Cholesterol

Well, I've been a lazy blogger for some time, due partly to the fact that I'm not even sure anyone's still reading. Hoping to get back in the habit here and see what kind of readership I can stir up. Even a solid half dozen loyal readers is worth it to me, so keep checking back, leaving comments, or talking to me personally if you enjoy the blog.

So on to the real post. There was a free cholesterol screening at work the other day, and I decided to participate, just for the hell of it. My total cholesterol came back at 320. This is what the medical community would consider dangerously, astronomically high. The technician repeatedly told me that I should look into 30 minute moderate-intensity workouts. I had to stifle my laughter, explaining that I work out 5-7 days a week, vigorously, for several times that duration, that I follow Mark Sisson's rules about lifting heavy things, moving around frequently at a slow pace, and sprinting once in a while.

So back to my allegedly dangerous "cholesterol" (HDL and LDL are actually blood lipids. They carry cholesterol, but aren't themselves cholesterol). Of that 320, my HDL was only 71, which is on the lower side of excellent. My blood glucose was a meager 74, despite my large breakfast. That's at the very low end of the normal range for fasting blood glucose, so I'm basically anti-diabetic. (up to 140 non-fasting is considered "healthy" by our pro-carbohydrate medical community).

My blood pressure came out a bit high, which doesn't worry me because I know it varies, and that my average is actually pretty low, but otherwise, no numbers to worry about. Resting pulse in the low 60's, etc.

So today's task is tactfully explaining to my co-workers (with whom I freely shared my numbers, just like I am here) that the best evidence out there doesn't indicate cholesterol as the culprit in heart disease, that your liver makes about 3-5 times your "recommended" daily intake of cholesterol regardless of what you eat (and in fact makes up for the deficit caused by your USDA Food-Pyramid recommended diet).

So I'm bringing "The Great Cholesterol Con" and linking to Mark Sisson's primer on the subject of Cholesterol and what it is and isn't. Any other suggestions for quick and dirty summaries of where the medical establishment has the story so wrong with cholesterol would be greatly appreciated.

That's it for today. More soon, assuming I don't drop dead of a heart attack in the next day or two. Although I think jealousy directed at Richard Nicolay is likely the worst I'll suffer...