I’ve been losing classmates. My husband’s family — his mother, his uncle and two aunties — all had diabetes and passed away before age 55. We were happy just to get to 50 years old. We joyously celebrated every birthday since then. We’re now 59 and 58 years old.
I’ve been losing classmates. My husband’s family — his mother, his uncle and two aunties — all had diabetes and passed away before age 55. We were happy just to get to 50 years old. We joyously celebrated every birthday since then. We’re now 59 and 58 years old.
Our story might be different had it not been for the change we made four years ago.
My blood pressure was running up to 150 over 90, quite high since I had been 110 over 70 all of my life. Digestive disorders, stomach cancer and colon cancer run in my family. My husband’s cholesterol was very high — he was borderline diabetic and had borderline hypertension.
But within just eight months of making the changes, our blood pressure dropped back to normal, consistently and without medicine. My husband lost 30 pounds and we didn’t even notice because it came off gradually. He’s no longer borderline diabetic. His bad cholesterol level dived from 289 mg/dL to 108 mg/dL and has stayed that way the past four years. He wasn’t exercising during those eight months. It was pure diet.
Our journey to better health began with my mom, who introduced me to Saladmaster. Because of the concern with the diseases that run in my family, she was looking to change her diet. I attended a Saladmaster demo and buying that piece of Saladmaster cookware pretty much changed my life. I could see the difference in the color of the vegetables.
Even though I’m a mother of six and have cooked most of my life, I wasn’t a very good cook. During the demo, I saw how easy it was to eat vegetables, and because of my husband’s health we decided to try this system of cooking, which involves more plant-based foods, absolutely no salt and no oils. I was so inspired that we started our own garden so our family could grow and eat our own food. Very rarely do we eat out now. When we do buy produce, we try to stay organic and purchase local fruits and vegetables.
My passion for nutrition and plant-based eating continued to grow, so much so that while working at KTA Super Stores (I was there for almost 25 years before leaving to do Saladmaster full time), I was always talking about health. So when KTA had any kind of health event, they would say, “Hey, Auntie Gayle, do you want to cut some salads?” And I said, sure.
So, one day I’m cutting a salad and I see Blue Zones Project, and I said, “Oh my goodness, we’re so like-minded — educating people on how important it is to eat more plant-based foods and see health and well-being thrive in our community.” I gave my name and number and got involved.
I now volunteer to do Blue Zones Project healthy cooking demonstrations, which are free for the community, and I love it. I really feel connected, especially this past event in Pahala. As we did the carrot test, folks saw how vibrant the carrots’ color was in the water.
Then when they tasted it before I had it in the water, and after — it’s like it connects: “Wow! Nutrients. Wow! Color. Wow! Taste.” There was no chemical attack on the food. The richness and the flavors of the vegetables in the food — they could taste it and enjoy it, and that made me happy. If I changed one family in that whole place, I succeeded.
I love that KTA has partnered with Blue Zones Project. I feel like this is a road to good things as far as spreading the word about health and well-being, how easy it is to eat healthy, and how we can use what’s in our backyard or in our produce departments.
I also really like the Blue Zones Project message to families and the community. Gardening together, walking together, down-shifting together and finding a place where you can benefit spiritually — all of those things are me! I feel like that’s my life, that’s my heart for every family. I think the family that eats together and prays together, stays together. Honestly. It’s all around the table.
Food is key, but my dream is to make sure everybody knows how to prepare it properly so it has its maximum nutrition benefit for each person. I am so passionate about seeing others benefit from a plant-based diet that I have cooking lessons in my office every week. It doesn’t matter if we have three people or 20 people. We’ll go for even one because our heart is to change one family at a time.
Gayle Yogi is a lifelong Hilo resident who transformed her health by implementing a more plant-based diet. She shares her passion for healthy cooking with others through the Saladmaster cooking system and Blue Zones Project.
Brought to Hawaii through an innovative sponsorship by HMSA in collaboration with Healthways Inc. and Blue Zones LLC, Blue Zones Project is a community-by-community well-being improvement initiative designed to enable community members to live longer, happier lives with lower rates of chronic diseases and a higher quality of life. To learn more about Blue Zones Project, visit bluezonesproject.com.
This column was prepared by Community First, a nonprofit organization led by KTA’s Barry Taniguchi and supported by a volunteer board of local community leaders. Community First was established in 2014 to help the community respond to the health care cost crisis and support initiatives that change health care from just treating disease to caring for health. To learn more about Community First, visit CommunityFirstHawaii.org.