Lauren Bernick
My name is Lauren Bernick and I am the founder of Wellelephant.com. My Journey began three years ago. I sat in a cardiologist’s office crying my eyes out. He told me that I had a 20% chance of having a heart attack within the next ten years. I was 46 years old. I had a family history, my cholesterol was 288 and I had some calcifications in my arteries. He told me the only thing I could do was eat healthy (which I thought I was), exercise (check) and take a statin to lower my cholesterol (nope).
I was already eating “healthy fats” as the cardiologist instructed and it was getting me nowhere. My father told me about Dr. Esselstyn’s book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. I was encouraged by the fact that it has 30 years of proven results to its credit. It is a very low-fat diet and it is the direct opposite of what my cardiologist recommended to me. Dr. Esselstyn, also a cardiologist, believes the epidemic of so-called "healthy fats" is contributing to heart disease. I was confused at first but, I felt I had nothing left to lose. So, I jumped in full force.
I worked the program. To be honest, it has been difficult at times. It requires planning ahead and schlepping food everywhere I go. I have to take my own dinner when I go to book club. I have to call ahead to restaurants to see if they can make me something appropriate and sometimes I even have to bring my own food to a restaurant. But, so what? I did it. I really have begun to reverse a very nasty disease by eating a low-fat, plant-based diet. I have dropped my cholesterol 110 points without medication, lost nearly 20 pounds and I feel fantastic. Most importantly, I no longer worry that I’m going to drop dead from a heart attack. This website will provide you with all the tools and support you need to begin and maintain your low-fat, plant-based diet. Jump In!
Why Wellelephant? How many times are we asked, “Will I get enough protein?” The answer is: “YES!” That was one of my motivating factors in naming this site, “Well Elephant”. No one asks the strong, plant-eating elephant where she gets her protein from.
~A reflection of her wonderful sense of humor that fueled her time as a standup comic and semi-finalist in Roseanne Barr’s Funniest Mom in America contest and a huge asset developing her site and presenting at her events in Austin, Texas.~
“No one can become a well-balanced herbivore on their own...we need the support of our "herd."” Learn more about Lauren at Wellelephant.com where she shares her recipes, menus, resources and videos to help support each of us to health!
