Phil's Journey to Healing Through Whole Food Plant-Based Living

Coping with Loss Through Food

It has been 3 years since I started my journey on WFPB. But let me step back and describe the journey.

I have always turned to regular SAD (Standard American Diet) food as a means to cope with stress and feelings. After the death of my first wife in 1981, I was a widower with 3 small children. Food comforted me. Not until every day was done as a “Mr. Mom” could I sit down and eat — sometimes just stuffing my face to anesthetize the pain. Then, of course, I would fall asleep, drugged from the high carbs. That was the road to rapid weight gain. I went from 195 to 263 pounds. No shame, just reality.

Diabetes and a Wake-Up Call

One day I developed an infection and went to the doctor. That’s when I found out my blood sugar was 11.3 and I was diabetic. I started on pills, and with medication and exercise, I got my A1C down to 6.6.

Trying Keto

About five years ago, I came across a YouTube video discussing keto and the low-carb, high-fat way of eating. It sounded great, so I decided to embrace it. Besides needing cataract surgery due to age and my kidneys spilling protein, I thought it was worth trying.

My A1C dropped to 5.3 and I never felt hungry. At that time, I thought I had found the solution.

Relapse and Struggles Abroad

After 18 months on low-carb, high-fat, my numbers started going back up — and so did my stress levels. I had retired and moved to Costa Rica but was struggling to adapt to the culture and behavior patterns. I turned back to food again and started relapsing.

The Loss of My Son

Then, three years ago, I received a phone call: my son, 43 years old and a chef all his life, had suffered a serious heart attack at work. His wife, a nurse, told me: “NOW!”

Through what I can only call miracles, I got to Chicago the same day. I went directly to intensive care, where he was brain dead. The doctors told me he could pass at any moment. I was the last person to see him. I held his hand, prayed with him, and told him, “If your mother comes for you, it is ok to go with her.” Ten minutes later, he died.

That day I reflected: if my son, a chef, had a 100% occluded artery from a high-fat diet — how far behind could I possibly be?

Choosing Whole Food Plant-Based

I started researching how to transition from keto — but to where? Whole Food Plant-Based made the most sense, both nutritionally and empirically. I had already cut out white flour, sugars, and processed foods, so only a few macronutrients needed revising. Yeah — like 180 degrees.

I made that choice during my mourning period to honor my son and myself.

Healing and Improvements

Looking back over the last 3 years of dedicated WFPB eating:

• My diabetes is stable, with A1C consistently between 5.4 and 5.7.

• My protein in urine has been reversed and is now normal.

• Two years ago, I developed aneurysms in both eyes. After laser surgery to prevent rupture, my eye doctor was amazed this past May (2025) that much of the scarring was gone. She told me my eyes look younger — as do I.

I attribute these changes and healing to the WFPB way of eating. I feel so grateful and blessed to have come across this lifestyle as I continue on my journey.

What I’ve Learned

The most important lesson I remind myself is to keep choosing one day and one meal at a time. The word “no” is a big trigger for me — “you can’t, you shouldn’t, you’re not allowed” — all of that causes anxiety. I’ve learned the secret is the empowering word: “choices.”

The most important question I ask myself: “What is my why?”

I’ve also learned there are many talking heads who think they know what we need. But each person is different. WFPB is a journey with flexibility and cooking creativity that makes it enjoyable and exciting. It’s about more than food — it’s about understanding nutrition, questioning “experts,” and continuing to learn and grow.

A Community That Feels Like Home

This group is a gift for me. It helps me network, learn, and be genuine with fellow journeyers on a common path in a jungle of misinformation, hidden agendas, Big Pharma, and skewed research.

For me, this group is a port in the storm. Feeling the energy of people walking the WFPB talk beats ice cream and pizza (my drugs of choice) any day.