As we at MamaSezz well know, changing to a plant-based diet can change your life in ways you never expected. For some, a WFPB diet can reverse heart disease. Then, for others, healthy vegan meals can reduce joint inflammation and pain. In this series, we talk with some of the world’s most soulful, dedicated (and often funny) individuals. We get to hear their stories of suffering, transformation, and service — and we learn how healthy vegan meals are an essential part of their journey.
Today we talked with Aaron Stuber, an RN, dad, and nutrition expert! Before going plant-based, Aaron was worried removing meat from his diet would put his health at risk as an athlete. Because of this, he wasn't ready to take the leap. So little by little, with the encouragement of his vegetarian wife, he started adding more plants to his diet. To his surprise, he felt amazing. Then, after diving deep into the research, he was able to understand why! 20 years later, he's still eating healthy vegan meals.
What prompted your interest in adding more healthy vegan meals to your diet?
I transitioned fairly slowly over to a plant-based diet after meeting my now wife in my early 20s. She was vegetarian at the time and I thought she had completely lost her mind. As an athlete, I had no interest in putting my health at risk by following her example but I was willing to indulge her by sharing in some plant-centered meals.
Over time I began eating that way more and more and found it to be quite enjoyable. Also, I was very interested in physiology and medicine which prompted a lot of personal research into how nutrition affects chronic disease.
The more I read the more it became clear that centering the diet around whole plant foods was optimal for a laundry list of reasons. It didn't take long for me to transition to a completely plant-based diet and eventually my wife followed suit.
That was almost 20 years ago and with the exception of eating fish maybe twice a year, I am still on this plant-based ride and loving it.
How did you transition to eating more healthy vegan meals?
Gradual change over the course of a year probably.
How were you able to stick with such a dramatic diet change?
It's interesting but I never felt like the changes were all that dramatic and I think that is because I did my homework and understood the plethora of new foods that were available to me. I never felt like I was missing out on anything, quite the contrary, I was now enjoying an abundance of colorful, delicious, hearty foods that were fueling my body and mind.
What is your life like now that you're eating a diet for longevity?
I have been a Registered Nurse for 10 years now and currently work in the Digital Health sector for a nutrition start up. I live in Boulder Colorado and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle with my family.
What is your favorite MamaSezz food/dish?
Tuna "Ish" salad spread on whole wheat toast topped with cherry tomatoes and nutritional yeast!
What are you most proud of?
Being a good dad.
If you could meet and have lunch with one person (alive or dead) who would it be?
Tom Cruise. This man cannot be stopped and is currently defining what it means to defy aging stereotypes and keep kicking ass HARD. Would be nice to meet up and see if he wouldn't mind sharing some of that secret sauce.
MamaSezz has the sauce: 7 tips for longevity
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Healthy vegan meals are the best diet for longevity. Because anti-inflammatory foods (plant-based) reduce inflammation which causes disease, repair telomeres (which unravel with age), and slow cell aging, healthy vegan meals can slow this process.
If you're interested in eating a more plant-centric diet, try the MamaSezz Detox and Reboot program with MamaSezz. Healthy vegan meals delivered, fresh.
