3 benefits of changing to a plant based lifestyle

Holy moly, I am in shock. I never expected to have such great results from changing to a primarily plant-based, high-fiber, and herbal medicine lifestyle.

Dietary changes

I have been mainly eating plants such as; Brussel sprouts, carrots, zucchini, apples, turnips, pears, sweet potatoes, berries, bananas, peppers, and beans, just to name a few. When I have animal protein, it is lean and locally sourced. My grains are all gluten-free; some examples are quinoa, chia seeds, and rice.

The addition of herbal medicine is in the form of teas and adaptogens that I can mix into smoothies, drinks, sauces, and baked goods. Some examples are ashwagandha, lions mane, Chaga, dandelion root, and mugwort. This is helping heal my gut, digestion, and mental health and making me stronger.

One of my favorite teas is Chaga and dandelion root. I make it with my ninja home brew system using the large scoop for the Chaga and the small scoop for the dandelion root, which makes a full pot. I will add a pinch of heavy whipping cream to each cup full. The flavor is that of a rich, smooth coffee.

I am getting my feet under me with this way of preparing meals. I have even tried creating my own recipes now that I understand food is medicine. The other night I made chili lime rice, sauteed Brussel sprouts, and baked salmon filets. As soon as my kids smelt the brussel sprouts cooking, they ran into the dining area to clean up the table and set it for dinner. Having my kids excited about eating vegetables is priceless.

The craziest part of all of this is I have enjoyed chocolate, chips, cocktails, and pasta. My love for cooking has returned. My creativity and inspiration are on fire. My family has supported me and is willing to join me in this lifestyle. This would include my college kiddo. She reads this blog and gives me her input and encouragement every chance she gets. The love I feel from them is unexplainable.

Stress relievers

I have implemented meditation, reading, blogging (journaling), and yoga. My daughter and I use the smiling mind app to meditate. This app is entirely free and has several guided meditations for various issues. They have sessions for sleep, stress, mindfulness, and many more. They also have sessions for any person of any age and group meditations. This one is definitely worth checking out if you want to get started with meditation without spending money.

A few books we have been reading are The five love languages by Gary Chapman, The universe has your back by Gabrielle Bernstein, Herbal antibiotics by Mary Jones, and Wildflowers loom in the dark by K.C. Kemp.

My yoga sessions have been sporadic and could use some more consistency. I do feel good after doing a session. With so much going on in my life right now, this is the one thing I have not been very consistent with. As things slow down, I plan to do more sessions.

Blogging and journaling have been enormous stress relievers. Writing out the things on my mind helps keep it clear. Sharing with you feels inspiring and like I am making a difference in this world. Helping others brings me joy and happiness. Even if that is only a handful of people. I am expanding my communication skills by learning to communicate all this in an engaging and exciting writing style.

So, why am I so shocked?

I will start with what most people care about and then get into all the other benefits of this lifestyle. Several pairs of my pants have been loose lately. At first, I was questioned if they were just old and stretched out. But after washing and checking again, they were still loose. Then I started questioning myself, "am I imagining this?" I even asked my husband if they looked loose.

With my husband's confirmation, my curiosity started to run wild. I wanted to weigh and measure myself to see the changes. This may seem like an effortless thing to do for most. I have not weighed myself in years because, in the past, I would obsessively weigh myself twice a day. If I had any weight changes, I would restrict my eating to get back to what I thought was an acceptable weight. When I broke this habit, I got rid of the scale we had at the time so there would not be one for me to obsessively weigh myself.

The only time I was weighed was at the doctor's office. We own a scale now, but it is hidden under my husband's gaming station, so I do not have to see it and feel the call to step on it. After a couple years, my husband wanted a scale in the house again to track his progress with his new exercise program.

After hesitation to weigh myself, I finally stepped on the scale, eyes closed, reminding myself this is just a number, and it does not matter what it says. Slowly opening my eyes to see, I was shocked. I stepped off and then back on to ensure I saw it correctly. To my surprise, I had lost 6.5 lbs. Having my weight go down feels good, but I will not focus on this number.

Benefits

My mental clarity has improved tremendously. I can focus on tasks at work and home like I used to in my twenties. I can keep up with my kiddos. My aches and pains were not daily anymore. I have been able to cut down on my prescribed nerve pain medication. My sleep is the best it has been since I can remember. Almost all of my gut issues are gone or managed to the point where I can enjoy my social life.

The best part of this change is how my family has started following suit by implementing these practices in their routines as well. We are all sleeping better, calmer, and enjoying each other. Some nights we each read our own books instead of watching tv.

I can barely express how excited I am about all the positives this lifestyle has given me. I am still questioning if this will be the last lifestyle change for my nutrition. This comes from trying so many unsustainable diets resulting in yoyo dieting. This is working for me now, and I hope this will be the last diet I ever need.

Where I am going from here

I do not care if I lose any more weight or not or if I lose any inches. At this point in my life, I want to be healthy, have mental clarity, have strength, be happy, and comfortable in my skin.

As I continue this lifestyle, I will focus on quality content and more recipes to share with you. If you would like me to talk about a specific topic or share something with me, feel free to drop a comment below or email me. I would love to hear your thoughts. You can also join the Facebook page to meet others like you and get support.