The Vegan Posse welcomes its first mother-daughter duo! Zina Znayenko and her daughter Tatiana Znayenko-Miller are both long-time vegans and living examples of the power of plant-based eating. In this super special episode, they discuss their overlapping vegan journeys, whcih include their own respective real-life “medical miracles!”
First-generation Ukrainian-American Zina was a fat vegan, yo-yo dieter, and binge-eater for most of her adult life. She's discovered veganism after reading the book Diet For A New America by John Robbins. While it changed her life and her worldview, it did not change her waistline. She gained and lost the same 50 pounds for almost a decade.
In 2015, thanks to her brilliant daughter, Tatiana, Zina inadvertently discovered whole-food plant-based eating through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Kickstart program. She finally achieved – and has maintained – a full 100-pound weight loss. More importantly, she cleared up her lifelong cystic acne and eradicated all traces of two early-stage cancers, a host of systemic inflammatory conditions, and debilitating aches and pains in her limbs.
Since then, Zina has pursued further graduate work in the area of integrative health and medicine, numerous certifications and partnerships, and discovered the wondrous mentorship of Dr. Doug Lisle, Dr. Alan Goldhammer, Dr. Frank Sabatino, Jayney Goddard, Chef AJ, and especially our beloved Dr. Jen Howk. Following the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zina began working as an educator for Plant-Powered Metro New York and has continued to expand her self-understanding and improve her self-care, in a constant endeavor to manage that pleasure trap!
Tatiana (Tati) Znayenko-Miller currently lives in Washington, D.C. with her rescue collie, “Kolie.” Tati is a graduate of both the MSHS in Integrative Medicine and BSHS in Emergency Medical Services Management programs at George Washington University (GWU). She is currently pursuing a DrPH in Preventive Care at Loma Linda University.
Tati works as a Clinical Research Specialist at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Her primary work is concentrated on elucidating the effect conferred by a plant-based diet on insulin requirements in adults living with type 1 diabetes. She has also contributed to research exploring the utility of a plant-based diet in the alleviation of vasomotor symptoms in women experiencing menopause; and in women experiencing endometriosis symptomatology. She is currently facilitating an innovative study, in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield, exploring how a plant-based diet may reduce health care spending across a period of 24 months in adults living with type 2 diabetes.
Tatiana was recently appointed the primary investigator on a series of studies exploring the relationship between dietary advanced glycation end-product (dAGE) consumption, metabolic disorder, vasomotor symptoms, glycemic variation, mood, and quality of life. In her free time, Tatiana enjoys practicing and teaching Bikram Yoga. In January of 2023, Tatiana received her RYT-200 from Trimurti Yoga in Quito, Ecuador.
Resources:
PCRM Kickstart: https://www.pcrm.org/vegankickstart
Diet for a New America by John Robbins: https://www.amazon.com/Diet-New-America-Choices-Happiness/dp/193207354X
Vegan novel Marrying Myself by Christine Melanie Benson: https://www.amazon.com/Marrying-Myself-Christine-Melanie-Benson/dp/1685130763/
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