This blog entry is a bit overdue. I meant to write about the types of foods that are good to eat when you feel under the weather because I was sick two weeks ago. And then the week after that would have been a very appropriate time to write about delicious Thanksgiving foods. I blame it on a sinus headache. Or laziness. Or both? No matter, due to massive amounts of hydration, chicken soup, and an unprecedented number of citrus fruits, my cold did not linger for too long. The following week, I laced up for my second race of the Fall season on Thanksgiving day, and followed a pretty solid 5th place at the Manchester Road Race up with turkey, gravy, potatoes, stuffing and pie- lots and lots of pie. I even enjoyed a healthy-sized slice of apple pie for breakfast the next morning, pre-run, a decision which was fully encouraged by my grandmother. So that is completely acceptable. Overall, I was feeling pretty pleased with my latest nutritional decisions. Unfortunately, I was hit with a large serving of reality this past Monday when it comes to said nutritional decisions. Apparently, I have total cholesterol of 233 mg/dL. Oops.
Just to provide some background, in my first blog post, I mentioned that I work part-time as a Health Tech for Pro-Activity. Basically, I travel around to different companies in New Jersey with an awesome team of physical therapists, certified trainers and other part-time techs to do comprehensive health evaluations for the companies’ employees. My particular job involves taking cholesterol readings. At the end of the season, each member of our team goes through the evaluations if he or she wants to. Since I had never gotten my cholesterol taken before, I decided I would give it a go.
According to the American Heart Association, a total cholesterol reading of 200 to 239 mg/dL is deemed borderline high. So I have borderline high cholesterol. Who would have thought? Total cholesterol is a measure of HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and other lipid components. HDL cholesterol is refereed to as the “good” cholesterol. Our physical therapist, Justin Bagely, describes this cholesterol as the scrubbing bubbles that clean your arteries. LDL cholesterol is deemed the “bad” cholesterol and Justin likens this to banana cream pie. It sticks to the walls of your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease. Optimally, you should have an HDL level of 60 mg/dL or above and an LDL of 100 mg/dL or below. My numbers from Monday’s reading were 90 mg/dL for my HDL and 118 mg/dL for my LDL. My triglycerides were 119 mg/dL and these should be under 150 mg/dL. So my good cholesterol is fantastic, but my bad cholesterol is a bit alarming. Banana cream pie is just so delicious though!
To be fair, this test is supposed to be performed fasting and I most certainly did not fast. I had a Dunkin Donuts ham, egg, and cheese on a wheat bagel and a tea with sugar and cream for breakfast. For lunch, I had peanut butter and jam on whole grain bread, sugar snap peas, a sliced pear, whole wheat crackers, and caramel rice cakes. I finished all my food before noon and the test was administered at 5:30 pm.
Since I don’t really fit the risk factors for high LDL cholesterol (obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes), and I fully participate in that whole “daily exercise” thing that most doctors recommend, the only place I can look to for improvement is my diet. Low and behold, an introspection of my diet was exactly what I set out to do with this blog. It just seems that much more relevant now.
I have already made some positive changes since writing this blog, like eating oatmeal and fruit for breakfast and adding veggies to my lunch. My dinners have been pretty well rounded. I have been striving for a meat, whole grain or starch, and a veggie or two. For example, tonight, I had tacos made with lean ground beef, cooked tomatoes, spices, cheddar, spinach, and *low-fat* refried beans on corn tortillas. I included a handful of raw sugar snap peas and a few slices of kiwi on the side. My snacks and desserts probably have something to be desired so I thought I might write a bit about some of my favorite heart-healthy snacks and tips.
Almonds: I enjoy the cocoa powder dusted ones, or the cinnamon and sugar kind from Trader Joes. Almonds are rich in Vitamin E, dietary fiber, and monosaturated fats (the good kind), which may help lower bad cholesterol.
Oatmeal: I cook mine over the stove in boiling water. I like to add vanilla almond milk, a little brown sugar, cinnamon, and craisins. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber which may help lower LDL.
Smoked salmon: Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower your blood pressure. I don’t buy smoked salmon as a snack too often, because it is usually quite pricey, but I am a cheese-and-cracker connoisseur, and since most cheese is high in saturated fats, salmon is a good substitute. And I like to go with hearty whole-grain crackers here.
Sugar Snap Peas or Green Beans: Both of these greens have a ton of vitamins and minerals, and are high in dietary fiber. They are also great for snacking.
Seasonal Fruit: Right now, I am particular to Bosc pears. They are cholesterol-free and are also an excellent source of vitamin C and dietary fibers.
Dried Fruit: I am on a Trader Joe’s kick right now. I enjoy their “Just Mango Slices” and “Nothing But…Banana, Flattened” because they are perfect for a sweet tooth fix with a nice cup of tea. Cholesterol free, mangos are rich in Vitamin A and fiber and bananas are plentiful in potassium.
Peppers: There is nothing quite as crisp and refreshing as a sliced red pepper. I like mine on sandwiches or roasted too. These are very high in Vitamins C and A.
Some other additions I can make to lower my cholesterol include switching from butter to canola or olive oil, and taking a fish oil supplement. I just found a lemon-flavored fish oil that I drink with my orange juice and more importantly, leaves no fishy aftertaste!
In other news, while I was away from the blogosphere for two weeks, my blog was reviewed by a very reputable source of news and journalism, WRFF, and a throw down of sorts was proposed. I dutifully accepted, of course. The following day, the other half of WRFF proposed a hypothetical wedding feast following the marriage of myself and Mr. Wiesbach. It would evidently be an occasion for chilli cheese hot dogs, mozzarella sticks, and steak. That is just the wedding I have been dreaming of since I was a little girl. Liam and I are NJ-NY TC buddies and I enjoyed some Tim Horton’s donuts with Mike not too long ago. There are not many guys out there who understand women. These guys get me. Check out their blog. They update far more often than I do. (This is assuming more than just my mom and dad have gotten to this point in my blog entry…)
Stay tuned as I search for some heart-healthy baked goods (are there such things?) on my quest to satisfy my sweet tooth and daily caloric need, while simultaneously lowering my bad cholesterol. Post below if you have any heart-healthy tips for me. And please don’t tell me to run some more…
