Jen saved the lives of my future grandchildren…

Guess what I got today??!!

My lab results from my recent doctor visit!

I hadn’t been in for my yearly exam in almost 18 months and I was VERY excited to be 50 pounds less this time! For months I have been DYING to have my cholesterol checked with my "heart-healthy" lifestyle change and FINALLY had it done.

Drumroll please…………………………..

Cholesterol Comparison

September 2006

   March 2008

Total Cholesterol
Desired Level under 200

183

140

HDL Cholesterol
(Good Cholesterol)
Desired Level over 40

28

55

LDL Cholesterol
(Bad Cholesterol)
Desired Level under 130

141

71

Triglycerides
Desired Level under 150

70

72

I DOUBLED my good cholesterol and HALVED my bad cholesterol!!! Isn’t that crazy!?!? Just by changing my eating habits. I am so excited!!! In the comments section, my doctor wrote: "What an amazing difference in your cholesterol. Keep up the great work!" <<Note the exclamation point.

I’m like the people in the Quaker oatmeal commercial!! "I LOWERED MY CHOLESTEROL 43 POINTS!! The first thing I did when I opened my results was SCREAM with GLEE and announce my heart-healthiness to my children who -except for Bellie- were disappointingly disinterested in my new lease on life!! "DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID CHILDREN?!?! I SAID I JUST ADDED AT LEAST 10 YEARS TO MY LIFE. THAT WOULD BE 10 –GOLDEN– YEARS!!!" They’ll care in 25 years when they want free babysitting…

I was so excited that I ran across the street to my neighbor’s house and jumped up and down while I showed her my results – she now officially thinks I’m nuts!!

I haven’t even really done much exercise – just a little here and there. Can you imagine if I started exercising consistently? I still have another 30 pounds to lose (which I plan to start working on by the end of this month). [I have been "holding" at my 50 pound weight loss for the past 4 months, but it makes me wonder what kind of impact losing another 30 pounds will have on the health of my heart.]

I am crazy-in-love with my cholesterol count. C.R.A.Z.Y.  *sighs contentedly* I’m totally going to frame my results! Maybe I’ll print the results on a t-shirt and wear it proudly. Thank you oatmeal! Thank you flaxseed! Thank you whole grains! Thank olive oil! Thank you monounsaturated fats! Thank you buffalo meat! But mostly…

THANK YOU JEN!!!

That’s right, this all started at Jen’s women’s retreat last March when I met a gal MY AGE who had recently undergone open heart surgery and totally changed my thinking about the foods that I was eating. If Jen hadn’t invited me to that retreat, I may NEVER have changed my eating habits and could DEAD right now! And if I hadn’t changed MY eating habits – my husband may have never changed HIS eating habits. And my children might have never changed THEIR eating habits. And THEY might have passed down their poor eating habits to THEIR children. So in essence…

Jen has saved the lives of my unborn grandchildren!!!

This is exactly why I should go on EVERY women’s retreat I possibly can. Who knows the impact it could have on future generations…