I began my current journey (yes, there have been many over the decades) in January 2017. I had just moved back to my birth state and retired from seeing patients.

I wanted to have a simpler life with less stress.

I still wanted to speak to groups about at-risk youth, but air travel was not a possibility until I had my knee fixed. Due to my weight, I had put tremendous pressure on my knees during my lifetime.

My left knee gave out within a week of moving into our new home.

I was in immense pain. I had injured my medial meniscus.

I got a referral from my physician for physical therapy. I learned about exercises to strengthen the tendons and muscles around my knee. After two months, I felt I had cured my problem.

But it was far from over. Two months after seeing my PT for the last time, I tripped and landed on that same knee. Again, excruciating pain. And this time, the exercises were not helping.

I couldn't walk more than a block without disabling pain. My knee would spasm while driving my car to my doctor's appointments. My doctor referred me to Orthopedics.

By the time I had my appointment with an Orthopedist, I had already begun my lifestyle change. A friend talked with me about plant-based eating.

Some people call it vegan eating.

With my knee problems, weight, and lifestyle-related diseases, I wasn't sure I would have any quality of life to spend with my grandkids. I had metabolic syndrome with a cluster of disorders:

• obesity,
• high cholesterol,
• high blood pressure, and
• type 2 diabetes

I decided, "what do I have to lose" – other than all the problems listed above.

I jumped in completely, even taking classes to understand what was involved, how to develop a healthier eating diet, and what I would need for any gaps in nutrition that may come with cutting out all animal-based foods.

People ask, "Won't you be low on protein if you only eat plants?"

One concern I heard from many people was that I would become protein deficient if I never ate animal products. But I had learned that the animals had gotten their protein from plants, so I felt I could too. And science has backed me up.

This is where I introduce you to edamame.

Edamame comes from the legume family (beans, peas, and lentils are in this group.) People ingest edamame and other legumes worldwide for their protein, nutrient, and fiber components.

Edamame is soybeans that are not fully mature. In this case, the edamame is higher in vitamin K and folate, both critical for our health.

But soybeans are also good sources of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. According to Harvard University, "soy foods are rich in nutrients including B vitamins, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and high-quality protein. Unlike some plant proteins, soy protein is a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids the body cannot make. These amino acids come from the diet."

So, what nutrients are in edamame?

If you are curious about the nutrients in edamame, here is a rundown according to Healthline for 160 grams of cooked edamame.

How to eat edamame

Edamame is easy to use in foods. You do have to cook it because raw edamame (and many beans) contain Lectins and saponins. If not destroyed by cooking, they can wreak havoc on the GI tract and even cause leaky gut syndrome. Appropriately prepared, you can put it into soups, stews, salads, and even eaten as a snack. You only eat the seed, not the pod, which should just be discarded (or put in your compost).

I like eating edamame as part of a meal and as a snack. My favorite snack form of edamame is Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame, Sea Salt . I have made the snack my lunchtime meal since it is very filling at the recommended serving size, and I have found that by adding this product to my daily lifestyle, some of my struggles with cholesterol and type 2 diabetes improved.

It may not work this well for everyone because we could be very different in what we consume the rest of the day, how active we are, and what other health or gender differences may affect us.

It is also essential to not overeat this snack, or any bean-based product, due to increased GI bloating, gas, and diarrhea if you don't eat a lot of fiber routinely.

If you are looking for edamame to cook, you may find some fresh edamame in grocery stores, but more likely, you will find them in the frozen food section. Seapoint has two frozen food options, with and without shells. There are also other brands of frozen edamame found in stores, such as Target and Walmart

You can also grow your soybean/edamame if you are into gardening. You can get planting seeds here, Japanese Edamame Seeds ~ Soy Bean HIGH in Protein - Young Soy Bean - 80-90 Days (0125 Seeds - 1 oz) . They can be grown in both long and short growing seasons around the country.

Benefits of edamame

Soy and edamame have been a significant part of the diet in Asian countries for thousands of years. Research has shown that these populations had lower risk factors for different Western diseases until they shifted from soy and edamame to a meat and processed food-based diet.

Here is a list of health conditions which soy and edamame can help:

• Age-related brain diseases
• Cardiovascular disease
• Breast and prostate cancer
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Fertility
• Energy levels
• Inflammation
• Menopause-related problems

Some people may look at the list and argue that soy and edamame cause infertility. But studies don't back that up. Edamame has choline which helps with brain development. They also contain isoflavones which improve pregnancy and live birth rates. It is even better if the father increases his intake of these nutrients for sperm mobility and health.

The findings are mixed about breast cancer with soy intake, although more are now finding a neutral or slight benefit.

As is always stated, however, always eat in moderation since there can be problems with excess intake. The most common problem would be GI discomfort with bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

Edamame and inflammation

So, let's round back to the story of my knee. I know you wouldn't be surprised to hear that I had inflammation of my joints, especially my knees. As I noted above, edamame improves inflammation, as do several other fruits and vegetables. Edamame does this through omega-3-fatty acids, which would be the plant equivalent to fish oil. The edamame helps lubricate and thus lower the inflammation of the joints, which is also what glucosamine does.

By the time I had my surgery, I had lost over 20 pounds. My post-op course was smooth sailing, with no pain in my knee (or in my other knee) which I feel is due to the combination of weight loss and the plant-based diet, including the edamame with its anti-inflammatory effects.

So, just adding edamame to your diet several times a week can save you from needing to take fish oil and glucosamine supplements.

Edamame and osteoporosis

It has been mistakenly believed that edamame causes osteoporosis. In reality, along with the calcium it provides, edamame also contains magnesium and potassium, another nutrient that helps maintain bone strength.

Overall, edamame is a great food to add to your lifestyle menu. It should not be the only plant protein source since each provides its side dishes of vitamins and minerals, which combine to give you the healthy life you want.