Archives: Patient Stories

I was experiencing horrible constipation, and it felt like food was scraping through my digestive tract every time I ate.

In January 2017, just after my 41st Birthday, a colonoscopy revealed I had mild Crohn’s disease, a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Crohn’s disease is a chronic, relapsing disease of the gastrointestinal tract and is considered medically incurable. I didn’t know what to do. I thought I was healthy! I loved cooking, and my diet didn’t include much junk food. I wondered how I’d become so sick.

Given my interest in food, one of the first questions I asked my doctor was, “What should I eat?” His response was that I should continue to “eat a normal healthy diet”. Given that I thought that’s what I was doing, this was incredibly unhelpful and disheartening. He also indicated that drinking alcohol in moderate amounts was acceptable, so I continued to drink wine on weekends and at work where required.

In the absence of useful evidence-based dietary recommendations, I turned to Dr Google and for three years I researched and implemented multiple dietary approaches to “heal my gut”, in addition to taking a huge range of medications – from Mesalamine, Budesonide and Azathioprine to Humira, Vedolizumab and Stelara. Nothing seemed to work, and I experienced alarming side effects from the medication.

After three years of multiple failed attempts to regain my health, I was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. My medical expenses were mounting, and I had also spent thousands of dollars on allied health, alternative practitioners, and supplements. Something had to give.

In 2019, feeling alone and frustrated, I created a social media account to connect with people who were successfully overcoming IBD. I discovered a health coaching business supporting clients to adopt a Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB) diet so they can regain their health.

In March 2020, I became a client. A WFPB diet was the only dietary approach I hadn’t tried, and unlike most other popular diets, it is supported by a large body of nutritional research. It was also the first time I had invested in the support of a health coach, spending three years desperately trying to find the answers alone.

Under the guidance of my coach, I immediately removed all alcohol, caffeine, animal products, oils, and highly processed foods. Previously, avoiding many plant foods to reduce symptoms, I added a variety of whole plant foods in the form of fruit smoothies for breakfast, vegetable soups for lunch and cooked starchy vegetables for dinner.

Within one month, I was starting to feel a little better. By December 2020, I no longer required medication, and my inflammatory markers were normal. I returned to a healthy weight, my digestive symptoms resolved, and I was bursting with energy.

I continue to remain medication-free and enjoy eating an abundance of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds every day. I no longer need to restrict dietary fibre to manage symptoms, I have overcome “food fear” and I have a healthy relationship with food.

I also continue to abstain from alcohol due to its negative effects on the body and gut microbiome. During my health journey, my love for the wine industry faded, and I resigned from my job, taking a year off to reassess. After engaging in moderate-heavy drinking throughout my 20s and 30s, my body was obviously saying enough was enough, and I realised that my job no longer aligned with my new healthy lifestyle.

Although my non-drinking was socially challenging in the beginning, I now love being sober and enjoy being free of previous addictions. For many years, I literally couldn’t get through the day without a morning coffee followed by a couple of (large) glasses of wine at night!

I have now embarked on a new career as a Nutritionist and Health Coach, recently studying Human Nutrition at Deakin University and becoming a certified Health Coach through Wellness Coaches Australia. I get to live my passion – helping others to consistently consume more whole plant foods at every meal, every day, so they too can live free of chronic preventable disease.

I am living proof that what we eat and drink can have a huge influence on our health. A WFPB diet and lifestyle have been lifesaving and life-changing for me. I highly encourage anyone who is open to making changes to simply start by adding more plants to their plate, one carrot, apple or serve of hummus at a time.

Author: Sarah Radford

Image: Sarah Radford

My cousin, a WFPB advocate herself, said I should look into how a WFPB diet could help me as I was hesitant to go on medication at such a young age with an otherwise healthy weight and active lifestyle. She mentioned that whilst we may have our family’s genetics, we don’t need to eat the same way they did or just roll over and accept that we can’t swing our health odds in our favour. My uncle said we all have high cholesterol and blood pressure and that it runs in the family and to look into medication.

