food plant-based lifestyle works. I’ve even found great options in some airports.”

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Anthony Masiello: Young Dad Loses 160 Pounds and Passes Healthy Lifestyle on to the Kids

When he was just 33 years old, Anthony Masiello was denied a 20-year-term life insurance policy due to having high blood pressure and being morbidly obese. Wanting to be around to see his children grow up, Masiello adopted a WFPB diet and transformed his life. Nineteen years later, his dedication to the lifestyle remains strong. He turned his personal transformation into a professional mission, founding Love.Life Telehealth, a platform that connects patients with lifestyle medicine doctors. “I look at the activities I did with my wife and kids as they were growing up—running, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, skateboarding, jumping rope, and finding delicious healthy food in all our travels—and I couldn’t imagine living a better life,” Masiello says. “I sure am grateful that I was able to pass on my healthy lifestyle to my children, and we will never know what that might have looked like if I did not make these changes for myself first.”

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Tim Kaufman: From Sick, Disabled, and on Multiple Meds to Thriving on a Plant-Based Diet

When Tim Kaufman discovered Forks Over Knives 13 years ago, he was over 400 pounds, addicted to painkillers, nearly immobile, and taking more than 20 prescription medications a day. Fast-forward to today, Kaufman is a competitive endurance athlete, completely medication-free, and thriving alongside his wife, Heather. “Together, we’ve lost nearly 300 pounds—and gained a life we never thought possible.” writes Kaufman. Kaufman shares his biggest lessons: “The key to making this way of eating sustainable long-term is building a life I absolutely love. … Without an optimal diet, I can’t live life to its fullest. I used to think it was all about the food—and that a better life was just a bonus. But now I see it differently. My focus is on living fully, with my diet as the foundation, along with gratitude, community, fitness, joy, mental clarity, and spiritual growth. …. I stay on this path not because I have to but because I genuinely love the life it’s given me—one filled with energy, purpose, and joy.”

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Dave Wegener: ‘I Dropped 100 Pounds in One Year by Ditching Animal Products, Processed Foods’

In 2021, we shared the story of Dave Wegener, who had dropped 140 pounds since transitioning to a WFPB diet five years earlier. Today, Dave and his wife, Leah, remain committed to the plant-based lifestyle and say they will be for the rest of their lives. Since we published his story, Wegener says he’s been enjoying travel in comfort and with confidence, crossing off a bucket-list dream: Journey 1,300 miles, only by foot and train,from Centralia, Washington, to the house where he grew up in Northglenn, Colorado. The Wegeners’ home remains a plant-based safe haven. While Wegener has kept off most of the weight, he gained back [some of] the pounds when schools opened up after the pandemic. “I still feel great,” he writes. “People who haven’t seen me in years notice the change, and my medical/physiological issues are still reversed.” Wegener says, “I’ve begun what I call my ‘Phase II.’ Phase II is mindfully applying everything I know and have learned to lose those stubborn, remaining pounds slowly and steadily with the plant-strong, starch-based, minimally processed–plants (MPP) lifestyle—changes I intend to follow until I die.”

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Brittany Jaroudi: From High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol at 25 to Thriving in Her 30s

Struggling with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity at only 25 years old, Brittany Jaroudi turned her life around when she adopted a WFPB diet. Since 2019, Jaroudi has grown a YouTube channel dedicated to sharing the plant-based lifestyle, and just gave birth to her first child. Given Jaroudi’s history of hypertension, health care workers pegged her as high-risk and initially expected to only let her pregnancy go to 37 weeks—but she ended up having a smooth, full-term pregnancy. “I felt like every time I showed up at the doctor, I was proving to them, ‘Look what this lifestyle can do,’” she says.

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Evon Dennis: Conquering Addiction to Processed Foods on a Plant-Based Diet

After years of struggling with refined-food addiction and compulsive overeating, Evon Dennis experienced significant improvements to her mental and physical health by going salt, oil, flour, alcohol, sugar (SOFAS) free and eating a diet of nothing but whole plant foods. In addition to weight loss, improved moods, and mental clarity, Dennis says there was one other major benefit: “The most pleasant surprise of all was that I no longer felt driven by addiction to junk foods.” Since we first shared her story in 2021, Dennis has remained chiefly on this diet, with one period of relapse. To stay on track, Dennis says that she focuses on fostering a peaceful life, prioritizing rest and ease—and staying clear on her “why.”

Read Story Here

The post Where Are They Now? Updates from Some of Our All-Time Favorite Success Stories appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

In 2019, my then-fiancée (now wife), Deb, and I moved to a rural area in Summerland, British Columbia, right next to a dairy farm. At that point, Deb had already been vegetarian for over a decade, as long as I’d known her. One day, the farmer next door separated the cows from their calves. The calves were moved just far enough away that they couldn’t see their mothers—but they could still hear them. For 48 hours, the grieving mothers and their babies cried out to each other nonstop, calling in vain to be reunited. Deb, a town girl, had never experienced anything like it. When I explained what was happening—that it was the mothers and babies calling to each other—she made the connection and went vegan on the spot. No more dairy; no more eggs.

