Success Story: Blood Markers All in Normal Ranges Now!

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This is a series of emails from Brad, a Paleo Plan user, to me over the last 9 weeks with updates on his success on Paleo. 

Screen-Shot-2012-02-13-at-5.35.00-PM.pngHere’s Brad on 11/7/12

I am six weeks in with your initial Paleo meal plan and loving it.

It has been a very interesting transition.  I am 42 and have been on bystolic blood pressure medication for 3 years.  BP was at high 150/90 and  I was taking the lowest dose possible.  It always made me feel a little lethargic and didn’t really enjoy it.  I was usually around 135/85 taking the medication, but did not want to up it to feel more medicated.

I was in the school of thinking of low fat, whole grain.  I would have oatmeal with raw sugar for breakfast, chicken breast, avocado, and corn for lunch, and can of tuna and lowfat cottage cheese for dinner.  I did this for many years. Moderate to heavy exercise and by no means obese at 5’11” 179lb.

I have always had issues with my stomach: ulcers at 17 and bloating and just not feeling that great.  I had heard paleo in passing and while on a plane trip downloaded paleo diet and read it.  Seemed very intriguing.  I decided on the return of the trip to research it a little more and try it.

That is when i stumbled upon your plan.  Loved the layout and bought it.  Went down the pantry list, bought what I didn’t have and threw out many things.  I will say that it is very expensive if you choose to really jump in with both feet  (about $220 a week after the initial whammy from all of the organic spices and pantry items). My partner decided to jump on board so that feeds two of us all week.

We signed up for a weekly delivery of vegetables from a local farmer. We buy 90% organic, nitrate/nitrate free, and as much grass fed protein as we can. In the six weeks I lost 5 lbs around my midsection, and my partner has lost about 6 lbs. We are both doing about the same amount of exercise as before. I went to the doctor a week after I had started the diet because I noticed my blood pressure had been going down.  I told her I wanted to try to get off of my medication. She told me to take my BP for two weeks twice a day.  It never got over 129/78, sometimes as low as 117/74 WHOA!  GOOD BYE MEDICINE. I had her take all of my blood work so I would know my starting cholesterol.  I have not eaten eggs or bacon since I was 17, so I was/am a little concerned if it will rise. Getting my blood tested again in 3 months.

We are 99.5% paleo and have “cheated” 2-3 times but didn’t really enjoy it and how it made us feel.  We are definitely feeling better and enjoy how much food we can actually eat and lose weight and stay trim looking.  It’s amazing.  I am also very concerned about Alzheimer’s as it runs in my family.  I have read many things about coconut oil since starting, so am hoping that I am helping myself in that regard for the future.  I had not eaten processed foods really and avoided PHO for many years.  It still feels great with how many more vegetables I will try now and eat due to your recipe plans.

Here’s an update from Brad on 1/18/13.

So it has been a little under 4 months now. I had my blood tested in October a couple weeks in to the new paleo eating. I just had my blood tested again at the three month mark. I was nervous about my cholesterol levels since prior to this I had not eaten eggs or bacon for about 25 years. Currently my blood pressure (still without medication) is at 122/78. Can’t ask for much better than that. :))

Drumroll………

October 2012
172 Total Cholesterol
110 Triglycerides
51 HDL
99 LDL
98 Glucose

January 2013
150 Total Cholesterol
41 Triglycerides
58 HDL
84 LDL
85 Glucose

Very Happy with all of the results!!

Just thought I would share.

Thank you again for such a concise package to make my life easy.

I try to talk about your site as often as I possibly can to friends, family, and strangers.

Sincerely,
Brad