I know you've probably seen those Oatmeal TV commercials showing how eating Oatmeal for a month can lower your cholesterol. Well, I gave it a try, and in my opinion, it works. I had my special Oatmeal breakfast drink, described below, about 4 to 5 times a week and my cholesterol dropped from 258 to 196 in six months. I don't know if it dropped a bunch early on and leveled out, or if it was a steady drop over the six month period. I haven't had it checked again yet to see if it is even lower. And, by the way, I made no other drastic changes to my diet.

I like Oatmeal, but I've gotten to where I don't want to take the time to cook it, then take the time to eat it. I wanted a faster method. My faster method is described below. I can prepare the meal and consume it in 2 minutes.

I take ¾ cup of Old Fashion Oatmeal and grind it into dust using a small, cheapo counter-top coffee bean grinder.

To the Oatmeal dust I add a rounded teaspoon of ground cinnamon for flavor, and for its reported cholesterol-lowering benefits.

Sometimes I add some Psyllium Whole Husks or Metamucil for even more fiber, and sometimes some powdered multi-vitamins, but this is up to you.

Then I pour about 1 ½ cups of non-fat milk into a small drink blender, then add the Oatmeal concoction . A standard size blender will do fine, also. I know the milk has cholesterol, but the knowledgeable sources say that this is a very small amount and not counterproductive.

With the main ingredients already pulverized, it only takes about 2 seconds to blend it into a drinkable solution. The blending process is necessary to avoid having a lumpy drink, which would be the result if you try to mix it with a spoon.

I've tried adding fruit during the blending process, but it just doesn't add to the flavor for me. I like the basic Oatmeal and cinnamon flavor. You might give the fruit a try, and/or tinker with the whole recipe.

This might also be a great way to take off some pounds for some of you contesters and Dxers who need a little more than the push-to-talk workout you've been getting.

73 and Bottoms Up!