I have a very important reason to celebrate! I'm kicking up my heels and shouting hooray! I did it! (Drawing is from my collection of vintage cookbooks titled "The Lunch Box Cookbook" illustrated by Lou Peters and published by Culinary Arts Institute Copyright 1955.)
It's not because I logged 79.25 miles in the month of March thus surpassing February's mileage of 64.5 miles, although it is related to that. This is my journey down the cholesterol trail over the course of the past three years. First of all, it's crucial to consider all four facets of cholesterol levels to get an accurate snapshot. Optimally, the levels should be: total cholesterol <200, triglycerides <150, HDL (good cholesterol) >60, and LDL (bad/"lousy" cholesterol) 100-129. Note re: LDL: Recommended level is <70 for people at very high risk for heart disease and <100 for people at risk of heart disease. (Risk factors include if you've had a heart attack, have diabetes, vascular disease, or two or more of the following risk factors: smoker, high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, family history of early heart disease, older than 45 if you're a man, or older than 55 if you're a woman, and elevated lipoprotein.) Info from the Mayo Clinic web site.
My cholesterol levels have always been very good until 2 years ago when I saw some things happening that I didn't like.
September 2006 Total Cholesterol 181 Good (Optimal <200) Triglycerides 46 Good (Optimal <150) HDL 62 Good (Optimal >60) LDL 110 Good (Optimal 100-129) September 2007 Total Cholesterol 206 High Triglycerides 49 Good, but increasing. HDL 65 Good LDL 131 Not good. September 2008 Total Cholesterol 228 High (Optimal: <200) Triglycerides 58 Good but still increasing, so not good. HDL 62 Good LDL 154 Really really not good. March 2009 I am back to September 2006 levels!!! Total Cholesterol 180 Good Triglycerides 42 HDL 62 LDL 110 How did I do it (w/o meds)? √ tomorrow's post. Mar. 30, 2009 (zippo on Mar. 31) Today's mileage: 2-mile walk Grand Total mileage for March: 79.25 miles Bible reading? Yes.