Welcome to the best source for all of your plant-based needs right here on The Valley Vegan Podcast! This is new territory for me and a good friend of mine convinced me to jump in with both feet to try this out. A little background on who I am; I am 35 years old, live in the Central Valley in California and a college graduate with degrees in English and social science. I have been on the pursuit for knowledge in all of its forms since I became an atheist during high school. As much as I enjoyed living free, traveling and interacting with like-minded, chill people that some would refer to as hippies, I felt something was missing. I've always been the "fat kid" and I can't remember a time when I wasn't big. It wasn't until I got older that I began realizing that I can't continue down this path of awful eatings habits and poor dietary choices. I think it finally hit home when I had my third gallbladder attack. Before that one, I had cut out all fast food and sodas which obviously wasn't enough. I had to take matters into my own hands. I did extensive research on what could be done to get myself back on track and reverse years of harm I had done to my body. That answer was giving to me thanks to documentaries like Forks Over Knives, Cowspiracy, What The Health and, more recently, The Game Changers. Of course, I did my own reading into the subject because I cover my bases. I was pleasantly surprised to find hardly anything was anecdotal; most data was conclusive and pointed to veganism as the way to go. I set out immediately shedding all meat and dairy in the first month. To my surprise, I felt marginally better. I went to my doctors to get blood work after three months. He called me two days later to inform me that, no only is everything within normal range, but I had beaten my pre-diabetes AND my since-15 hypothyroidism. I was floored and so was he. He said he wanted to do follow-ups every six months. It has been two years now and everything has not only stayed normalized, but improved. I have shed thirty pounds and still dropping. Energy levels are at an all-time high and my sleep schedule is stable. I couldn't be happier with my decision down this path. This podcast is designed to help you all out as well in hopefully joining me and thousands of others in this positive lifestyle choice! Stay tuned for so much more information and thank you for listening!
