Carrot Hugger: There and Back Again

Outside Food Gatherers Warehouse, a food bank and rescue program in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Some call the giant carrot sculptures out front Carrot Stonehenge. I call it an interesting stop on our 2025 Midwest Road Trip.

Like many, my journey to better health began in a doctor's office. The year was 2018 and my blood pressure was high, too high. My reading that January was 160 over 96, stage 2 hypertension according to the American Heart Association.

This came as no surprise considering the genetic hand I'd been dealt. Just about everyone in my family had high blood pressure, many of them taking medication to curb the issue.

I believe in modern medicine. When I threw my back out in 2017, I didn't care what they shot me up with, so long as the pain subsided. But if I can avoid pharmaceuticals I will. And high blood pressure felt like something I could fix naturally. I wanted to try.

So, seven years ago, I decided to adopt vegan eating habits in an effort to escape the hypertension zone. My husband Derek had already been vegan for three years. If nothing else, jumping on the bandwagon meant we would no longer have to cook separate meals.

The change worked.

A giant carrot outside a motel in North Conway, New Hampshire. We did not stay there but couldn't resist stopping for a photo!

It took time, but with adjustments to my diet (and regular meditation) my blood pressure started to go down. My doctor put away the prescription pad. Last October my reading was 112 over 62. Blood pressure challenge accepted and solved!

In 2025 I started seeing a new doctor, and she raised concerns about my cholesterol. I read up on foods that may help lower cholesterol, salmon among them. I love salmon, along with other seafood. With no objections from my doctor, I added fish back to my diet. Suddenly, I'm pescatarian. The jury's still out on whether this change will help lower my cholesterol, but my next round of bloodwork should indicate if I'm trending in the right direction.

Everyone has to discover their own recipe for success, whether through traditional, modern, or alternative medicine, or some combination. This new blog series is titled Carrot Hugger because carrots are one of my favorite vegetables. In this blog I'll share my journey from a vegan diet, to becoming pescatarian, to continuing avoidance of gluten and dairy. Along the way I'll include some of my favorite vegan and gluten free recipes, brands, and restaurants.

Happy reading and to our health!