UPDATE - My Dr. Oz 28-Day Vegan Challenge RESULTS!

 {one of my fave lunches: vegan chili on a bed of crisp greens, topped with raw sliced almonds}

I first blogged about taking on Dr. Oz's 28-day Vegan Challenge on November 12, 2009.  My intent was to see if a vegan diet would lower my cholesterol, which at that time was 230 according to doctor-ordered lab tests in 09/2009, and I wrote that I would post an update after I'd gotten new cholesterol test results.

Today is February 12, 2010, three months later.  I guess my "update" is a little overdue??!!

I had my cholesterol checked in mid-December, shortly after the 28-day timeframe was over.

It was 201.

A 30 point drop!  In 28 days.

I guess you could say I was sold on the vegan diet!

I have remained on the diet {which I now call a lifestyle instead of a diet} and I feel better every day.  I'll be getting my cholesterol checked again by the end of this month, and will be interested to see if it has dropped more.  I'll only have a total cholesterol number, not a complete breakdown of the HDL, LDL, etc., because to save money I've been getting my cholesterol checked when I donate blood (the blood center currently does a cholesterol check as a courtesy to donors).  I plan to get full lab work done later this year, maybe mid-summer, and at that point I'll be able to do a comparison of my lab work from last year.

I have a feeling my doctor is going to be very pleased with me.