Last week we asked for plant-strong parents to write in and tell us abou their plant-strong families. The response was huge! We decided to start a weekly plant-strong parenting series. Each week we will feature an E2 parent! This week we are starting out with a truly inspiring story from Lisa about how a plant-strong life helped change the health of her family.
My Plant Strong Journey
People ask me all the time how did you lose 40 lbs? When I tell them I went “plant-strong” they turn their head to the side? and look confused. Then I tell them my son was diagnosed with ADHD and that he no longer needs to take medicine. How is this possible they all ask? I have more energy and focus. My son has less behavior and attention problems in school. My son is 6. We started this lifestyle change this January 2012.
The reason I started to look into plant strong living was I was diagnosed in my late 20′s with lupus and I was tired and sick all the time. I had a health coach recommend… a 7-day detox.When I began to reintroduce foods like eggs, milk and gluten I began getting sick, I was told I had food sensitivities and after not having caffeine, milk and cheese, oils, and refined sugar.. someone recommended I read The Engine 2 diet.( incidentally the lupus blood tests came back and it shows I no longer have lupus)
I had many fears about changing my son and husband’s diet. My fears were would we argue, would they be hungry, resistant or crying? The first few weeks were hard to get them believing it would taste good because it looked different or that it would fill them up without meat. My son had many challenges in the beginning because he only ate eggs and chicken to begin with, now he eats, sloppy Joe’s from the book, pancakes from the book and many more.
My husbands’ favorite is the sweet potato lasagna my favorite is a breakfast I make with cauliflower, raisins or dates and cinnamon. The company we had visiting enjoyed and asked for the recipe for the black beans and rice. My son’s favorite is a BBQ “meatball” that we make with no sugars and no meat products.
My son misses things he sees other children eat at parties or in the cafeteria’s.It is still a battle to try to overcome the challenges we have in the school and cafeteria I send in food that I want my son to eat, and they always say, We have no documentation that he is allergic, why can’t he have cheese and crackers at snack or colored cupcakes or Hawaiian punch. I have to send notes and reminders very often.
I have made many substitute things for my son to eat. The first thing we changed in my husband and son’s diet was the milk and cheese. We use almond milk now. We were met with much criticism from friends and family. They all want to know how my son getshis protein or calcium if he is not eating milk, cheese, oil or meat. I have explained till I am blue in the face that so many green’s have fiber, calcium and much more. I try to tell them your diet can be your undoing or your own salvation but they don’t believe me or are afraid of change. Many people tell me my skin looks great or my hair looks so healthy and I tell them it’s from my plant strong journey.If someone asked me for advice on how to get their family or child plant strong I would tell them it’s a bit of extra research and work in the beginning but then it its smooth sailing. When you get ready to go on a vacation you don’t just hop on the first plane you see and go anywhere, you research the prices, the best places for your family’s needs and that is much the same when going plant strong. It has been a great journey, and we continue to enjoy the ride.
Thank you,
Lisa
Do you have a parenting story you would like to share? Please e-mail Natala : natala@engine2.com
And please leave some plant-strong love in the comments for Lisa!
