Hi! I’m No Spring Chickpea. My name is Beverly Frans and I’ve transformed myself using whole plant foods and I think you can too. I’m 50 years old and full of energy, but I used to be sick, tired and chubby.

When I was 48, I started having attacks of chest pain, shortness of breath and fatigue that progressed to almost constant angina. I was unable to exercise or even do ordinary housework on most days. I was depressed and bracing myself for menopause and old age.

Through blind luck I came across the documentary Forks Over Knives on Netflix. Before I had finished watching it, I decided that I would change my diet according to the plan outlined in the film to see if it would help my condition. I gave myself six months to see improvement.

I didn’t have to wait that long. My angina, fatigue and extra pounds all disappeared in a remarkably short period of time by simply changing to a whole foods plant-based diet. Within four weeks I had stopped wearing my nitroglycerin patches and within six weeks I took up indoor rowing as a way to improve my fitness and use up some of my newfound energy.

When I learned that the answer to my health problems, and so many others, was to eat a whole foods, plant-based diet, I became angry with all the doctors I’d seen who had basically shrugged their shoulders and suggested I learn to pace myself because I was just unlucky enough to have a chronic illness. I wanted to add my voice to the growing chorus of doctors, academics and ordinary people like me who are spreading the word about the extraordinary benefits of this way of eating so that no one else need suffer like I did.

Since doctors (mostly) won’t educate their patients on the simplest, healthiest, and most enjoyable way to prevent and reverse the most common chronic illnesses of modern life, recovering your health has to be a diy project. There is a profound feeling of liberation in assuming responsibility for your own wellbeing. As someone accustomed to accepting the authority of medical professionals without question, it even felt slightly subversive to take matters into my own hands.

I’d like to share with you how I did it, what resources I used, what I’m doing now to enhance my overall wellness. I hope you’ll join me in regaining spark and vitality, as well as control over your health, one plant based meal at a time!