My total cholesterol was never high. Average normal range is 150-200. Mine ranged between 150-175 through the years until we became vegetarian then vegan. When I had my last blood cholesterol evaluation in January, my cholesterol levels were found to be potentially too low. Too low? Yes, indeed. My total cholesterol was 94 at my last visit. I attribute my reduction, then elimination, of flesh foods (meat) for the lowering of my total cholesterol to its current level. Low cholesterol levels do have their own risk potentials and I am looking for ways to not eat as many cholesterol lowering foods that I was eating daily in the recent past.
Of note, my greatest cholesterol issue through the years was that my HDL, or good cholesterol, levels were always below normal. HDL cholesterol helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Exercise, attempts at eating healthy and even a couple years of being placed on Zocor(cholesterol medicataion) never improved my HDL levels. I came to erroneously accept that my HDL levels would always remain low. You guessed it....that is until I began my plant-based diet. My most recent HDL levels were about 18 points higher this year compared to the prior year when we just began our plant-based journey. An 18 point increase in HDL levels is quite significant.
My recent blood work was amazing. All of the concerns with the blood work from the prior year were no longer an issue anymore. There was such a great sense of accomplishment when I reviewed my lab work with my physician this last visit. All the improved lab numbers were the reflection of all the changes we have made in our dietary lifestyle. I can tell you with certainty that we will never go back to our old dietary ways. This plant-based lifestyle is too easy, too nutritious, too rewarding and too logical to ever change back.
Below is a video discussing how to avoid the leading cause of death and how cholesterol relates to heart disease risk.
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