The Moment Everything Changed

Since I did most of the cooking and grocery shopping, I suddenly had to figure out how to feed a vegan. At that point, I barely knew what veganism even meant. So I started watching health documentaries to educate myself. I began with Forks Over Knives, then moved on to What the Health, Eating You Alive, Cowspiracy, and Earthlings.

Eventually, I found my way to Dominion, an Australian documentary with hidden-camera footage from slaughterhouses.

Ironically, I was eating leftover chicken taquitos when I pressed play. Twenty minutes into the film, I was vegan—and sobbing. I was incredibly moved by what I saw: a side of animal agriculture I thought I understood but had never really confronted. I resolved to never eat animal products again.

At the time, I was obese (305 pounds), with prediabetes, high cholesterol, inflammation, frequent chest pain, gout, acid reflux, arthritis, erectile dysfunction, and constant headaches. I was headed straight toward heart disease, stroke, cancer, and dementia—basically, all the “old man” diseases.

The Pleasant Side Effects of Going Plant-Based

Within two years, I’d adopted a largely whole-food, plant-based diet, quit drinking alcohol, and lost 110 pounds.

I’ve since gained back about 20 pounds (I went a little underweight for a while), but I’ve kept off the bulk of the weight for over four years now. Today, in my mid-50s, I take zero medications. I hardly ever get sick. And you know those claims from The Game Changers about improved sexual performance on a vegan diet? Absolutely accurate—a very pleasant surprise for a middle-aged man.

One of the best parts of this transition has been doing it alongside my wife. Before, we had very different diets; the only overlap was eggs and cheese. Now, we cook together, and I’ve become a much better cook. Removing butter, cheese, and eggs opened up a world of flavor I never appreciated before. Our meals are now colorful, diverse, and delicious. It’s been eye-opening to learn how whole plant foods are high in nutrients and low in calories. Being a big guy with a big appetite, I love that I can pile my plate high without worrying about excess calories, fat, or cholesterol.

This shift didn’t just change my health—it changed our lives. What started as an effort to support my wife’s ethical choices ended up saving my life. The WFPB diet has also drastically reduced our food bill and cut our household waste by about fivefold. No eggs, cheese, or meat has been a boon for the pocketbook.

Today, we run a small vegan animal sanctuary, offering forever homes to goats, sheep, chickens, roosters, ducks, geriatric dogs, and even a python. We garden, steward our permaculture-inspired property, and have become more deeply connected to nature and wildlife than ever before.

All of this stemmed from one simple choice. I encourage anyone to give it a try. You can support your health, the environment, and the animals all by making a change with your very next meal.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post From Bacon-Lover to Vegan: My Unlikely Journey to Better Health appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Making the Connection Between Diet and Health

The turning point came when I stumbled upon research and documentaries that highlighted the connection between diet and health. The Forks Over Knives documentary was a game-changer for me. The film made me question everything I thought I knew about food and its impact on my body. I realized that the standard American diet wasn’t just contributing to my health issues: It was the root cause.

Adapting to a WFPB Lifestyle

Transitioning to a WFPB diet wasn’t without its challenges. Old habits die hard, and it took some time to reframe my mindset about food. Social situations, where highly processed or animal-based foods were the norm, were especially difficult at first. However, as I educated myself, experimented with recipes, and embraced the abundance of plant-based options, the transition became easier and even exciting.

The changes I noticed were profound. Within weeks, the inflammation in my body began to subside, my energy levels skyrocketed, and I started losing weight naturally. My gout symptoms disappeared, my blood pressure normalized, and my blood sugar levels stabilized. I was shocked at how quickly my body responded to this way of eating.

What surprised me the most was how much flavor and variety I discovered in plant-based cooking. I learned to enjoy food in a way I never had before, all while knowing I was nourishing my body.

5 Years Later, Completely Transformed

Following a plant-based diet has completely transformed my life. I’ve lost over 55 pounds and feel stronger and healthier than ever. My energy is boundless, and I’ve even embraced regular exercise as a joyful part of my routine.

Now that I’ve figured it out, maintaining my ideal weight feels effortless. It’s wild to think back to how confused I was on the standard American diet. No matter how hard I worked out, I was always overweight. I followed so much of the mainstream nutrition advice, but looking back, that advice always pointed me toward animal products and processed protein powders—no wonder it never worked.

These days, I make all my WFPB meals from scratch and truly enjoy it. My favorite meals are colorful bowls packed with whole grains, legumes, and fresh vegetables, often topped with homemade, oil-free dressings. I batch-prep my oatmeal breakfast in small Mason jars, which keeps life simple and consistent. Batch-cooking has been a total game-changer for me.

Sharing my journey has become a passion. I’ve created social media accounts and blogs to inspire others and educate them about the benefits of a WFPB diet. Helping others regain their health feels deeply fulfilling, especially knowing I’m contributing to a better world for animals and the environment.

This lifestyle has not only healed my body but also given me a renewed sense of purpose. If my story can encourage even one person to take a step toward a healthier life, it will have been worth it.

