Raw Foodists - Post Your Blood Test Results!

[RawDad]

Please share blood work results and how long you have been on raw food.

How long have you been on raw food?
I have eaten entirely raw food for three months.

Any important considerations before looking at the test results?
The morning before I took the test I had a cacao, coconut, kale, banana, and water smoothie. The lunch I had a couple hours before the test was almond butter and celery and hummus and broccoli. Of other importance to note I have smoked a little over a pack of American Spirit cigarettes since new years, but hadn't smoked about a week before I took the test and for two months before new years. (Felt like crap when I started smoking again, I don't recommend it, and plan to keep off em.) I am 23. I am 5 ft 9 in tall. I weigh about 137 pounds. The day of the tests my blood pressure was 114/78 and my pulse was 78.

What blood tests did you get?
I got the following tests:
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cmp/tab/glance)
Complete Blood Count (CBC) (http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cbc/tab/test)
Lipoprotein Panel (http://fromyourdoctor.com/topic.do?title=Cholesterol+Level+Lipoprotein+Panel&t=8657)
CRP - Cardiac High Sensitivity (http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/crp/tab/test)
Several STD checks (hey, can never be too careful) Chlamydia, HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhoeae

And here are the results in the order printed:
Chlamydia - Negative
Gonorrhoeae - Negative
HIV - Negative
Syphilis - Negative
*WHEW* Onto the stuff that really really matters to the diet...
Electrolites (http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cmp/tab/glance)

Sodium - 141
Potassium - 4.2
Chloride - 101
Carbon Dioxide - 32

General Chemistry (http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cmp/tab/glance)

Glucose - 87
Creatinine - 0.73
Bun - 10
GFR - above 60
Alk Phos - 86
Calcium - 9.9
Total Protein - 6.9
Albumen, serum - 5.1
Bilirubin, total - 0.2
AST - 17
ALT - 12

CRP (http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/crp/tab/test) - Less than 0.3 (1 is good, 5 is bad)
Lipids (http://fromyourdoctor.com/topic.do?title=Cholesterol+Level+Lipoprotein+Panel&t=8657)

Cholesterol - 138
Chol/HDL Ratio - 3.7
LDL Cholesterol - 76
HDL Cholesterol - 37
Triglycerides - 252

Complete Blood Count (CBC) (http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cbc/tab/test)

White Blood Cell - 6.6
Red Blood Cell - 4.80
Hematocrit - 42
Hemoglobin - 14.3
MCV - 87
MCH - 30
MCHC - 35
RDW - 12.2
Platelet Count - 245


The nurse explained that my triglycerides were just slightly above normal by 3 points. I got 252, the good range tops at 249. She also said get a bit more exercise and my LDL would be slightly higher in a good range, 80+.

Overall, I was very pleased with the results. The nurse said that the results were great and my cholesterol was something a lot of people would like to see.

I plan to get tested for parasites and heavy metals soon. I drink a lot of Kombucha, so I'm not worried at all about my B complex, though I may get that tested as well.

[tiggerbounce]

Way to go Rawdad! Do you have any pre-raw results? Have you always been in tip top condition? And I thought for sure you would have syphillis at least. It runs rampant here, lol. I have heard that people who go raw often are able to quit smoking. I think that is great! Good for you!

I have no results. A while back I had a complete work over for an insurance physical. Leave no cell un-turned, so to speak. All of my numbers were in just the right place. Except my TSH. It was 12. Can we say "DENIED!" ? LOL. Saved me a lot in premium, I must admit. Never took the Synthroid. Consequently, no osteoporosis, high blood pressure or breast cancer. I say that if actuaries think a drug is bad enough that if I use it I am disqualified, I need to think about it a bit. I decided to take my chances without it.

Haven't felt this good in a decade! :)

[Mary Kay]

Rawdad, I think you've got the cholesterol mixed up! LDL should be low, not high. HDL should be higher. The HDL will increase (which is better ) with exercise. Your LDL looks too high. Your HDL looks too low.....

I also think that 138 is TOO low. You need it to be at least 150 to help your body make hormones properly. It's okay to be low for the short-term, but not for the longterm.

And what about your hormones? Your doc should have checked them, IMO.

Good for you for testing though, and best of luck to you.

Just some quick at-a-glance thoughts....
Mary Kay

.

[RawDad]

I do not have any previous results, unfortunately, besides a previous STD check, which I try to get checked every couple years (I only have one partner, but we don't use protection so I figure better know for sure).

Edit: Mary posted while I was writing this. According to my printout from the doc the numbers I stated for my HDL/LDL are correct. A quote from Dr. Esselstyn's website (http://www.heartattackproof.com/) : "After 5 years on Dr. Esselstyn’s plant-based diet, the average total cholesterol levels of his research group dropped from 246 milligrams per deciliter to 137 mg/dL (Above 240 mg/dL is considered “high risk,” below 150 mg/dL is the total cholesterol level seen in cultures where heart disease is essentially nonexistent.)" My HDL is low from what the nurse told me and from looking online (http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/guide/understanding-numbers).

My goals with these tests are:

to establish a benchmark for myself to contrast with any future results
to compare numbers with other raw foodists
to give people examining/considering raw food clinical evaluations of raw foodists to review
In middle school I was around 5'5" and 195 pounds. My life prior to the 2011 year consisted primarily of foods containing hydrogenated oils, fried foods, fast foods, animal products, and sweets. Almost no fruits or vegetables. High school on I was a daily drinker and smoked cigs for a little over a year and a half (1/5 pack-1 pack a day). Sure wish I had numbers to share from those years.

I love Dr. Mcdougall (http://www.drmcdougall.com/) and Dr. Esselstyn (http://www.heartattackproof.com/) (and recommend their lectures (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MKofmjCLYM), documentaries (http://www.forksoverknives.com/), and books (http://www.heartattackproof.com/) to all), but lets put our numbers up against their patients numbers (their patients are on a plant based diet - no emphasis on raw), and see whos got the better numbers.