Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,088
Today I go in for my free, none-of-your-business-Blue-Cross, cholesterol screening at Costco. I'm very interested in whether there will be an improvement in my numbers.
In 2002, they were 179 and 44 for total and HDL.
In 2005, I was curious to see how low I could get the total, and ate almost no meat for a few weeks before the test. The results were:
210 and 40 for total and HDL.
In Jan, 2008 I went from three days/week of exercising to six days of harder exercising, including two days per week of weight training. Some of those days include 40-80 mile bike rides. I've also virtually eliminated all refined grains. That is, I eat brown rice, whole grain pasta, and whole wheat bread. I did not change my diet in these weeks prior to the test (that is, I didn't stop eating meat).
So, do you think today's numbers will be better, worse, or about the same?
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Dallas
Posts: 5,256
I certainly hope they are better for you Al as you have put so much effort into improving your numbers.
However for me, I ate weeds and sticks and still couldn't get my numbers right. I have to take cholesterol medication. My mom and dad are both on this medication...I guess it's in my genes.
Surprising, huh? I wonder how accurate these things are.
The machine gave no reading for LDL, which the pharmacist interpreted as a bad sign. Anyone understand that?? Triglycerides was 50, and the sheet said that LDL can't be calculated if Trig is less than 50. LDL is probably good, right?
My calculation is: 144 - (10 + 47) = 87
Blood pressure was a whole different story, and I don't want to talk about it.
I predict that they will either go up or down. If they don't then I predict they'll stay the same.
I knew a couple of guys at work very well (they are now retired) who were both extremely fit and thin, but both had borderline high cholesterol. Both had heart attacks and needed multiple bypass surgery.
One of the guys was also a fellow soccer referee and was higher qualified than I and ref'ed more games- he was a real enthusiast. He also had a treadmill stress test 6 months before his heart attack, and the stress test showed low risk of heart problems.
DW and I get annual cholesterol screenings and the only time we have had a significant drop from year to year was when we lost appreciable weight (she lost 15% and myself 20% over a 12 month period). That was about 8 years ago and since then we have progressively improved our fitness levels and our diet but have not seen significant changes one way or another in Cholesterol readings.
YMMV but I really hope your results are down and you get your just rewards for your efforts - has your new regime produced any weight loss?
Surprising, huh? I wonder how accurate these things are.
The machine gave no reading for LDL, which the pharmacist interpreted as a bad sign. Anyone understand that?? Triglycerides was 50, and the sheet said that LDL can't be calculated if Trig is less than 50. LDL is probably good, right?
My calculation is: 144 - (10 + 47) = 87
Blood pressure was a whole different story, and I don't want to talk about it.
Triglycerides was 50, and the sheet said that LDL can't be calculated if Trig is less than 50. LDL is probably good, right?
My calculation is: 144 - (10 + 47) = 87
Wow, low Trig, very impressive. Normal range is 0 -150, no lower limit. I hadn't heard that LDL can't be calculated with Trig below 50 but they are bound to be right.
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: 43N Latitude, NY
Posts: 5,366
Nice results, TAl. The beaver is really cute. Is he part of the household or just a clip-in image?
Ths thread reminded me I still need to get my annual blood w*rk done.
I did all the other "turn 50" tests, but kinda blew this one off.
I usually have normal numbers, so it is not a huge priority.
I'll nag myself next week...or you all can.
__________________
"Happiness depends upon ourselves." - Aristotle
Here's some stuff about hypertension.
Disclaimer: nobody knows nuttin! Don't take health advice from the internet! Talk to you doctor before taking health-related decisions!
According to Mercola (sometimes he has good ideas, sometimes he makes me cringe) for the most part, high blood pressure is caused by producing too much insulin. Something to keep an eye on?
A good omega6 to omega3 ratio helps. For most people that means, taking omega3 supplements. Mercury may contribute to hypertension so maybe supplements are safer than tuna or sushi?
Glucose 129
HDL 143
Col Total 265.
Wife has put me on a diet. Amen.
My doctor would be really upset if my bloodwork came back like that! Mine is bad enough as it is. Be sure to exercise, too, even if it is just going for a walk sometimes. I think exercise helps me a lot (when I do it).
__________________ "Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harborless immensities." - - H. Melville, 1851
Glucose 129
HDL 143
Col Total 265.
Wife has put me on a diet. Amen.
I don't know if that HDL level is a typo or not, but if your HDL is actually that high, you have nothing to worry about heart disease-wise. I read in a few places that no one with an HDL level over 100 has ever died of heart disease. And we all know that if it says it on the internet it must be true. I'd be interested to hear the medical experts' opinions on tis one.
That (fasting?) glucose level might be an issue, though.
__________________ A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. DW and I - FIREd at 50 (7/06), living off assets
__________________ "It's tough to make predictions, especially when it involves the future." ~Attributed to many
"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is." ~(perhaps by) Yogi Berra
"Those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge."~ Lau tzu
Rich posted this a couple of days ago in this thread - so you are both of a similar opinion
My pricing was lower.
__________________ "It's tough to make predictions, especially when it involves the future." ~Attributed to many
"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is." ~(perhaps by) Yogi Berra
"Those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge."~ Lau tzu
Quote:
or just a clip-in image?
I'd be interested to hear the medical experts' opinions on tis one.
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