Keely Frost arrived to vegan cooking for her health rather than for trendiness or ethics.
Having struggled with borderline hypertension for years, she chose to investigate how her diet may help her heart. “My doctor mentioned diet, but none particularly clarified what that meant,” she says. “So I began looking at it.
She found surprising what she discovered. Many of the items recognized to reduce blood pressure—leafy greens, legumes, whole grains, berries—were already mainstays of plant-based diets.
Keely thus jumped forward, pledging a vegan lifestyle with an eye on heart health.
She originally concerned it would be constrictive. But what she found was plenty. She started adding more color, more texture, more taste rather than reducing.
Garlic, spices, fresh herbs, and a rainbow of fruit crowded her kitchen. While tofu adopted strong marinades and oat-based breakfasts became a nouraging routine, lentils cooked softly on the stove.
Keely was eating deliberately, not only cooking differently. And the outcomes told for themselves. Her blood pressure measurements started to become better a few months ago. Her momentum steadied. She started sleeping better as well.
More importantly than the figures, though, Keely sensed an emotional change. She explains, “I was reclaiming control while yet feeding my body.” ” It felt strong.”
Today, she continues to cook easy vegan meals, not out of obligation, but out of love — for herself, and for the future she’s building one bite at a time.
