As a practicing family nurse practitioner, I often counsel my patients on a healthy diet and lifestyle. Regardless of the complaint that they present with, the conversation often digresses to their chronic medical problems, even if they are at the clinic for an acute sick visit. As a plant-based healthcare provider, I continuously advocate plant-based eating for all of my patients. I know just how beneficial veganism is for the body, and love sharing with my patients how much their health could improve by simply changing their diet.

Hyperlipidemia, more commonly known as high cholesterol is an excess of cholesterol which builds up in the arteries. High cholesterol is a risk factor for developing peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, and stroke.1Unfortunately, high cholesterol does not have symptoms, and many people with high cholesterol are unaware of the diagnosis until discovered on a blood test.

High blood pressure (HBP), also known as hypertension, is a medical condition that is very prevalent in the United States and around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 75 million adults in the United States have high blood pressure. This is roughly about 29% of the adult population. Having high blood pressure puts you at risk for developing other diseases such as stroke and heart disease.

In today’s society, there are a thousand and one fad diets out there on the market. From low carb to Atkins to Paleo, and everything in between, there are too many to keep track of! Many people begin a diet to lose weight, and will typically bounce from one diet to the next, trying to find one that works for them. Unfortunately, most of the time the weight loss that they may have achieved is gained back once the diet stops-and they may even gain back more weight than they originally lost.

Recently, there’s been a lot of information in the news about plant-based products, and even more hype around switching to a plant-based diet. You may have seen big chains such as Burger King® and Dunkin'® advertising products containing plant-based meat such as Beyond Beef® and Impossible™ meat. So why all the excitement about going plant-based?

If you’re looking for a great vegan-friendly city with Southern charm, check out Wilmington, North Carolina. Located in Southeastern North Carolina, Wilmington has views of both the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean among other beautiful sites. With a university (The University of North Carolina Wilmington), an abundance of outdoor activities, amazing beaches, and a hip downtown, who wouldn’t want to visit? Not only has Wilmington got a lot going on, it also boasts a ton of vegan-friendly food and activities.

Hilo is a quaint town located on the Eastern side of the island of Hawaii. More commonly known as the Big Island, this Pacific Island is Hawaii’s largest, hence its name. Hilo is a sleepy town with access to some of the best and most beautiful sites that the Big Island has to offer. From lava flows, to volcanos, to plenty of exotic plants and foods, Hilo and the surrounding areas has it all! If you’re spending time on Big Island it’s highly recommended that you rent a car since public transportation is limited. This can be done at the Hilo airport as they have multiple rental agencies to choose from. However, both Uber and Lyft are operating on the island and is a viable means to get around Hilo town and the surrounding areas.

The Berkshires is geographic region located in Western Massachusetts known for its gorgeous scenery and numerous quaint towns. Due to the numerous small villages and towns, we’ve decided to group this region into one vegan city guide.

New York City is known as one of the greatest cities in the world, and rightfully so. Renowned for its world-class dining, theater, buildings, and museums, NYC has it all. Although it may be challenging to find an abundance of vegan-friendly options in certain areas of the country, if you’ve come to NYC, you’ve definitely landed in vegan heaven. New York City is even listed as one of the top ten vegan-friendly cities of the world!

After months or perhaps years of considering a vegan way of life, you’ve finally made the plunge to adopt a plant-based diet and vegan lifestyle. Congratulations, you’ve done a wonderful thing for your health, the animals and the planet! This is just the first step in the amazing journey you are about to embark on. However, with any new beginning that you undertake, there may be a few bumps along the way. I too remember the challenges I faced with this transition from non-vegan to vegan, thus I have created the following points to assist those who are new to veganism.