y husband was diagnosed with diabetes and we got introduced to WFPB way of life. While Dr. Achyuthan guided us amazingly through adopting WFPB lifestyle, it was not a happy ending when it came to practical implementation in the kitchen. I remember losing my cool over 1kg of Bindi not knowing how to cook it without frying it in oil. But we were determined to go the WFPB way.

All the struggles were made worthwhile when Arun was declared non-diabetic after 3-4 months of WFPB lifestyle.

I have 2 kids aged 15 and 10 and a Mother-in-law staying with me and my parents visit me quite often from Chennai. Now I can proudly say we cook WFPB food at home and all of them have adopted it. We were clear about few things from the start. We were convinced about WFPB way of life and were determined that food will be cooked only in WFPB way at home. My family had to adopt to it, they had no choice. The kids and myself still have our cheat days over the weekends. But things never tasted or stayed the same way.

1. The packet of soya sticks would be consumed in ½ hr by my kids before WFPB. Now a packet is lying around for more than a week, the kids and I are unable to handle the amount of salt in it. Thanks to WFPB less salt food.

2. We completely stopped procuring biscuits at home. It was not an easy task especially with kids around. But kids hesitantly agreed to it. The only way the biscuits find their way into the house is when our loving guests get them. The pleasant change now is that the biscuit packets don’t vanish at the same pace as it used to happen before. In fact, if I put away biscuits, the kids don’t even ask for it. Out of sight is out of mind. No more biscuit cravings.

3. We now eat only brown rice. Other day a good friend called us over for lunch and served us white rice. My son, after getting back home, told us that he didn’t like the white rice at all and he loved the brown rice that we cooked.

4. We were visiting my parents in Chennai and both my kids fell sick. They were quite disappointed as all their plans with their grandparents were spoiled. They wanted to become better quickly, and to our pleasant surprise they started demanding WFPB kind of food with their grandparents. They refused dairy and were on high fruit diet the whole time. They got well in a day or two.

5. As for myself, though I follow a WFPB diet 90% of the time. My love for cheese makes me cheat every time I am around it. But the biggest change is that, I don’t feel the same or eat like before. I could finish a one full medium pizza just for the cheese. Now I feel bloated and pukey with just one slice and I stop eating just there. Hoping to come over this craving soon. At home now we have started making vegan cheese which is equally yummy.

6. Gobi Manchurian and any Chinese dish from any outside restaurant just doesn’t taste the same anymore. I can just taste the oil and salt in it. I now prefer the no-oil, less salt version I prepare at home.

These are just few events and occasions that I remember and there are many such occurrences over past 2 years. It’s not easy to change the kids especially when they are little grown up. What worked for us was a simple rule Monday to Friday they eat what we give them. Saturday and Sunday we will give them what they want. Initially they ordered more junk than usual, consumed dairy like never before, we let them have it their way.

Slowly we started having more conversations around WFPB and started cooking vegan stuff together especially over weekends. Our biggest achievement is that now what is cook at home is 100% WFPB and we cook all kind of cuisines. They cheat only when we order out.

I love food. I love eating out, in restaurants and even on the roadside. I never thought I would be a WFPB convert. One biggest advantage with WFPB lifestyle is that you feel so light and energetic all the time even after a full spread meal. Now every time I eat a non WFPB food, my discomforts are more amplified than before. I no longer like that discomfort and I find myself slowly choosing WFPB over other food.

I hope to become 100% WFPB soon, not because I was forced to but because I listen to my body and that’s how my body loves it."