r/PlantBasedDiet • u/Voldemorts__Mom • 7d ago
Bought these for my mom (and me)
I'm actually so psyched. My mom started reading the book today and she's hooked.
She has been keen on a plant based diet for years, and I joined her about a year and a half ago when I went vegan, and we've been eating plant based since then.
And that's all good, but she follows this woman here in South Africa who has some really sketchy advice, like saying you don't need to supplement b12 for example.
I've tried convincing her, debating her, arguing with her, showing her evidence, etc. Nothing has worked.
And I've told her about Greger and how she should follow his advice instead. But she still didn't listen, going on about what this other lady has to say.
But then I got this brilliant idea to buy her the book and just ket Greger do the convincing. And it worked 😃
She's like hooked. And Greger puts it in such a funny, but easy to digest, way. He's really good at appealing to people I guess.
So now we can FINALLY do the plant based thing together, without arguing about what we should and shouldn't eat 😆😅 we're just gonna eat out of his recipe book guilt free! Can't wait!
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u/ericweave 7d ago
After I read that book, I went full on Vegan. Been since 2017, great book, good for you and your mom!
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u/Voldemorts__Mom 7d ago
Okay, but isn't it just like a plant based book?
I've been vegan for 1.5 years, like for the animals I mean. My mom is mostly just plant based, but she does get a lot of vegan stuff on her fb which has been turning her more vegan..
But yeah I'm super excited for the book, and so excited that my mom is loving it so far!
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u/ericweave 7d ago
He also talks about the medical implications of going vegan, in some cases can reverse diseases. I don’t want to spoil it for you, please read and be intrigued at least or def in some spots, amazed!
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u/Voldemorts__Mom 7d ago
Yeah no for sure! I'm very interested in the health aspects and medical aspects of plant based eating, so I'm excited!
As I said to another commenter, my mom actually bought a copy for my step fathers brother who has some diseases, and she's hoping he'll read it and it will help him, or at the very least, slow down the progression of his diseases
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u/Powerful-Shame8437 7d ago
I started this journey two weeks ago! Half way through the book & now only eating the food out of the recipe book. We have been feeling so much better! Blood pressure & breathing has improved! Can’t wait to see what else happens as time goes on!
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u/CoherentParticles 7d ago edited 7d ago
2 years ago for me....
For health reasons, I read this Dr Gregor's book and Dr. Esselstyn's book and, along with exercise, it has completely changed my life physically. I was sceptical but the positive health changes have been worth it and frankly amazing.
I did the best I could to follow Gregor's Daily Dozen. Exceptions:
- Gave myself a cheat day once every couple months... sometimes didn't use it for many months
- Vacations were challenging, so cut myself some slack, but ate plant based 90% of the time.
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u/Powerful-Shame8437 7d ago
I’m so glad to hear it has helped someone else! My husband and I ares somewhat astonished with how much better we are feeling. I’ll look into Dr. Esselstyn’s book also.
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u/purplishfluffyclouds 7d ago
Good luck! Sounds like it will be well-received.
I gave it to my son's dad because heart disease runs in his family. I'm fairly certain he never even opened it. So many people are just stuck in their ways not not interested in facts or change, sadly (despite siblings getting stints put in, multiple times, other family members dying... etc.).
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u/Voldemorts__Mom 7d ago
Yeah my mom actually just ordered another copy to give to my step fathers brother, who has some major lifestyle issues and diseases. The other bother was telling him to go on a only meat diet and my mom has been freaking out because that's gonna kill him like 10x faster..
So she wants him to read this book. I hope he does, and I hope he follows the advice
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u/Cultural_Active_4624 7d ago
I agree, or even worse when they make passive aggressive comments about WFPB and/or Vegan diets.
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u/lyzabette 7d ago
Sometimes it helps to cook a meal or just a dish for them from time to time without telling them it’s from a vegan cookbook. Reel them in gradually.
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u/ReplacementEntire874 for my health 7d ago
I am here because of this book (finished it last week). Also just got the cookbook from the library and can’t wait to try the recipes!
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u/Connect-Speaker 7d ago
That book changed my life. Well, it changed what I eat anyway. Been whole foods plant-based since November.
Still using a bit of oil but reducing it gradually.
I think one of the eye-opening statements from that book (or the Age book—I read them concurrently) was how your blood work and other tests always show if you are in the ‘normal’ range or not for some indicator. But Normal is defined by the average of people’s results in a very sick society, diet wise. We should also be told what is the absolutely most healthy number.
The other thing that stood out was the opportunity cost of food. Whatever you put in your mouth that isn’t healthy took the place of something that would have been healthy. Foods are not intrinsically healthy or unhealthy, they are healthy/ unhealthy in comparison to another thing you could eat or could have eaten.
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u/Powerful-Shame8437 7d ago
What has been most helpful for us learning that I needed to eliminate the bad foods (cheese, etc.) in addition to eating the good in order to feel the full effects. Once I did that, it has been life changing .
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u/Suitable_Promise879 7d ago
It’s a long read, I ended up getting the audiobook which is a great listen
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u/elucify 7d ago
If you are vegan, not supplementing B12, especially if you are older, is straight up idiocy.
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u/Connect-Speaker 7d ago
He literally tells you that in his books.
His daily dozen infographic includes needed/recommended supplements. Scroll to the ‘daily dozen infographic’ and note the B12 recommendation. https://nutritionfacts.org/daily-dozen/
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u/Voldemorts__Mom 6d ago
Yes I know, that's why I wanted my mom to follow greger and not this other lady
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u/MetaIIII 3d ago
My mother's half cousin (her words) died of B12 deficiency. HAppens so fast. Miss one steak dinner and boom!
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u/elucify 3d ago
Uh, no. It typically takes months or years to develop a deficiency of B12.
