The Fight Against High Cholesterol

About 6 months ago, my doctor, during a routine visit told me my cholesterol was on the rise and she wanted to prescribe Lipitor or some other statin drug. I am opposed to taking Lipitor because of the potential for negative influence on my liver...which I need to keep working properly for as long as it can! I told her I would "watch" what I ate and increase my activities.

Well, I wasn't very effective at watching what I ate because three months later, the cholesterol had gotten worst! The highest reading ever was 270! This was shocking to me because I consider myself a fairly healthy guy who is always active. I am not overweight either at 166.

I began to take a serious look at how and what I eat and I realized it wasn't as healthy as I thought. My favorite snack food, for example is Gouda Cheese...straight. It was nothing for me to take a good hunk of cheese after work, before work, before bed, or whenever I wanted. I would go for the cheese on everything: eggs, salads, sandwiches, tacos, and the occasional burger. The only thing I didn't like cheese on was french fries, but I ate french fries with Mayonnaise instead of Ketchup. I also love cottage cheese and bleu cheese dressing is my favorite!

When my doctor said I'd like you to avoid all dairy products, I about cried. She also said avoid red meat as in, "Do not eat any red meat." Lastly, she told me to avoid all fried foods. Wow! Now, I am a recovered vegan...so the meat was not a huge issue...I easily quit any red meat. What I miss the most, is Taco Bell.

Because I am eating so much fish and chicken, I have begun to grow gills behind my ears and wings near my elbows!

The good news today is that I have effectively reduced my total cholesterol to 199, and improved my HDL to 62. My diet is working. For the last 7 weeks, I have eaten not one bite of red meat and only three small 1/2 inch long shredded bits of white cheese! I have totally avoided dairy products. I have eaten Shrimp one time and sardines one time. Both are high in cholesterol, but the experts say it is good to eat shell fish and sardines because it raises the HDL. I have been taking fish oil and Omega 3 and drinking vinegar periodically. I also eat oats and nuts and tons of vegetables, concentrating on celery.

I want to get the total down to about 185 before I cheat...but I am looking forward to cheating soon.

Long Hair

I love having long hair, even though it is perhaps not my best look. I think I like it better than short hair because of the instant recognition it brings my way. People remember me at the bars, restaurants and other places I visit much more readily than they do when I sport short hair. I truly believe my long hair played an influential role in getting my first job in Naples Florida with Community Home Services.

The recognition "buys me" small favors or privileges that come with being a regular versus a new client such as quicker seating, quicker service and simply name/face recognition. I appreciate those qualities.

I also receive either compliments or complaints more often with my long hair than I do with my short hair. In fact, most people I meet will talk to me about my hair when it is long as opposed to when it is short. When it is short, I get absolutely no comments, unless it is immediately after I have cut it way short. I like the attention the long hair brings and the fact that it is a conversation starter. The most common comment I receive when I have first cut my hair short is, "Wow, you look so much younger." I do like that, and will keep that in mind as I grow older. As I begin to get more silver, and yes, it is more silver than grey, I wonder how my long hair will look and what comments it will bring.

When I was younger, more than one person said my hair made me look like the piano player/singer Yanni. I might admit some small resemblance, but I think he is much better looking than am I.

Neither here nor there, I am thankful that I still have hair on my head and that I have the choice of growing it long or cutting it short.

Tales of the Heart

About three months ago, my heart began adding extra beats at an alarming (to me) rate...sometimes as many as 15 extra beats in a one minute setting. I know this, because I can feel it. It actually feels like my heart skips a beat! I have had premature atrial contractions most of my life now, as do about 33% of the world's population, so I am told. In my twenties, I went to a cardiologist and wore a Holter Monitor for three days which recorded my heart beats electronically. This is when the PAC's were first diagnosed. I learned to live with them because they were far and few between....startling when they appear, but no other issues.

When they started up this year at the frequency they did, I was not amused! I spent 3 hours in ER with a doctor friend of mine who did every possible test: EKG, heart Xray, blood work, etc. He confirmed the diagnosis again of PAC's and said, "you're as healthy as they get, go and live your life." I continued to have these PAC's and visited my physician who referred me to another cardiologist. I did a sonagram (which was way cool). My heart looks very healthy, beats very regular, has no obvious signs of heart disease or disorder. All the flaps work properly and the walls of the heart are healthy. Again, I was told that everything is normal. Follow up in three months.

There are treatments for PAC's and PVC's (premature ventrical contractions), but the side effects are not worth the trouble. So, I'm continuing my current lifestyle.

During all this time, my thoughts periodically turned to thoughts of dying and I was amused again that I am not afraid of death. I am not in the least bit ready to die, but these PAC's caused me to review my life in an interesting, less thought of, perspective.

How The Chilcoterie Works

Greetings all! Some of you have expressed interest in following my writings, and I appreciate the views. I wanted you to know that you can receive an email notice automatically when I update the blog by simply choosing to follow this blog.

You do that by clicking on "Follow this blog" link on the front page top left hand side. You will be prompted to log in.

If you don't have a google log in, create one...it won't fill your inbox with needless emails. Once you have created an account, you can follow me anonymously, or publically. This simply means that other people who follow my writings will not or will, depending upon your choice, know that you are also following me. I hope this helps you!

Coming Monday: Tales of the Heart!

The Chilcoterie - Remake

Back in the 1970's while at college in Anderson, Indiana, I started a paper version describing my thoughts and my feelings about my experiences. I called it "The Chilcoterie" and, I mailed it or gave it to people who wanted it. I called it the Chilcoterie because of the obvious connection to my name, David Chilcote II and the fact that coterie is defined as "an intimate group of people unified by a common interest or purpose," a clique if you will. I considered those that wanted to read my meanderings of everyday life as just that. The Chilcoterie was born.

The paper is truly a gesture in self gratification. I write because I want to write. I write about my life, my experiences and my thoughts, selfishly. Some of the writing will be irreverent and some will be sarcastic. I anticipate most will be just my honest thoughts and interpretations of everyday experiences. I will not purposefully hurt other people in my writings, but at times, what I write could be interpreted in a way that triggers bad feelings, I suppose. I apologize in advance if that should happen to any reader. If people are offended by what I write, I would suggest they learn to more effectively manage their feelings by disallowing my words to have such power or, if they wish, choose not to read the blog. I write again, for my own self gratification. I enjoy writing and hope others enjoy reading. I will welcome any and all comments.