ILLUMINATION Writers

Interview with Anita Lesko

Featuring creative writers of ILLUMINATION

Purpose of the Story

In this story, I share with you an interview that I conducted with Anita Lesko. Anita is a relatively new writer on ILLUMINATION however in a very short time she was recognized by our writers and readers with her eye-opening stories related to healthcare and the medical field.

Anita shares her real-life experiences and complex health matters with simplicity and an engaging style. In addition, Anita is an avid reader and engages with lots of other writers on ILLUMINATION.

I enjoy reading informative and fascinating stories of Anita and look forward to exploring her books as well. Let’s explore the amazing world of Anita in this story!

Tell us a bit about your background, Anita.

I just completed my 5th book! After discovering in 2010 at the age of 50 that I am on the autism spectrum.

I first wrote a memoir, Asperger’s Syndrome: When Life Hands You Lemons, Make Lemonade, and had it self-published. Then I was picked up by a publisher of autism books, Future Horizons, and they published my next 3 books: The Complete Guide to Autism & Healthcare, Temple Grandin: The Stories I Tell My Friends, and Becoming an Autism Success Story. My latest book, A Food Revolution: How the Plant-Based Lifestyle Can Win the Global War on Diabetes, Obesity, and Heart Disease is self-published.

I graduated from Columbia University in New York City in 1988 with a Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia. I then took my Board exam, passed it, then embarked on my now 32-year career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. My anesthesia specialties include trauma/burns, organ transplants, neurosurgery, and orthopedic joint replacement surgery.

After seeing the movie TOP GUN in 1995, I decided I wanted to get a flight in a fighter jet. I still maintained my full-time career in anesthesia, but on the side, I became an internationally published military aviation photojournalist. I did that for seven years, writing for multiple military aviation magazines. I finally got a flight in an F-15 Strike Eagle at Eglin Air Force Base, followed by a flight in a TH-57 Sea Ranger helicopter at Naval Air Station Whiting Field. Both flights were a thrilling event! It took many years of writing, 7 to be exact to earn that F-15 flight, but well worth it.

After discovering I’m on the autism spectrum, I became an internationally recognized autism activist. I traveled all over the United States as a Keynote speaker at autism conferences. I got invited to speak at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City for World Autism Awareness Day 2017.

In addition to my own books, I write guest chapters for other authors, articles for numerous magazines, and blogging. And now I am writing articles for Illumination!

I am a vegan, and love animals. All my animals are rescues. I became a vegan a little over a year ago. I have reversed Type 2 Diabetes, got rid of high blood pressure, and lost 70 pounds (so far!). I’m now on a crusade to help others begin their own journey to good health. That’s why I wrote A Food Revolution.

Why do you write on Medium?

I love the extensive collection of eclectic, exciting, real articles and want to be part of it all.

What are your values as a writer?

My writings make my thinking and learning visible and permanent. The wisdom I have gained as I go along in life is valuable to others out there in the world. To not share it would be a bad thing. Writing also connects me to others. I learn many life lessons from reading the writings of others. Writing is a gift to share. Yes, my writing will be judged. I accept that. I never let it stop me. Even if my work only helps one person, then I shall feel fulfilled from my work. I strive to deliver content which demonstrates high value and trust. It must offer the following characteristics:

Authenticity

Connection

Inspiration

Personal Growth

Making a Difference

What are the top three books affecting your life?

Mahatma Gandhi’s Autobiography

Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose by Oprah Winfrey

I love to read autobiographies about ordinary people who became extraordinary by their determination and hard work. They overcame endless obstacles, many of which would have made others succumb to defeat.

But instead, their sheer will and tenacity enabled them to forge ahead against all odds. I identify with them because I’ve had to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles all throughout my life but no matter what, I found my way past them.

My dream is to enable millions around the world to live healthier, happier lives, and help people be rid of their underlying health conditions before the next pandemic comes along.

What are your hobbies?

Reading, writing, and No ARITHMETIC! Creating interesting and delicious vegan recipes, hanging out with my rescue animals. Working on changing the world. Seriously.

How do you connect with your readers?

I write as if I’m sitting in a coffee shop with a friend and I’m talking to them. I have a conversational style of writing, and over the years I have gotten many thanks from readers who said I made them feel like they had a good friend talking just to them.

I also like to incorporate the senses, seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, and tasting. This brings the story to life, letting the reader feel like they are there. As I write, I’m imagining that scene, and the very words I would be saying if I were really there.

Why did you join ILLUMINATION and how do you find it so far?

I thrive on diversity. That’s what I’m finding on Illumination. Each day I look at all the exciting titles, typically selecting dozens to add to my reading list.

I just love all the different styles, topics, backgrounds, cultures, everything! It is very enlightening, educational, fun, and offers new insights to a vast collection of genres.

Who are the top ten writers you follow on ILLUMINATION?

In no particular order…… Terry Mansfield, Besom & Bletherskite, Agnes Laurens, Rob Brooks, N.K. Arezi, Tom Kuegler, Cristian Mihai, Kathryn A. LeRoy, Ph.D., Tim Maudlin Yikes! I want to keep going! I enjoy everyone!

