Getting Healthy Without Meds
So I have bad genes. Really bad genes. My mom has high cholesterol and almost all my dad’s siblings have died of heart attacks. My arteries are clogging as I’m writing this…I’m sure of it.
I get my cholesterol checked every year and for the last couple of years, it’s started to creep up. My normal range is between 175-185 but last year it jumped to 238. What?? How did that happen? Although I couldn’t figure out what I changed last year, I knew I had to fix it. There was no way I was going to start taking everyday meds.
I needed to fix this. I started out by eating oatmeal. I HATE oatmeal. I can’t stand the taste or texture, but I knew it would help. I bought oats from Trader Joe’s and made it with unsweetened almond milk. I would mix in a spoon of maple syrup and blueberries. I hated it the first few times, but now I can tolerate it. I also cut down my intake of eggs which I think could have been a contributing factor for the jump. I started eating more eggs last year to get more protein and I think it backfired because of all the yolks I was eating.
I greatly increased my intake of fiber. Any time I could order or make black & pinto beans, I would. High fiber foods are key. They also take a long time for your body to digest so you stay fuller longer which helps with weigh loss too. Bonus!
In terms of exercise, I don’t think that changed much in the last year. Ever since I turned 40 a couple of years ago, I have been exercising more regularly. I try for 3-4 times a week. I’ve also been trying to mix it up with the gym. I go for long, five mile walks and I’ve started taking Barre3 classes. They are really, really hard!
Last year my cholesterol was 238. This year it’s 198. I’m hoping to get it back down to 175 by next year, but this was a great start and I’m really proud of my self. If I can do it, you can too! Good luck!
