"From Near Death to Daily Lake Picnics: Patricia's Remarkable Journey"

How 453 Pounds and Cellulitis Infections Led to a Life Reclaimed

"Before discovering whole food plant-based eating in 2011, my life was a living nightmare, a relentless cycle of debilitating health struggles that left me weak, chronically sick, and damn near dead."

At 453 pounds, Patricia dealt with high blood pressure, intense back pain, allergies, and erratic sciatica that might suddenly floor her in sharp agony. Arthritis hit every joint, eczema bothered her elbows, and seborrheic dermatitis affected her scalp, piling on to her ongoing distress.

"The worst was the cellulitis infections on both legs, swollen with edema and prone to ulcers that turned into open wounds like raw hamburger meat, weeping fluid so profusely I'd leave puddles on the floor. The pain was excruciating, especially during treatments when dead skin was sloughed off. Walking was torture; I could barely take a few steps without losing balance, forcing me to focus intensely to stay upright. My energy was nonexistent—I was exhausted, often bedridden, and utterly debilitated."

Ordinary activities turned into major hurdles. "Showers were a ridiculous challenge; I'd stand half-in, half-out to keep bandaged legs dry, as getting them wet meant impossible self-rebandaging or chasing emergency nurse appointments." Compression methods progressed from Unna's boots to multi-layer wraps reaching her knees, calling for ongoing nurse care. Pills like water tablets, potassium additions, and leg remedies did little to ease things. She needed a walker to get around, found even short trips to the car tough, and turned to grocery delivery since in-person shopping wasn't feasible.

Before 2011, the infections led to two hospital admissions; "the second time, with pneumonia, a severe skin infection, and sepsis, I was hospitalized for two weeks and spent three more in a nursing home, losing my job and ability to work.

"My relationship with food was a destructive trap—processed junk, fast food, and heavy meals fueled my downward spiral, used to numb the pain. Isolated, with no friends nearby and family 2,000 miles away, I depended on my cousin's help with chores and errands to survive. Relationships withered—I was too weak and ashamed to connect. My dreams of independence, travel, or simple normalcy felt buried under a failing body teetering on the edge of survival."

The Wake-Up Call: "It's Not Your Fault"

"My wake-up call came in 2011, not from a rock-bottom moment or doctor's ultimatum, but from a quiet conversation with my cousin that changed everything. At 453 pounds, I knew I had to lose weight to survive after failing countless diets, but I felt trapped."

Her cousin, frequently exploring diets with her fiancé, brought up trying one influenced by Forks Over Knives. At a trim 120 pounds herself, with her fiancé at a solid 190, their excitement over "plant-based" came across as one more temporary craze. "Despite my skepticism and insistence, 'I'm not going vegan!' she left a DVD. She just smiled, said 'okay,' and left."

"That night, I watched Forks Over Knives. The line 'It's not your fault' hit like a thunderbolt, shattering years of shame and self-blame. It was a moment of both relief and grief—I cried with joy knowing I wasn't alone in my struggle, and cried with anger for the years wasted in a cycle of processed foods and unhealthy eating habits, shaped by my upbringing, not just my choices. It wasn't just about weight—it was about the system I'd been caught in.

"The next morning, I cleared my fridge and pantry, tossing or giving away meats, cheeses, and junk, left with only a few condiments and canned beans/veggies. I stopped using pressed oils immediately and initially swapped white sugar for maple syrup or brown sugars, thinking they were better, but later switched to fruits for true SOS-free eating. That moment of clarity set me on a path to reclaim my life."

The Transformation Timeline

"My WFPB transformation kicked off big changes fast, but the real magic unfolded over months and years."

Within weeks: Energy surged—no more bedridden days—and allergies, eczema, and dermatitis started fading.

By 6 months: Sciatica, joint pain, and arthritis eased up enough to ditch the walker; walking felt possible without agony.

After a year: "Cellulitis infections were gone, legs were healing from those raw hamburger meat ulcers to scar tissue which I manage now."

Over a couple years: Weight dropped steadily—from 453 pounds to under 200, no crash diets. Blood pressure stabilized at 125/80 (off heavy meds), and she eliminated water pills, potassium supplements, and leg treatments. “No more hospital stays for sepsis/pneumonia. Sleep improved as exhaustion lifted, and I cut most meds entirely. Symptoms like crippling back pain and edema vanished over time, proving SOS-free plants rebuild from the inside out. It wasn't overnight, but persistence paid off in a big way."

Finding Well Your World

"When I found Well Your World somewhere around 2017 through Dillon's YouTube pico de gallo video, his warm, relatable personality and simple, compliant recipes caught my attention, feeling familiar to my style of making healthy comfort foods. I wasn't skeptical—more hopeful about finding a community of like-minded people, a relief after years solo. The early Facebook group was a cozy space to connect, swap tips, and share my love for plant-based eating, making me feel like I'd found my people."

Patricia had stuck with a whole food plant-based diet since 2011, so she arrived at Well Your World fully versed in SOS-free routines. She didn't hit a huge "aha" with WYW, built from her own extended trial-and-error, but she favored their baked falafel—a handy choice for her packed days, ideal alongside tzatziki.

