In this second volume, Shari and Doug add to where they left off in their first cookbook, Eat Plants Love: Recipes for a Good Life. This new volume contains recipes from the Schmidts and also includes recipes from participants in the annual Good Life Challenge. Using new ingredients and techniques, this volume will help you make delicious, plant based comfort foods to add to your healthy meal repertoire.
Doug had a heart attack at age 49. Wanting to avoid another heart attack, Doug and his wife Shari, sought information that changed their lives. Over a decade later, Doug is off of all medications and lost 60 pounds and ran his first marathon. What began as a goal to help prevent Doug from having future heart attacks has led them to now help others. They found out that not only does a plant based lifestyle prevent and reverse heart disease, the leading killer of 1 in 3 Americans, it also helps with type 2 diabetes, autoimmune issues, kidney disease and most chronic diseases from which Americans suffer. It even helps fight some cancers such as breast, prostate and colon cancer. They are now on a mission to help as many people as possible take control of their health and to live a rich and full life. In January 2018, they created and lead a 10 day plant based health health initiative for 1300 staff members from 35 different school districts and were featured on Good Morning America. In January 2020 they ran the challenge again. The number of participants exceeded 3800.
What participants have said about Doug and Shari's 10 Day challenges:
"Timing is everything. I had scheduled a physical months ago before knowing about this 10 day rescue. So Monday I had blood work done and I just now got my results. My cholesterol was 194 in 2014. Today it is 133. I am not on statin drugs. I just changed my diet. Whoa!"
"I joined the challenge to start healing my body from the inside out. It wasn't about giving up food but just eating more of the right foods. This way of eating is by far the healthiest. Once you get over the detox of not having sugar, you begin to feel energized. So thankful for Doug and Shari Schmidt who have challenged and supported us all, every step of the way."
Schmidt, Doug: - Doug, a veteran teacher, suffered a widow-maker heart attack at age 49. Not wanting to spend the rest of his life on medications, he sought answers. After finding the book, "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease" by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, he changed his lifetime of eating habits. He lost 60 pounds and ran his first marathon at age 58. Doug now leads the annual "Good Life Challenge" for teachers and staff for over 75 school districts and small businesses in New York. The challenge helps educate people about the benefits of plant based nutrition and was featured on Good Morning America. Being the Gifted and Talented teacher for his school district he also teaches young children how to eat healthier in his classes "You Are What You Eat". Doug, and his wife, Shari manage the Facebook group, Eat Plants Love sharing their knowledge and expertise. Doug has a Masters in Special Education and has completed the Rouxbe Plant Based Professional Certification. He was formerly a professional baker who worked for one of the most prestigious grocery chains in America as their bakery trainer.
Schmidt, Shari: - Shari embarked on this plant based journey after her husband Doug had a heart attack at age 49. She sought out as much information as possible on the effects of a plant based diet. In 2014, Shari earned her certificate with eCornell in Plant Based Nutrition. Shari is a certified CHIP (Complete Health Improvement Program) facilitator. Doug and Shari continue to learn as much as they can about the effect whole plant foods can have on health. Each January they lead an annual 10 Day plant based challenge. For 4 years, they have run The Good Life Challenge for over 3300 staff members from 75 school districts across New York state.