The post I Had Gout, High Blood Pressure, and Prediabetes—Now I’m Thriving on Plants appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

In November 2019, I reached a milestone birthday, turning 60—but instead of celebrating, I felt depressed. I was severely overweight, had sleep apnea, and was prediabetic.

A New Beginning During the Pandemic

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, my job transitioned to remote work. I lived alone and was feeling lonely in the first few weeks. But one day I realized that this would be the perfect opportunity to look within and start taking care of myself. I had watched the Forks Over Knives documentary, so I was aware of the whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle. I decided to give it a shot and see if it was something I could sustain. I did some research on the FOK website, downloaded the Forks Over Knives Recipe App for cooking inspiration, and took things one day at a time. Soon, my depression began to lift.

Seeking a gym alternate during the pandemic, I purchased resistance bands and an elliptical machine so I could work out at home. Movement became an essential part of my routine.

Discovering the Joy of Cooking

I really enjoyed getting into my kitchen and using my blender to make hummus, smoothies, salad dressings, fruit sorbet, oat milk, and date paste. I loved that I didn’t have to count calories or worry about portion sizes, and I never went hungry. I found the food to be filling and satisfying and very beautiful, with all of the vibrant colors of the plant world!

To make sure I stayed on track even during busy days, I started planning ahead. I cooked big pots of soup and chili on the weekends so there were plenty of leftovers for the upcoming week. I kept an assortment of cooked grains and potatoes, steamed and raw vegetables, greens, and a few dressings/sauces in the fridge, as well as canned beans and whole wheat pasta and wraps in my pantry. That way, I could mix and match and have healthy meals at the ready. I started always carrying some fruit in my purse in case I got hungry on the go. For an evening treat, I turned to homemade sorbet or a few squares of 85% dark chocolate. Soon my clothes were getting loose and I could see myself slimming down when I looked in the mirror.

5 Years On

I wasn’t sure where this lifestyle would take me, but over the past five years I’ve gradually lost 115 pounds and reversed my prediabetes and sleep apnea.

One of my proudest moments of this journey was getting skin removal surgery on my arms in fall 2023 so I could wear a sleeveless dress for my niece’s wedding. I stayed with my sister for a few days to recover. Prior to that, she had expressed concern that I might not be eating enough, since I was losing so much weight. But as I stayed with her and she saw the large volume of food I ate, she stopped worrying and told my mom to stop worrying, too! Just to be safe, I had a physical, and my lab results were all normal. Achieving a healthy BMI was a milestone I never thought possible. I believe my body knows the best weight for me when I nourish it properly and stay active.

A Passion for Helping Others

When we returned to the office in fall 2022, my co-workers were shocked to see the new me and asked how I had done it. I love sharing resources, encouragement, and tips with those who are interested. Last year, I earned my certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition through the Center for Nutrition Studies, and I plan to enroll in a certified health and wellness coaching program within the next year after I retire.

I’ve also expanded my exercise routine to include Zumba, yoga, and weightlifting. When I lift a 45-pound weight plate at the gym, I can’t believe I used to carry over twice that amount as excess weight on my body! No wonder I had four falls resulting in injuries in the two years before adopting this lifestyle—carrying that much weight made movement awkward and difficult. These days, I feel light and nimble.

Now, at 65, I’m in the best shape of my life and thriving. I’m excited for the next chapter and hope to inspire and support others who want to improve their health through a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle.

The post I Went Whole-Food, Plant-Based at 60 and Reversed Sleep Apnea, Prediabetes appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

The turning point came when my wife called out the negative energy I was bringing home each day. Looking for help, I attended an after-work wellness session, where I learned that happiness could be a choice. I replaced fast food with mindfulness meditation, which shifted not just my energy but also the atmosphere at home.

Making the Transition to Plant-Based

In the spring of 2016, I attended a talk highlighting the power of plant-based eating. Motivated by what I learned, I joined my hospital’s “Plant-Powered Challenge,” eating a whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diet consistently for three weeks.

It wasn’t an easy transition; old habits die hard, and I had to continually resist the siren call of fast food. For inspiration, I watched the Forks Over Knives documentary and read How Not to Die by Michael Greger, M.D. Both deepened my understanding of the health benefits of a WFPB diet and reinforced my commitment.

Life-Changing Results

Soon after going WFPB, I began experiencing undeniable results. Within just a few weeks, my blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels normalized. A year later, I’d lost 50 pounds, and my blood markers had improved even more.

This diet has been nothing short of transformative. I’ve lost more than 70 pounds in total, and I’ve kept the weight off.

Beyond the remarkable improvements in my health, this lifestyle has fundamentally shifted my approach to medicine. I have become deeply engaged with lifestyle medicine, and I obtained board certification from the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine in 2018. I also helped launch a lifestyle medicine program at Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco, and last year, I started my own virtual lifestyle medicine and health coaching practice. I co-host a health podcast with a friend, where we share insights into meditation, our relationships with food, and our mindsets around change.

WFPB eating has changed my reason for being.