At this point, and somewhat as an experiment, I decided I didn’t have much to lose by trying a WFPB diet. I convinced my wife to come on the journey with me, and we immediately cut out all obvious animal products. I was concerned about giving up an easy and (what I was conditioned into thinking) high-quality source of protein in red meat. I also regularly consumed chicken, fish, cow’s milk and cheese, which I thought were part of a healthy diet.

We started by eating a big salad each day, including black beans as a base, modified our snacks and replaced our breakfast with oats, chia seeds, and blueberries. The transition was challenging at first, more so for my wife than me, and we often weren’t sure what we should be eating outside of a big salad.

I had a lot of pushback from my family, telling me I needed to eat meat for iron and protein and that cow’s milk provided the calcium I needed to maintain bone health. My wife comes from a Greek background, and the men in that family didn’t understand and couldn’t be convinced of how meat could be problematic from a health, environmental or compassionate standpoint. Many of the older females in the family, however, were open to the idea and told stories of a more plant-based history many years ago.

“My doctor was shocked … He didn’t expect the results to be so significant”

There were many awkward moments during my WFPB journey around decisions about what to eat when out with friends or what we were going to do for Christmas. I puzzled all my friends when I no longer ordered a meat lovers’ pizza but rather a veggie-style pizza with no cheese! There certainly was some judgement about what I chose to put in my mouth. Some friends were supportive, but the majority of them challenged the idea.

Another challenge we faced at home was a lack of creativity with our WFPB meals. I further educated myself on the WFPB diet and expanded my understanding of the foods, what was available and their nutrition profile. I read up on more studies, testimonials and science-based evidence that I applied to my WFPB diet. At this point, I felt like I was rolling along nicely, and everything tasted great. As my palate changed, the food I was previously eating began tasting either too fatty, salty or sweet.

Three months later, I returned to my doctor for blood work. My cholesterol dropped from 6.9 to 4.8(mmol/L). My doctor was shocked and commented that I was the 1 in 10 patient who was committed enough to do something about their health through diet. He didn’t expect the results to be so significant and was surprised to see I also lost 10kg, and my blood pressure had normalised. I noticed my energy levels had increased, and my physical stamina when exercising had certainly improved. I remember feeling frustrated because I felt like all the indirect nutrition information I had ‘consumed’ over the years was only a single way of eating and not a very efficient one for me.

Seven years later, my wife and I remain WFPB advocates and eaters and we intend to be so for life. The journey I have been on has been fascinating. I have explored so many different foods I didn’t know existed and inspired others to look further into how a WFPB could help them. Most of all, I have reset my body and gained control of my health.

I truly believe that food can be your medicine and would urge anyone to look into what a WFPB can do for you, as it can, and as it has been in my case, be life-changing.

Author: Alex Fabris

Image: Alex Fabris

At 35, I was diagnosed with gallstones and advised to undergo gallbladder removal. To manage my condition, the surgeon recommended a low-fat diet. Following this advice, I adhered strictly to the National Heart Foundation’s guide to a healthy heart provided at the time. Each year, my cholesterol levels remained within the normal range, reassuring me I was on the right track.

However, 19 years later, I suffered a massive heart attack and barely survived a five-hour bypass surgery. The experience was devastating, especially since I had no apparent risk factors for heart disease and had diligently followed the recommended diet to prevent such outcomes.

For the next 17 years, I endured recurring chest and leg pains along with a variety of other health issues. Despite consultations with eight different specialists and being prescribed nine medications, my overall health failed to improve. After a second heart attack, I became increasingly despondent, fearing a third would be my end.

Desperate for answers, I sought a second cardiologist who accepted me as a patient and introduced me to the field of nutritional medicine. He recommended several books that presented compelling evidence on the power of whole food plant-based (WFPB) nutrition to reverse chronic diseases and prevent their onset.

With nothing to lose, I committed fully to this new way of eating, supported by my wife.

The results were nothing short of miraculous. Gradually, my health issues began to resolve.

“Conditions that eight specialists and multiple medications couldn’t alleviate vanished simply by changing my diet.”

I’ve learned a critical lesson: the foods widely promoted and consumed daily can wreak havoc on our health. Food companies and retailers prioritise profits over well-being, and many healthcare providers fail to address the root cause of chronic diseases—an unhealthy diet.

