Nine years ago I first began a plant-based diet. If you had told me eight years and one day ago that I’d so much as consider a vegan diet, I would have said you were bananas.

I first made a commitment to try a plant-based diet with my husband when we were in the hospital about to welcome our first child into the world. My husband had been on a sincere out-of-the-box style quest to improve his quality of life with type 1 diabetes. A friend recommended that he read T. Colin Campbell’s The China Study and he became so excited and inspired by what Dr. Campbell found in the connection between nutrition and chronic disease that he wanted to give it a try. So on this uniquely huge day in our lives, we made what, at the time, felt like an easy, kind-of-exciting, (not-long-term) decision to try a vegan diet. We had two new beginnings that day - we shared our first purposely vegan salad and eight hours later we embraced our beautiful baby for the first time. I love that these moments happened on the same day.

We saw pretty quickly, and then also in gradual ways over the long-term, how this benefited both of our health. His blood sugar control dramatically improved and I saw exciting improvements in my weight management, skin, and vision. And my second pregnancy was free of many gnarly side effects that I experienced in my first (thank goodness!). Overall, we both plain just felt better and for me there was no question that this would be our new way of life. I wanted to completely understand the theories and facts behind whole-food plant-based nutrition so jumped in whole-heartedly to research, books, blogs, and classes that completely turned upside down what I understood about the connection between food choices and health. And food choices and the environment. And food choices and the treatment of animals.  And globally how our food choices impact others.

I created Plant Based Santa Barbara to be a resource dedicated to exploring these connections within my local community, including –

• the impact of nutrition to improve overall health and contribute to the prevention, treatment, or reversal of many common chronic diseases

• how our food choices extend beyond our own bodies, and

• how easy and fun it can be (especially with some support!) to learn and live more plant-based.

I love Santa Barbara and believe in the power of our community to be at the forefront of innovation of all kinds. I hope this site encourages you to start your own exploration - whether that be inspiring a discussion with your family or your health care provider. Or to do your own reading or research on nutrition and food choices and their impact. Or perhaps it just plain gives you a few (or a lot of) ideas on how to eat a little (or a lot) more plant based!

I’m so glad you’re here. Please surf around. Follow us. Stick with us. Eat with us. Thrive with us. Be kind with us. Step up your environmental game with us. Or share us with a friend. :)

All my best for happy reading and healthy living,

Beth Skidmore, MSACN
Whole Food Plant-Based Nutritionist
Public Health Advocate
Nutrition Educator
Plant-Based Mother for 8+ Years

PBSB in a Nutshell

Plant Based Santa Barbara is a community-minded wellness and lifestyle website and your go-to resource for plant-based living by the sea. Santa Barbara has long been a center for community innovation and PBSB is dedicated to bringing the national discussion on plant-based nutrition local while sharing tips for whole food living in Santa Barbara. If you want a little bit of inspiration to incorporate more plant foods into your life or are looking to make a larger shift, we're here to support you on your journey.  

Formalities

Beth Skidmore is a 22 year-Santa Barbara-loving resident who believes everyone deserves the best shot at a healthy, happy life. Beth is a Whole Food Plant-Based Nutritionist, certified specialist in Plant Based Nutrition by the T. Colin Campbell Foundation and whole food nutrition geek. Beth earned her M.S. in Applied Clinical Nutrition with honors from New York Chiropractic College in 2019. Beth is a proud UCSB alum with a B.A. in Communications and a minor in Global Peace and Security. She has additionally completed masters level coursework in public policy and administration; earned professional certificates in fundraising and marketing for nonprofits, grant-writing, and graphic design; and is grateful to have served as a professional fundraiser for 15 years, helping to build community around shared missions and raise more than $30 million for local nonprofits over the course of her career. As a mother and plant-based enthusiast for over seven years, paired with her background in nonprofit work, she believes in the power of a plant-based lifestyle to improve your personal health landscape while being one of the most effective ways to take individual action to make a global impact.