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After undergoing quadruple bypass surgery and then a surgery to insert stents after one of veins gave out, former President Bill Clinton decided to pull a 180 when it came to his diet: He’s now a vegan. Hailing from Arkansas, the politician was used to a diet that revolved heavily around meat, cream-filled batters, and heavy cheese. He said goodbye to it all. And, after three years of his new, vegan lifestyle, Clinton boasts a 30-pound weight loss — what’s even more impressive: He hasn’t gained it back — and claims he now feels more energized (a symptom that probably stems from his love of the protein-packed quinoa).
Most vegans don’t suffer a bodily trauma like Clinton did back in 2004, but Clinton hopes to spread the importance of a healthy diet to the rest of the country after discovering that his own eating habits could have been sending him to an early grave. So, what was the main factor that caused him to sacrifice his frequent trips to McDonald’s and excessive cake consumption? Becoming a grandfather. Clinton, now 66, underwent the quadruple bypass when he was just 55. Linking his questionable eating habits with his all-to-early heart problems, Clinton figured that changing his diet would be the key to making it to old age.
So far, it seems he was right. Since adopting the vegan lifestyle, Clinton hasn’t suffered any additional heart complications and has successfully found dairy and meat substitutes that are to his liking (he’s a fan of skipping the mashed potatoes and going with whipped cauliflower instead).
Clinton’s appreciation for his three years of healthy living doesn’t just revolve around his choices and those of his family; instead, he’s using his own experiences to educate and and, potentially, help the nation. According to Clinton, much of the country’s health care issues can be traced back to what and how people are eating. By altering bad eating habits, he says, you can change the well being of not only the individual, but also the country.
Well said, Clinton. And while the vegan diet may not be for everyone, there are still plenty of ways to improve your own health and, apparently, the health of your country.
What do you think of Bill Clinton’s choice to go vegan?
Kudos to you Clinton. I could NEVER do that, I love meat farrrrrr too much! lol
I think it’s great. I’m a vegetarian, myself, not for health purposes but because I am a huge animal lover.
I’m happy to see veggie lifestyles getting more and more popular but I do hope that people don’t lose sight of the fact that its sometimes a moral choice too.