Lewes woman releases book on plant-based eating

IIn 2011, Dorothy Greet and her husband David Greer had no idea the journey on which they were about to embark would point their lives in a whole new direction.

Greet’s heart attack and then an article in Greer’s Cornell alumni magazine led the couple to go vegan.

“We read the article about The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD, and agreed: We are going to do this,” said Greet. “Then we threw away all animal products in our fridge and pantry!”

As they learned, they started spreading the word and hosting plant-based parties at their new home in Lewes.

Greer, a retired GE engineer, had moved to Lewes in 1995 and renovated his family’s beach cottage as a permanent home. Five years later, Greet moved to Lewes to take on a new healthcare position as director of pastoral care. Greer invited her out to dinner one January evening in 2000, and they’ve been dining together ever since.

After her heart attack and their change in lifestyle, Greer, a chaplain in the local healthcare system, decided to speak to the CEO about bringing in plant-based eating for hospital patients and for the community.

This led the organization to partner with the Ornish program, developed by plant-based eating guru and medical researcher Dean Ornish, MD. The program served the community for several years, teaching hundreds of people how to live and cook with less stress, more exercise, and to live a plant-based life. The program was shuttered during the pandemic.

At the invitation of the local newspaper, the Cape Gazette, Greet started the blog Go Veg. This brought her message to many more people, including those affiliated with the area’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Delaware, where she taught plant-based eating classes for many years.

Through it all, Greet and Greer have experienced extraordinary health benefits from their way of eating. At 93, Greer is still active, reads voraciously, does research projects and gets plenty of exercise. At 83, Greet is developing an online plant-based eating course, enjoys preparing her signature e-meals (excellent, easy, economical, ethical and Earth-friendly) and can be found cycling daily on the beautiful local trails.

“I really don’t think we would be as happy or as healthy without this way of eating,” said Greet. “I am not even sure we would still be here!”

Plant-based eating has been proven to lower cholesterol, reduce and even reverse heart disease and other chronic diseases, help with weight management, and increase overall well-being and longevity.

And Greet has now turned her 12-year passion into a book. “Go Veg With Class” was released in April and is available in bookstores, including several local sellers, and on Amazon.

The book includes a foreword by Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., MD, author of “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease,” and a preeminent physician director of the Heart Disease Reversal Program at the Cleveland Clinic.

Esselstyn writes, “Instead of injuring herself progressively every day with some elements of harmful nutrition, Dorothy has acquired new knowledge. She learned the hard way, through having a heart attack, of the nutrition that is required to make herself heart attack proof.”

The book features some of Greet’s past blog writing, including the story of how her entire family was affected by heart disease. She also includes numerous recipes and a bevy of information on the ways she and Greer have healed their bodies through plant-based living.

“Plant-based eating is not just a diet; it is a way of living that is better for people, better for animals and better for the planet,” said Greet “I hope people will enjoy the book, gain some new knowledge, and be inspired to change the way they eat and live.”

Greet will be hosting several local book signings in coming months. For more information and to purchase the book, go to GoVegWithClass.com.