Ayesha Langston

Ever since attending a Chickpea and Bean meeting I began a vegan plant based diet and my overall health has improved tremendously on so many levels. The obvious health benefits are amazing but I’ve also noticed some unexpected bonuses that I had no idea could come from simply changing my diet. Shortly after I gave up all animal products, the first thing that I noticed was a tremendous increase in my energy, I no longer felt sluggish or lackadaisical. There would be days where I felt as if I had overexerted myself physically having done no exercise or vigorous movement whatsoever. I would push the snooze button on the alarm clock 5 times before I would roll out of bed trying to start my day. Now I have no issue waking up and getting moving without all of the “I’m tired” drama. In addition to waking up feeling good, there’s the added bonus of falling asleep much quicker and easier. As a makeup artist my skin is extremely important to me, I’ve tried various expensive facial cleansers and devices to try to create a smooth complexion and I was amazed to see that after 4 weeks, my skin began to clear up and my complexion was beginning to even out, all without the use of any pricey products. The biggest surprise of all was the dramatic decrease in my resting heart rate. As a child, teenager and young adult I suffered from issues with tachycardia, although rare, sometimes it was so severe hospital visits were required, so monitoring my heartrate was something I was used to doing. In December of 2014 I had a resting heart rate of over 100 bpm, in January it dropped under 80 bpm and now I’m at 68 bpm which is something I thought I could never achieve. In addition to these great benefits, my hair and nails started to grow longer, my immune system strengthened, I no longer suffer from acid reflux, and although I am not a fan of the scale I know I shed some pounds because I have been able to purchase clothing in a smaller size. Overall I feel like this was a great decision and I’m looking forward to reaping long term benefits. -Ayesha