Test Results

For those of you who don’t want to read a post about my health stats, which are based on the results of my first blood test since becoming a vegan, I totally understand. Check back in tomorrow for a  pre-Thanksgiving baking extravaganza. But as I sit here sipping my delicious cup of cocoa loco chai from my new favorite mug while reading my results, I’m too excited not to share this.

I would venture to guess that many people associate a veggie lifestyle with a “healthier diet” (if I may call it a “diet”). A few months into my vegan journey, I was definitely feeling better. I increased my intake of fruits, veggies, and legumes. I didn’t have as many cravings for sugar throughout the day and didn’t get as tired in the afternoons (although cutting back on caffeine defintaly helped with that problem). But even though I  felt better physically, I wanted to see if  my new vegan routine gave me  real physiological benefits. Although I had good cholesterol numbers and was in the low risk for heart disease prior to my vegan journey, I wanted to know, will my overall test results improve? 

I also wanted to make sure I had adequate levels of important vitamins and minerals. Did I have enough calcium, iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin D? Because I haven’t had a blood test since I became a vegan (one year anniversary coming soon!), I asked my doc for a blood test. And not just any blood test, but THE WORKS; a complete  analysis of how my diet is impacting my health.

After comparing my results from result two years ago, my current stats are  BETTER. And much better in some cases. To name a few:

• cholesterol went down by 29 points
• blood sugar went down
• sodium stayed the same (lower end of range)
• calcium went up
• protein went up
• vitamin B12 in normal range (first time testing for it)
• vitamin D in normal (first time testing for it)

Looking over my results reminded of a great article I came across a week ago. It showcased a recent study ,which showed that although we may carry some “bad” genes which can cause certain “bad” hereditary diseases, we don’t have to just live with it. It’s  not all gloom and doom. Among other things, the study showed that people who ate more raw fruits and vegetables reduced their risk of heart disease, even if they carried copies of the gene that increased their risk. So basically, although you can’t change the gene, you can change the mechanism that turns it on and off. That’s incedible if you ask me!