Healthy Living in Connecticut Blog

Preparing for surgery can bring a lot of uncertainty. Many people wonder if there is anything they can do ahead of time to improve their chances of a smooth procedure and recovery. While we can’t control everything, one thing we can control is how we take care of our bodies leading up to it. For me, years of following a whole food plant-based lifestyle have helped transform my health in ways I never imagined. As I recently completed my pre-operative physical, lab work, and EKG, the results served as a powerful reminder that the daily choices we make truly matter.

Last Wednesday, I met with my surgeon to review the details of my upcoming knee surgery. I’m now fully prepared and ready to move forward.

That’s the question I’ve been asking myself ever since I tore my meniscus.

As many of you know, I have been dealing with on and off knee issues for about six years now. It started after a road race on Thanksgiving in 2019. My knee started to swell uncontrollably after the race and I had to go to the ER by ambulance for the first time ever.

I did some PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injections and the chronic swelling from that incident was a non-issue for almost 6 years. There were a few little issues every now and then that the physical therapy would address. It was not a big deal. I was working out, felt great, not even thinking my knee was a problem.

It just occurred to me the other day that I have been officially vegan for over 8 years now. On September 6, 2016, I had my final meal with family and friends. It was Chicken Marsala. It was the beginning of what I thought would be a 13 week challenge, where my original intention was to go back to my old diet. I never went back to the old diet as I became an ethical vegan in the process.

I have learned a lot over the years of being vegan and would never choose to knowingly have animal products. There are so many plant based products out there that there is no reason in our society to not be vegan.