Staying True to Whole Food Plant-Based Lifestyle: A Reflection

“One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract you from your goals.” -Michelle Obama

I had some questions regarding nutrition and my doctor suggested I meet with a Registered Dietician. I was psyched for this meeting and looking forward to learning and growing my knowledge. It took a while to get the appointment and I went into it feeling excited. Sadly, I left the appointment feeling confused and honestly, defeated. This response hit me like a ton of bricks and almost sent me into a mindset spiral. It came at me hard and I’ve spent the week really unpacking my response to this situation and thought I’d share the experience.

The issue I wanted guidance with was understanding ways to ensure that my meals are nutritionally balanced, within my whole food plant based lifestyle. I was not going into the appointment looking to change my lifestyle and I made that clear in all conversation with the provider. I take my health seriously and have been consistently monitoring my blood levels to ensure that nutritional targets are within range, as well as other indicators. I also have no current known health issues.

As I got into my car following this appointment, I felt I had been judged and definitely not heard. Perhaps it was a bad day for the provider, considering she was very late to our appointment. That said, I walked out with a strong feeling that I needed to reevaluate my lifestyle choices, which was not what I walked in looking or asking for. I was basically being told to add dairy, eggs and cheese into my lifestyle as the means to increase my protein and lower my LDL. I questioned what I was being told and knew it went against the current research on whole food plant based eating. I also knew this dietician did not think plant based, in absence of meat, dairy or cheese protein, was a viable lifestyle. Though she said, she was not trying to tell me what to do, she clearly was. I wondered how many others have let strong opinions derail their wellness path. As I unpacked this experience, I reflected on the following:

Be Impeccable to Your Word

In the book, The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz speaks to the importance of being impeccable to your word. According to Ruiz, your word is your power to create. Your word is all about the message you deliver, not just to everyone and everything around you, but the message you deliver to yourself.

This is important in this situation for two reasons:

1. Your word has the power to lift others up or to harm them. In this case, this provider had a clear agenda that did not align with mine. That is totally fine, but I would have respected the message more had it been presented differently. Using your words to dismiss someone, without providing research, or clear reasoning is totally unacceptable in my opinion. Using your position of perceived power to make another feel less than is never acceptable. I know my body and it’s response to dairy, eggs and cheese and do not see them as viable means to healthy LDL levels, though they can increase protein.
2. Self-talk – The second part was more of a personal reflection on the self-talk that I engaged in during and after the meeting. I was really doubting myself and my knowledge, and all the work I have done this past year. Despite feeling the best I have in many years, despite positive blood work and the current state of my overall health, I was ready to make a dramatic course change, based on the strong opinion of another. My inner critic jumped on this opportunity to engage my self doubt. These self doubts are what causes us to jump at the endless infomercials that sell the answers to all our health concerns.

Stay True to Yourself

It’s hard to live a plant-based lifestyle when so many have strong opinions against it. I don’t push my lifestyle on anyone. We made a personal choice, based on research and conversations with our health provider, that living this lifestyle was in our best interest. We are thriving. To change course, based on one interaction, would have been a huge mistake. I’m sharing my experience because this type of interaction happens often when people share their health journeys. For some reason, many feel it is ok to use their words to tell others how to do things in a better way, usually the way that works for them.

I think the best way, is the way that works for your body, in your current situation. As long as you are monitoring your health markers, through labs and in consultation with your trusted health provider, you do you. What works for my body, may not work for someone else. It is not the job of a health coach, or registered dietician, to prescribe one specific lifestyle to you. It is their job to help you reach your health goals, within your lifestyle. After they meet you where you are, they can educate and provide information to help you make decisions. If you have a specific health condition that warrants one specific lifestyle, that is a different situation than what I am discussing here.

I hope you take the time to learn more about your health choices, including really knowing the source and type of research you are relying on. There are so many conflicting ideas out there on wellness, it’s hard to know what to believe. I do recommend learning more about the China Study and Blue Zones. If you are considering a whole food plant-based lifestyle, I recommend you find a Plant Based Registered Dietician who truly understands this specific approach.

If this post resonates with you, or you’d like to share an experience you’ve had, feel free to reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, via Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below.