Hi, my name is Erin and I'm a Vegan...for now!

Since I was a young teenager I've been semi haunted with the idea of someday being medicated for life due to my high cholesterol. I mean, It's all genetic right? It's not MY fault I've had high Cholesterol since I was 14. In my youth I was very active and my mom made healthy meals. As an adult, I've continued to do so by making healthy meals, having one treat a week and lots of exercise. I'm also at my healthy weight. I know that it is part genetics, but you can't blame it all on that. You have to take responsibility and control at some point. But on the other hand, nothing I did lowered my cholesterol. In fact, it raised it! That's it! I came to the realization that my cholesterol will keep rising. Did you know that over 100 million Americans have high cholesterol? And also, if you didn't know, high cholesterol leads to major heart disease, such as stroke and heart attack! I don't want to be part of that statistic! Thank goodness for my Aunt Linda and the conversation we had on one of my visits to Price last year! She said that my Uncle Brent read this book called "The China Study"

which talks about health and the horrible shape we, as Americans, are in. It talks about how we intake too much animal based foods, which are the highest in fat and cholesterol. My Uncle Brent followed this diet of no animal based foods (no eggs, butter, cheese, milk and all meats) for six months and he lowered his cholesterol by like almost 100 points.

So this is what I've also decided to do! I bought the book, read it and became a Vegan and will be for six months to see if it helps lower my cholesterol.

Well, so far, I've been doing this diet for one month and it's actually been great! I've actually grown to love fruits and veggies again and I've found some vegan meals that are so delicious! I made a vegan pizza with pizza sauce I made from Scratch! I think that pizza was one of the best pizzas I've ever eaten. I made homemade dough too but let Jake handle the fancy part (going back his old Litza's Pizza days)!

The cherry on top is that I've lost 8 pounds since I started a month ago and I just FEEL great!

I've had a couple people ask me if I'm taking supplements since I can't eat meat! That's the misconception about vegetarians. There are SOOO many plant based proteins out there, it's ridiculous! You don't need meat and animal based foods to get your protein and be well balanced! As a matter of fact, because of all the fruit and veggies I'm eating, I'm more balanced than I've ever been.

MY GOAL

I'm not planning on being a Vegan for the rest of my life. I just love burgers, milk, butter and cheese too much. BUT...if this diet does work and my cholesterol lowers (finally!!!), I'm not going to let the past six months be in vein.

My new life will be eating animal based foods VERY SPARINGLY and stick with more whole foods, plant based diet from now on. If you know me, you know that I love being healthy so this high cholesterol thing has been KILLING me!!

I'm doing this for me and I'm doing this for them:

(and my wonderful husband as well..of course)! I don't want this looming over me anymore. I'm taking control of my life. Yes, I love a good burger, but I love myself and my family a whole heck of a lot more and I have way more respect for my life and my body than to just sit back and slowly kill myself with the #1 cause of death in America: Heart Disease!! Some people can be happy eating whatever the heck they want and then in the next breath pop 5 pills to keep them from dying earlier than they should, but I can't! I refuse to take a pill for good health! I'm very proud of the decision I've made and I hope that the choice to take control of my health will make all the difference for me and my family...lead by example right?!! MY CURRENT CHOLESTEROL: 223 (normal is now 150 or lower) I'll post in the beginning of July my new cholesterol! One month down, five to go!!