My Journey
Chef Dave
Food is Medicine ~ Hippocrates
At age 40 I went to the doctor for my annual physical. I am 5’10” and at the appointment I weighed in at 262 pounds. My blood pressure was really high, sending me straight to the ER was discussed, and then they pricked my finger for the first time ever. My sugar was at 350 – I had no idea what that even meant. I was told I had Type 2 Diabetes (Isn’t that something old people get?) and I was really sick (I didn’t feel sick.) and that I was probably going to go blind (I was a professional photographer), lose a limb, and probably die young (I couldn’t die, I had a young family to support). Then they took my blood pressure again.
The result of that appointment began a 17-year journey of medication, misinformation, and consistent increases in my A1C levels. I took my meds, ate what I thought was a decent diet – except for when I got frustrated and felt defeated by my new health issues, then I ate all the BBQ I could get my hands on, usually washing it down with a yummy beer. Year after year the doctors would congratulate me for taking my meds, add a new med to the mix to “get your numbers down” and tell me to eat right and come back in 6 months. At age 57 I went in for my annual physical and though I had maintained weight loss of more than 60 pounds over the course of 17 years, and I regularly hike, take walks, lift weights, etc., I was told my sugar was out of control and I had six months to get it under control or I was getting an Insulin pump. I was not given a plan for “getting my sugar down”, just the threat of a pump and another diabetes medication to add to the mix of 6 pills and an injection I was already taking. I had had enough.
In the fall of 2022, I decided to see if there was a different way of eating, moving, and living that would end the frustrating cycle of finger pricks, pills, and high sugar. It was a drastic move that led me away from the six-month cycle of doctor visits where I always felt frustrated and like I wasn’t doing enough, and toward a different way of looking at food and movement, alternative medicine practices – like acupuncture and massage, and listening to how my body feels. I also went back to school to learn more about food and continued my studies in the areas of plant based recipe modification, vegan foods, allergens, and specializing in nutrient-rich foods for health. This website will detail this journey. I am not a doctor, but I have the plan that worked for me, and I want to share with you how I use food for health – it is my greatest wish that it will help you too, because we are all a work in progress.