2021: The Year in YOUR Words

2021.  What can I say to summarize this past year?  I thought we were all ready to be done with the word "unprecedented" after 2020, but it turns out 2021 was more unprecedented than ever! We ended 2020 so hopeful with so much to celebrate, but I think it's fair to say that this last year was hard for most of us on every level.

My own brush with death in January certainly put a lot of things into perspective for me (more on that when we reveal the Step One resolution for 2022).  That all happened at a time of great challenges but also great growth at our company -- requiring a lot of people to come together and do the heavy lifting while I was out of the picture.  And I could not be more grateful for our team and for all of you, our amazing community of customers who work so hard to support and advance the mission of Step One Foods.  Thank you. And I know I might sound repetitive sometimes, but we really do exist FOR YOU.  To help you improve your health.  To walk with you as you work to make positive lifestyle changes.  And nothing gives us greater satisfaction than to know that we helped.

With that in mind, I think a fitting way to recap the year is to share with you our favorite customer comments and reviews from every month of the year - with a little commentary from me.  You should know that we read every message you send our way, and it truly makes our day when we hear about a personal victory, a health improvement, or just a happier person on the other end.

So here we go...our favorite customer comments from every month in 2021: 

January - Mike E. 

Mike -- congratulations on lowering your cholesterol and thank you for your review! It also means a lot to me that you gave a shout out to Step One's amazing customer service team. We know they are critical to carrying out our mission, and I can tell you that every member of that team approaches their work with great passion and professionalism.  They really care and it shows.  

February - Teri

Terri -- "Overwhelming joy" is how we feel when we read about your results! Those are AMAZING NUMBERS! You have massively reduced your risk of experiencing a heart event with that change in LDL cholesterol. And thank you for telling your doctor about Step One Foods. We SO appreciate your efforts to help raise awareness around our company and our mission.

March - Debra H.

Debra -- I couldn't have said it better!  We each have the power to improve our health, and kudos to you for taking action.  And that's a really meaningful LDL reduction by the way!

April - Pablo Cruise

Pablo -- so excited to know that you're attending to every aspect of your prevention plan!  Individuals with CAD (coronary artery disease) need to be especially meticulous not just about taking their medications but also about their diet, exercise and stress management regimes.  Congratulations on doing your part - it's actually the most important and impactful component of any prevention effort!  

But -- can't help myself -- I have to provide everyone with a little aside.  If you know me you know I'm a child of the 70's.  Love pretty much every piece of music from that decade. And Love Will Find a Way (by the band Pablo Cruise) is right up there!  

May - Sheila P

Sheila -- you may be our model customer! I am thrilled you've been able to lower your cholesterol with Step One Foods. But it also sounds like you are very proactive and holistic about your health and that approach will reward you many times over. I wish you the very best in the coming year!

June - Lori M.

Lori -- all I have to say about your labs is, WOW! This is a grand slam: lower LDL, lower triglycerides, and a great increase in your HDL! Your numbers reflect what we learned is possible in some individuals with even very high starting LDLs (which are typically considered purely genetically driven).  Turns out even very high LDLs can drop significantly in some people with the right food intervention. 

July - Heart to Heart with Colleen

Colleen was such an inspiration to speak with last summer. I remember hanging up feeling like it had only been a few minutes that we had been talking and almost an hour had gone by!  It's easy to spend time with joyful people. I think the pandemic up-ended the lives of parents more than most, but Colleen managed to improve her health while juggling her career, her family, and her risk factors for heart disease!  Thank you for being so generous in sharing your experience Colleen!  

August Sharon G.

Sharon -- thank you for taking that first step with us! I'd love to hear how the 6-month checkup went. Please come back and tell us how the rest of the year has gone for you! 

September - Heart to Heart with Mary

Mary is a perfect example of why I started Step One Foods. While I prescribe medications all the time, I've been around the block enough times to know there is a portion of the population that have very negative reactions to statin drugs.  Mary felt like she was 80 years old because of the joint pain and body aches that were side effects from statin medications. I'm so glad she could lower her cholesterol with our food, and free herself from those aches and pains!

October - Kim W

"I was skeptical at first."  I think it's probably how most of our customers feel when they first hear about us. And I can appreciate that.  There are SO many products with empty promises of quick fixes out there, it can be hard to pick out the ones that actually deliver real results.  For Kim, the proof was in the pudding (coated with Anytime Sprinkles!) of her terrific cholesterol improvements. I so appreciate Kim sharing her doubts AND her success so that others might be brave enough to take their first step too. 

November - Marybeth D

OK -- Marybeth is kind of a celebrity around our office. To say that she has been central to our growth is an understatement! In fact, more people have heard about Step One Foods because of her news-story in 2018 than every other story about us combined! It was our joy to get an update on her journey this year, and see that she has continued to see success years after she started on the program.  Thank you for all you support Marybeth!  

December - Anonymous

That wraps up our year in your words. Of course these 12 examples are a tiny fraction of the thousands of interactions that we've had with each of you this year. Keep those comments and reviews coming!  By connecting with us, you inspire us and help us to continually improve in all we do. 

And so, on behalf of everyone at Step One Foods, I wish you all the warmest of holiday seasons, and a Merry Christmas with the ones you love!