I spent years of my life battling diabetes, fighting to stay alive. After five amputations—the last of which was my whole lower left leg—I realized I had to do something. I came to hate being bedridden, then restricted to a wheelchair. I hated always asking people to assist me...I hated my life. So I decided to make some serious changes. I tried getting better, but when it came to diet and health, the source of my troubles in the first place, I wasn’t really doing anything right. I posted an ad on Craigslist about my services as a personal chef, and I even started my first website.
Then I got a phone call that changed my life. Gary Baron, the founder of Healthy Food Now, reached out to me, looking for someone to cook vegan and vegetarian meals for his family. He sent me recipes to follow, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing—the food had no bang, no big and bold flavors! I thought, “Here goes another diet trend…come on. I’ve been through so many of them!”
Then Gary introduced me to Healthy Food Now, and I was given the opportunity to make the food “pop.” Working for HFN, I began to love greens, nuts, seeds, onions, and mushrooms! And with my additional flavors…damn! The food was really delicious. Soon, I started losing weight. Then my insulin was reduced by half. I got rid of a diabetic pill. I got rid of a blood pressure pill. I got rid of a cholesterol pill.
I couldn’t believe it!
Since I transitioned to this nutrient-rich diet, I’ve lost over 70 pounds and I’ve stopped using insulin altogether. Kale has become my best friend. I love it. I drink it in the morning, I eat it in the afternoon, and I usually throw some in a salad at night. I would have never thought that eating nutritious foods would reverse my diabetes. But now I’m living proof that this diet really does work! I believe that meeting Gary Baron and getting involved with Healthy Food Now saved my life. I feel better than ever. And the best part is that I get to eat and cook this food for others. I get to keep my passion for food alive!
Joseph E. Shilling