What are your top five stories that you want to share with your audience, and why?

The 6 Benefits of Cooking at Home — Most people I know never cook! They are always eating out, getting take-away food, or microwaving frozen meals. Once the pandemic set in, they were not left with too many options! I know they were in a tizzy over having to cook. This just gives them a few good reasons why they should look at cooking from a new angle, and get them eating more healthy food.

Physicians receive little to no education on nutrition in medical school — Sadly, physicians are not given any education on nutrition in medical school. This is slowly changing. They are used to reaching for their prescription pad to treat everything with pills. By doing this, they are not getting at the root cause of the problem, thus it then becomes a progressive disease. The plant-based diet can prevent, treat, and often reverse most common diseases.

With the global pandemic taking its aim at those with underlying health conditions, now more than ever we must take control of our health.

The 10 reasons why you should be drinking ginger tea — Ginger is a very potent food packed with a powerful punch of health benefits.

10 Lessons I learned from my plant-based journey that can help you get your best health ever — This is sort of a short human interest story, with the 10 discoveries I made on my journey. I hope people will see themselves, or someone they love in that same place, to inspire them to start their own journey to great health.

Researchers find that a plant-based diet can help with Alzheimer’s -

Again, the power of the plant-based diet.

What are the success factors for you as a writer on Medium?

I am still trying to learn my way on Illumination. When I first got diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum, I became an autism activist. I was not only writing books, articles, and blogs, but speaking all over the country. A common trait of those on the spectrum is having difficulty with communication with others. I have acquired the ability to be extremely expressive and open and I saw that writing my innermost thoughts enabled parents to better understand their children with autism. Thus, my writings took on the “spilling” of my thoughts and emotions to best enlighten that audience.

As a medical professional for over 32 years, with a plant-based success story, I want to help others get their best health. I like to write educational articles with tips that anyone can adopt for themselves or family and friends.

I have come to realize that I desperately need to broaden my topics! On Medium and Illumination, there’s a vast audience! Not just related to the autism spectrum, or those seeking good health! I have got a lot of life experience to share, and the freedom here to unleash it! I never give up, so I am going to keep on writing and submitting!

What do you recommend to the new writers on ILLUMINATION?

Read as many different writers posts as possible. You will learn so much by reading the different voices, styles, and topics

What are your future plans as a writer?

My life goal as a writer, however, is to change the world with my book:

A Food Revolution: How the Plant-Based Lifestyle Can Win the Global War on Diabetes, Obesity, and Heart Disease.

As I watch the global pandemic claim so many lives of individuals with underlying health conditions, I cannot simply do nothing. A year ago, I became a vegan in hopes of taking control of my health. I have reversed Type 2 Diabetes, got rid of high blood pressure, and lost 70 pounds (so far!). The plant-based diet is a research-proven way to prevent, treat, and even reverse most common diseases.

There are tens of thousands of success stories just like mine. African Americans are getting hit extremely hard with the COVID-19 virus, because they have many of these underlying health problems. I want to help this community, as well as everyone, to take control of their health and their life.

As a health care provider, a plant-based success story, and a writer, I am in a great position to have a powerful impact on my mission! I want my writings to reach around the globe, to every country, every race, every human being. We have now all seen the dire need there is to get rid of underlying health conditions. I want to be this change I want to see in this world!

Thank you for your valuable time Anita Lesko. I enjoy reading your inspiring, insightful, informative, and engaging stories on ILLUMINATION. Your thoughtful and fascinating stories are full of life lessons especially related to healthcare. I also appreciate your wonderful support to the ILLUMINATION publication and writers. Your contributions are recognized and well received by our readers and writers. I admire your nobble goal to make a difference for this world, especially for those who need your insights! I will check your books and further gain benefits from your expertise.

You can access Anita’s website from this link.

If you are a writer on ILLUMINATION and would like to be interviewed, please send a request via this link with the title of “Interview Request”.

Other Interviews

You may also check other interviews I conducted with inspiring writers of ILLUMINATION recently. These stories can provide a great opportunity to know more about our creative writers and connect with them.

Timothy Key

Desiree Driesenaar

Holly Jahangiri

Dr John Rose

Ming Qian

P.G. Barnett

Jill Ebstein

Bill Abbate

Terry Mansfield

Ann K Frailey

Woei T

Charles Roast

Julia E Hubbel

Aric D Mayer

Chris Hedges

Paroma Sen

Jeff Hanlon

Besom & Bletherskite

Sherry McGuinn

Sylvia Love Johnson

Maïa Belart

Henery X (long)

Chowa Sekai

conny manero

Sumera Rizwan

Karen Madej 💛

Kevin Buddaeus

You might check more interviews in the attached collection.

You can find inspiring profiles of ILLUMINATION writers from this story.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

About the Author

Thank you for subscribing to my content. I share my health and well-being stories in my publication, Euphoria.

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Besides self-improvement, leadership, technology, and health, I also enjoy writing about essential molecules such as alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, CoQ10, NADH, TMG, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, and other nutrients for health and fitness.