Vegan Journey: My numbers are in

As you know, I decided to go vegan for the month of August to see what it was like. What I didn’t tell you was I coincidentally had my annual blood test on July 25, so, I’ve been able to measure the effect of following a whole food, plant-based diet on my body.

I would say I’ve been 99.9 percent vegan, as there is a small chance there was butter in some steamed vegetable dishes I ordered at restaurants. Last Friday, I was a little nervous to go to my doctor to get my results. I mean what if going vegan didn’t make any difference? Well, I had nothing to be afraid of — and I was actually impressed with the change in my numbers after being vegan for five weeks.

                             July 25      September 6       Normal Range

Total Cholesterol         219              193                0-199

Triglycerides                96                 87                0-149 (under 100 is best)

HDL                              76                 75               > 60

LDL                              124               101             < 100
 
It will probably not come as a surprise to you that I have decided to stay vegan for a while. I plan to take another blood test in mid-October to see if there has been any improvement.

I’ve only lost a few pounds, but psychologically, I feel so much better. I have less worry about my risk for heart disease and I know I am setting a good example for others. My 89-year-old mother, Frieda, has become vegan and feels fantastic and has lost a few pounds. My daughter, Alex, is about 90 percent vegan and there have been almost a dozen friends who have joined in at some degree.

For a little extra inspiration, please spend five minutes watching a TedX video sent to me today by the son of a friend. The young man in the video beat Crohn’s Disease by changing his diet!

Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFcjUMtHvt0

 

Karen