Getting COVID and Going Vegan (at least trying it out…)

January is supposed to be a fresh start to the year–a time for motivation to complete all your New Year’s resolutions and all that junk. Well, I had no resolutions this year aside from one: Change The Narrative. This is my personal mantra I connected with and I splattered every digital surface with it as a reminder. My intention was to shift my mental attitude to change my own narrative when bad things happen, or when I slip into a negativity tornado (hello pandemic, political climate, global warming, school shootings…. you get the picture), or when I get scared (which happens often), or even when I have a fight with my husband (hi honey).

I wanted the ability to shift my narrative and own it, make it how I want. Make it sparkle. Make my life magic. Because this is my story, after all, and I can’t control everything out there, but I can control what goes on inside my head.

Well, as with most things in life, the minute you jump on a positivity train, you are tested. And for me, that was getting COVID. Yes, it finally came for my household and apparently two years of evading that dodgy little virus has come to an end. I was first in line to get vaccinated and also first in line for a booster (because Science, Bitch!). Even so, when the sniffles begun, and the fatigue set in, I just knew this was it. All weekend I was debating using one of our last two rapid home tests to confirm what my gut instincts were screaming, but I didn’t, hoping for the best and trying to convince myself that it was just a cold. Change the narrative!

My husband woke up two days later, and he also had the sniffles and he DID take the test and sure enough, it was positive. Confirmed two days later by my PCR test. We had COVID. To my credit, I did not spiral. After two years of fearing the worst, I took it relatively well. I had mild cold symptoms, and I continued to work from home. I canceled any appointments and delayed going to see the new Spider Man with my brother (big bummer). But it was fine. I was fine. We were fine.

On day 10, I finally tested negative (and again on day 13 because, hello anxiety!). All in all, our symptoms were what you would call “mild” and felt more or less like a regular head cold. However, my husband has bounced back much quicker than I. I continue to experience lingering symptoms such as congestion, fatigue, headaches, and shortness of breath. While I am back on my feet, I’m not feeling 100% healthy and that is frustrating. I re-joined a gym and I want to get back into shape, but this is forcing me to slow that process down. Change the narrative, Kim, change it…

So, one lonely night while my husband was away taking an Avalanche safety course in the mountains, I browsed Netflix with nothing left to watch (I binged multiple shows during my self-isolation and I’m now sick of TV, almost…) I found a documentary called “What The Health” with a cheeseburger on the cover (mmm, now I want a cheeseburger). Anyway, when you are feeling crappy, you are almost willing to try anything to feel good again, so I thought “What the heck” and I stayed up until midnight watching. It was shocking. The description of the film says:

“This film examines the link between diet and disease, and the billions of dollars at stake in the healthcare, pharmaceutical and food industries.” ~ What the Health film on Netflix

I feel like I knew everything the film discussed (eating cheeseburgers is bad and taking medications is bad and big pharma is a shame… ect) but there are certain pieces of knowledge that resonate at specific times for everyone and this was mine. After watching that film, I was utterly disgusted at the pepperoni pizza I’d just wolfed down in a moment of weakness and I vowed to learn as much as I could about plant-based nutrition and try it out (immediately).

The next day, I downloaded an audio book called “How Not to Die” by Dr. Michael Greger and listened to the first three hours. It is fascinating. The entire premise is based upon the fact that many of our epidemic diseases in American can all be prevented and treated, in some cases, by switching to a whole plant-based diet. Considering my current physical state, and the fact that I am a routine hypochondriac (a person who is abnormally anxious about their health), the idea that I can take my destiny into my hand, my control, without waiting to be told by a doctor that my health has declined (either soon, or ten years from now, it doesn’t matter), is a powerful feeling. So, that was yesterday, and today, I am writing this blog post. Change the narrative!

I would like to try eating a whole, plant-based diet, which is similar to going vegan. Maybe I’ll do a mix of the two and see how I feel. While I’m still struggling with lingering COVID symptoms, I’m curious if the food I feed my body will help ease those. Also, how will my anxiety fare? Can I lose the “COVID 15” pounds I gained over the course of the pandemic? These are all questions worth exploring.

Today marks day one of this journey and I spent a few hours yesterday grocery shopping and food prepping. Here are the items I purchased for a total of $100:

• Cucumbers
• Lemons
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Romaine Lettuce
• Butternut Squash
• Bananas
• Tomatoes
• Green Onions
• Red Onion
• Sweet Potatoes
• Russet Potatoes
• Whole Wheat Bread
• Whole Wheat Tortillas
• Oats
• Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
• Vegetable Broth
• White Vinegar
• Roasted Mixed Nuts
• Dried Cranberries
• Brown Rice Cakes
• Dark Chocolate
• Selzer Water (Mango + Black Tea)
• Chickpea Flour
• Chimichurri Blend Seasoning

Now, I should say that I’m not a horrible eater to begin with. I have always tried to eat healthy and limit highly fatty foods, but that comes and goes in phases. I find I eat worse during periods of inactivity and when I’m sick. Over the years, I have stocked foods such as pea protein powders by Tone It Up, almond milk, coconut milk yogurt, veggies, fruits (banana and blueberries are my fav), and other nutritious foods. So, this switch will not be an entire 180 degree change for me. The biggest changes are giving up meats, cheese (this one kills me!), and other dairy-based products such as butter and mayonnaise.

My existing health conditions are iron deficiency (which I take a supplement for), generalized anxiety disorder (which I also take medication for), and back issues (I sprained my upper back two years ago and have still not fully recovered). Other than that, I am a healthy and active person.

I am excited to try out this lifestyle and I will attempt to document my experience (and progress — fingers crossed). I’d be curious to hear from others who are vegan or have tried out a plant-based diet. What were your reasons for the switch? How did it work out for you? And if I’m speaking about anything that is incorrect, please feel free to reach out to me and educate me (politely, of course. If you yell at me, I will ignore you… as with most things in life). I do not claim to have any expertise in this area. It is simply something I am trying for myself. I recommend talking to your healthcare professional if you are contemplating a switch like this, and I plan to do just that in a couple of weeks at my next appointment.

Here we go! Change the narrative.