There is no non-random link between 230 cholesterol readings and any negative health measure, while 730 is a reading that nobody who has not inherited a familial type of extremely elevated cholesterol will have to worry about. Trust me, you would KNOW if truly high cholesterol (above 500) runs in your family. Furthermore, there’s no good evidence that diet and exercise have much effect on cholesterol in most people.

Pharmaceutical company funded researchers drastically lowered several time tested “health measures” about a decade ago: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose levels and BMI. The current ranges reflect the levels in healthy 18 year old men, not healthy middle aged men, and don’t reflect women’s numbers at all, healthy or not.

All of these measure increase naturally with age. What’s more, the statins used to “treat” the 230 count cholesterol lowers the cholesterol but has no impact on actual medical outcomes such as heart disease and stroke. Likely because a cholesterol of 230 has no relationship to the incidence of strokes and heart attacks.

Don’t worry. :) And certainly think hard about whether to take a medication that will not decrease your risk of any disease, but does have potentially harmful side effects. Let me know if you’d like research findings. :)

“Het maakt niet uit welk dieet je volgt om af te vallen. Het gaat erom dat je minder calorieën binnenkrijgt. Dit blijkt uit een onlangs verschenen onderzoek. Het Voedingscentrum onderschrijft dat het ook om gedragsverandering gaat. Mensen vallen met een dieet gemiddeld zes kilo af in een half jaar, maar worden in de tijd erna weer dikker. Je hebt doorzettingsvermogen, discipline en stimulans vanuit de omgeving nodig om op gezond gewicht te komen en te blijven.”

or,

“It doesn’t matter which diet you choose to lose weight – what matters is that you take in fewer calories, a recent study shows. The Center for Nutrition wants to emphasize that a change in behavior is equally important. Dieters tend to lose about six kilos in six months, but become fatter again afterwards. It takes determination, self-discipline and encouragement from the people around you to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.”

Umm. What does the study say about behavioral changes? And does it actually say that “determination, self-discipline and encouragement from the people around you” will help avoid the dreaded re-gaining of weight? If not, then WTF.

I have the same body I did 20 years ago.
It just looks a little different.

That totally speaks to me today!

I still struggle with the bad food and good food concept and when I’m eating “good food”, seem to have more control of how much I eat. My cholesterol is a little high 230 and my Dr. keeps saying to continue to eat right and exercise, which I transelate into you need to lose some weight. He hasn’t said this but has hinted at it. This has spiraled me backwards ,thinking I have to lose weight, trying to eat better and ended up binging on “Bad food” last week. I don’t really think my cholesterol level is high because of my weight but I do weigh more, I am older, and suddenly have high cholesterol.
I do try to make healthier food choices, but do not believe in dieting! I am not invested in losing weight either, but should I be concerned over my cholesterol??

Thanks,
sharmax

Our internist sent my stepfather home with a sphygmomanometer (I know i screwed that up – a blood pressure taking doowacky) because his BP was off the charts whenever he was in the office, after the drive and the being at the doctor. Lo and behold, when he’s home, it’s perfect over perfect.

Mine’s always elevated at the doctor’s, ’cause I HATE the effing drive.

More like US 14-16, maybe 12-14 — it goes the other way.

I even considered spending thousands on a low-calorie diet ‘that would work’.

Not because my hubby-to-be thinks I need to be thinner – but because of comments by others and this stupid society. MIL last week – we were at a show. Me ‘Let’s buy some sweets’, her ‘No, they’re FATTENING. She makes gibes about my weight from time to time, and it’s very unpleasant and unhelpful. And treating me like I can’t choose what I eat because I am OMG FAT is horrible. (Only thin people can be trusted to choose their own food – FACT)

Sorry, rambling on. Fantine, I often fantasise about what I could say to people who mention my weight. On this site I found ‘How rude of you to say so. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?’.

I have a little fantasy going on in my head about what I would say if a doctor said that to me. It goes something like this: “That is the dumbest fucking thing I have ever heard, and you, sir (or madam), are fired.” Followed by a bright smile, walking out of the office, and refusing to pay any bill they dared send me.

I’m constantly making up comebacks like that in my head now, hoping to avoid staircase wit, I guess.