Well man - or not?

[Les53]

Remember. You only get a hangover if you stop drinking  :fie:

Sound advice from an expert I think? 

 

[Iggy]

Thanks very much for all the help and advice folks, plenty there to think about.

Having slept on it I am a little reluctant to embark on a lifetime of pills, so I think I'll give it another 6 months and see where I am then.

The only thing Ive really got left to cut out is the occasional biscuit or cake, but I do know I could do a bit more in the way of conventional excercise - I have a busy lifestyle and actually walk quite a lot, but may pubs this isn't enough.

Given the rest of the results which point to me being healthy for my age etc I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that it's mostly hereditary in my case, but we'll see.

Thanks again all.

Ian.

 

[ips]

Just to clarify I have been on statins for 18 months and have had no side effects at all.

 

[Gnasher]

Eat less carbs especially white carbs (white bread, white pasta, potatoes) Avoid sugar, avoid anything "low fat" it's usually packed with sugar, avoid processed foods.
Eat lots of protein (fresh meat, fish, cheese, eggs, beans) and vegetables and if you're going to eat grain make it wholemeal and small amounts.
Personally I think avoiding fat is bollocks. The people living into their nineties now didn't have low fat diets for at least the majority of their lives. The problem is the modern white bread wrapped around it.
If you ate mainly fresh food, cooked from scratch ie meat and 2 veg (easy on the potatoes) you would probably find your cholesterol improved.
Or take the easy route and take the pills....it all depends on if you like cooking and preparing the food you eat.
And walk as much as you can.
I see a lot of middle aged and elderly people everyday and I know what medication they are taking (I'm a dentist) The ones who are fit, slim and not taking drugs all own dogs and walk them every day, probably twice a day.
Get a dog

 

[PhilS]

There is a very strong school of thought that says high cholesterol is genetic rather than diet.

I have been on statins for the last 2 years.  didn't get on with the first ones (gave me muscle fatigue) but doc switched me and been fine ever since.

I tend to agree that it is something that is not fully understood yer, but heard today that the added effect of the statins is that they help protect the arterial walls that may have weakened.

Oh, and I have 2 dogs and walk them twice a day.

 

[Gnasher]

Phil, do you take any other medication other than a statin?

 

[PhilS]

In general or for cholesterol?

 

[ips]

Had results today from my regular blood test everything normal incl liver function, cholesterol 4.7 which is quite good i believe. We eat very little processed food and only use olive oil for the occasional fried thing. I don't have a dog but we do exercise regularity but in the confines of our own bedroom

 

[Gnasher]

Sorry Phil. My question was rather intrusive.
Not everyone in the medical profession have made up their mind as to whether low cholesterol is absolutely necessary let alone whether everyone needs to be on drugs to lower it. It appears the diet they have been advising people to eat for years (low fat) is now considered more unhealthy than a more traditional diet full of butter and lard - because low fat is usually packed with sugar and salt.
Unfortunately an awful lot to do with our health is what we've done in the past and what we do in the present may be too late to avoid medication. Smoking, poor diets and years of inactivity can do enough damage that pills are the only way to improve our health/ keep us alive.

 

[ips]

I am the last paragraph but gp said my blood readings were better or lower than normal so i could smoke more drink more and eat more pies and i would still be normal, ooh i like being a clever sod

 

[no.1topdog]

 but we do exercise regularity but in the confines of our own bedroom

Do you use any specialist equipment and do you prefer free weights over machines?   rankster:

 

[Gene Holmes]

Sorry Phil. My question was rather intrusive. Not everyone in the medical profession have made up their mind as to whether low cholesterol is absolutely necessary let alone whether everyone needs to be on drugs to lower it. It appears the diet they have been advising people to eat for years (low fat) is now considered more unhealthy than a more traditional diet full of butter and lard - because low fat is usually packed with sugar and salt. Unfortunately an awful lot to do with our health is what we've done in the past and what we do in the present may be too late to avoid medication. Smoking, poor diets and years of inactivity can do enough damage that pills are the only way to improve our health/ keep us alive.

