Got my cholesterol checked yesterday. I have coronary artery disease in my family and have had higher than normal numbers since I was a teen. Being of average weight with high metabolism does not guarantee healthy blood. I eat poorly and don't exercise. Now that it's Spring, I WILL GET back out and walk again. I vow to NOT wait for a heart attack for motivation to move.
American Heart Association says that a total cholesterol level less than 200 mg/dL is a desirable level that puts you at lower risk for coronary heart disease. A cholesterol level of 200 mg/dL or higher raises your risk.
MINE IS 188. (Overall good.)
HDL Cholesterol Level (the good stuff) of 60 mg/dL and above is considered protective against heart disease.
MINE IS ONLY 50. (Not good. The only way to get this higher is to run a marathon. Literally. So my game plan is to keep the bad cholesterol numbers down. I won't be training for a run any time soon.)
LDL Cholesterol Level - Less than 100 mg/dL is optimal
100 to 129 mg/dL is near or above optimal
130 to 159 mg/dL is borderline high
160 to 189 mg/dL is high
190 mg/dL and above very high
MINE IS 128. (So I must watch what I eat and do cardio.)
From the American Heart Associate website: "On the whole, Americans should reduce the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and total fat in their diet. If you have high blood cholesterol, it's very important to control high blood pressure, avoid tobacco smoke, eat a healthy diet, get regular physical activity, maintain a healthy weight, and control or delay the onset of diabetes. Taking these steps will help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. If you still need drugs to reduce your blood cholesterol, a healthy diet and active lifestyle will help lower your cholesterol and improve your overall cardiovascular health."
Thankfully my doctor said that we won't be visiting the option of medication til I'm 40. I typically have low blood pressure so know that I am currently in a good place. I have to make the changes now to maintain health. I am sharing this with you as accountability. So if we eat together... pls encourage me to make healthier options. I recommit to dancing or walking to do my cardio and will post my stats on here monthly.
2 comments:
That's good news Mary, your numbers could have been a lot worse! With or without high cholesterol good eating and exersising habbits are a good idea. In fact they seem to be the two things that help our bodies fight off whatever alments...illness, cancer, diabeties etc.
keep on walking! i've been wanting to mention - I like your new blog background!
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