45 Months a Vegan. Pulled Jackfruit!!! #foodismedicine #eatmoreweighless #eatlikeagorilla #kosher #pareve

Smoked Jackfruit, Cashew Garlic Sauce and Tomato on a Whole Wheat Bun with a side of Chickpea Fusilli Pasta and Cheesy Sauce

     When I was 58 years old, 100 pounds over weight, sedentary and taking medicines for high blood pressure and high cholesterol I decided to make a drastic change. Complicit in the downward spiral of my own health with no clue of the underlying harmful things I was doing, a culinary crossroad presented. I was reluctant to accept the fact that change was needed. The "Standard American Diet" filled with high fat, low fiber, salty, sugary, processed foods was all that I had ever known. It was all that everyone I had ever known had ever known! It had become normal to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It was acceptable to be sedentary and to slowly succumb to heart disease. But when friends and relatives began getting stents placed in their hearts, needing medication for Diabetes and dying far too young I took a closer look at the other road. I took my first step onto the "Whole Foods Plant Based No Oil" road and never regretted it.
     Within 2 months I had lost 40 pounds. In less than 2 years I lost 100 pounds and the need for any of my medications. This was all without any organized program, weight loss surgery or medical supervision. I went in for my regular doctor visits but he gave me no advise other than to keep doing what I was doing. I started running for exercise at the age of 61. Very quickly I found that I could run 3 miles with no pain, wheezing, soreness or stiffness. I started running 5K races for fun. In my 1st race I won a bronze medal for my age group. Who does that? I lost another 10 pounds too and have kept all of it off.
     As far as the food goes, it is absolutely delicious, easy to prepare, cheaper than meat, dairy,  fish and poultry and so filling that I'm never hungry and never have cravings. I drive a lot between home, offices and nursing homes. Now when I want something to eat away from home I stop in a grocery store and fill up with some fruit instead of cheeseburgers, fries, chicken, sweets or chips. Every week some new fruit, grain or vegetable attracts my attention. Jackfruit is an excellent example. Learning to prepare something new is as easy as opening your web browser. With 18% more potassium than a banana the Jackfruit seed pod is an excellent post running recovery snack. The fibers between the pods within the fruit pull apart in shreds. Cooking it using a pressure cooker or crock pot with some smoky barbeque sauce gives it the flavor and texture of pulled pork. Even the seeds, the size of an avocado pit, are edible. The drastic change in my diet gave me profound results. It was daunting to get started. I was as reluctant as anyone to make a change and now my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.
   Drastic change. Dramatic results. Lots and lots of healthy choices. Learn how. Pick a date. Don't wait until you get sick. Get started! No one is going to do it for you!
    
Check out:
www.pbnsg.org for success stories and recipes.
Joel Kahn MD on twitter.
Forks Over Knives on Netflix.
Engine 2 Diet on Amazon.