2023: The Year in YOUR Words

As we approach the tail end of a whole year of blogs, it bears repeating that Step One Foods genuinely exists for you.  Our primary aim is to assist in improving your health and supporting you on your journey towards positive lifestyle change. And you should know that the whole team - from production, to shipping to customer support, to leadership...and me - finds immense satisfaction in knowing that we have contributed to your well-being.

No surprise, we consider it fitting to recap the year by sharing our favorite customer comments from each month, just as we've done in previous years. As you may be aware, every message sent our way is carefully read, considered and answered.  And it always brings us joy to hear about your personal victories,  health improvements, and that you love our foods!  Please keep those comments coming!

So, without further ado, here are just some of our favorite customer notes from each month in 2023 (by the way, picking just one per month was not easy!):

January - Tony T.
I told my wife (who knows I never fool myself about how different foods affect me) that I felt better in just a day and a half after starting Step One Foods. I thought I was seeing things (in your newsletter) when I read that other people are saying that they feel the same way I do / did and still do. I have more energy and generally just feel better. And the nicest part about this is that if someone told me years ago that I could eat, what amounts to me to be a delicious candy bar, and get healthy from it at the same time, I would have made note to them that I thought that they had to be daft. Super excellent product. So happy I found it via a web search for healthy deserts. 🙂

February - Judy T.
I saw Step One Foods on Facebook and I started researching it. I read all about the program and the customer testimonials. I followed the blogs and realized that everything that you were saying about nutrition was right and true. And that proved to me that I could do it… I could improve my cholesterol levels with food. So I decided that I would just eat these foods, that are already measured in the proper doses, twice a day and see what my results were…And after about 3 months, I had my blood test taken and my total cholesterol came down 42 points and my LDL cholesterol came down 30 points. The best part is that Step One is so easy and the products are easy to pack when you travel.

March - Tracy B.
Before starting Step One Foods, my cholesterol was controlled by a very high dose of statins and my LDL was 87. I suffered severe side effects, like severe muscle weakness and pain. I was also diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy, which is a leading cause of blindness in adults, so I was seeing a specialist regularly. With Step One Foods, I was able to reduce my statins to a minimal dose and my LDL is now 46. I am overjoyed and I look forward to my next doctor's visit to see if I can eliminate statins completely. I've also lost a little weight and have noticed an increase in energy and a sense of well-being. After experiencing such positive results, I discussed Step One with both my cardiologist and my ophthalmologist. They have strongly encouraged me to keep doing what I'm doing!

April - Amy W.
I decided to give Step One Foods a shot. I honestly thought it appeared ‘too good to be true’ and I went into it a bit skeptical. I was immediately impressed with the stellar customer service, as well as the emails that contained great articles, blogs, insights, and testimonials. I quickly became confident that “THIS” might actually work for me. My favorites soon became the two oatmeals, the pancakes, the smoothie mix, and the chocolate crunch bars. I was shocked that I actually enjoyed eating these! I love that my day begins with either oatmeal or pancakes and “what to have for breakfast” is taken care of. Later in the day, I enjoy either a smoothie with vanilla yogurt or a chocolate crunch bar. Since I enjoy traveling, it is easy to toss the oatmeal & crunch bars in my bag.

May - Jennifer S.
I was a little skeptical about Step One Foods, but when I saw that the Mayo Clinic conducted a clinical trial that is published in The Journal of Nutrition, I had huge confidence. I was SO happy that my cholesterol AND triglycerides went down… and my doctor was, too. My doctor was very pleased with my results. She told me to keep doing what I was doing. With Step One Foods, I am eating more healthy foods and loving the product. I eat more regularly, too while working to get rid of some old habits. I have started eating more fish and less red meat too. I will continue to eat my Step One products. Not only do they work, I really like them.

June - Craig K.
When I had my checkup, my cholesterol had not improved at all. My numbers were in the 220 to 230 range and weren't going up or down, but nothing was helping. So, I decided to recommit to Step One Foods and after 30 days of eating Step One Foods twice a day, my cholesterol dropped 40 points, from 220 to 180. I couldn’t believe it. I was in the normal range for the first time in many years and my triglycerides improved pretty dramatically, too. Step One really motivated me to eat less sodium, processed foods and sugars. I felt the difference in eating Step One Foods, which is just whole, natural foods, so I began eating less TV dinners and instead of grabbing a candy bar in the evening, I started eating a Step One bar instead.

July - Catherine B.
I'm always skeptical when I read about different types of supplements and how they might benefit my health. But after reviewing the studies and reading the testimonials, I decided to give Step One Foods a try. With Step One Foods, I have seen over a 40% reduction in triglycerides and over 30% in total and LDL cholesterol. Even my blood pressure numbers are well below the normal range. My physician called with my April bloodwork and thought that I was taking red yeast rice and to keep it up -- I was NOT taking red yeast rice. He was extremely pleased with my results.

