Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

I'm sharing my before and after cholesterol numbers with you as I went from a vegan diet to a no added-oil vegan diet. The only oil I was consuming was olive oil The differences are amazing. Hope this gives somebody out there some encouragement. I'm a male-54 with no previous health problems. I've been a vegan for about twenty years. Originally, I began eating like this to feel better... not for any particular health issue.

+++Events by order of date+++

First blood work: June 2011
Began no added-oil: November 2011
Second blood work: August 2012

[what]_________[June 2011]_____[August 2012]___[Difference]
Cholesterol:________215,____________158,_________-57
HDL:______________68,_____________58,__________-10
LDL:______________123,____________75,__________-48
Triglycerides:_______120,____________82,__________-38

The ONLY thing I changed in my diet was to cut out olive oil. I used to put it on everything. I had no idea it was affecting my health in such a negative way.

Though my Cholesterol and LDL were high in June 2011 the doctor told me there was no reason for concern as my Chol/HDL=3.16 (ideal<3.5), HDL/LDL=0.553 (ideal>0.4), and my Trig/HDL=1.765 (ideal<2). So, in theory my numbers were all IDEAL. Interesting, yea? Now all of my numbers are MORE ideal - 2.72, 0.773, and 1.41 respectively.

Oh yea, I almost forgot. Since dropping oil from the menu I've lost over 20 pounds, BMI=22.7. My new 30 size waist jeans are now sliding down my hips . I've never felt better though.

mlc,

I have a similar story, except that I am a chick and you are a dude. LOL

I have been vegan for a long time. I went into a hysterectomy skinny, and within a couple weeks, I began gaining weight. And gaining, and gaining...

I can't take hormones due to family health history, so I just kept plugging along, eating 'healthy' vegan food. Unfortunately, I was also eating a lot of vegan butter and olive oil.

There is so much hype out there about healthy oils! I bought into it. Yes, oil is better than lard...but that doesn't give us a license to pour it on and in everything. Like I did.

Well, I haven't weighed since last week, but I hope I can say that I have lost 20 pounds or so by my Friday weigh in. I feel and look lighter than last week, when I had lost 18.6 pounds. Looking to get into the 180's and keep on shrinking. I still have a long way to go.

I am eating the same foods as before, but preparing them in a no-fat way. I am eating more than ever before, while losing.

This WOE is the real deal. And I am so relieved to know that I can still eat my potatoes, rice, veg and fruits. Life is good.

Thanks for sharing,midlife. It IS an inspiration to the rest of us.

EDIT FOR UPDATE on 8/172012:
I weigh in on Fridays. I DID make it over the 20 pounds lost marker! Woohoo! I have now lost 20.7 pounds in 7 weeks. I should make my goal of being in the 180's by the end of the month with this pace.

I am close to moving from 'obese' to 'overweight' on the BMI chart. Still a long way from a healthy weight, but it's a fourth of my weight loss goal. I am thrilled and blessed.

Keep at it, even when you have doubts.

Wow! These are great numbers.

It is amazing that numbers like these are so easily reproducible on this WOE. I am new on this forum but have come across scores of such stories. And my story is also going very similar.

Mind you, statins will also reduce cholesterol to these levels but with severe side effects such as constant muscular pain, impotence and damage to the liver in the long term.

Oh, man, don't you just hate when you have to go shopping?

Congratulations. It's so helpful to see the hard numbers that come with the changes. Me, my total cholesterol has always stayed under 150 and my BP low. I'm here for prevention and weight issues. But I have so many patients who need this same information!

Laurie

Thanks so much for sharing your numbers.

This is great inspiration. Thanks! Hope I will have similar results.

Very impressive! I may need to rethink my love of olive oil. But, my cholesterol is actually really good...thankfully. Yours is a great example of how one very specific change can cause a huge improvement.

Atheria

That's quite a testimony. Very much in line with what others have reported who eliminated oils.

midlifecycle wrote:I'm sharing my before and after cholesterol numbers with you as I went from a vegan diet to a no added-oil vegan diet. The only oil I was consuming was olive oil The differences are amazing. Hope this gives somebody out there some encouragement. I'm a male-54 with no previous health problems. I've been a vegan for about twenty years. Originally, I began eating like this to feel better... not for any particular health issue.

+++Events by order of date+++

First blood work: June 2011
Began no added-oil: November 2011
Second blood work: August 2012

[what]_________[June 2011]_____[August 2012]___[Difference]
Cholesterol:________215,____________158,_________-57
HDL:______________68,_____________58,__________-10
LDL:______________123,____________75,__________-48
Triglycerides:_______120,____________82,__________-38

The ONLY thing I changed in my diet was to cut out olive oil. I used to put it on everything. I had no idea it was affecting my health in such a negative way.

Though my Cholesterol and LDL were high in June 2011 the doctor told me there was no reason for concern as my Chol/HDL=3.16 (ideal<3.5), HDL/LDL=0.553 (ideal>0.4), and my Trig/HDL=1.765 (ideal<2). So, in theory my numbers were all IDEAL. Interesting, yea? Now all of my numbers are MORE ideal - 2.72, 0.773, and 1.41 respectively.

Oh yea, I almost forgot. Since dropping oil from the menu I've lost over 20 pounds, BMI=22.7. My new 30 size waist jeans are now sliding down my hips . I've never felt better though.

This is quite interesting. You took out olive oil and left everything else the same and it dropped your TC and more importantly LDL. I can understand you would loose weight and so would TGLs but did not think that you would drop LDL.

I thought when you add olive oil to your diet, it should keep LDL the same and improve HDL.Yeah the weight and TGL may go up depending upon the overall calorie intake.

I thought to go from 215 to 157, you would have to change a whole lot of things( like give up meat and dairy, minimize refined and processed foods), not just olive oil.

I'm astonished at olive oil alone making this big of a difference.

For e.g. My cholesterol dropped from 220 to 165, I had been vegetarian. But I had to change lot of things in my diet like drop oil, butter, fried food, refined and process foods. Go on oil free, whole foods diet with fruits and vegetables so see that kind of a change.

I think you will drop your LDL if you reduce your weight, whichever way weight reduction happens.

That's fantastic!

I hate having to shop for new clothes too...but I have to now that I am 22 lbs lighter (yes, I lost 2 more pounds recently)! I bought 2 pair of new shorts this summer but still wearing 2 pair of shorts from last summer and they are hanging on me! It's expensive to have to buy a new wardrobe!

Oh, and people are asking me all the time about my WOE and want to try it! Amazing!

That is so awesome! And it's really inspiring too, and helps me stay committed to the no oil way. Thanks so much for sharing, and keep up the great work!

amethyst,

Great story! how are you doing now in october?

Do you still eat naturally fatty foods like nuts, seeds, avocados, etc.? I'm curious to see the difference between added/extracted oils and the fats found naturally in whole foods.

Thank you,
Atheria