We have heard from many people how great it is to go vegan. There are countless news articles, books, websites, YouTube videos, etc. to choose from. Many of them describe being vegan and why it is healthier for you than an omnivorous diet. Their claim, people are meant to be on a plant-based diet, and the accompanying health benefits back up this claim. Though I’ve heard about Vegans in the past and knew all about the health benefits I never paid any attention, that is until my health took a sudden downturn. When I turned 35 years old I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. For those that don’t know very much about MS, it is a neurological disease affecting the brain and the outcome is typically diminished motor function. My first symptom was the loss of balance. In 2012 I took a physical test to re-enter the military but failed due to poor balance. I didn’t know at the time I had MS, all I had at the time was the loss of balance. Soon other symptoms arose, hand tremors, muscle weakness, tiredness, difficulty walking and eating, etc. Once I knew there was a problem I went to see a neurologist and was soon diagnosed with MS.
Now, it’s two years later. The MS medicines I’ve been given aren’t helping, the doctors are less than helpful and my general impression of the medical community is they have very little knowledge of MS, its cause, and the best treatments are a mystery. It was because of this “you’re on your own” sense I had that I started looking for ways I could help myself than upon one of the many Internet searches I did, this one claimed going vegan could heal the body of MS.
I have eaten meat my entire life. I’m used to having for breakfast; eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, then for lunch; a cheeseburger fries and a soda, and for dinner; roast beef with mashed potatoes, gravy, and a vegetable, maybe asparagus. Notice the high amount of saturated fat and cholesterol. The only vegetable came at dinner. This is not enough vegetables! Keep in mind I’m giving a high carnivorous example but this still, I imagine, not far off from someone’s typical day!
So I have stopped eating all meat, lowered my saturated fat and cholesterol to nearly zero. I’m on day three of this diet and I feel great. I feel stronger, with more energy and overall I feel better.
~ Nicholas Michael Evans