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post Healing from Within: A Doctor’s Journey to Better Health Through Plant-Based Eating appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

What Are GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs?

Nearly one in three adult Americans is obese or overweight, and global adult obesity has doubled since 1990. While both conditions are characterized by excessive body fat, obesity is a chronic disease that can impact quality of life and lead to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. It can also affect bone health and reproductive health.

For most people, the key to losing weight and keeping it off is a healthy diet combined with regular exercise. But mounting scientific evidence shows that some people face a biological weight-management disadvantage, due to hormonal and genetic factors that drive overeating. Increasingly, physicians are responding by adding weight-loss medications to the mix. The most commonly prescribed are glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs, including semaglutide, which mimic GLP-1, a hormone that targets areas of the brain regulating appetite and food intake.

When added to a healthy diet and exercise regimen, these medications can result in up to 12% greater weight loss than exercise or diet alone. But that promise can come with some serious side effects, including headaches, fatigue, nausea, indigestion/heartburn, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation. Could a change in eating habits help?

How a WFPB Diet Minimizes Weight-Loss Drug Side Effects

Moving to a whole-food, plant-based diet offers many opportunities to ease side effects, says Garth Davis, M.D., a board-certified bariatric surgeon and obesity medicine specialist physician in Houston, Texas, who serves as medical director of Houston Methodist Comprehensive Weight Management Center.

One of the most troubling side effects Davis sees among patients is constipation. “Typically, what we’re seeing is the GLP-1 having a slowing effect on the gut,” he explains. “People aren’t hungry, so they’re not eating as much, and they certainly don’t tend to eat plants, so they will then get constipation-type problems. I get my patients on as high a fiber diet as possible.”

Another common complaint of semaglutide users is nausea. This side effect is exacerbated by fatty and highly processed foods, which take longer to digest.

A whole-food, plant-based diet is rich in fiber, low in fat, and virtually free from highly processed foods. It’s also hydrating, says Elise Atkins, M.D., founder of Coastal Vitality MD and a board-certified physician specializing in family medicine, lifestyle medicine, and obesity medicine.

Consuming more fruits and vegetables is a smart way to increase hydration and keep your body functioning as it should. “When we eat foods that have more fluids in them, we’re better hydrated, and that helps reduce nausea,” says Atkins. “It also helps you keep your muscle mass while you’re losing weight, and that’s incredibly important. So we want to not only drink more water but eat foods that help us stay hydrated. And that, of course, helps with constipation as well.”

The Missing Link for Long-Term Success

Despite the documented benefits, only 26.7% of weight-loss drug users report following healthy exercise or diet guidelines. Davis points to a lack of guidance from physicians.

“The big problem with these meds is that all kinds of doctors are just handing them out like candy, and they’re not giving any real lifestyle change advice or helping the patients through it,” Davis says.

While the medications blunt hunger and patients tend to eat less, Davis says most people are just eating less of what they’ve always eaten. In other words, individuals who regularly consume highly processed and/or high-fat diets will still eat these unhealthy foods. “What happens is they don’t lose as much weight, and then if they ever try to get off the medication, of course, they regain weight.”

Research shows that a majority of weight-loss drug patients stop taking medication within two years, perhaps due to factors like side effects and high costs. And further data demonstrates that a significant number of these individuals will regain at least a portion—if not all—of their lost weight.

For example, a 2024 observational study of 20,274 people in the United States and Lebanon who used and later ceased taking semaglutide found that 17.7% of patients regained all of the lost weight or even exceeded it.

How to Transition Off Weight-Loss Drugs Like Semaglutide Without Regaining Weight

Physiology plays a role in this rebound effect, says Davis. “When you lose weight, you lose fat, and fat secretes a hormone called leptin. If leptin drops, your body’s going to make you hungry. It’s going to make you eat more.”

GLP-1 agonists block that effect by signaling satiety, he explains. “But as soon as you stop taking the GLP-1, your brain says, ‘Oh, my leptin’s down. I have to eat,’ and if you go back to eating what you were eating before—calorie-dense, processed foods with meat, dairy, and eggs—you’re going to regain weight.”

Instead, he says, a whole-food, plant-based diet is ideal for transitioning off medications because certain plant foods stimulate the body’s natural GLP-1 production. For example, a Japanese study demonstrated that participants who ate high levels of a fiber called beta-glucan, found in barley (and oats and rye), experienced significantly greater reductions in body weight and BMI than those who did not. There is also evidence that fermentable fibers, such as those in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, berries, apples, lentils, beans, and peas, may increase GLP-1 secretion.

“Fostering a favorable microbiome by eating a high-plant-based diet will generate a microbiome that actually stimulates the secretion of GLP-1,” Davis says. “So if you’re eating a high-plant-based diet, you’re not going to be as hungry, and you’ll be able to eat comfortably and get full without getting enough calories to make you regain weight.”

The Bottom Line

When lifestyle changes don’t work, weight-loss drugs can be a powerful tool. But they are not the whole toolbox. A healthy lifestyle still plays a crucial role in reversing obesity and reducing associated risks.

