If It’s A Numbers Game, Do I Want To Be A Winner Or A Loser?

On By SuzIn As blogged by Suz

Do you enjoy reading good news? I hope so, even if that good news solely pertains to ME. 

Do you recall back in November when I had my bloodwork tested, and my cholesterol numbers had shot up by 41 points? I can 100% blame the pandemic and my slacking because of said pandemic. Well, I vented about it to all of you and, you guys, being the best of the best, had some kind & encouraging words to say about it. 

Thank you, thank you and, thank you. 

I was terrified of going on statins. Honestly, I just can’t imagine being on medication daily. Listen, I know many people NEED to be on medication, and it’s not a big deal, but for me, it felt like a big deal. Therefore, I buckled down as I’ve never buckled down. 

Here are the things that I was ingesting either on the daily or several times a week that I gave up and how I adjusted, if you care to know:

  • Cheese-GONE (A few slices of cheese used to be a favorite afternoon snack)
  • Cottage cheese-GONE. (Oh, how I loved cottage cheese for breakfast)
  • Bacon-(Coach still prepares it 3-4 times a week, and I think I’ve had 4 pieces over the last 4 months)
  • Dairy creamer-GONE (I don’t even miss it. I love the vanilla Silk Oat creamer.)
  • Red meat & pork-GONE. 
  • Eggs with yolks-GONE. ( I DO prepare egg whites with veggies about 3-4x a week for breakfast)
  • Yogurt-GONE. (I loved greek yogurt.)
  • Butter-GONE. (I wasn’t a big butter user before, but now I ONLY use olive oil for cooking or this for spreading)

I also started eating more fruit, which I used to fear because of SUGAR. Fear no more. 

I’ve adjusted my meals so much, and at first, it felt weird, but now it’s the norm. Here’s one thing about me, and maybe you were this way too. For many, many years, I had a fear of carbs. Carbs are bad. Carbs come from satan himself. Now? I do have some carbs because I’m so limited elsewhere. I’ve added Raisin Cinnamon English muffins to most of my morning meals, and I freaking love them. Why was I so scared of bread? Pasta? Potatoes? Now, I don’t go overboard, but I do make a bit of pasta here and there, and we both enjoy a sweet potato (or rice) with dinner. It took some time to get rid of this fear of carbs, and I feel effing liberated. 

Can we go all Cher and turn back time for a minute? I meant to share this back in December when it occurred, but I didn’t. The Coach insisted I go and get a full-body scan. This is a proactive step and not ordered by my Dr. (we paid out of pocket, but it wasn’t as crazy as I thought it would cost). They checked me from my brain to my toes; with a CT scan of my heart. (Spoiler alert: it’s lovely) My heart shows NO calcium buildup, which is what usually occurs when people have high cholesterol. 

They also told me I have ovarian cysts & fibroids in my uterus. {BTW: NO PRIVACY with this scan even if I was FULLY dressed} This is not unusual for me, though. I’m continually growing all sorts of barnacles inside. I’ve since had a follow-up ultrasound, and all is well. This test also confirmed my suspicion that I HAVE A HERNIA; I didn’t really want to acknowledge this, but alas, it is there, and there it will stay. I’m sure it happened when the Coach made me carry something heavy. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

I had bloodwork done again last week, and then I visited my Dr. this week, and let me tell you, I was ANXIOUS. I kept telling Coach: If my numbers have not gone down after ALL the changes I’ve made, well, then I’m done like dinner. Give me an RX ’cause there is nothing else I can do. 

Guess what. 

Can you guess?

But it’s fun to guess!

My overall cholesterol number went from 259 to 225 in just over four months.

And my good cholesterol was excellent; I’m practically an overachiever at this point. 

That change with the fact that there is NO calcium around my pretty heart, well I can forge on, hope to improve even more and, NOT go on medication. 

Also, I did not gain weight with my dietary changes; I’m down about 5lbs. 

If you could see me now, I’m doing A Happy Dance. Well, I’m glad you can’t see me, though, because this bra I’m wearing is NOT made for happy dancing. 

WHY do I love that silly movie so much?

 

So. Are you happy for me enough to share some good news from your end?

If you need me, I’ll be out in the garden dancing like no one is watching because they aren’t.

XOXO

32 thoughts on “If It’s A Numbers Game, Do I Want To Be A Winner Or A Loser?”

  1. Wow – you go girl! This is GREAT news. You nailed it. I am in awe of what you cut out of your diet. I admit that I don’t know much about cholesterol and the foods that need to be avoided, but if I had to start steering clear of Greek yogurt and red meat or pork . . . well, it wouldn’t be pretty. I do love a sweet potato. Anyway, what a relief that you got this under control on your own.

    My good news: I’m getting a vaccine tomorrow. I know, I know. Exciting. Aunt Leprechaun is a doctor and she is working a clinic and she can start giving slots to people with a health issue. My sister Marie and my brother Pat (Leprechaun’s husband and a severe asthmatic) and I all have asthma and we are getting shots tomorrow.