"Well Your World helped me stay consistent with my plant-based lifestyle through their community and products. I've been batch prepping full meals for years—it's my rhythm—and their no-fuss, SOS-free philosophy aligns perfectly with how I already cook.

"Their products are MVPs for staying SOS-free without scratch-making everything. Standouts: Unfortified Nutritional Yeast, Asian Broth, Veggie Broth, and Sriracha Sauce for bold flavor—I use broths in soups, rice, or as seasoning (1 tsp kicks it up). Balsamic Vinaigrette, Italian Dressing, and Sweet Heat make salads pop; seasonings, salsa mixes, and guacamole turn basics crave-worthy. Most are great; I skip ketchup, use cheese sauce mix for thickening gravies (still worth it). These shortcuts free time and prevent burnout.

"The WYW community, especially that early Facebook group, gave me a sense of belonging. I loved swapping recipes and sharing food poetry or short stories. Live streams offered tips for cravings or holiday pressures. When doubts hit, the group's support reminded me I'm not alone, keeping me committed.

"Dillon and Reebs? Pure gold with their down-to-earth, no-BS charm that makes plant-based eating feel like home."

Life Now: My Whole Food Plant-Based Glow-Up

"My whole food plant-based glow-up (14+ years strong!) has flipped my world—in the best way! I wake up buzzing with energy I hadn't felt since my wilder days, ditching allergies, arthritis, dermatitis, joint pain, back pain, sciatica, cellulitis, and lymphedema like old baggage. At under 200 pounds, I strut through the grocery store with a cart like it's my victory lap—no walker, no deliveries! Cooking and errands? Now they're my jam, not chores from hell. New joys: Daily lake picnics—bird-watching, music-blasting, prayer-sipping spa days (weather gods permitting).

"I'm grinning more, confidence on fleek—friends flock like I'm the party starter. Socializing's a breeze, no shame or wipe-out exhaustion. My cousin, forever sidekick, high-fives my glow-up; we do fun stuff instead of her superhero rescues. Retired and fabulous, I'm living dreamer dreams, eyeing a low-income apartment for independence sweeter than ever after ditching that excess weight nightmare. Who knew plants could spark this joy and jiggle-free(ish) freedom?"

A Typical Day of Eating

"My eating’s a flavor fiesta, all SOS-free and batch-prepped for four days in one whirlwind session—unlike Well Your World's ingredient-style preps, but hey, their shortcuts are my secret sauce for keeping it fun and fresh."

For breakfast, Patricia makes overnight oats loaded with rolled oats, mashed bananas, strawberries, blueberries, date powder, cinnamon, chopped pecans or walnuts, and soy milk. She whips it up in 10 minutes, jars it, and grabs it on the go.

Her dinners rotate through creative combinations. Recently, she made smoky potatoes, turnips, and leeks swimming in creamy soymilk with WYW nutritional yeast sauce, topped with cremini mushrooms and a crush of red pepper. She also prepares baked chickpea patties with her sage-thyme-cumin spice blend, ready to reheat throughout the week. Green beans get jazzed up with caramelized sweet onion and potato sauce. Her salads are an explosion of flavor: baby romaine, mandarin oranges, strawberries, pineapple chunks, pecans, and her homemade poppy seed dressing.

Other favorites include mushroom and butter bean ragout over garlic mashed potatoes, and corn chowder made with frozen corn and O'Brien potatoes, spiced with WYW's Galaxy Dust or her own Titan Dust blend.

For snacks, she gets creative—this time making frittatas mixed with drained sweet and sour German red cabbage from her freezer leftovers, inspired by WYW's frozen veggie hacks.

Her meal prep strategy is efficient: she batches full meals using WYW recipe cards as inspiration, relies on frozen veggies like O'Brien potatoes, and uses their veggie broth mix (either as broth or a teaspoon for seasoning) plus unfortified nutritional yeast for oil and salt-free depth. Her pressure cooker, blenders, and air fryer help her prep everything in under an hour. She stashes souper cube portions of condiments and extra meal leftovers in the freezer for those surprise "what should I eat?" days. "WYW ideas + my quirky twists = endless excitement, no boredom blues!"

Patricia's Advice for Starting Out

"Kick off your whole food plant-based adventure simple-style: grab foods you adore and SOS-free-ify 'em! Think mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, green beans, salads, beans—swap oil/salt for veggie broth or lemon juice, toss in nutritional yeast, soy milk, and mood-matching seasonings. Boom, comfort food glow-up. Ease in with faves, then level up to chickpea patties or WYW's falafels with tzatziki; don’t overwhelm, just win.

"I muddled through trial-and-error SOS swaps pre-WYW (fruits over maple syrup? Game-changer, but sticky at first!), and persistence was my BFF. Four-day full-meal batching saved my bacon—mason jars for salads/oats, frozen veggies for chop-free quickies. The WYW crew, especially that cozy early Facebook group, hooked me up with connections, recipe swaps, and tips to dodge cravings or holiday drama—total motivation magic.

"Dillon and Reebs? Pure gold with their down-to-earth, no-BS charm that makes plants feel like a party. Live streams drop hacks and that warm-fuzzy belonging. Here's my pep talk: Recipes optional—just dip a toe, hug the community, and watch every SOS-free bite build your badass, joyful self. You'll groove it, promise—like I did, laughing all the way!"