— Denise Baron

Well, um, this might be a slanted answer, but I'm going to say yes, and I'm going to base it on a couple of things. One is something that very few people talk about, but the economy in eating a whole food plant-based diet is much more economical than eating a diet where you might, uh, have, you know, at meat and other products like that. Because comparatively speaking, vegetables are much more economical. Uh, you get a big bang for your buck, and they're also much more nutrient dense because they're loaded with vitamins and minerals and micronutrients, et cetera, et cetera. And then hopefully they're not listening. But I come from a family of four and, uh, I am the healthiest of my, uh, my siblings and I attribute it all to following a whole food plant-based diet. Um, after a while, it just becomes second nature. After a while, you begin to totally enjoy the deliciousness of following a plant-based diet. If following a plant-based diet might not be on your horizon just today, I always like to suggest to start with Meatless Monday, because in the meatless Monday arena, there are so many pieces of information. And then start out for meatless Monday for one month, and then go to Monday and Tuesday. Um, and not to bore you, but when I decided that I was going to follow a whole food plant-based diet, I was only doing a 28 day challenge with engine two, and I thought, 28 days piece of cake, I can do anything. And every day I would write down what I was going to eat on my 29th day and think of anything, you know, in the cornucopia of standard American food. And it was on that list. And on day 10, when I woke up, I remember putting my foot on the ground and for the first time in years not having any osteolytic pain. And at that very moment, what clicked in my mind was that, oh, this food is medicine thing is for real. It really does work. So as my biometrics began to look better, and as I began to feel better, uh, to become again, uh, more athletic as I once was, so I think that, um, it's important to look at it and make it fit into your lifestyle so that you can achieve your optimal health. But Denise, I I can't think of any other way. I was talking to Anne Essel yesterday and she said, I don't know when we first met, I wasn't sure if you were gonna continue this way, but look at you today. So having that vote from Anne Essel, uh, for me certainly is motivation. And I'm gonna tell you one of the thing that's motivation for me, Denise. Uh, I have the joy and benefit every day of looking at the work from our students. And it's really inspiring to see the lifestyle change that so many of our students are making because their doctor suggested that they try a whole food plant-based diet, and how, uh, their family is enjoying their food or how they're feeling better, or how they're getting off of their high blood pressure medications or for whatever the reason. But I just think that, uh, the inspiration I get from students in the work that we do here at Rouxbe is also motivation for me. If you ever have any questions, feel free to email me at char@rouxbe.com and good luck eating those plants.