cholesterol, revisited

Yeah, yeah, I skipped blogging in April, but I have been getting other things done. Like my cholesterol retest! Here it is: Total: 152 HDL: 75 LDL: 64 from Total: 210 HDL: 74 LDL: 116

Now, I am a big believer in honestly weighing the cost/benefit and trying not to get knee jerk or emotional. I have heard that statins can mess up your muscles and had a friend who got untenably dizzy with them. Which is not a great statistical sample, so if I needed (this was 18 months of “No, really, Doctor, I’m going to change my diet and exercise; I’ll get those numbers down.”) to go on statins, I would, but I’m glad I don’t have to. Natural, by the way, also has side effects.

Did you know glucosamine can raise cholesterol levels? I recently stumbled onto this. Crap. Osteobiflex was my go-to for helping my hands. Fortunately, I have been good about alternating  my phone typing position (type one thought with thumbs, type the next with pointer finger, and if you’re writing a novel, go get a keyboard!), and it’s been months since I’ve taken one. Yet another reason not to let yourself get texter’s thumb, y’all.

Carbs are not the enemy, but it’s good to limit sugars. Fat is also less of a bogeyman than we were led to believe in the 90s, but no need to go overboard there, either. I’ve been trying to get lots of fresh vegetables, whole grains, and fiber. I got into a really good groove exercising before I had surgery (a blog for another time), but it’s been 4 months, and I’m still not back into it properly. I am tracking my sleep with an app and mostly improving, though my geriatric cat does still sleep with me, and he wakes up with a pretty reliable 4am coughing fit. Poor old boy is not the picture of genki anymore. 🙁

Cholesterol, weight, depression, pain, all kinds of stuff, and the advice is the SAME. Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. I know. I think you know. It’s just the doing it!

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