My Dad is almost 81 and for as long a I can remember, his diet consisted of bread and dripping, piles of mashed potatoes with lashings of salt and home grown veg. As he says every time we take him out for a meal " I don't like my food mucked about with"

After his last MOT, the GP said he was more fit that a lot of 40 year olds, and to carry on doing whatever it is he's doing, which is, still working, cutting the churchyard grass twice a week, taking the dog for a run and having a scotch every night before bed.

 

[Dog Tyred]

Just to clarify I have been on statins for 18 months and have had no side effects at all.

So you were a grumpy bar steward before you started taking the Statins then??

My missus reakons I have become short tempered since taking the statins. I just told her to pi55 off and mind her own bloody business!

DT

 

[ips]

So you were a grumpy bar steward before you started taking the Statins then??

My missus reakons I have become short tempered since taking the statins. I just her to pi55 off and mind her own bloody business!

DT

ha brilliant.

Ps

no mate always been grumpy and opinionated even before statins

 

[PhilS]

no mate always been grumpy and opinionated even before statins

nowt wrong with that! 

anyone objects......... f**k 'em...... (not literally of course, erm, well, I suppose that depends - up to you!)

 

[PhilS]

Unfortunately an awful lot to do with our health is what we've done in the past and what we do in the present may be too late to avoid medication. Smoking, poor diets and years of inactivity can do enough damage that pills are the only way to improve our health/ keep us alive.

Didn't realise we'd met?  You seem to know me well  :sarcastic:

 

[PhilS]

I am the last paragraph but gp said my blood readings were better or lower than normal so i could smoke more drink more and eat more pies and i would still be normal, ooh i like being a clever sod

Mine too, thanks to the statins  rankster:

Time for a G&T  :nyam:

 

[Iggy]

Thanks again for all the input folks, do appreciate it.

The rest of my check up was 'tip top', my BMI was perfect, blood pressure average, weight good, unrine fine etc.

All this combined with the moderate exceise I do get, plus I only drink moderately, have never smoked etc etc apparently puts my 'risk' of developing heart disease in the next 10 years at 4% which apperently is at or just below average for my age.

Ive also been told by a newly qualified (but trusted!) doctor that the NICE guidelines don't accutually recommend Statins unles your risk is 10% or higher?

Why do we seem to be fed so much conflicting information?

I've got a follow up appt with my GP in a couple of weeks time, so it will be interesteing to see what his take is...I suspect he'll want to get me on the statins ASAP...

 

[sibaldib]

And we haven't even got on to good and bad cholesterol yet....

I've just had a letter through from my GP about attending a well man clinic. As I am off to OZ to see my son, in 4 weeks time I have decided to defer it until my return. I reason that being in Cairns and on the Great Barrier Reef for three weeks, with fresh food, sunshine and loads of his young female friends will either kill or cure!

 

[ips]

Ive also been told by a newly qualified (but trusted!) doctor that the NICE guidelines don't accutually recommend Statins unles your risk is 10% or higher?

Why do we seem to be fed so much conflicting information?

I don't think it is conflicting, as I said in previous post statins and or blood pressure medication is prescribed based on your personal probability of heart disease. Family history age lifestyle etc etc all play a part. my father RIP died of a heart attack at 57 he didn't drink but did smoke he was as fit as a fiddle and I never ever remember him being ill apart from a bad back once when he was about 40. Because he was never ill he never went to a GP so his blood pressure and cholesterol etc was never checked this was 1991 before GP's started to worry about you when you turned middle age now as soon as you hit 50ish there prodding and poking and prescribing in order to keep you alive a bit longer so that you can pay taxes as long as possible (I am not synical you understand) anyway I often wonder if my dad had gone to the doctors with an eye infection (for instance) as I did when I was 49 they may have said ooh we haven't seen you before and give him a good prod and a poke and prescribed whatever and he "May" just may have lived longer. I am not one for doctors for every single problem so rarely go and say hello however with an obvious eye infection which I knew required antibiotics or summat I reluctantly went and with hind sight it was probably a good thing as they found I had hypertension and cholesterol was a tad high (it isn't now thanks to statins and blood pressure is now under control)

so my medical tip for the day is gentlemen if you haven't been ill for a while develop a minor ailment and let your GP have a prod and a poke at your bits and bobs you never know it may extend your life.