SHOULD YOU BE TAKING A STATIN? When I visited my primary doctor for my annual checkup last year, she told me I should consider taking a statin drug. I know that the main reason people take statin is to lower cholesterol. However, (so far-so good) my cholesterol-level readings have been okay: under 200 for total, and under 100 for LDL—the “bad” cholesterol. (To learn more about cholesterol, please refer to my September 2018 post Clearing Up Cholesterol Confusion.) Since I’m over 75, my doc tells me I now have a greater chance of a heart attack or stroke; And a...
CHOLESTEROL & RED MEAT, WHITE MEAT OR NO MEAT It seems that we seniors are continually being reminded to watch our cholesterol levels. I’m sure you know about high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good cholesterol, which picks up excess cholesterol & takes it back to your liver. And about low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol, which transports cholesterol particles throughout your body. LDL builds up in the walls of your arteries, making them hard & narrow—which increases your heart disease risk. Factors that can increase your risk of bad cholesterol include: poor diet, excess weight, lack of exercise, smoking, diabetes and...
ARE EGGS HEALTHY? YES! A couple of weeks ago I posted an article on cholesterol, Clearing Up Cholesterol Confusion. Now I want to talk about eggs. For quite a few years we were told to go easy on eggs because of their cholesterol content. However, now I’m seeing articles telling us their benefits outweigh the cholesterol. Good thing! Because I love eggs any old way—scrambled, fried, poached, hard or soft-boiled. Eggs are a terrific source of protein and are rich in many vitamins and nutrients your body needs. In my opinion, they are true superfoods. I’ll let this January 2017...
CLEARING UP CHOLESTEROL CONFUSION Over the past few years more of my friends are being told to watch their cholesterol intake. Some are actually losing weight and exercising more, others are popping the statin Lipitor. I was told I needed to cut back on my “bad” cholesterol. I’ve been advised to eat less processed foods, less meat, more fruits and vegetables—in other words the standard advice for eating healthier. In any case, I’ve decided to find out a bit more about cholesterol and I’m sharing my findings with you in this post. Cholesterol is a soft, waxy fat that your...
