OBESITY – TESTIMONIALS

Written by Slawomir (“Swavak”) Gromadzki, MPH

I remember certain very obese gentleman who together with his wife participated in one of my health seminars. Everything he heard during those five days made sense to him and opened his eyes to the true cause of his obesity and other health problems such as coronary heart disease, chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, depression, or diabetes. He instantly decided to switch to a well-balanced, healthy and unrefined plant-based diet and to practice all other principles of the Optimal Health Recovery Plan. When 6 months later he came to listen to another series of my lectures he was so slim and looked so different that I couldn’t recognize him. He said that on this normal-calorie plant-based diet, without fasting, counting calories, suffering from hunger, or skipping meals he had lost 80 pounds (40 kilos) in 6 months! Every day he just ate 3 regular tasty and high in nutrients and fibre meals always satisfying his hunger. He also said that as a result of practicing this new diet and lifestyle he recovered from all other serious health problems such as chronic fatigue, coronary heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, and he also greatly improved his emotional and physical well-being. Apart from enjoying normal body weight he was brimming with positive energy and health.

On the internet you can find thousands of experiences written by women and men who permanently reduced their body weight to normal and recovered from other health problem as a result of switching to the unrefined healthy plant-based diet. One of them was Eric O. from San Jose, CA. Here is his story revealed on the website of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine:

“A whole-foods, plant-based diet changed my life. I lost 103 pounds, reversed type 2 diabetes, lowered my cholesterol and blood pressure to healthy levels, and have remarkably increased energy. I now compete athletically with men half my age and recently qualified for the Boston Marathon. I’m now studying to become a registered dietician so I can help others enjoy the benefits of whole plant-based foods.

I saw an interview with President Bill Clinton in 2010. He looked great and talked about losing weight and reversing heart disease by following a plant based diet. At the time, I was 51 and was taking over $1000 in medications per month. I had Type 2 diabetes, my total cholesterol was 300, my blood pressure was 160/100, I was 280 lbs, my waist was 50 inches, my neck was 18.5 inches, and my shirt size was 3XL. I slept 10 or more hours each day and felt exhausted. My joints felt sore and I couldn’t tie my shoes, let alone walk up a flight of stairs, without getting winded.

At 51, I had been overweight for 25 years, and I couldn’t remember ever having a meal in my life that didn’t include meat or other animal products. I didn’t even know what a plant based diet was. I’d tried every diet I could find. I strictly followed Paleo, Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, etc. and lost 40 lbs on each. But I found these diets to be unsustainable. Each time I slipped and quickly regained all the weight I’d lost.

My doctor told me I probably wouldn’t live another five years unless I got my weight and medical problems under control, and suggested weight loss surgery. As a final step before following that drastic advice, I googled “Clinton plant based diet”, bought a copy of the China Study by T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., and hired a nutritionist.

Based on weekly meetings with my nutritionist, I learned how to cook for the first time in my life. I stopped eating all processed sugar and learned how to eat a well-balanced diet of organic, whole, plant-based foods. My new diet wasn’t just salads and apples, it included all the foods I like best, such as rice, potatoes, lasagna, Chinese stir fry, and Mexican food.

I also started walking for a half an hour each day. And by doing these things, I ended up losing over 100 lbs in 8 months. In addition to my weight loss, my total cholesterol dropped to 130, my blood pressure is now 100/60, and my glucose and all other medical stats are normal. My waist size is now 32 inches, I have a 16 inch neck, and I wear a size medium shirt. I now only sleep about 7 hours per night, but I feel well rested and filled with energy all day long. My energy and mental clarity are through the roof compared to before, it’s as if I came out of a lifetime fog. And I’m also on zero meds now.”