“It’s not all just about weight loss,” Davis adds. “It’s about cancer prevention, decreasing inflammation, and preventing heart disease and heart attack. And so the thing I like about GLP-1 is that it gives people a moment to just kind of stop and reassess their diet and develop a different relationship with food.”

Positive results can help motivate people to try and adhere to lifestyle changes, such as adopting a healthier diet and a regular exercise routine, that might have otherwise seemed daunting, says Atkins.

“There’s a joy in when something clicks, and somebody understands how to eat whole-plant foods, and then all of a sudden they start telling me things like, ‘I’m craving oranges,’” Atkins says. “And when they say that, then I know that they’re set for life—with or without medication—because they’re doing something because they really love it, not because they were able to force themselves to do it for a week, a month, a year, whatever. So that’s also incredibly important to help people find a way to love the life that they’re leading with their weight loss.”

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post Why All Ozempic, Wegovy Patients Should Consider a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

As an adult, I kept that habit up, eating few highly processed foods but a decent amount of meat, dairy, and eggs, and I always dressed my salads in oil-based vinaigrettes. This all seemed normal and healthy to me. I struggled with high cholesterol, but I didn’t connect this with my diet. Both my parents have cholesterol issues, and we have a family history of serious heart disease, including a triple bypass surgery for my dad.

My good friend Rita first told me about Forks Over Knives and the whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) way of eating several years back, and I thought, “Really? No oil at all?” I shrugged it off and moved on. I just wasn’t at a stage in my life where I was ready to receive that information.

Rethinking ‘Healthy’ Eating

About two years ago, I was searching for ways to lose the excess weight I’d been carrying for years, and Rita brought up Forks Over Knives again. She told me how another friend of ours got rid of her chronic inflammation and lost weight on a WFPB diet. This time, I was intrigued. So I watched the Forks Over Knives documentary film that night, and I decided that I was going to try it.

I was pleasantly surprised by what a WFPB diet included. I remember being shocked that I could eat potatoes and pasta, because those had always been off-limits on my other diets.

I had my blood work done the day before I started the transition. My total cholesterol was 298, and my LDL was 174. In the first month of following a WFPB diet, I took 76 points off my total cholesterol and 44 points off my LDL cholesterol. The weight started coming off, and I was all in.

Food Freedom

It’s been more than two years, and I haven’t looked back. I feel really good in my body. In total, I’ve taken 100 points off my cholesterol. I’ve lost 25 pounds, and I have so much more energy. I honestly believe I was designed to eat this way.

It’s freeing to be able to think, “I’m hungry,” and go into the kitchen to find yummy, nourishing food. On other diets, I would feel ashamed for being hungry and would berate myself for not having self-control. I’ve always loved food; now I don’t feel guilty for constantly looking up recipes and planning out meals, since I know that it’s all good for me.

Stronger, Healthier, and Loving Life at 65

Since retiring, I’ve been doing a lot more hiking with my partner, and I’ve found that going plant-based has made exercise much easier on my joints. We’ve done Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and, most recently, the Milford Track in New Zealand. Thanks to this diet, I’m not afraid of doing longer distances. I’ve come off 10-mile hikes and found myself thinking, “Oh wow, that was easy!”

This lifestyle has also given me an amazing community. About four times a year I have a potluck with friends who are also WFPB, including Rita. We all bring dishes to share and copies of the recipes so everyone has something new to add to their repertoire. It’s really inspirational, and it’s a chance to be social with people who are on the same path.

At this point, I don’t feel like eating WFPB is even really a diet. For me, being on a diet always implied that I was doing it until I reached a certain goal, and then I was done. This is not a diet: This is how I live my best life. This is my way to feel healthy and strong. I’m 65, and while I may not be getting any younger, I absolutely feel like I am.

Bowled Over: My Go-To Meals

I’ve found the best way to stay on a WFPB path is to keep things simple, and bowl-style meals are a delicious way to do just that. Here are some of the simple bowl ideas that I enjoy riffing on every week.

Savory Oatmeal

For breakfast, I cook up Bob’s Red Mill oats and stir in some kale, nutritional yeast, and salsa—so flavorful, and it keeps me energized through the morning.

Cereal and Greens

Another morning favorite is a cereal-type bowl with shredded whole wheat squares, chia seeds, Grape Nuts, spinach, and plant-based milk—sounds weird, but it’s delicious!

Kitchen-Sink Salad Bowl

My giant salads feature as many different veggies as possible—lettuce, kale, arugula, fennel, cucumber, Belgian endive, hulled hemp seeds, and roasted broccoli, to name just a few—plus chickpeas or baked tofu for heft. For dressing, I use flavored vinegar (I love Kosterina brand) or a mix of rice wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and balsamic glaze.

Freestyle Dinner Bowl

I keep my pantry stocked with canned beans (black, cannellini, and garbanzo) and my fridge stocked with cooked brown rice and roasted potatoes. At dinnertime, I combine them all in a big bowl, and stir in a bunch of greens.

