Of all of the numerous diets out there, I sometimes get asked why I chose this one. It's too restrictive people will say. You only live once others will say. I want to go to my grave loving life and eating what I want some say (well that journey to the grave might be shorter than they think!). First of all, I don't think of this as a diet. For us, it has become a way of life and I think that's really the only way for real change to be effective. It must become a lifesty

One of my main motivators for starting this site was to connect with other kidney disease sufferers or others with chronic conditions. I’ve been able to do that and it really brings me joy. I’m not a doctor nor do I have a medical background but I feel I can relate on a more personal level with others who might be going through a similar situation. I was like them and had to figure it out too. When I speak with people, they really just want to find out "what we did". How we

It's the start of a new year when many people, myself included, are wanting to up their health game. I'm not one to make concrete resolutions but I do like to set goals for myself. Often, one of these goals is to hit the gym more often. For some, it's to start a workout regimen. My workout of choice is Orange Theory and this week, the place is bursting with returning members and an influx of new members. New Year's resolutions are in full swing! Before becoming plant emp

I’m proud to be Canadian for a multitude of reasons but most recently, because of the proposed changes to our nation’s food guide . This is the first overhaul of the guide in over a decade. Now these are just proposed changes - final changes won’t be released until 2018 but I, for one, applaud their efforts. It's just another example of how this plant-based movement is gaining momentum. Everywhere I look these days, I’m seeing articles promoting a whole foods plant-based d

The next question people always ask me after the protein question is, "where do you get your calcium?" Well, if we look literally at where calcium comes from, it comes from the ground. All essential minerals originate in the soil and enter into living systems through the roots of plants. In other words, cows get it from eating plants! With that being the case, I prefer to skip the cow and get my calcium directly from the source - plants. Below are some of the basic (kid-fri

It's that time of year again...school lunches, the bain of my existence! Actually, they used to be before I had this plant-based thing figured out. Now, I feel like I've got an arsenal of good options. Some people have contacted me lately asking for school plant-based lunch tips and options so I thought I'd better put up a post. Pre plant-based I would pack the traditional deli meat on a sandwich but I don't buy deli meat anymore. I would encourage you to watch What the H

When we first started going plant-based, I would try to get fancy with meals. I bought a bunch of cookbooks, scoured pinterest and cooking apps to try out often-complicated recipes with complicated ingredients. In the end, we find that our favourite recipes aren't that complicated. I still like my cooking apps but I look for simpler recipes (forks over knives has a great app). We have a busy family of 5 so I need to be efficient! We tend to revert to those familiar recipe

Maybe you're just like us. Maybe you're someone who has had a health scare. Maybe you're someone who's already healthy but is looking to take it to the next level. Maybe you're like most people - busy, tired and looking for a way to improve your health but don't know where to start. You've heard about this plant-based thing. You're convinced that it's worth a try. But how do you begin? Well, I've been down that road and I might be able to offer some help. The way I look

I recently completed the T. Colin Campbell plant-based certification course. In this course, they talk about not counting calories or macronutrients. As long as you're adhering to a whole foods plant-based diet, there's really no need to get into the stats of grams of protein, carbohydrates, fat etc. Those nutrients exist in all plants anyway so if you eat a variety of whole plant foods including veggies, fruit, beans, nuts and legumes, your body gets what it needs without h

This is the first question people ask when they find out you’re on a plant-based diet. My question is, why is everyone so concerned about protein? It's not like we're walking through life with protein-deficient people all around us. Do you even know anyone who's been diagnosed with protein deficiency? No, because it's extremely rare! Dr. Neil Barnard of the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine refers to this cultural protein obsession as "protein anxiety". Gran

Hello! My name is Sarah. I'm here to share our story in the hopes that maybe someone out there will read this and feel inspired to change their story. A short time ago, things seemed grim for our family of 5. I’ve learned so much valuable information that I feel compelled to share it with anyone who might find themselves in a similar situation. Just over 1 year ago my hubby, Jim, was diagnosed with a chronic kidney condition called iga nephropathy. He was in stage 3. He had