4 Months
Today is our 4 month anniversary - we started following a vegan diet on 7/7/7 (a most auspicious date).
Today was also the day of my annual check up. Jane and I have been eagerly awaiting today as a day of validation. We have been operating under the assumption that when I got back my bloodwork we would see a dramatic improvement (not that things needed all that much improving.) Unfortunately, the wind was taken out of our sails a bit. Although there was improvement, it was certainly not dramatic enough to shout from the rooftops that we all should be eating vegan.
So, how'd I do?
To date, I've lost 15 pounds. (Only 1 pound in this last month, but you can attribute that to Jane's muffins.) Remember, this is with NO EXERCISE, and no reduction in quantity of food I'm eating.
- My total cholesterol went from 154 to 147 which is a 4+% improvement. Ideally <150
- My HDL (that's the good stuff) went from 46 to 41 which is an 11% reduction. Ideally, it should be over 50 and this can be improved with exercise. Something I'm not doing much of these days. Good > 40
- My LDL (that's the bad stuff) went from 69 to 62 which is a 10% improvement. Ideally <130
- My Triglycerides went from 196 to 221 which is a 13% increase, and not so good. Ideally <150
- My fasting glucose went from 92 to 87. Both numbers are completely within the normal parameter, and show I have no concern about diabetes. Normal is <100
- My blood pressure remained the same.
The most distressing thing for me is that the changes don't seem to be significant enough. We were expecting dramatic improvements. The increase in triglycerides isn't so troubling. The test doesn't really reflect anything more than what's been going on the few days before you take it, but, are we eating too many carbs? It's just so frustrating that this stuff is so complicated. And living the vegan life can be really tough at times.
One more point: I took my blood test a few weeks ago due to scheduling concerns, so this really reflects 3 months of vegan eating.
So, is it worth it? Jane goes for her physical at the beginning of December. We'll evaluate then, but I've got to say, today I miss milk, and turkey, and...
Related Information:
Happy to have found your blog. I’m just reading through and this post caught my eye. I do hope that you have felt it to be worth it. The health benefits are no doubt there, but the environmental benefits are tremendous as well. It’s just a great choice all around. I’m only getting started, but I am excited and hopeful.
Hi Karen,
Jane and I are committed to our vegan diet. Although, we’ve moved from being wholly motivated by our health to being equally motivated by all three: animal rights, the environment, and our health.
Good luck in your journey! Feel free to ask for help if you feel you need it.
Lane (& Jane)
Awesome job on this post.