One person who worked as a chef in a cafe did not exercise. She reduced her cholesterol a little just by making healthier food choices, eg changing to low fat milk and cheese, increasing her daily fruit and vegetable intake, using vegetables and nuts as snacks and ensuring she slept six to eight hours a night. Another quit smoking during the project's first week and was still a non-smoker by the end of the project - a major achievement which helped decrease her risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Her blood pressure also reduced. Two of the participants whose cholesterol increased had ill spouses during weeks five to eight of the project. They were in and out of hospital, eating take-aways, not exercising and had increased stress levels.