"Addicts are not criminals, they are humans in pain. People who are depressed are not sick, they are humans in pain. People who are suicidal aren't crazy, they aren't humans in pain" - Adam Sud

In 2012, Adam Sud’s life was completely out of control. Once weighing nearly 350lbs and struggling with multiple addictions, serious chronic diseases, and mental health disorders. His life nearly came to an end when he attempted suicide by drug overdose.

He checked into rehab and with the help of his parents and a plant-based diet, he began a journey that led to a remarkable recovery. Reversing all of his chronic diseases and getting off all of his medications, including his psych meds within 1 year and losing 180lbs.

Adam is the founder of the non-profit, Plant-Based for Positive Change that is dedicated to advancing the research of diet and mental health/addiction, and is running the very first research study to investigate the effects of a plant-based diet intervention on early addiction recovery outcomes. He is an international speaker for the plant-based movement and addiction recovery movement.

Adam has worked in recovery centers using plant-based nutrition as a tool for strengthening recovery and relapse prevention. He firmly believes that the simplest change on your fork can make the most profound change of your life and that self-love is the root of all recovery. 

Topics discussed:

• What it’s like to be addicted to drugs

• Adam’s suicidal story and how he survived it

• Adam’s recovery journey

• How being of service helped Adam fuel his recovery and keep him on fire for not being that person he used to be

• Adam talks about their current research study called The INFINITE Study

• The importance of gut microbiome

• The importance of self-love and taking care of our body

• Simple ways to help someone who is in pain

Takeaways:

Anybody who's focused solely on the short term will is misled every single time.

Recovery is a process of becoming whole.

Recovery is always more valuable than sobriety (there is a difference).

There is an amazing transformation that occurs when you make the decisions that you want, based on how you're going to connect to what matters most to you in life.

Negative consequences don't motivate a single person on the planet.

Being of service is a human trait that's necessary for a meaningful life.

I'm not telling people they have to be vegan. But what we're showing is that there is a direct relationship between eating more plants, and your mental health outcomes.

Connect with Adam:

Website: https://www.plantbasedforpositivechange.org/ 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/plantbasedaddict

GoFundMe:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/6ah8f-infinite-study

Connect with Doug

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dougbopst

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dougbopst

Website: www.dougbopst.com/

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