"No One Messes With Me Now! Helen's Story"
How a Senior Transformed Her Health and Found Her Backbone
Helen Witt describes herself as a "senior senior" who was dealing with very high LDL and cholesterol levels. She also has fibromyalgia, which left her constantly tired. After buying Dr. Esselstyns book, she made a decision that would change her life: she told her cardiologist no to statins.
Her wake-up call was simple but profound: "Pills do not save your life. You are what you eat."
Finding Well Your World: A Safe Haven
Helen found Well Your World on YouTube. "This is the way!" she thought immediately. "Food."
As someone in her advanced years, she was tired of standing in noisy grocery stores trying to read salad dressing labels and soup cans with print sizes "smaller than ants." She found WYW and said, "This is for me, I am safe eating everything you make."
No matter how tired she is, she can have a WYW soup and throw in greens or soy curls. She loves that she can pour on as much WYW salad dressing as she wants without worry.
Helen appreciated that Dillon and Reebs were different: "You are taking care of a lot of people like me with your love and hard work."
Finding Her Backbone
Helen's "aha moment" came from hearing Dillon and Reebs say, "This is what we do and this is how we eat." She decided she would no longer listen to dumb comments. When someone passed around a tray of donuts and said to her, "Well we know you are not going to eat these," she responded confidently, "You got that right."
"You are my backbone," Helen says of WYW. "No one messes with me now!"
The Results: Best Blood Test of Her Life
The transformation was remarkable. She had the best blood test results of her entire life, and the weight loss happened naturally when all she was focused on was protecting her heart health.
Her cardiologist's response said it all: "If you eat this way, you will not need me!"
Everything improved across the board. Now she takes only a B12 supplement—a far cry from the multiple medications she was on before. Most importantly, she can hold her head up and be proud of the choices she's making for her health. The shame and worry that once weighed on her have been replaced by confidence and a sense of control over her wellbeing.
Three Years Later: Smiling More
Three years since she began her plant-based journey, Helen has a simple observation: "I smile more!"
She manages her typical day of eating through batch prepping, which has become essential as she's gotten older. She keeps a three-ring binder filled with her favorite recipes for easy reference and meal planning.
Helen's Advice: Focus
Helen's advice for anyone starting out is straightforward: "Focus. I am not special, nor am I a genius. I set my mind to eat whole foods plant-based and get moral support from Dillon and Reebs."
Looking back at her transformation, Helen has a message for the WYW community: "Just look at what you have done for me. You matter."