To anyone facing similar struggles, I urge you to consider the profound impact of nutrition on your health. Adopting a WFPB lifestyle could be the key to reversing chronic conditions and reclaiming your vitality.

Remember, your health is in your hands, and the right nutrition can transform your life.

Author: Dr Ralph Koelmeyer

“It’s often the case that the solution is right in front of us, and it’s usually simpler than we imagine.”

I visited my GP on 21 June 2024, as I have been doing annually, near my birthday, so I don’t forget, for the past few years.

This year, I went to the same General Practice but with a different GP. I asked the doctor to review all my test results and the like with a fresh set of eyes, which he did. They were all good, with no issues. Yet, given my height, he said, “Your overall health would benefit from losing some weight to get closer to your ideal BMI. ”

He suggested I try a whole food plant-based (‘WFPB’) approach to eating for 30 days and see how it goes.

We discussed it some more. And away I went.

After 30 days, I felt great. I kept going.

After 60 days, I could see the benefits visually, and some close friends noticed, too. So, I kept going.

After 90 days, I’d dropped 8.5 kg and felt fantastic.

Five months later, I’ve just completed the Kosci 50 in 8:37:45. It’s a 50-kilometre trail running race at Kosciuszko, with 1300 metres of elevation, long technical sections, stair climbing, and technical stair descents, all in very variable weather conditions. I achieved 6th in my category.

I believe the key for me and the bit worth sharing is that by adopting a WFPB approach to eating, I’ve stopped eating many things: muffins, banana bread, and biscuits. Essentially, I’ve stopped eating sugar, fat, highly processed flour, and preservatives, too, because I don’t crave such things, and I don’t crave sugar.

I’m lighter. My training is so much better. My legs don’t ache when I drive over two hours in the car. I’ve purchased business shirts, one size down. I’ve purchased business pants, one size down.

As I read more about this, including around big pharma and big food, I see the benefits of a WFPB approach.

As I step away from my previous way of eating, I am now conscious.

This consciousness gives me agency over my health, which is the most important thing to me. Well, that and the fact that even at the 47-kilometre mark of the Kosci 50, I was feeling fantastic and planning my Tuesday run with my run group and Wednesday run with a friend.

For dinner last night, I prepared a delightful pasta dish with a variety of fresh vegetables. Cooking and enjoying this healthy meal was truly satisfying.

I tried WFPB for 30 days as a fun project. It’s been positively life-changing.

Author: David Brown

Image: David at Kosciuszko

Lifestyle Medicine prescription

• Sodium reduction: Avoiding added salt and checking food labels, with a goal of <200mg sodium per serving.
• Dietary cholesterol reduction: Replacing cheese with hummus to increase fibre intake, which helps bind and eliminate cholesterol. Additionally, he was encouraged to lower meat intake and consume more plant-based proteins such as legumes.
• Plant-based nutrition: Investigate whole food plant-based meals via meal kit services and introduce plant-based alternatives like oat milk instead of dairy to further reduce saturated fat intake.
• Physical activity: A graduated walking program was recommended as he recovered from knee joint replacement surgery.

One-month review

• Knee steadily improving. Weighted walking in a hilly area, and biking with dog for 15 minutes daily.
• Avoiding extra added salt. Enjoying hummus and oat milk. Moderating cheese.
• Lowering meat, adding more legumes.
• Cholesterol down to 3.85.
• BP down to 136/83.
• Weight loss: 1.4kg.
• Plan for next few months: add two cups of dark leafy greens to increase nitrates and relax blood vessels.

Four-month review

• Enjoying extra greens most days.
• Walking briskly most days for 30 minutes.
• Finding it difficult to keep up with healthy eating away from home.
• Blood pressure reduced to 118/64.
• Cholesterol slightly rose from last checkup to 4.78. It is suspected that the rise in cholesterol may be due to the takeaway food he indulged in when travelling.
• Weight loss: 3kg total.
• Waist reduced by 5cm total and now in healthy range.
• Plan for next few months: quiet deep breathing for 2 minutes daily; wean off BP medication.

