In mid-March I visited my doctor and was informed I had high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Also, my blood sugar was in the pre-diabetes range. My weight had gotten up to 223 lbs. My doctor wanted me on prescription drugs to get the BP and cholesterol under control. The idea of getting on these drugs was not something I wanted to do having been around people taking prescriptions every day and dealing with the side effects. A couple years prior I had taken a class through CSU Osher taught by Sapna Von Reich. Knowing she was so “up to speed” on healthy, plant-based dieting I contacted her and explained my situation. She was very encouraging and glad that I chose to handle this challenge via a healthy diet. She became my “diet coach” and I hired her for 6 weeks. Here it is just under two months later and the results are as great as I ever could have asked for. My doctor totally agrees. We did blood work at the beginning (March) and then again in May for a good comparison:

• Blood Glucose went from 110 mg/dl to 90
• Cholesterol went from 193 mg/dl to 128
• Non HDL Cholesterol went from 153 mg/dl to 91
• Triglycerides went from 89 mg/dl to 41

These are all in normal ranges now. Also my weight has gone from 223 lbs to 195!

Plant based eating is the way to go! Sapna helped tremendously. All kinds of “landmines” appear when you venture into a diet that’s new. Things like how to make sense of the food labels, what about oils, is salt that bad, etc. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is packed full of confusing information so you’re really not sure what you’re eating or how bad it is for you. Sapna was my compass that got me through! Thank you. Things will keep improving as long as I continue with my plant-based diet. I like that!

– Tom Griesel, Loveland, Co.