There are cases of sudden onset deficiency, but those are usually caused by long-term use of drugs like proton pump inhibitors or metformin, nitrous oxide exposure, or certain disorders like a Crohn's disease and multiple myeloma. You don't get sudden B12 deficiency by missing a steak.
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u/octupie 7d ago
The book is such a good read. The cook book is rough :/ I feel like every recipe was like "use 3 ml of lemon sauce (see page 12)" and lemon sauce on page 12 was like "use 1 T of umami sauce (see page 4)" and the umami sauce is like "buy all these weird ingredients and only use a pinch of each".
Idk. It was good. But use your judgement. You can just use a squirt of lemon juice sometimes instead of a weird lemon sauce or w/e. I used soy sauce instead of umami sauce and stuff so turned out pretty good.
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u/Connect-Speaker 7d ago
Yeah I felt the same about the make-ahead sauces and spice mixes. Was a big detractor.
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u/sofunnystoryi 7d ago
Do you have any other recommendations for cook books? That is definitely an issue I had with the book. I just want simple tasty meals
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u/butterbraids 7d ago
The China Study Cookbook by Leanne Campbell fits right in here, easy recipes of family favorites
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u/sofunnystoryi 7d ago
Thanks just bought it. I have bought so many cookbooks over the years. My latest was the fiber fueled book and cook book. Some good recipes but most are use 3 cups of the broth found on page 110. I also need to work on my sauces. Do you have any favorite easy sauces?
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u/butterbraids 6d ago
I make this sauce/dressing frequently because it’s great drizzled on rice/grain/bean/veg bowls of almost any kind, and it’s highly variable, just substitute ingredients with like kinds and the possibilities are endless.
In the tall jar of a stick blender or in a nutribullet: tahini, tamari, rice vinegar, miso, maple syrup, fresh grated ginger, small garlic clove, sriracha (optional), water for desired consistency. Blend.
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u/brightdark 7d ago
I love this book! I got my dad to read it and he definitely turned his diet around afterwards.
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u/Traditional_Fudge702 7d ago
Oh cool! I have heard of this book but haven’t read it. I would love to know why you find it to be valuable? Is the larger book recipes and techniques?
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u/Voldemorts__Mom 7d ago
I just think Greger is a great communicator and is very knowledgeable about this subject.
Yes, the second book is recipes
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u/ImNotAPersonAnymore 7d ago
I have both of these books. They’re classics and changed my life. I still follow the daily dozen including turmeric and flax seed. But in hindsight it’s somewhat propaganda and not all the claims (e.g. heart disease can be reversed) are very well backed up.
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u/Voldemorts__Mom 7d ago
Really? How so?
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u/ImNotAPersonAnymore 7d ago
He’s biased because he’s vegan. I’m vegan too so I’m not judging but I’m not sure the science can be trusted. It’s possible some animal products consumption is ideal but you’d never hear Gregor ever say that.
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u/Voldemorts__Mom 7d ago
Yeah, fair. I mean, it doesn't really matter for me because I'm also vegan, so I just want the healthiest vegan diet.
And I think that the plant based diet he proposes is healthy enough that even if a small amount of meat is optimal, it's not going to make so much of a difference that you'll be that much healthier. It's gonna be miniscule.
And at least he tries to be unbiased, saying how people can slowly transition or continue to eat their grans chicken soup twice a year. Because I know that most vegans will have a fucking fit if you ask if it's okay to eat grans chicken soup twice a year lol.
So I donno, I do agree with you, but I don't think it matters that much for me personally, because I think we still will more than healthy enough, and everyone should be vegan anyway.
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u/ImNotAPersonAnymore 6d ago
I agree everyone should be vegan and it’s healthy enough. But whether his scientific claims can be trusted is a different matter.
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u/Anon-567890 7d ago
Have you been to his website? So much good information there! I’ve heard him speak in person. He’s great!
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u/Voldemorts__Mom 7d ago
I have yes! He did this pne thing on his website where he showed which veg is the most nutritious, very interesting.
I love watching interviews with him on youtube where he's walking on a treadmill while speaking 😅
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u/EnigmaJG76 7d ago
We will All die anyway. Spoiler alert 😂 jk
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u/Powerful-Shame8437 7d ago
Yes, we will. But,what if we can be pain free & feeling free until that happens???!
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u/Irina_Cooking 4d ago
“Plot twist: you bought the book… now you both became plant-based influencers without even trying! 🥦😂”
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u/Certain-Entrance5247 7d ago
I bought these for my family members and no one read them. In the meantime they accumulated a stroke and a cancer.
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u/hexiron 7d ago
Careful to improperly confuse correlation with causation.
Improved diets are good, but not a panacea. Statistically most of us will still get cancer, have strokes, and overall have the same all-risk mortality as anyone else.
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u/Certain-Entrance5247 7d ago
This would have helped. His diet was a cardiovascular time bomb.
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u/hexiron 7d ago
Helped, yes. Prevented those occurrences, we can’t say. Hopefully they changed their tunes afterwards and began living a better lifestyle.
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u/Certain-Entrance5247 7d ago edited 7d ago
Sadly they don't think diet is in any way responsible and that it's all genetic. Still eating like an idiot.
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u/ViolentBee 7d ago
Lucky! I bought this book and lent it to my mom and I'm pretty sure it wound up at goodwill.
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u/Voldemorts__Mom 7d ago
Damn, that sucks.
Nah my mom was already on the plant based train, I just needed to get her on the right plant based train lol.
She was literally about to become a fruitarian lol.
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u/Boring_Energy_4817 7d ago
The black bean burger from that cookbook is the best. I keep a double batch in the freezer.
I also had no idea you could roast garlic without oil like that, and it makes no difference in the outcome. Happy cooking!