About
Welcome!
I’m Carrie and this is my blog about whole food, plant-based living. I started blogging in 2009 at Love Healthy Living and re-launched this site as Carrie on Vegan (taken from the British expression “Carry on…”) in early 2011 to reflect my change to a healthy, vegan lifestyle. My cooking philosophy is to use whole food ingredients with a minimal amount of oils, salt, or added sugars. My hope is to inspire you to make easy, health-promoting meals at home that are 100% delicious.
My background:
I love to write and my undergraduate degree is in English. After college, I worked in non-profit healthcare fundraising and earned an MBA in marketing and entrepreneurism at the University of Southern California.
In 2005, I switched gears and began pursuing my interest in nutrition and wellness. I spent several years taking the background courses necessary for my field. I am currently working on a master’s degree in public health (MPH) in nutrition and finishing a didactic program in dietetics. I hope to use my education and experience to write about nutrition and health issues and spread the word about healthy, plant-based living.
In early 2012, I joined the Our Hen House team as a contributor. Our Hen House is a non-profit, multi-media organization dedicated to mainstreaming the movement to end cruelty to animals. At the same time, I also joined the non-profit Nutritional Research Foundation (NRF) team as a website content writer. The NRF is focused on promoting clinical research to prove the connections between a high-nutrient diet and the prevention and reversal of chronic disease.
My personal life:
I live in California with my husband and our two kitties. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to devote time to my blog. I read each and every comment and try my best to respond to everyone. When I’m not at the farmers’ market, in the kitchen, or studying for my degree, I make time for doing yoga, hiking, spending time with friends, and taking pictures. Also, in November, 2012, I released a recipe app called Vegan Delish for iPhones and iPads. The app costs $1.99 and can be downloaded from the App store here.
My journey:
I have not always led the healthiest lifestyle and only started cooking several years ago. Until then, I was eating out at restaurants or throwing together whatever I could in the shortest amount of time. I was inspired by the movie Super Size Me in 2004 to think about how I was fueling my body. Once I became interested in changing my habits, I read whatever I could about nutrition. I learned how to cook mainly by watching cooking shows, reading cookbooks and joining the blogosphere.
Here’s one of my “before” pictures taken in 2004 or so:
In September of 2010, I took steps toward becoming vegan as a result of learning about the atrocities of factory farming and how animals are treated when raised for food. My thoughts on nutrition and my recipes are heavily influenced by the work of Joel Fuhrman, M.D., who advocates a nutrient-dense diet for disease prevention and reversal (read a profile of me published on Dr. Fuhrman’s blog here).
Since becoming vegan, I have successfully reversed many health issues that had plagued me for years including migraines, seasonal allergies, and anxiety. Then, in late September, 2012, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and my world was turned upside down. I had surgery on October 15, 2012, to remove my thyroid gland. So far, I am recovering well and am living cancer-free. To read all of the posts related to this issue, please click here.
Here is a picture taken of me feeling healthy and energetic in February, 2013:
The experience of overcoming my health challenges including cancer has changed a lot of things for me and has sharpened my focus on reaching my goals. I am working on developing my activism and continuing to work on my emotional health and my ability to manage stress. I love the quote by Gandhi that “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. … We need not wait to see what others do.”
Questions or Comments?
I thrive on input from readers and fellow bloggers. Please feel free to e-mail me at carrieonvegan @ gmail.com (one word, no spaces) if you want to ask me something directly, but please note I cannot give specific health or nutrition advice.
Disclaimer: The information on this blog is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. Consult your physician before making any changes to your diet or exercise program.
Copyright notice: All images and content are owned by Carrie on Vegan, unless otherwise stated. Please e-mail me at carrieonvegan @ gmail.com (one word) to request permission to use my content.
