What health changes have you experienced from becoming vegetarian or vegan?
My family made the switch to a Vegan diet in 2009. At that time my husband had a total cholesterol level of 316. Yes you read that number correctly. My 9 year old son struggled with itchy & painful eczema over his entire body since birth and my three year old daughter battled chronic asthma, which she had been hospitalized for. My husband had tried prescription medications for his cholesterol but he had bad reactions to them, so he never took them regularly. My son was using prescription steroid cremes as well as daily lotions, just to be comfortable & to keep the redness at bay. My daughter was taking daily Singulair, Claritin, inhalers & often a nebulizer, so she could breathe clearly.
Back then this was our "norm". I assumed prescriptions & over the counter medications were our only defense against all of these ailments. It never occurred to me to look at what we were eating. Until June 8th 2009, when a program based on the book "The China Study" was on television. My husband called me into the living room & had me watch it with him. I am so thankful that I did. The next day I emptied the fridge of ALL animal products. Some went into the garbage and some were donated. But they were out of our home for good. Since that time my husband's cholesterol has decreased to a normal level. My son's eczema was completely cleared within a couple of weeks. No exaggeration. He has not had one itchy, red spot in well over 2 1/2 years. My daughter is off of the pills and only uses her nebulizer a few times a year. I know that dairy was a huge asthma trigger for her. I myself have more energy and my cardio endurance has greatly increased. I just wish I knew back then, what I know now.
