Imagine watching your dad survive a heart attack at the age of 47. And then when you turn 20, your doctor tells you that because of your genetics, you are headed down that same path. That information might scare you, and render you helpless. Reanna Kicinski, however, took matters into her own hands.
She got a second opinion, and that second physician recommended a plant-based diet. After a short 6 months, Reanna’s good cholesterol had almost doubled. And now 2 years later, Reanna is inspiring others to try a plant-based lifestyle, including her dad.
This beautiful story of a young woman, who tried to change her genetic destiny, is a true inspiration to all those out there who are trying to do the same. Just as Jack, whose life was saved by a plant-based diet, this story is truly an illustration of the power of plants.
Growing up in a big Italian family, her daily food was far from plant-based. Every pasta dish came with cheese and meat was also a staple in her house. When Reanna was diagnosed with lactose intolerance at age 13, she had to stay away from most dairy products from then on. Later on, she started to research more and more and finally discovered all those beautiful benefits from plant-based eating. So, Reanna gradually changed her diet more and more over the years and is now living a happy, plant-based life.
Before this journey, she struggled with body image issues and yoyo dieting – something, we can all to some extent probably relate to. But then Reanna just focused on eating plants, focused on what made her feel good and just enjoying the path without really knowing where it was going to take her.
Or, as she puts it: “But once I started to incorporate more plants and just focus on what’s feeding me, what’s making me feel good, I realized that it’s a journey and it’s a process and that then, therefore we have our whole lives to incorporate more plants and see what works.“ Always staying curious and remembering that food is more than just fuel is such a key component when becoming plant-based.
Food plays a very big role in Reanna’s family, partly due to their history and background. So, at the beginning, her transition felt like an insult to them. Cooking is personal, it’s a “if you don’t like their food, you don’t like them” kind-of mentality. But she actually managed to make her family vegan for 5 whole months! And while they returned more or less to their regular eating habits, Reanna stuck mostly to this diet. To make things easier for everyone, Reanna tries to sometimes prepare Sunday dinner for everyone, to sneak in some tasty vegan food for everyone.
Both of Reanna’s parents have heart issues. Her dad had a heart attack at 47 and although the doctors only gave him a 1% chance of survival, he made it. His heart attack was caused by a blockage. And her mom’s heart is not doing well, either. They both got it from their parents, so it’s very likely related to genetics. After her dad’s heart attack, Reanna went to see a doctor and to get some tests done. At that time, she thought she was pretty healthy – she is in her early twenties after all! But her good cholesterol, her HDL levels, was half of what it was supposed to be for her age. And the same low HDL levels were probably what have caused her dad’s heart attack, too. So, this was quite to wake up call for Reanna.
“She [the doctor] said, you can either start cholesterol medicine, but you’ll probably be on that the rest of your life, or you’ll probably end up having a heart attack by the time you’re 40, like your dad”, Reanna remembers. Understandably, neither sounded good to her. Therefore, she got a second opinion and found a health care provider that supported a plant-based diet. The doctor recommended healthy fats from plants, such as hemp, chia or flax seeds and that they would check in again after 6 months for the results. Reanna was in for a major lifestyle change and went plant-based.
Changing her diet has had some major improvements for her health, as Reanna states: “And when I went to the doctor again for that checkup, my [good] cholesterol went from 33 to 58. That was after I started eating plant-based. So that really was inspiring. I’m like, okay, this lifestyle actually works.” She thought that this was enough and went back to incorporating more animal products into her life but soon realized that this just didn’t feel right for her. As Reanna concludes this part of her story: “I just truly feel the best when I’m eating plants.”
Even though Reanna’s “bad” cholesterol is still a bit higher than it is supposed to be – due to her genes – she is happy and healthy today. This has also inspired her father to check his lifestyle. After listening to some of the Plant Centered and Thriving Podcast episodes, he started doing Meatless Mondays. And to take things even further, he is planning to be fully vegan in six months. Imagine that!
Diving deeper into all the nutrients that a plant-based diet provides, Reanna realized how one-sided her former lifestyle was. This is something that a lot of my clients realized. That although you might cut out certain products in a plant-based diet, you open up this whole world of plants that has an abundance of different foods. It is at that time that a lot of people make the connection between what they’re putting into their bodies and how it makes them feel. And as there are so many plant-based options out there, it really doesn’t feel like you’re missing out on anything.
Reanna goes on to share some advice that she has picked up over the years: “Thinking for yourself and taking everything, even people who identify as doctors, taking everything people say with a grain of salt.” And wise words, they are. While the vast majority of Americans don’t identify as vegan, they mostly can’t relate to a plant-based diet. So, focusing on what actually fuels the body is in Reanna’s opinion a better way to reach those people, too.
Because as I always say: “When you’re doing something that makes you feel good and you’re excited about and you’re passionate about, people see that.” Even though sometimes we do get judged or commented on, try to see this as genuine curiosity, rather than a personal attack. Although sometimes this can be really tough, I know!
Reanna’s story shows us that we don’t have to accept our genetic destiny. We have the power to make changes, like changing our diet or lifestyle altogether, and stack the odds in our favor. This might mean that it can take a bit of time until we’ve found our groove and maybe even have to occasionally challenge a health care professional. But as Reanna says, it’s your life. And we have to do what’s best for us!
Find Reanna on Instagram: @thechristianvegann
Find Reanna on TikTok: @thechristianvegann
**This is a personal account of one individual and does not replace the advice of medical professionals**
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