August - Stephanie R.
After I retired, my cholesterol started to inch up over 200. It had always been below 200 but in 2022 was up to 233. My HDLs were good but LDLs were getting higher than they should be. My mother always had high cholesterol so I thought that was my fate. I started looking for more natural options to bring down my cholesterol and found Step One Foods. It sounded too good to be true and I was very skeptical but thought I would give it a try and ordered the trial pack. I’m a chocoholic and I loved both chocolate bars. I tried them for the first 30 days and just so happened it was time for my 6 month bloodwork and checkup with my GP. My total cholesterol was down 33 points and that was just on one snack bar most days, occasionally I’d use the sprinkles on cereal. I was amazed!! Still skeptical so I didn’t say anything to my doc. As a scientist who worked for big Pharma all of my career, I was still not totally convinced, I needed more data. At my next 6 monthly check ups, my cholesterol was down to 185 and has maintained that level for a year. My husband has also started the bars but has not been as responsive. His cholesterol dropped about 10 points from 219 but he stepped up to 2 snacks a day as recommended so we are waiting until his next bloodwork to see the results. I have also recommended Step One Foods to several of my friends recently, we are hopeful their results will be as good or better than mine. I mentioned it to my GP at my last appointment and she asked me to send her the information on Step One Foods for her review, which I have done. Great product for people whose cholesterol metabolism responds to Step One Foods ingredients. It’s definitely worth a try!

September - April F.
I do not like to be duped. I make slow, methodical, researched decisions. Therefore, when I saw Step One Foods on Facebook, I began investigating. After quite a bit of research and a desire to avoid medication for my high cholesterol, I decided to give it the 30 day trial. Besides cholesterol, all of my (health) numbers were in the normal range and I did not want to take medication. And thanks to Step One Foods, I did not have to be prescribed a statin medication. After just 30 days, my total cholesterol improved by 48 points and LDL cholesterol improved by 43 points!

October - Shelley V.
I am a 62 year old woman, and even though I am thin, fit and eat healthy, my total cholesterol has been in the 200s since 2016. In 2019 it hit a high of 258. I started taking Step One Foods last fall. As of two weeks ago my total cholesterol is 143. I was completely blown away! I have a smoothie every morning using the smoothie mix and I have a bar for a snack. These products truly do work!

November - Carol F.
My doctor had already tried TWICE to put me on statins. I had seen the side effects from my husband’s usage, so I refused the Rx. Doctor was not happy about it, but since my total cholesterol was only 232, she said she’d let it slide another year. That’s when my competitive spirit kicked in, and I thought, ‘I’ll fix this myself! Unsure of where to start, I started research and discovered Step One Foods on Facebook. Hoping for the best, I decided to try the products. I was not skeptical - the science spoke to me.I would say my attitude about trying the products was hopeful! Within 9 months, I lowered my total cholesterol by 31 points and her LDL cholesterol by 20 points! “One big thing, to me, is the lowering of inflammation that Step One Foods has done for my body. It is amazing how much more comfortable I am with my joints, back, etc. It can only be this healthier lifestyle! I am also trying to incorporate more whole foods into my diet…I have been encouraged by Dr. Klodas’ podcasts/videos. Example: Eat an apple instead of applesauce! Makes sense, so I’m giving it a whirl!

December - John J.

I was told by my doctor to lower my cholesterol as it has been creeping up the last several years. My last blood test showed my total cholesterol at 201 with LDL at 121. After those results, I happened to see an advertisement for Step One and purchased a starter pack. I honestly didn't think it would really work. I took two servings a day of Step One and really didn't change anything else. I scheduled another blood test to coincide with finishing the starter pack. New test results five weeks after the original tests found my total cholesterol went down from 201 to 174. My LDL went down from 121 to 89. It does work!

Wow! What a way to end the year! I would like to extend my personal gratitude to each and every individual who took the time to reach out to us over the past year. While we showcased 12 customer stories in this blog, it could easily have turned into a small novel if we had included every uplifting message we received! As a physician, there is nothing more fulfilling than learning about the positive health impacts we are creating.

In the United States, 94 million Americans live with high cholesterol, and the conventional approach often involves prescribing pharmaceuticals as the primary or sole solution to improve cholesterol levels. However, the potential of food in this context is immense! While medications certainly play a crucial role - and I do prescribe them - Step One Foods has demonstrated that incorporating targeted food choices can often serve as a viable alternative to addressing a problem traditionally tackled solely with pharmaceuticals.

I love to hear from individuals who began their health journey with Step One, observed positive outcomes, and subsequently made gradual dietary adjustments that led to even more significant improvements. Or those who have used Step One in tandem with statins, achieving remarkable reductions in cholesterol levels with smaller doses of medication. Food, in essence, is our secret weapon – a fact that might not be emphasized enough by healthcare professionals. Considering that we eat multiple times a day, every day, why not transform this daily necessity into a health-promoting activity?

As we look ahead, let's commit to leveraging our secret weapon more in the coming year – one step at a time!

With best wishes for a happy and healthy 2024,

Elizabeth Klodas MD, FACC