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post I Thought My High Cholesterol Was Genetic—Until I Went Plant-Based appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

At the hospital, I found out that my blood sugar was 120 mg/dL (indicating prediabetes), my triglycerides were 235 (high), and my blood pressure was 200/100 (very high). The marker that landed me a two-night stay in the hospital was elevated troponin, a marker for heart damage. My levels were not high enough to indicate a heart attack but it was enough to indicate damage. I was shocked, confused, and scared. How could this be, when I was still young? I thought I had more time before I had to start worrying about these kinds of things.

The doctors conducted several heart tests, including an angiogram, and found that I had an artery blockage of 95% on a branch off the obtuse major 1 artery. They placed a stent and prescribed me several medications (aspirin, clopidogrel, beta blockers, and a statin), and they had me stay another night in the hospital for monitoring and recovery.

A Pivotal Moment

I was lying in the hospital bed wondering how things had gotten to this point, and I started reading everything I could get my hands on about improving my heart health. The first book I came across was Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell Esselstyn Jr., M.D. I’d tried all sorts of diets over the years, but they were low-carb; the most recent one I’d tried was the ketogenic diet. The low-fat, whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) way of eating that Esselstyn described in the book was totally foreign to me. It was an insightful read. I decided that I would give WFPB a try. I was determined to change my life forever, to never end up back in the hospital bed because of poor nutrition. I would do it not just for me, but for my future self and family.

I was discharged from the hospital, with an appointment to see a cardiologist 30 days later. I resolved to follow a WFPB lifestyle for at least those 30 days, to see if it really worked and if it was manageable.

As soon as I got home, I threw away all the animal products, oil, and highly processed foods in my kitchen, and I went shopping for WFPB foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. I was cleared to walk, but that was the only form of exercise I was allowed until I could meet with the cardiologist. So, my routine was to eat WFPB and walk 10,000 steps per day until my follow-up appointment.

Stunning My Cardiologist

When I went to my follow-up appointment, my cardiologist was floored: Not only had I lost a significant amount of weight but my blood pressure had normalized, and all my blood lipid profile numbers had significantly improved. The cardiologist told me that the keto diet had wreaked havoc on my cardiovascular system, and he encouraged me to stick with my new way of eating. I was sold! From that point on, I knew I could do WFPB, and I decided I would never go back to my old way of eating.

With my exercise restriction lifted, I began incorporating new fitness routines. I shifted from being a powerlifter to an endurance athlete and focused on combat sports, strength training, and cardiovascular conditioning. I came to view WFPB not as a diet or quick fix but as a way of life, and it became easy to choose healthy foods. The most challenging part was how foreign the concept was to many people. They didn’t understand why I would make such a “drastic” change to eating only whole plant foods. However, I felt that ending up on a surgeon’s table would be more drastic. I was literally choosing the fork over the knife. ​

Within the first 12 months, I lost 100 pounds, and my health markers improved enough that my cardiologist took me off several of my medications and lowered my statin dose. By the two-year mark, I’d lost 150 pounds in total, and my numbers had all normalized—in fact, they were in athlete ranges. I asked my doctor to order another heart scan to check my progress. When the results came back, he was once again floored: There was no sign of cardiovascular damage, and no signs of buildup in my arteries. I did it: I reversed my disease, just as the book that I’d read in the hospital bed said I could! My doctor couldn’t believe it; he wanted to know what I was doing and all the details. He advised me that I could discontinue all my medications.

2 Years In, 200 Pounds Down

As of this writing, I weigh 194 pounds and am in the best shape of my life. I am dedicated to a fitness lifestyle, because my body is now capable, and I want to be good to my body. I am grateful I’ve had the opportunity to heal and do right by the gift I once took for granted. I lift weights. I run. I cycle, do martial arts, swim…you name it.

It feels so fantastic to shop for clothes without having to order special sizing. My go-to breakfasts now include tofu scrambles, loaded oatmeal, and air-fried potatoes. For lunch and dinner, I like veggie and grain bowls, big salads with potatoes, burritos made with Ezekiel whole grain tortillas, lentil soup, and split pea soup. If I am craving something sweet, I make banana nice cream, WFPB cookies, or a dessert recipe from Forks Over Knives. I find the FOK recipes to be super delicious and satisfying!

My results have inspired people around me, and I have dedicated my life to helping others in the same position I was. As a licensed psychotherapist, I’ve incorporated health coaching into my mental health clinic so that I can offer comprehensive support to those looking to drastically change their lives for the better.

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post After Needing a Stent at 32, I Went Plant-Based, Lost 200 Pounds, and Reversed My Heart Disease appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

About 20 years ago, Jay was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, as well as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. We were told that there was no way to reverse Type 2 diabetes; that it was in Jay’s genetics, that he would always need medication, and that he could only hope to slow the progression of the disease. We were told that carbohydrates and sugars were bad for people with diabetes, so we tried to limit our intakes of those.

Over the years, we picked up extra pounds, and we tried a lot of different diets to shed them. We had some success—I lost 50 pounds on WeightWatchers—but the weight always crept back up, and it was torture to maintain, because we kept thinking about food all the time.

