Many individuals who follow the Nutritarian diet write to Dr. Fuhrman about their success. Keep in mind that results vary from person to person. As always, consult your physician if you have a medical history and/or condition that may warrant individual recommendations.
Richard completely turned his life around with Eat to Live.
I’m an international lawyer, 53, originally from New Hampshire. I’ve lived in Asia for 16 years.
I’ve always eaten lots of meat, dairy, eggs and refined foods. Steak, hot dogs, pasta, pizza, omelets, ice cream – anything I wanted. My only exercise was usually on weekends, and I often ended up injured from overdoing it. I had health issues but nothing too alarming, or so I thought. Heartburn, swollen sinuses, headaches, sore throats, stiff joints, low energy, disturbed sleep – those sorts of things. I took over-the-counter medicines constantly, along with occasional prescription antibiotics and other drugs for infected sinuses, throat and chest. Nevertheless, I thought my lifestyle and overall health were “normal” considering my age, occupation and stress levels.
I am five nine and my waist gradually expanded to thirty six inches. My weight hit a hundred seventy pounds, which I thought was a bit high but still okay. In other words, I was in complete denial about my unhealthy lifestyle and what it was doing to me. My cholesterol, meanwhile, was going up and finally hit 250. My LDL rose to 176 and blood triglycerides peaked at 277.
A physical exam in March 2005 finally woke me up. The doctor said my cholesterol was a real danger, and to lower it I needed to start taking statins right away. He also said fatty deposits in my liver were reducing its ability to function.
There’s a lot of serious heart disease in my family. Over the years I’ve watched loved ones take more and more so-called cholesterol-lowering drugs, but they never get well. They suffer with chest pains, shortness of breath, zero energy. They need by-pass surgeries, angioplasties and stents, not once but multiple times, and their activity levels drop to near zero. That was the future I saw for myself, assuming I survived at all.
I was very depressed and asked my wife for advice. She retrieved her copy of Eat to Live and put it on the table in front of me. She’s a fan of Dr. Fuhrman and had used his eating plan to treat eczema and arthritic pain in her hands, and to lose some weight. She was sure my health would improve if I followed his advice. I started the Eat to Live program that day in March 2005 and I’ve been faithful to it ever since, even refining it a bit using Dr. Fuhrman’s Cholesterol Protection For Life. As for statins and other drugs, I’ve stayed completely away from them. I haven’t even swallowed an aspirin since that day until now. No drugs of any kind.
What happened when I started following Dr. Fuhrman’s program? Well, I lost thirty pounds in a couple of months and dropped five inches from my waist. That was amazing because I was eating a lot of food and I never felt hungry. My total cholesterol fell from 250 to 154. My LDL went from 176 to 95 and blood triglycerides from 277 to 128.
Beyond that, I love the foods I’m eating now and I look forward to every meal – mainly green vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts and some grains. I take about 70% of my food raw. My energy levels are constant, I enjoy daily exercise and I sleep well. People tell me I look ten or fifteen years younger. I don’t know if that’s true, but I feel great.
Has it been easy? Yes and no. Previously, I had never eaten a meal without a salt shaker in one hand. When I stopped adding salt, my taste buds changed and the flavor of foods came alive in just a few days. It was wonderful to discover how delicious real foods can be. And by focusing on Dr. Fuhrman’s nutrient-dense approach, there was no calorie counting or feeling of being under fed.
But I had some fairly alarming symptoms during the first six months or so. Kidney pain, bladder discomfort, periodic vomiting, aching teeth – that was strange – and runny sinuses, among other things. I had read Dr. Fuhrman’s books carefully, though, and I joined his online community. He’s available there to answer questions about the Eat to Live program. Because I was well informed, I didn’t panic or run to another doctor. I knew the symptoms were actually signs of detoxification. I wasn’t getting sicker, I was getting well! Although the symptoms were uncomfortable, I was glad to know that my body was cleaning itself up after so many years of serious abuse. I stayed with the Eat to Live program, thank goodness, and eventually the symptoms subsided and then disappeared completely.
I am very grateful to Dr. Fuhrman and his Eat to Live program, and to my wife for pointing me in the right direction and encouraging me every day.
Results may vary.
