In September 2015, I decided to stop eating meat after watching several documentaries detailing the meat industry and its treatment of animals. What I had seen would haunt me forever and prevent me from wanting to ever partake in the harming of animals in any way again.
Over the course of the next year, I avoided meat entirely but continued to eat processed foods, oil, and sugar. Although I was strict about not eating meat, I was more lenient with occasional egg and dairy products. I gradually got to a point where I chose to avoid those foods on the weekdays but allowed them on the weekends. Those weekends sometimes included Monday… and maybe even Tuesday. During this time, I began to have some medical issues and a few strange episodes that led me to eventually see a neurologist in June 2016. The neurologist had her suspicions and ran extensive blood work and ordered an EEG. The results were not good. The blood work showed my autoimmune antibodies were very elevated, and the EEG showed that I had been experiencing partial seizures. She put me on medication and wanted to repeat the blood work in September before referring me to a rheumatologist. I began to experience gradually worsening joint pain and thought maybe it was a side effect of the seizure medication despite that not being listed as one. I went off the medication, but the pain did not go away. It only got worse. There were days that my hands and fingers were so painful and swollen that I could barely move them. I was terrified since I write extensive psychological reports for my job as a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology. How was I going to write if I could not move my fingers? I discussed this privately with my boss who was very understanding and suggested using dictation software so I would not have to type. This only amplified my fear that I would be disabled for the rest of my life. I knew that any medication would have side effects that may be just as bad or worse than the disease itself.
In September, the neurologist ran the blood work again. The results were exactly the same and I was referred to the “best rheumatologist” in my large city. On my way to the appointment on November 15, 2016, I called one of my brothers, who is a physician, in tears just knowing that the news would be bad news. He could only tell me that I needed to stay positive and that he was there for me. At my appointment, my worst fears were realized after my examination when the rheumatologist looked me in the eye and told me I had lupus. I was in shock. I called my loved ones crying on the phone not knowing what kind of future would lie ahead of me. When I went home, I researched every single success story out there on individuals who had overcome an autoimmune disease. The success stories had one common theme: whole foods plant-based vegan diets with no oil, salt, or sugar. Some had also eliminated gluten. For the first time in months, I felt hopeful. On that day I changed my diet for good. I cut out all animal products, oil, salt, sugar, gluten, and even coffee. Within a week, my finger pain had diminished. Over the next few months, my overall pain, hair loss, and extreme fatigue gradually lessened, until one day I realized that I felt normal again. There were days that I even forgot that I had lupus. And, I have not had a seizure in 1 ½ years… the longest time I’ve been seizure free in 4 years.
Today, 9 months after my diagnosis, I feel totally healthy and normal with no symptoms of lupus at all. I am 100% compliant on this plan even on the weekends. I lost 10 pounds and take no medication at all. I go out to eat and travel extensively always sticking with my plant-based eating lifestyle. My partner, my friends, and my family know that wherever we go I will order a gluten-free plant-based dish and request no oil. I have learned to research places ahead of time so I know what to expect and what to order. I love to talk about my eating habits and how they changed my life. As a result, I love inspiring others to follow this path as well.
Jami Heymann
Reprinted from Sweet Veggie Life
