My Plant-Based Family

Sometimes life takes us in unexpected directions. Events occur that alter the course of our lives—sometimes for the worse, and at other times, for the better.

As mentioned in one of my previous posts, I wanted to share how a heart attack positively changed my dad’s life. I cannot do this story justice like my dad can, so here is his account in his own words: I will then conclude with some parting thoughts of my own.

A Life Changing Story by Rusty Canevari

My HEART EVENT:
It was June 2020 and I had been working from home for 3 months due to the COVID19 pandemic. I was very content with this new work schedule as I was spending less time on the road and less money on gas. The story I want to share occurred on what I thought would be a normal Thursday afternoon. I had just started a light work-out on a home exercise machine when my wife and daughter returned from an errand. As they walked through the door I was sitting down to rest. They asked how everything was going and I replied that I felt overly exhausted and I suggested I might just lay down on the floor for a few moments. I was feeling a little cold, so I asked my daughter for a towel, but everything beyond that point is a blur. My wife dialed 911 and quickly there were several paramedics in our home. I couldn’t open my eyes, but I could sense all the commotion as one of the responders used scissors to cut the shirt from my body while others attempted to measure my vital signs. They were struggling to find a blood pressure reading and I was sweating profusely as they strapped me on a gurney and carted me off to the Emergency Room. The entire ordeal was surreal and I fought to remain present, worried that I may never wake again. As the ambulance veered through turns in our subdivision, I could envision our location and I remember a phone call to the local hospital in preparation for our arrival. Still semi- conscious as the gurney was rolling through the hallways, I recall a brief conversation with a nurse as she placed a pill in my mouth along with a sip of water and immediately, I was out. When I awoke later in the evening, I was informed that one of the three main arteries leading to my heart had been
completely blocked and a second artery, eighty percent blocked. The attending surgeon had inserted a stent through a vein in my arm and into one of the blocked arteries to restore blood flow. He told my wife that the surgery was a time critical procedure and that I could have easily died if there had been delays. Well, that’s the quick background for context, because the purpose of this story isn’t about my close encounter with death.

My FOOD HABITS:
Even though I had endured a traumatic event that day, I still had a healthy appetite that evening. At dinner time, I reviewed the hospital menu and selected several items, including one of the many meat dishes. It didn’t occur to me that I would consider modifying my current diet. I just wanted to recover from the event, return home, and continue the routine I had become comfortable with. The relationship we have with our choice of foods is a very personal topic and it stretches far beyond nourishment alone.
Most of us have emotional ties to the taste, smell, and memories of food events, such as Holiday dinners and backyard barbeques. I grew up with meat as a staple in our family diet and I had grown accustomed to the pleasures that I equated with the aroma and flavor of certain foods. I couldn’t imagine letting go of my traditional diet due to the emotional comfort that I associated with these sensations. Life can be stressful and one of my coping mechanisms was the use of specific foods, such as barbequed filet mignon, pepperoni pizzas, and home-made tacos. Over the years, I had made a compromise by transitioning from beef to turkey for my taco meat, which I viewed as a monumental concession. I also found that a quick search on the internet could provide supporting data for any decision or choice you make in life. I would celebrate the articles that promoted meat as a necessary protein for a balanced diet or I would promote concepts like moderation to justify the dietary choices I had already decided on.

My “AHA MOMENT”:
Breakfast has always been my favorite meal of the day and prior to COVID19, our family would occasionally enjoy breakfast at a local diner where the menu included plenty of meat selections along with various egg and potato offerings. During the COVID19 years of 2020 and 2021, more activities were conducted at home, including the preparation of meals. My dietary transition began while making a breakfast meal at home using plant-based sausage, plant-based eggs, frozen potatoes, and toast. After several attempts at cooking with various food types and brands, there was one particular morning where we made a complete breakfast that was literally indistinguishable from conventional eggs and meat. The smell, the texture, and the flavor all resulted in an authentic experience which I can only describe as a major “aha moment”. I was eating my favorite meal of the day, made entirely from plant- based foods, and I felt completely satisfied. This was a breakthrough moment, and we continued to experiment with various combinations, such as adding avocado, onions, peppers, or salsa. The possibilities were truly endless and to this day, I still enjoy breakfast meals, made with plant-based foods, including soy-milk in my coffee and oat-milk butter on my toast. I have many stories about other meals and discoveries, but I’m going to focus this article on this one simple breakfast that is easy to prepare and incredibly delicious.

My CASE FOR CHANGE:
I haven’t explained why I embraced a vegan diet, so I’ll share a few brief thoughts about my transition. However, I want to emphasize that these words are strictly about making a case for my personal choices. Everyone needs to make their own decisions and find their individual path as they navigate through life. My wife and daughter have been vegan for most of their lives and consequently, I’ve had a strong support network for making any dietary changes I deemed appropriate. On a personal level, I try to evaluate what I see, hear, and experience, utilizing this information to make decisions and live my life accordingly. I strive to maintain an open mind while continuing to learn about the world around me. The buildup of plaque in my arteries may have prompted me to consider dietary shifts, but I wasn’t prepared to fully commit to plant-based foods until I discovered alternatives that satisfied specific emotional and physical requirements. Once these needs were met, I chose a new approach. Because of this background, I fully understand and appreciate the resistance others might have with this subject matter
and I will finish with this final thought. Preparing and sampling one vegan meal certainly won’t harm you, but if you have a reaction similar to my experience, it might just open up an entirely new world of culinary possibilities. (I would like to share with your my quick and easy breakfast and this will be posted on another page.)

Parting Thoughts:

Back to me!

It is interesting to read this story from another perspective: that of a loved one on the brink of death. There are moments that I recall exactly the same, but there are some that I remember differently.

Something that I remember quite differently is his return home after staying in the hospital for a couple of nights. Perhaps it was not recalled well because it was a blur for my dad, or maybe it was an unpleasant memory or a difficult transition, like a smack in the face. Whatever the reason, this is what I remember:

The grief, guilt, and slight depression were at the forefront of his feelings. There was no gradual transition in diet when he returned; from the day he left the hospital, he consumed not a single animal product. I believe he felt depressed simply because his whole idea of “comfort food” had been ripped away. The enjoyment of life was closely tied to his diet, and he feared that this enjoyment had been taken away forever. This struggle was challenging enough on its own, but it was compounded by his guilt. I recall him saying that he felt guilty for reaching a point where he had a heart attack in the first place, for not listening when we warned him that a high-percentage animal diet was unhealthy. It’s difficult to confront one’s unhealthy decisions and acknowledge that despite not wanting to change, change is necessary.

Time passed before he felt completely comfortable making his own meals and experimenting as mentioned above. I recall my mom helping him a lot in the beginning. However, as his taste buds evolved and food once again became something fun and delicious, his enjoyment returned, and that is when the plant-based lifestyle truly began.

It can be very challenging to change one’s whole lifestyle because it is a lifestyle, not just a diet. Having support and motivation is crucial, and sometimes it requires time and commitment. However, if you are willing, it can be incredibly life-changing.