Plant-based eating – the results

For the last several months, I’ve been eating a predominantly plant-based diet. My cholesterol levels had been creeping up and my doctor was threatening meds. I did not want to take medication. The elevated cholesterol levels are my only risk factor for cardiovascular disease. . I wanted to try something new. So, I gave up eating all meat. I eat dairy products, eggs and fish. Seven months later, I had my blood work done.

The results are in and I’m thrilled  that my change in eating has resulted in a big improvement! The nurse was amazed. She said “I seldom see results like this!” Yes!!

This is so encouraging! I’m so pleased that I managed to finally wrestle those LDL numbers down. They haven’t been this good in over 5 years. What a great feeling. Are they in the “normal” range? No. Not yet. There’s still work to be done. I will see what else I can do. I don’t really want to give up dairy products or eggs. I’ll need to speak with my dietitian friend, Zeina. She always gives me good advice. Might as well go to an expert.

What does this mean?

Well, I will continue to eat this way. I don’t miss meat (except for chorizo. Oh, chorizo!). I thought it would be harder to give up meat since I live with others who are most definitely not vegetarians! But, at one point, I realized that my health is very important and I want to make it a priority. I make my vegetarian meal and the family is welcome to share. If they want to eat meat, then they cook it.

My meals are delicious which made giving up meat a lot easier. Along the way, I’ve discovered some very tasty dishes, I’ve embraced oats and learned how to press tofu (yes, it’s a thing!).

Weight management

I lost a couple of pounds from last year’s weigh-in. My waist circumference was smaller as well. Losing weight was not my objective, however.

Planning – a key to success

I found that when making drastic changes, a little planning went a long way in helping me succeed. I would plan my meals and whenever possible prep them ahead of time. This simplified my weeknight meals. I also got in the habit of making overnight oats most nights. This took the guesswork out of what to eat for breakfast. Leftovers became the next day’s lunch. If I had more than one meal’s worth of leftovers, I’d freeze the remainder in individual containers. No more wondering “what do I pack for lunch?”

On the weekends, I cook more complicated dishes. I became a big fan of fresh herbs. They really add a nice punch of flavour to meals. One of my favourite snacks is yogurt with granola. I always kept a supply of my yummy maple pecan granola on hand. Sprinkled on plain Greek yogurt, added a nice sweet crunch.

So, there you go. Not only did my cholesterol numbers improve, I changed the way I eat. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?