"For My Boys: From Alone to Finding My WFPB Family - Elle's Story"
How Elle Found Community After Years of Doing It Solo
Elle is 54 and lives in St. Charles, Missouri. She grew up on a farm about an hour west of her current home, where her parents (77 and 78) and brother still live. They're not in good health, so every Saturday Elle helps them with grocery shopping, meal prep, organizing medications, and other tasks they can no longer do themselves.
"They all eat the Standard American Diet (SAD), and are all suffering because of it. All three of them are medicated for diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression. My dad has had two heart attacks. My mom is bi-polar and is in the beginning stages of dementia. My brother is an alcoholic and smokes like a fiend. SAD diet…SAD situation."
Her Wake-Up Call: It's Not About You, It's About Them
"All I ever wanted to do when I was growing up was get married and be a mom. Those were my two goals." When marriage didn't work out, she decided in 2004 to become a foster parent.
The weekend she finished her foster training in 2006, she got a call about two boys (ages 1 and 2) who needed emergency placement. It would only be for a few days. "A few days turned into a few weeks…turned into a few months."
The boys had been left home alone in a condemned building while their mother was arrested on outstanding warrants. They were living in deplorable conditions. "Imagine the worst…it was worse than that."
After having them for a few months, Elle fell in love with them and knew she had to do whatever it took to protect them. "I adopted them in 2008. The rest is history. I changed their names and never looked back. We've had our share of drama over the years, but adopting them was the best thing I've ever done with my life. They are my purpose, and I love them more than anything else in this world. They are now 20 and 21."
Back in 2016, she was seeing a chiropractor that ran some blood tests. She was about 80 pounds heavier. She was diabetic. Her CRP was very high. She was taking anti-anxiety meds. "I felt like hell."
He suggested she go on the blood type diet…so she did. "I thought to myself…good grief, you are the ONLY person your boys have. They are YOUR responsibility. There's no one else to take care of them if something happens to you. It's not about you…it's about them. What the heck would happen to them if something happened to me?!?!"
She immediately changed her life.
The Journey to Understanding WFPB
"I know (now) there's absolutely no evidence to back up the blood type diet, but I didn't then, and I trusted what he told me. I'm thankful though, because it started me down the road I'm on now."
It wasn't too long after that she came across "The Truth About Cancer" docuseries which was what really changed her interest in educating herself about plant-based living. She started learning about food and how what we put in (and on) our bodies changes everything. She started watching documentaries (like Forks Over Knives) and really went "whole foods" in 2017.
"I still really hadn't figured out the true meaning of WFPB. That took a while longer. I think we've all pretty much traveled the same vegan junk road."
Now, almost 8 years later:
- She is NOT diabetic
- Her CRP levels are normal
- All her bloodwork is normal
- She doesn't take medicine for anxiety
- She doesn't take any medicine at all
- She still needs to lose about 50 pounds ("I need to stop eating nuts and so much dang soy and Ezekiel products to do it!")
The Hardest Part: Doing It Alone
"The hardest part of knowing what I know now about food and health is doing it alone and watching the people around me that I love continue to harm themselves. Especially my kids, parents, and brother."
She did what we all have done and tried educating and persuading her family into this new way of life, but her dad said he would "rather die" than change his diet. Her mom says she would eat this way if they lived together, but finds it too hard on her own. Her brother has tried but always reverts back. And her sons are young and feel immortal, just like she did at that age.
"So, I've learned (thank you Dillon) to keep my mouth shut and just try to be the best example I can be in every aspect of my life."
Finding Her WFPB Family
"I appreciate WYW so much. The community you have created makes me not feel alone. There is no one in my life that eats the way I eat, so WYW is my WFPB family. I feel safe and not judged there."
Elle shares that she recently joined the live hangout and cooking show. "It was so nice to really feel like I was part of a community of people doing the same thing…chatting live. I felt like I was there with you. I found myself nodding at you like you could see me."
Elle appreciated how Rebecca, Dillon, and the WYW community addressed her concerns about parenting during the live show, helping her let go of guilt she'd been carrying about not raising her sons on a healthy diet when they were younger. She thanked them for being attentive to the chat and touching on topics that matter to community members.
"I count myself blessed to have you all in my life. Thank you so much for all you do!"
