Jared Eck
Since 2012, right after his 30th birthday and dealing with the changes he was noticing from aging, Jared Eck decided he needed to change his way of thinking as well as his lifestyle. Being raised in rural Ohio and have limited options growing up especially in a time where processed foods and quick options reigned supreme. He knew if he wanted to get different results, he needed to make changes. “One day I kind of thought back to the quality of life the people around me had as they grew older” Jared Eck recalls, “I knew I didn’t want to have to sacrifice my health to keep doing what was easiest and came most naturally to me.” That’s when he started his research and began researching different theories on extending not only our lifespan but the quality of the extended years as well.
The whole goal was to not only find ways to outlive the generational curses others around him were experiencing but to avoid ways to reverse the chances of falling victim to things like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. All illnesses he had had to learn about growing up, as different family members and family friends succumbed to, fought, and grieved through.
This became even more important to him after meeting his now wife and becoming a father just before he turned 31.
While away visiting a college friend in Washington outside of Portland, while out hiking at a nearby falls, he met Kayla Graben a local woman who ran a small yoga studio in town. After spending the rest of his trip experiencing her favorite places in town he headed back to Ohio.
Well, it took very little convincing and two more return trips before he decided the new change of scenery and a future with Kayla was what was best for his future. He loved her how different the way of living was from his own and instantly felt energized to take on this change and knew she would be alongside him on this journey.
She knew health was wealth and had been working towards a more holistic style of healing since she had a health scare right after her 26th birthday. She shared with him how she had been experiencing fatigue along with hair loss and other strange symptoms when she began going for thyroid testing. She was cleared of thyroid cancer but was recommended to adjust her protein intake to that of a more veggie heavy soy free choice and skip processed foods and meats which can make the body feel sluggish.
That’s when she knew her diet would either keep her healthy or speed up any further risk of getting a life changing diagnosis. Jared Eck and she spent much of their second date discussing her journey with her health and how she’s made changes in hopes of avoiding any more scares. He knew they both had the same goals. Live a long healthy life…. together.
Now, after starting fresh in a new town with what he calls “a place more open to alternative health ideas” he started making plans to find his version of the foundation of youth. A source of nutrients that would help make his golden years actually golden. For the honeymoon, it was agreed upon that they would travel to places not only beautiful but rich in sources of super foods. First stop, India. Spending time moving through India and ending in Thailand they spoke to locals about super foods such as Turmeric, Ginger, and lentils just to name a few.
Once back from their honeymoon, they started planning their next trip and decided on visiting a blue zone and seeing how lifestyle paired with diet contributes to a high count of centenarians. This trip helped him understand it’s not just what you eat but the quantity in which we consume. This gave way to his moderation, nutrients, and lifestyle plan. As a male in his 30’s everything Jared Eck was ever led to believe in any diet was the importance of protein. After spending time in Sardinia, Italy this view changed. “Yeah, we need protein but it shouldn’t be all about the protein, my mind was blown after realizing this.” Eck says. He began to notice meals consisted of grains, vegetables, and lean seafood but always the protein sourced was roughly only 25% of the whole meal and in most cases, there was little to none. The research he would later find helped support how this may have aided them in liver longer and without disease.
Jared Eck recently watched a documentary and recalls them speaking to the subject, “I was like, yes finally more people are speaking about this” he says in excitement. They focused on explaining that protein causes our cells to divide which can speed up the aging process, especially when the protein sources come from sources of red meat and other foods high in saturated fats. In Italy, Jared Eck shares how walking was their way of getting around, or biking farther distances and no matter where they were traveling, he noticed the number of elderly villagers he would see keeping pace or even beating his stride daily. He felt energized while visiting and looked forward to his next destination.
After welcoming their first son in the winter of 2014, Jared Eck headed to Japan early in the spring of 2015 while Kayla stayed home to care for the baby. He spent the next few weeks immersing himself in the local cultural and food. Where he noticed so many similarities from his time spent on the island of Sardinia. More diets high in plant-based proteins and grains while using spices and vegetables to add nutrients.
The lack of sugar-based options, processed foods, and heavy dairy was the start to his progress towards eating solely plant based. A concept Jared Eck was introduced to during his time on his honeymoon while traveling throughout India and Thailand. “Growing up in Ohio, where most kids came from farm families, we thought we needed animal derived products to complete each and every meal” he states. Eck quickly grew to love the creativity that came from removing that from his diet. He recalls all the different meals he had in India and how he never felt disappointed or that his meal was lacking something.
It was the opposite he tried foods he had never heard of and realized real food taste better than anything he could remember eating growing up. Now, 10 years into his health advocacy and his pursuit of fueling the movement for plant-based nutrition he feels younger and more energized even after entering his 40’s. “I know I may not solve every health issue that I may ever face but I know I have drastically reduced my risk and chances without any doubt. I feel it. I see the change and I know others will too” Eck predicts. There is no doubt he is on to something.
