
This is the original email from Leah that prompted me to ask her to make this video with me. Her conviction shines through in her writing. Keep scrolling down to see her helpful tips and delicious recipes.
Hi Rivka, I just watched your video on how the “secret” is affecting you. It really hit home for me. We’ve been working on our health for the past year, and now it’s time to work on our thoughts. I can’t wait to watch “The Secret” documentary after Shabbos.


I wanted to write to you because a lot of what you’ve said that you felt, I felt too when we decided that health was important to us.
About a year ago, I was talking to a woman in shul, and she told me how her mother died of cancer and her father became vegan and she did too. She said that it prevents cancer among many other deceases. She recommended that I watch “Forks over Knives”. I didn’t believe her at the time, and really didn’t want to watch it. Deep down I knew that if there was a validity to it, I and my whole family would have to change.
About a year ago, I was talking to a woman in shul, and she told me how her mother died of cancer and her father became vegan and she did too. She said that it prevents cancer among many other deceases. She recommended that I watch “Forks over Knives”. I didn’t believe her at the time, and really didn’t want to watch it. Deep down I knew that if there was a validity to it, I and my whole family would have to change.
That documentary changed our lives, physically, mentally, and spiritually. It led us to many other documentaries and and websites, and to make many changes in our lives. We changed how we think about food, health, and our government.
Meanwhile, we saw many people we know die from preventable diseases and it was so painful to watch and know that we couldn’t help them.

We see it all over. Many f us would rather suffer terrible health problems, and undergo surgeries, than to change what they eat. The desire for food is just way too strong.
We’ve seen so many improvements in my family and really hope that more people will awaken to a better diet. It’s helped us with all of our physical issues and gave us more alert and clear heads and more energy. I also believe that the more control you have over your tiavas (base desires) in food will help you with all the other tiavas,The better we eat, the healthier, longer, and more productive our lives will be to do mitzvos and study Torah ’til 120 IY”H.
I’m sorry for such a long e-mail. I have lots of tips to transition to a healthier diet, and a google doc with healthy recipes that we liked, if you’re interested.
-Leah

Some tips on Plant-based living:
The key is to change your thinking from how to get just full, to how can I maximize nutrition in everything I eat. The best thing is you never have to count calories or restrict the amount of food you eat.
I buy nutritional yeast (whole foods where they have loose grains), It has complete protein and vitamin B’s and B12 which is important for vegetarians. I put in in everything. It gives a cheesy flavour.
Flax or chia seeds are great egg substitute and full of omega 3’s . just mix with water.
We drink mostly almond milk, but there are also, soy, hemp, rice coconut, and oat milks out there. They have same amount of calcium, but it doesn’t create acidosis in your system and doesn’t leach calcium from your bones like regular milk does. It has fiber, but no cholesterol or saturated fat.
The best tasting vegan cheese imho is Daiya cheese, it comes shredded or spreadable. It melts, stretches, and has a good flavour.
Try out some new plant superfoods – Amla, Flax seeds, Chia seeds, Hemp seeds, Kale.
Instead of soda or juices, try drinking iced hibiscus tea.
We eat stews, quessadillas, pizza, soups, rice and tofu or beans, tempeh sandwiches, lentil burgers, pasta, cashew cheese is amazing, pancakes, use lots of mushrooms, seitan, KALE CHIPS, zucchini chips. The list is endless.
I buy nutritional yeast (whole foods where they have loose grains), It has complete protein and vitamin B’s and B12 which is important for vegetarians. I put in in everything. It gives a cheesy flavour.
Flax or chia seeds are great egg substitute and full of omega 3’s . just mix with water.
We drink mostly almond milk, but there are also, soy, hemp, rice coconut, and oat milks out there. They have same amount of calcium, but it doesn’t create acidosis in your system and doesn’t leach calcium from your bones like regular milk does. It has fiber, but no cholesterol or saturated fat.
The best tasting vegan cheese imho is Daiya cheese, it comes shredded or spreadable. It melts, stretches, and has a good flavour.
Try out some new plant superfoods – Amla, Flax seeds, Chia seeds, Hemp seeds, Kale.
Instead of soda or juices, try drinking iced hibiscus tea.
We eat stews, quessadillas, pizza, soups, rice and tofu or beans, tempeh sandwiches, lentil burgers, pasta, cashew cheese is amazing, pancakes, use lots of mushrooms, seitan, KALE CHIPS, zucchini chips. The list is endless.

Fork over knives
Genetic Roulette
Food Inc
Fat, sick, and nearly dead