Six-month review

• Cholesterol down to 4.73.
• BP at home after walks: 114/76. Had been off medication for 2 months by this stage.
• Weight loss: another 2kg from last checkup.
• Had reduced his meat portions and been eating fish plus hummus and wholegrain crackers or bread for lunch.
• Plan for next few months:
  • Keep sodium to under 2000 mg per day (0.5 tsp added salt);
  • Check sauces for sodium levels;
  • Maintain daily greens;
  • Maintain fruit, oat milk and oats for breakfast;
  • Try baked beans for lunch (tip off excess sauce);
  • Use peanut butter, nut butter and avocado for fat sources and nuts, seeds and dried fruit for snacks.

Outlook

As the patient continues to adopt more elements of a whole food plant-based diet, reducing consumption of animal products further, and maintaining regular physical activity, further reductions in cholesterol and weight are anticipated. This case highlights the potential for targeted lifestyle interventions, particularly plant-based nutrition, to effectively manage and even reverse chronic conditions like hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, reducing reliance on medication.

Due to medical board regulations, we have removed the clinician’s name from this story. However, we understand that clinicians may want to discuss similar cases with each other. If you’d like to connect with the clinician involved in this case, please contact us. With their permission, we’d be happy to provide their details.

John’s goal? To come off blood pressure medication.

John is married with adult children, enjoys an active social life and has had knee joint replacement surgery.

Initial visit

With a BMI of 31, weight of 118kg, and blood pressure at 138/98, he was advised to avoid extra salt in his meals and swap cheese for hummus to help improve cholesterol levels by increasing fibre and reducing dietary cholesterol. He was also encouraged to explore whole food plant-based options like meal kits and gradually increase his daily walking as he recovered from knee surgery.

One-month review

His knee steadily improved, and he started walking daily with weights up and down hills and biking with his dog every day for 15 minutes. He successfully reduced added salt, modified his cheese intake, and enjoyed hummus and oat milk. He reduced his meat intake while eating more legumes. His blood pressure dropped slightly to 136/83, his total cholesterol dropped from 4.99 to 3.85, while his weight decreased somewhat to 116.6kg.

Plan:

• Add two cups of leafy dark greens daily to increase nitrates and relax blood vessels.

Four-month review

He added more leafy greens and fruit to his daily diet and increased his walking to 30 minutes of brisk walking per day. He has found it challenging to eat healthily away from home, so this is an area to continue to work on. Although his cholesterol slightly rose from the last checkup to 4.78, his waist measurement was reduced by 5cm, and his blood pressure decreased significantly to 118/64. It is suspected that the rise in cholesterol may be due to the takeaway food he indulged in when travelling.

Plan:

• Quiet deep breathing for two minutes per day.
• Wean off blood pressure medication.

Six-month review

His blood pressure remained in the healthy range at 114/76 after walks. He had been off medication for two months now, with further weight loss (down to 111.9kg) and a waist circumference of 98cm. His total cholesterol was down to 4.73.

John had reduced his meat portions and was eating freshly caught fish for lunch with hummus and bread or wholegrain crackers. His breakfasts had been rolled oats with fruit and oat milk.

Plan:

• Keep salt intake to less than 0.5 tsp per day (2,000 mg). Check sauces and avoid sodium if over 200 mg per serve.
• Try balsamic vinegar for a dressing.
• Maintain daily greens, fruit, oat milk and oats for breakfast.
• Use baked beans for lunch, but tip off excess sauce.
• Use peanut butter, nut butter, and avocado for fats.
• Use nuts, seeds and dried fruit for snacks.

After six months of simple lifestyle changes, this 57-year-old farmer could come off his blood pressure medication thanks to incorporating more plant-based foods like hummus, legumes, and oat milk, daily walking and reducing salt. His blood pressure reduced and stabilised, and he saw steady progress in cholesterol and weight loss. As he continues to adopt more aspects of a whole food, plant-based diet, further reducing his consumption of animal products and increasing his physical activity, further improvements in his health are expected, highlighting the powerful impact of small, sustainable lifestyle interventions.

*Name changed for privacy purposes

If you would like to speak with the clinician involved in this story, please contact us, and we can provide you with their contact information.