Archive for cholesterol

Chocolate, With Benefits!

December 9, 2013 · Filed under cholesterol, diet plan, Fitness over 40, fitness over 50, nutrition · Tagged ,

If I were an academic and looking for a fascinating research project, I think the benefits of eating chocolate would be on my short list. This is life-enhancing stuff, after all. Forget researching about whether social media makes people happy, or why chimps fling poo (seriously, those were real studies in 2011, according to Sean Williams in an article for The Motley Fool, see link below). Let’s find out more about why chocolate is good for us, so we can relax and enjoy it without guilt.

Here’s some of the skinny on chocolate: One recent study in Spain found that teenagers who ate chocolate regularly tended to have less body fat than teens who did not. They were also more active and had more energy, which I found interesting. That study recommends an ounce and a half a day or less – after all, chocolate also has fat in it.

The Huffington Post lists ten benefits of eating chocolate, including reducing the risk of stroke in women, making our hearts healthier by lowering blood pressure and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and helps keep the blood moving smoothly (“…anti-clotting, blood-thinning properties … similar … to aspirin”).  It has fiber in it, it helps stop coughing, and it puts us in a better mood. Who wouldn’t want that?

It’s no secret that I really like chocolate, especially dark chocolate, and without a lot of other stuff in it. A Snickers bar or Ding Dong is not exactly chocolate; they are full of other stuff. Make mine just chocolate, please. We don’t want to dilute the health benefits, after all!

chocolate-183543_150

This links to the Motley Fool article

This links to the article about the study done in Spain

This links to the Huffington Post article

Leave a comment »

Bacon vs. Veggies: A Surprising New View?

December 6, 2013 · Filed under cholesterol, diet plan, Fitness over 40, fitness over 50, gluten-free, nutrition, running · Tagged

lettuce in garden

Yesterday I had an appointment with my doctor. We talked about how I’m doing and checked some vitals and some tests to see how I’m really doing. It turns out that the tests agree with me – I’m doing just fine, thank you.

We had a short chat about cholesterol that stunned me. I asked whether it needed to be checked, since it’s been a couple of years. (At last check, it was nice and normal.) He said he was not too concerned about my cholesterol. Apparently it’s all about inflammation these days. He mentioned that my chart says I eat gluten-free. This is true, I do – because when I don’t, my sinuses go haywire and I catch every bug within 100 miles. Well, he said, it turns out that grains can create inflammation in the body for those of us who are sensitive to them, so avoiding them is key for me. Inflammation triggers my sinus issues, and makes my immune system less effective.

So, I made some smart-ass remark about eating bacon. He did not miss a beat. He said that many doctors don’t even scold people about eating bacon any more because what they really want to stress is that we all need to eat more fruits and vegetables. A little bacon apparently won’t hurt you as long as you are eating lots of veggies too. Fruits and vegetables help to control inflammation.

This boggled my mind. I have long thought of bacon as the poster-child of bad food choices. Even though I like it, I very rarely eat it any more. The perspective that he shared was that what we need to eat MORE of may be even more important for good health than the things we need to eat LESS of. Very interesting idea. I’m not planning to run right out and buy a pound of bacon, but it makes me even more aware of how important it is to eat plenty of produce every day.

I should add that my GP happens to be a DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) – because I run and work out, and DO’s have more training in sports-medicine and nutrition than most MD’s. They also are trained to think more holistically, and to focus on prevention rather than just cures, which I appreciate. (Click here for a short article that describes the difference between a DO and an MD.)

Here are links to a couple of articles about inflammation for anyone inclined to read more:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131021115742.htm

http://nutrition.about.com/od/dietsformedicaldisorders/a/antiinflamfood.htm

Comments (1) »

Day 6 – Lipitor vs Fries: Who Wins? and who loses?

November 7, 2013 · Filed under cholesterol, Fitness over 40, fitness over 50, holiday weight gain · Tagged , ,

I see the weirdest things on TV sometimes – and I don’t even watch much TV.  Last night a commercial came on urging me to “ask my doctor if Lipitor is right for me”.  That’s not the weird part; pharmaceutical ads have become so commonplace that we accept them as normal.  However, the very next commercial wanted me to go to a well-known chain fast food franchise.  That ad featured fried crawfish, a mayonnaise-looking sauce for dipping, and French fries.

Now I’m sure you can see what was weird about that.  You are right!  Wouldn’t all the grease in the fried-everything meal make a person need the Lipitor?

Wait, do you suppose that the big pharma companies own major shares of the fast food companies?  It seems like some government agency would try to prevent such a thing.  Hey, you can’t cause a bunch of health problems by selling a product as food that is actually quite bad for people – and then also own a company that sells pills to help fix the problem you helped cause.  Can you?  Could be quite a money-maker.

The other weird thing about the juxtaposition of the back-to-back commercials is that they are both targeting the same audience.  You.  Me.  Anyone watching that popular, long-running show at a prime-time hour.  Is it a coincidence that the same targeted audience who would be influenced to go buy Brand X Fast & Fried Food would also be influenced to actually ask their doctor about prescribing Lipitor for their high cholesterol?

This is like a badly lopsided game of tug-of-war – with pharmaceutical companies and fast-food companies on one end of the rope, and you on the other.  How do you win?  Your best hope is to walk away.  Say no to the fried stuff now so you can say no to the prescription drugs later.

Leave a comment »

>About the numbers

December 12, 2010 · Filed under Beachbody, cholesterol, exercise, gluten-free, neuroma, Shakeology

>Went to the doc this week for a follow-up chat about my annual blood testing.  The word is, my cholesterol is just a bit high, and has been for a few years now.  However, a closer look at the most recent test shows that my HDL’s (good cholesterol) are really high, 83.  That’s 20 points higher than 5 years ago . . . and way above the recommended 40.   Since all the cholesterol numbers are added together – the good and the bad – mine is considered healthy.

Today I donated blood.  The tech who tested to be sure there was enough hemoglobin (Hb) commented on my Hb number – as in, “Oh, wow, that’s really good!”.  And, my blood pressure was 102/60 – nice and low.  Did I mention, I’m in my mid-50’s and not taking any prescription meds at all?

Some of this may be due to all the exercise the last few years, or just good genes.  Maybe.  I don’t have copies of all the cholesterol tests, but two in the last 5 years had my HDL at 64 and 62.  Now it’s 83, markedly better.  And I know my blood pressure even a year ago was more like 120-something/70-something.  Today’s numbers were exactly the same as at the doctor’s office on Tuesday – 102/60.  Markedly better.

So what is new during the last year that would make such a big difference?  Last year I was running, on average, 25 miles a week.  I’ve run very little since late August because of the neuroma in my foot.  Really little – less than 25 miles total in the last 3 months.  My weight has gone up about 5 pounds since I’m not running the calories off. 

I’m not trying to make a case for getting less exercise and gaining weight!  That’s not what I think made me healthier.  I started using Beachbody’s Shakeology product in August.  Every day – one scoop a day, mixed in milk or water, 140 calories (with water), TONS of nutrition.  Most days I drink a shake at breakfast because it is quick.  I used to skip breakfast, or eat something like a protein bar and a cup of tea.  Now I have plenty of energy to get through the first part of the day, along with all the other health benefits of Shakeology!

Check out this video for more info.  The first minute or so gets to some information about what Shakeology does for cholesterol levels, but I thought the whole video was interesting.  Let me know what you think!

http://teambeachbody.com/watch/products/shakeology

Leave a comment »