Reaching Rock Bottom

About five years ago, my A1C started rising into the borderline diabetic range, then into the diabetic range. My doctors told me I should follow a low-carb, sugar-free diet centered on lean animal protein. Jay’s doctors recommended the same for him—they said that it would help him lose weight, improve his A1C, and get off medications.

We committed to dieting. Jay lost around 35 pounds and I lost 20. Yet neither of us saw significant improvements in our lab numbers. On top of this, I started going into perimenopause and menopause. I had so many ailments—inflammation, joint pain, acid reflux, acne, hot flashes, sleeplessness, etc. I was nearly ready to give up. I figured I was just getting old, and that this is how life would be.

In 2022, Hurricane Ian hit our town in Florida, causing massive damage to our home. We began the long process of rebuilding, which would take almost two years. Over that time, we became severely depressed, and our health reached a low point.

Discovering Whole-Food, Plant-Based Nutrition

In October 2023, at rock bottom, I desperately reached out to my sister, Maria Cecilia Mosquera, M.D., a physician board-certified by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, specializing in obesity medicine, culinary coaching, public health, and preventive medicine. She told us about the whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle. She was the first doctor to tell us that we could reverse Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Prior to this, we didn’t realize reversal was an option.

At my sister’s recommendation, we watched the documentaries Forks Over Knives and What the Health. We were game to try anything at that point. So we began our WFPB journey, with her guidance.

She helped us understand that fatty foods, not complex carbohydrate–rich ones, contribute to insulin resistance, and she educated us on which foods are truly healthy. She taught us how to decipher food labels—i.e., to look at the nutrition facts and the ingredient lists, and pay no mind to marketing claims. We discovered that unhealthy ingredients turned up in unexpected places—for example, some brands of dried fruits contain added sugar, oil, and salt. I was shocked!

We wiped all the standard American diet (SAD) foods from our pantry, fridge, and freezer. We didn’t want any of these foods left in our house, because we didn’t want to end up leaning on them as a crutch.

I’ve always been a foodie and amateur chef, yet learning how to cook WFPB took some time. We learned that vegan isn’t the same as whole-food, plant-based—that vegan foods can be highly processed, like store-bought plant-based cheeses. We quickly found that the best approach was to cook to flavor profiles that we loved, such as Mexican, Indian, and Chinese cuisines. And I discovered that family recipes could be prepared WFPB. That was eye-opening!

My sister taught us how to balance our meals nutritionally: Fill a quarter of the plate with beans and legumes, a quarter of the plate with grains and starchy vegetables, and the rest of the plate with nonstarchy vegetables, such as leafy greens.

It took us about four weeks to get up to speed. But once we did, we found the WFPB lifestyle to be a breeze—less expensive, less work, and much more satiating than a standard American diet. Our goal was not to lose weight but to improve our health. We focused on nutrition. “Food as medicine” became our motto. We thought of this not as a diet but a lifestyle. We’d found freedom!

Within a month of eating WFPB, my acne, migraines, acid reflux, joint pain, stomach issues, hot flashes, and insomnia all went away. Jay and I found that we had more energy, and we gradually started losing weight even though we weren’t really trying.

First WFPB Anniversary: Happier Than Ever

October 16 marked one year of eating WFPB. We both feel so much better, inside and out. Our A1Cs are in the healthy range, as is Jay’s blood pressure and cholesterol. I remain free from aches, pains, and other symptoms. We’re able to exercise regularly. I’ve lost 57 pounds and Jay has lost 81—without counting calories or restricting portions. We look and feel better than we did in our twenties. We’ll never go back to our old ways.

Now we actually crave WFPB foods, as we have created recipes that appeal to our taste buds. I keep treats and meals in the freezer and fridge at all times, like green power muffins, which feature spinach and kale. I make my own soy yogurt and use it in everything, including chia pudding and tzatziki sauce. I love recipes that come together quickly, so for our everyday meals, I try to create dishes that are easy but taste gourmet, like Mediterranean pizzas topped with hummus, spinach, artichokes, tomatoes, mushrooms, caramelized shallots, roasted garlic, minced kale, and olives. We knew we had become true WFPB foodies when we went on a cruise and all we could think about was getting home to make our own WFPB pizzas!

Another go-to is our “veggie power bowls.” The bowls are as big as our heads, and Jay and I compete to see which of us can put the largest number of nutritious ingredients in. Jay currently holds the record, at 22! For a hot Florida summer day, we love smoothies made with fruits and veggies and, for satiating power, oatmeal and/or flax.

Family and friends have been so supportive of our lifestyle, having witnessed what a positive impact it’s made in our health. In fact, many of them have asked us how to make these changes themselves, so we started a free Facebook group where we share our healthy journey, knowledge, and experiences.

