Have you ever thought of eating a plant-based diet? Until a year ago, neither had I.
I have always considered myself a healthy eater. Lean meats, low fat dairy products, topped off with tons of veggies. I made sure my kids had their milk every morning, doctors orders. Every meal we ate had all of the food groups. I always took pride in feeding my kids the healthiest diet possible. Little did I know, I was making them sick.
Light Bulb!
My oldest daughter was diagnosed with severe asthma at the age of three. She was prescribed a handful of meds at a young age. The medications had so many harsh side effects. Her mouth had painful sores due to the steroid inhaler. It made her shaky, and her mouth was always cracked and bleeding. It was the only medication that would stop the asthma flare-ups. I knew there had to be an alternative.
One day my husband and I went down a Netflix rabbit hole. We came across several documentaries that focused on the connection between animal products and countless chronic illnesses and diseases. A light bulb went on. It was time to make a change.
Tossing Out the Cookie Jar
Without hesitation, I got rid of everything in our house that contained animal products. (My chocolate chip cookies were the hardest . . . goodbye). I knew in order to try this diet with kids, we had to be all in. I had no idea if it would really help, but I was willing to try anything.
Within two months of going plant-based, my daughter was off all of her meds. It was a miracle. The doctors never told me that dairy could trigger asthma flare-ups. Who knew?
Another amazing discovery we made was my son’s mood improved tremendously. He was diagnosed with autism when he was two. Getting his episodes under control has always been a struggle. He has also struggled with eczema since he was born. His rashes disappeared within a few days of changing his diet to plant-based. To top it all off, my six-year struggle with terrible acne was over!
What originally started as an experiment quickly turned into a lifestyle. We are coming up on our one-year mark! Of course, we met with our pediatrician to make sure the kids were getting all of the vitamins and minerals they needed. And we have made a few exceptions here and there.
But we are overall plant-based. And it has truly changed our lives for the better! We feel amazing, the kids are healthier than ever, and I might add . . . medication FREE.
Changing our diets changed our lives! If you would like to experiment with some plant-based options, check out my super easy vegan recipes. They are kid-friendly and so simple! Perfect for busy days.
Originally published September 2020.
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