In November of 2019 I hit my highest weight, and my doctor put me on statins because of long-standing high cholesterol that kept going up. I was raised vegetarian and have been health conscious all of my life, but didn’t understand the problems with processed vegan foods, or eggs and cheese. One month of statins was enough to show both me and my doctor that I was not a good candidate for them, and that I must find another way to lower my cholesterol. I found Forks Over Knives in late December, and started following that in January of 2020. This was such a providential move, because in just a couple of months covid would change our world. I believe that my change in eating helped me to do relatively well when I did get covid, but just as important, my weight finally started to drop after years of trying every diet around, and my cholesterol dropped to normal. I lost 35 pounds that year and have been able to maintain most of that loss, a first for me. I am so grateful to be able to avoid statins and all other prescriptions (except thyroid due to a thyroidectomy) at age 66. I am not perfect with the SOS-free, but I do avoid oil, flour, and sugar almost all of the time. My salads are huge, and I eat vegetables in their natural form in quantities I couldn’t have imagined a few years ago. Both my husband and I are in excellent health as a result of this transition, though I would still like to lose another 20 pounds or so. I am learning to focus more on my health than on the scale, and to trust the plan for the long term.
When did you switch to the vegan/plant-based diet?
Conditions Improved
Cholesterol and/or Triglycerides, Depression, Digestive Health, Energy Levels, Sleep, Weight Loss
