Not surprising.
But disappointing.
For the first time in a long time….so long I don’t quite remember how long, I went to a family doctor for my annual check up. Well, first I had to find a GP taking new patients…fortunately, that wasn’t too hard. Then, I went to see her and she ordered x-rays, and blood work and my mammogram and so on.
The news is this: the x-rays showed osteoporosis in both hips. I am pre-diabetic and my bad cholesterol (LDL) –as well as my non HDL cholesterol– is high. Unfortunately, my HDL is quite low.
Here’s the breakdown.
- Fasting glucose: 6.6 mmol/L (Impaired is 6.1-6.9 mmol/L. Diabetic is >6.9 mmol/L)
- I forgot to ask for my A1C numbers.
- HDL Cholesterol (the “good” kind) 1.54 mmol/L
- LDL Cholesterol (the “bad”) 3.79 mmol/L (o.o – 3.4 mmol/L is OK.)
- Non HDL Cholesterol 4.93 mmol/L. (4.9-5.6 mmol/L is considered high)
- Triglyceride 2.50 mmol/L (normal is o.0 – 1.70 mmol/L)
- My blood pressure was within normal range which is not normal for me. Usually my blood pressure is low.
Dr. Osman said I had to bring those numbers down in three months or she would put me on medication. She booked a consult with a dietitian for me and told me to stay away from the “white stuff” and lose some weight. She didn’t tell me how much weight to lose.
So, I’ve been doing bit of research.
Apparently, losing 7% of my body weight will help those numbers go down.
Losing 7 to 10 percent of your body weight (18 to 25 pounds for a 250-pound person) can significantly improve health conditions such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high blood cholesterol. From The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
So, to do that in three months, I will have to lose about 6 pounds a month.
As well, I need to increase the amount of fiber I eat. (The goal, apparently is 25 grams per day.) Did you know that soluble fiber will glom onto and absorb cholesterol hanging around your intestines waiting to get into your bloodstream–and carry it right out of your body?! That’s amazing.
What does a day of 25 g of fiber look like? I’ll have to do some research on that.
Refined carbs not only wreck havoc on my blood glucose: but apparently any glucose not shuttled into my cells converts to LDL. So, I’ll really have to lay off the Lay’s! And the cinnamon buns and the brownies and the cookies and ice cream. But not the dark chocolate. Hooray for small mercies.
And I need to go back to taking fish oil. The Omega 3 fats will raise HDL and lower my LDL. Omega 3 will also help my cells be more receptive to insulin…so not as much glucose will run rampant in my blood. And, of course, my bones will thank me. (I also need more vitamin D, calcium and magnesium, too.)
Now that I am menopausal, my hips could also use more foods rich is phytoestrogens, like miso paste and soy.
So, while I was a bit depressed and scared by the news from my doctor last week, I am feeling a bit better. I feel capable of putting together an action plan that will help me get those numbers down and avoid medication.
February 9, 2017 at 7:47 am
I’m so sorry you had such shocking information from your doctor. Thankfully knowing and being able to do something about it is better than letting it go. Too much damage can happen to your organs by letting it go. Asparagus will lower bad cholesterol. Canadian bacon is better than turkey bacon. And that about sums up what I know. (my mother’s husband had a heart attack a few years ago and this is what I gleaned from my mom about what the doctor told them to change.) If you exercise, know you can do three 10-minute walks instead of one 30-minute. If it is bad weather, do your stairs. I go all the way to the top then back down, then up to the next to top and back down, and etc.. until I get to the bottom. I will rest when I need to catch my breath and then keep going. I try to do that twice in a day when the weather is bad. It stirs up the blood! Progress not perfection!
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February 9, 2017 at 8:35 am
That sounds like an excellent indoor workout, Gina! I was thinking about one yesterday and realising that the stairs would likely have to be involved. It seems like an awful lot of work, so kudos to you! Thanks for the encouragement.
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February 9, 2017 at 8:32 pm
I’m not sure when I last had my cholesreal levels checked but whenever it was, they were all okay. My blood sugar levels are okay even though I had part of my pancreas removed because of a tumour that was attached to it. My blood pressure is not okay. One of my meds for BP was changed a month ago (I take 3 meds for BP) and when I went in for a recheck it was still too high so the dose was doubled. I needed to go by today to get it checked and the prescription refilled since it was for a smaller amount than my other ones.
Did I go by the doc’s and do that? No. I was at school all day trying to finish report cards for my principal. Since I’m on a sick leave, I legally don’t have to do them. 600 pages worth of reports and IEPs. But since I really do like my job and my kids I did it to make her life easier since she is the one who should have been doing them. I really wished I hadn’t offered to fo them now since she was extremely rude and miserable. I wont be so obliging next time. Her rudeness was astounding. Oh well. That’s the kind of thing that goes on behind closed school doors. Whatever. I still love the kids in my class. I just hope my BP doesn’t cause me to pop a cork! Tomorrow, hubby is coming home early to get me to the doctor’s office to get another prescription (since I can’t drive right now). Haha! That’s one way to get him home early on a Friday!
Our health is important. A teacher in my school had a stroke this week. She’s younger than me and I’m 60. She will have to go to rehab when she is released from hospital. Alana, you’re doing everything you can right now to get your body as healthy as possible. Good for you!!
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February 12, 2017 at 11:58 am
Good for you! I a, so pleased you are getting a handle on your health. Will your PN coach help with this?
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