We recently celebrated 32 years of marriage, and we both agreed that being healthy is the best present we could have given to ourselves and our relationship. We are forever thankful to my sister for introducing us to this lifestyle. If you’re struggling as we once were, I hope this story inspires you to change your lifestyle, get back your energy, reverse your diseases, and feel young again.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post 1 Year into a Plant-Based Diet, We’ve Reversed Chronic Diseases and Shed a Combined 130+ Pounds appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Over the decades, I was diagnosed with a slew of other health issues: hormonal skin problems; multiple growths and tumors, including an ovarian cyst that almost resulted in the removal of my ovaries, a nodule on my thyroid gland, and a cyst in my breast; Hashimoto’s disease; a herniated disk in my spine; and more.

I was also plagued with persistent sinus infections, and a menu of antibiotics became a monthly routine. In 1997, I underwent my first of three sinus surgeries. Seeking a holistic approach to my health, I consulted a naturopath, but I ended up in the emergency room with heart palpitations due to low potassium.

Despite all these setbacks, I never gave up on pursuing optimal health. I learned the area where I grew up in California was once home to the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, a site used for federal studies involving radioactive and nuclear energy, and where toxic contaminants infiltrated the soil and water table. Tragically, many of my friends succumbed to various forms of cancer, prompting me to wonder if my own health challenges were related to my exposure there.

In 2010, I relocated to Arizona with my husband and children. Even in the dry desert climate, my allergies persisted. I sought help from a new otolaryngology surgeon, which led to my third sinus surgery. During my preoperative scans, a small growth was detected on my pituitary gland that would eventually require surgery.

Searching for Answers

I began scouring the internet, watching and reading everything I could find about the connection between food and health. I watched the Forks Over Knives documentary film, which opened my eyes to the world of whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) nutrition and propelled me to seek out the expertise of Caldwell J. Esselstyn Jr., M.D., and his family; Chef AJ; John A. McDougall, M.D.; and more. The more I looked, the more I found. I watched other documentaries, including Food, Inc.; What the Health; and Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. I read books such as The China Study and Whole by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., and How Not to Die by Michael Greger, M.D. I became convinced that WFPB was the optimal diet for health, and I strived to follow this lifestyle.

However, I struggled to stick to this way of eating, particularly when dining with other people. I, myself, was still learning about food and health, and I didn’t know how to explain this “radical” idea of a diet focused on fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains. I couldn’t stay on course.

Serious Setbacks Spur Lasting Change

My pituitary tumor surgery was a success, but it came with complications, including a spinal fluid leak. Then, in 2021, I developed sensory and neurological issues which left me virtually bedridden for 14 months. Dozens of doctors and specialists later, I was diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy, which came with the bleak prognosis that it would worsen over time and require medication for the rest of my life.

After facing a period of deep despair, seeking guidance from more specialists and physicians, I decided to again try a WFPB lifestyle to take back some control of my health. My initial goal was just to improve my cholesterol, as my bloodwork had shown elevated total cholesterol (ranging from 230 to 235) and triglycerides (around 155). I had no idea what an impact going WFPB would have on my entire life.

Within a few weeks of going WFPB, my mobility began to return, and the uncomfortable neuropathy sensations gradually began to fade. With these first real signs of improvement, I embarked on a journey of healing, tapping into the support and knowledge of the WFPB community.

Hoping to give my body the space that it needed to heal, I traveled back to California and completed a 14-day water and juice fast at TrueNorth Health Center. This proved to be a life-changing experience, as it helped to accelerate my healing journey.

My WFPB Transformation

It’s been over a year, and my WFPB, gluten-free, SOFAS-free (no added sugar, oil, flour, alcohol, or salt) lifestyle has had profound impacts on my health. While my neuropathy is not completely healed, I’m now without any neuropathic sensations 99% of the time. I am cured of sinus issues. My cysts and growths have disappeared. Numbness in my toe has all but vanished. For the first time in more than 30 years, my hypothyroidism medication has been reduced. Per recent bloodwork, my total cholesterol is 170, and my triglycerides are 102—all within the healthy range. And while weight loss was never a goal, over the last year I’ve lost 37 pounds.

I am still working to reverse osteoporosis and resolve Hashimoto’s and hypothyroid autoimmune symptoms. I am convinced the answers to better health are found in the foods we eat. I’m very aware that, in order to keep inflammation away, I must always stay the course with my WFPB lifestyle.

And there are so many wonderful WFPB foods to choose from. I enjoy simple steamed broccoli, baked potatoes of all kinds, colorful rainbow salads topped with homemade dressing or a squeeze of lemon, veggie sushi with quinoa and tofu, and baked stuffed mushrooms with creamy spinach sauce. For a sweet fix, I love fresh papaya and berries, or nice cream made from frozen bananas topped with baked pears and cherries, dusted in cinnamon. My favorite snacks include apples and walnuts, sugar snap peas with homemade oil-free hummus, and fresh fruits.

I have started a YouTube channel and I’m currently becoming certified in plant-based nutrition coaching, as a way to share my knowledge with others, with the hope of helping people heal from conditions they suffer from and lead happier, healthier lives. 

My health journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the transformative power of food, and the remarkable impact of a supportive community. Life, to me, is no longer about mere survival but about healing, thriving, and savoring every precious moment.

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post On a WFPB Diet, I’ve Overcome a Lifetime of Health Issues appeared first on Forks Over Knives.