Karene Bejarano, a registered nurse who lives in Lake County, grew up in the country living a vegetarian lifestyle, only rarely eating meat. She ate a lot of cheese, eggs and processed foods to substitute for meat. Shortly after getting married, Bejarano started having health issues that escalated with her first pregnancy. She was told she had gestational diabetes that would go away if she kept herself healthy.
After giving birth, however, Bejarano was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Disheartened by the news, she decided to change what she put on her plate by embracing a whole-food, plant-based diet. Though she couldn’t completely eliminate her medication for Type 1 diabetes, her improved lifestyle allowed her to lower the amount she needed to take.
National Nutrition Month in March serves as the perfect backdrop for Bejarano’s story – along with the stories of five others who shared their health transformation journeys in the recently released film PlantWise.
For a taste of what a difference whole-food, plant-based nutrition can make, watch the WKMG-Channel 6 story featuring Bejarano.