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    1. yay for your good news!!
      Cholesterol is basically in anything that comes from an animal. Dairy & meat. Chicken has less than red meat. I’ve been eating chicken and lots of veggies. Occasionally I’ll crave a burger or red meat sauce for pasta and I’ll use a combo of ground chicken breasts with some ground bison as it’s much leaner than red meat. I’m surviving and possibly thriving. 🙂

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  3. Wow! You did some really Hard Work, and it has paid off big time. I would demand Sainthood if I gave up butter. Seriously. I don’t think I could go on without butter.

    I’m happy and proud for you.

    I’m overly fond of Napoleon Dynamite, too. My son and I quote it extensively and even answer the phone using his voice. We once had a fat little pond fish…named it Tina. Of course. 😉

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  4. I am so happy for you!! I haven’t had blood work in years. I need to get that done. That is on my to-do list for this year now that we are on the path to getting back to normal.

    So my question for you is, what WERE you eating over the past four months?? Because that is a lot of stuff to give up. I would love to know your diet because it sounds heart healthy for everyone.

    I am so happy for you!! 🙂

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    1. Maybe I’ll do a little post about my food choices as of late. It’s nothing radical, I promise.
      Right now I’m having lunch; a black bean burger sans bun, with a little green salad w/ a vinaigrette and some leftover quinoa/rice combo from dinner last night. Filling and yummy.

      One of my favorite snacks is baked tortilla chips with salsa or those little naan dippers with salsa or smashed avocado/guac. Avocado isn’t the best for me, but I do have it on occasion.

      And thank you for being happy for me. 🙂

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  5. Bijoux

    That’s very good news. I get stressed about my blood work after every physical. The only time my cholesterol ever went over 200 was when I had a thyroid issue. My blood sugar also went up then. I guess when your thyroid doesn’t work, nothing else works!

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    1. I guess the phrase ‘If your thyroid ain’t happy, nothing is gonna be happy’ would work.
      I’m hoping you got your issue figured out.
      Knock on wood-my thyroid seems to be in good shape right now, but my Mom did have issues with hers. I wonder if it’s at all hereditary?

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  8. You’ve done great! What a change in your numbers. I, too, used to be *afraid* of carbs. My mother put that fear in me, telling me if I ate too many I’d be as big as a side of a barn. She meant well, but…

    As for good news on my end, yesterday I finally got my second shingles shot which means I’ve now officially kicked chicken pox to the curb. Bwha-ha-ha!

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    1. I think there was a long time that the ‘carbs were bad’ motto was coming from all angles.

      Yay for your shingles shot finale. Did you have any issues?
      After my first dose, I felt like I had the flu 24 hours later, but it only lasted about 12 hours. The second dose was easy. I too was happy to have this done after having the Pox on my 29th birthday; I’ve never been so sick and I was ready TO NOT have a repeat.

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        1. Isn’t it funny how we’re all affected differently?
          Yes. I contracted chicken pox on my 29th birthday and then gave it to 8month old Linds. It was a month of misery between the two of us. Rest up and feel better.

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  10. I am so proud of you! Congrats on your good report. I had been on statins for many years up until last spring. I lost about thirty lbs due to a bacterial infection and all the sudden the statins were causing unbearable muscle pain, I got off of them and will NEVER go back. You are smart and very disciplined to avoid statins! Love ya, have a great weekend.

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  12. Suz, that is incredible. Good job, you!! I was hoping that would be the case. I think I told you about my husband, and how is triglycerides were incredibly high (this was in maybe 2008 or 9) and if he couldn’t control it via diet he would have to go on drugs – and he did control it through diet. I am so happy for you!!! I can only imagine how soul-crushing it would be to do all that and NOT have your numbers go down. Also, yay carbs!

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    1. Thank you so much. Yes, I remember you mentioned your husbands’ triglyceride issue before. It’s pretty incredible what we can accomplish when we take it seriously. Kudos to him as well.

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  14. Maddie

    Yay for you & your fabulous news! Diet changes are so hard and even harder to stick with — I’m proud of you! Also I’m massively impressed by your ability to resist bacon when your husband cooks bacon. I could never have that much self control. Did I mention I’m proud of you?

    And now I want bacon. All the bacon. 🙂

    I have a Science! tidbit for carbs. If they are cereals, legumes, or tubers — like rice, lentils, beans, or potatoes then….. Cook them, *Refrigerate* them overnight and then reheat them before eating. Doing this extra step makes some of the starches in the food non digestible. It lowers the calorie content per serving because non digested starches pass thru your body. I think it also lowers the glycemic impact (good if u r watching your blood sugar). And non digestible starches are *good* for the beneficial gut bacteria in your gut. The only bad thing is re heated rice takes yucky. Sorry if this is way too much info.

    My good news is that our yard is full of busy birds. Spring is (knock on wood) almost here!

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    1. Maddie,
      Thank you for the sweet compliments!

      I’m totally loving your science regarding carbs and it does make sense to me. Who would’ve thunk it?

      Yay for birds and spring arriving in your neck of the woods. PLANT SALVIA! 🙂

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      1. Maddie

        Salvia is at the top of my To Buy list. Believe it! The photos of your Salvia…. your plants are so pretty and now I’m just *obsessed* with growing a bed of Salvia this year. It’s all your fault! 😀

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  15. Pingback: This, That And The Other Thing: What’s On My Countertop? – Busy Bee Suz

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