I stopped eating all meat, including seafood. I stopped eating all dairy products. I stopped cooking with oils. I wasn't part of an exercising regimen such as a gym, but walking and moving my body became a more constant occurrence.

Q: What was the reaction of your doctors to all your improved health numbers?

They told me to keep on doing what I'm doing. They didn't really ask a whole lot about it. Doctors around here do not have the interest and knowledge when it comes to this kind of eating. They go with the flow. They're not even taught this in college. But when I told them I was on this diet, one of the doctors said, "Once you're a diabetic, you're always a diabetic." I said, "No, you're not. Check my levels." I was hovering between a 6 and a 10 A1C. I'm down to 5.3 and have maintained that since I've been eating this way.

Q: You and your husband are members of the WNY Plant-Based Eaters Meet Up group. What’s that like?