“WELCOME AND THANKS FOR BEING A PART OF OUR HEALTHY COMMUNITY.”
– NANCY MONTUORI (AKA ORDINARY VEGAN)
Hi – I'm Nancy Montuori, a free-spirited music loving girl with a passion for health and spiritual wellness. Here is my story.
At a very young age, I contracted a disease that landed me in the hospital for six months inside an iron lung. When I was released from the hospital I was in need of daily therapeutic exercise to restore movement to my limbs. My family couldn't afford physical therapists, so my care fell into the hands of my loving aunts, cousins and God parents. Because of their diligent physical therapy on my body, I credit them for my ability to walk again and fully heal. My illness has had a powerful impact on my life, and I have always strived to eat healthy and take care of my body. I never wanted to be sick again. Unfortunately, I fell victim to our government's food pyramid, advertising and the latest food trends. I was taught that I needed to drink cow's milk to get strong bones and needed to eat meat to get protein. None of that was true. Unfortunately, if you say something enough times, it becomes the truth. Sadly, I was following dietary recommendations from people that I trusted, that were actually hurting my health and well being.
On May 1, 20ll, everything changed. I went to see the documentary “Forks over Knives”. After watching that movie, I decided “diets” weren't going to cut it anymore. What I needed was an overhaul, a complete transformation. “Forks over Knives” proved to me that meat and dairy were ruining my health. So I adopted a plant-based lifestyle. In a very short period, I was able to discontinue my statin medication for high cholesterol and my energy level was sky high. Those were just a couple of the immediate health benefits.
Before I became vegan, I never thought about the impact my diet had on animals. I knew I had a strong visceral reaction to animals being killed, but somehow it didn't translate to my plate of food. Now I believe if I am buying an animal product, I am participating in the killing of that animal. In the United States alone, 10 billion animals a year are being killed to put food on our plate. It has become such a big business that the majority of these animals are subjected to extreme discomfort and pain in the name of efficiency. They are also fed hormones that shouldn't be consumed by human beings. Some product labels such as “organic”, “hormone-free” and “free-range” are misleading. While products with these labels are certainly more likely to come from animal-friendly farms, they are not guarantees. Products may be certified organic and still be obtained from factory farms with inhumane practices.
I realize now that health and wellness isn't a destination, but an ongoing relationship with your own body. A compassionate relationship, built on kindness and respect to myself, animals and the planet. Becoming vegan has changed my life. I am kinder. I have become empowered. I faced my fears. I transformed. I healed and it all started with a plant-based diet.
Now my focus is to share this amazing journey and help you follow your dreams. Always remember, the key to weight loss and health lies not in controlling calorie intake or fad diets, it is about living a compassionate life through plant-based cooking. Transformation isn't easy, but you are worth it. Let Ordinary Vegan show you how.
Now on to cooking.
I'm very passionate about food and about showing people that vegan food can be delicious. While I have no formal training, I love creating healthy meals and experimenting with new foods and flavors. I am proud of the recipes that are posted here and I hope all of you can learn from my mistakes. In 2013, I became certified in plant-based nutrition from the leading certification program in the country, Cornell University. I take the responsibility of writing this blog very seriously with the goal of creating solutions for people that involve all aspects of living well, including health, wellness, weight loss and spiritual well being.
On the personal side.
I am a native Bostonian and currently reside in Los Angeles. I enjoy traveling, listening to music, film, writing, yoga, meditation and getting involved with charitable activities. My goal is to inspire, share ideas and delicious recipes. Whatever you take from Ordinary Vegan, I hope it helps you in your journey. Sending you lots of vegan ♥ and compassion. Now let's get our plants on.
Contact
Nothing brightens my day more like email in my inbox or comments on my blog, so feel free to send me a hello questions@23.235.200.4 or leave a comment.
Ordinary Vegan is available for cooking demonstrations, classes, life style coaching, speaking events or guest columnist. Contact me here.
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