Lower Cholesterol is the Icing on the Cake! Bring on the Salad!

 One of the greatest benefits of eating differently this month is a very emotional one for me. Twenty-six years ago, my dad had his first massive heart attack. At 12 years old I lived in constant fear of my dad dying. I was always afraid that I would find my dad dead after suffering a heart attack. I always hoped that he would be alive to walk me down the aisle when I got married. My dad was 5 years older than how old I am now when he had a quintuple heart bypass. He was 43 when he had his first heart attack. His dad, my great-grandfather, died at 40. 

From that point on I knew what it meant to be worried about high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high this and high that. Rewind a couple of years ago, when my cholesterol levels started climbing. The first time I found out I was devastated. My doctor had me recheck my cholesterol levels every 6 months so that ultimately, we could determine if I would have to take cholesterol lowering medication. The last couple of years I was too afraid to re-check at the six month mark. At the end of these last 30 days of eating differently, it happened to be the time for me to recheck my cholesterol levels.

With the changes that I’ve made in my diet, I wanted to see if eating differently would make a difference. This past month I’ve eaten a lot of eggs and meat. I’ve also eaten a ton of vegetables and fruit. I’ve continued to exercise the same amount that I have in the past 3 years, and mind you exercise did nothing in the past to lower my cholesterol, as I exercise the same amount now.

When I got the results of my last cholesterol levels on Friday, I was in tears walking around ToysRUs. My cholesterol levels decreased 40 points. 40 points! I could not believe it. Right away I texted my people. My high cholesterol was battled and lowered by what I chose to eat. One month of eating differently has changed the course of so much of my future. It has changed the course of what I am choosing to eat and decisions I am making for my family's food choices. This is just one of the huge things of eating differently has taught me. Lower cholesterol is the icing on the cake. Bring on the salad! This has sealed the deal for me!