Rod's Story

For four previous years my cholesterol was over 215. This year it was 231. My doctor wanted me to start taking Lipitor. I was not excited at all about putting a drug in my body that would have side effects. This left me with the question what do I do to avoid taking medicine and reduce my cholesterol.

A friend told me she had been on the Eat For Health/ Eat To Live lifestyle for five months and her cholesterol had dropped drastically.   Here was the answer to my dilemma. However,  I was going to wait until the New Year began so I could continue to eat all the foods that I thought I loved, sweets and processed foods, and enjoy the holidays.

But on December 29th  I woke up and realized why should I wait and delay what I needed to do, lower my cholesterol. So I did two things that day.  I joined a health club so I could start to exercise on a daily basis and began the Nutritarian lifestyle. I had already read Eat To Live, so I had an idea of the  foods I should eat. After three days of exercise and eating according to Eat To Live I lost six pounds. I attributed that to my body eliminating all the salt that was retaining water. As I continued to eat green vegetables, fruits, beans and a few nuts, I started to feel better. My cravings for processed foods filled with carbohydrates began to fade away. My energy level was better and I was inspired to eat the foods that fueled my body.

After approximately eight weeks of eating the Nutritarian way, I returned to the doctor’s office to have my cholesterol rechecked. My overall cholesterol dropped from 231 to 127, HDL  went from 35 to 34, LDL dropped from 168 to 82 and my triglycerides dropped from 142 to 56. It is interesting. I have a family history of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. So many in my family are on medicine to reduce their blood pressure and cholesterol. Doctors told me I was just fighting genetics. This program proves that diet is the answer.

Dr. Fuhrman’s approach is successful because it focuses on what you can eat, you do not have to count points or measure out food; you just have to eat the right foods. I have tried many other diets, but they were not sustainable. They only worked for a short time. Dr. Fuhrman’s approach teaches you how to eat for a lifetime. My 'new' favorite foods are my famous vegetable soup, smoothies, and best of all, the evening bowl of fresh pineapple with frozen blueberries and blackberries.

Dr. Fuhrman's eating program has transformed my life.I lost 45 pounds and this lifestyle has brought me other benefits including no longer needing a daily nap, I can now run 7.5 miles a day, exercise for a continuous hour, and have eliminated cravings for toxic foods. Old friends and relatives cannot believe how good I look.