LA Browns chef creates heart healthy soul food after heart scare
HOUSTON - As we head into Heart Health Month, a local woman urges everyone, especially women, to be an advocate for your own health.
She went to three doctors before getting the correct diagnosis of congestive heart failure and says it almost claimed her life.
Lakeisha Brown is now eating healthier and tweaked her business plan to make a healthy version of soul food to help others live a healthier lifestyle as well.
The kitchen is where Lakeisha's heart is. Using a pinch of this and a dash of that, she often whips up flavorful, yet healthy versions of soul food.
"One of the things that I concentrate on is not using so much sodium because it's the salt and there's salt in everything. So, it's just making those modifications as far as the type of seasoning. I use different herbs that I use more of now. Tarragon, dill, parsley, cilantro, all of those things play a part. I'm definitely using more acidic juices, lemon and things like things like that. All of those things marry pretty well and help me to make better choices," says Lakeisha.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE ‘LUNCH FOR THE SOUL’ STORIES
Since she had to modify her own diet because of heart issues, she thought it was a great time to revise her menu at her catering company, LA Browns. Her heart symptoms were so severe, she didn't have a choice.
"I couldn't walk from one end of the room to the other without stopping midway to catch my breath. I was so swollen, my feet hurt, so I couldn't wear shoes, then just sleeping in a bed was just not going to happen," says Lakeisha, as her heart problems intensified when she was lying down.
Lakeisha didn't receive the lifesaving help she needed until she went to three doctors and that's when she found out she needed a heart pump to spare her life.
"Once I got the surgery, my life now is almost as good as it was before. Obviously, there are some lifestyle changes, but for the most part I'm back to going to the gym, spending time with my friends and family, catering with my business, so I can't complain honestly," says a smiling Lakeisha.
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Lakeisha is now on the heart transplant list, because she'll need more than the pump to help sustain a long life. As she continues to simmer soul food and exercise more than ever, she pushes ahead, hoping and praying to be here for her husband and five daughters. Certainly, many emotions go into waiting for that phone call, to alert her that she'll get a new heart.
"The fact that someone else would have to no longer be here in order for me to have that opportunity to keep living. It does get a little heavy sometimes, but again, I think about my family and think about my children, my daughters and my goal is to be here to see them progress in life, as they have families of their own one day, so that is the time that I'm holding on to," shares Lakeisha.
For more information on Lakeisha's catering business visit https://www.labrowns.com
Click here to learn more about the heart pump that is helping Lakeisha.