I remember one of the main reasons for Jose to pick up on exercising regularly again, was when his dad passed away in August 2003 of Cardiopulmonary Arrest. Having gone through this horrible and sudden experience made him realize that we needed to make sure we had everything in order for our own family in case of sudden or unforseen circumstances. We decided to purchase Term Life Insurance and therefore both had to undergo a Medial Exam. I was still pregnant with Joey (about 7.5 months) and had to wait until I delivered him in order for my policy to go into effect. But, we went ahead with everything and wanted to get Jose all squared away, just for peace of mind.When we got the results of Jose's Medical Exam, it showed that his Cholesterol level was just under 300 and that was a shocker!!! Wow, that is pretty bad considering his cholesterol level really should be in the mid/upper 100's. It was WAY too high. That was a wake up call, as you can say. He immediately started eating differently and exercising regularly, after having gotten a complete full physical with his primary physician. At this point in his life he weighed over 210 pounds. Jose now weighs 170 pounds and so he has lost a total of 40 pounds since this time. I am so proud of him for that. He has really been keeping it up and doing well. Certainly training for this Ironman has helped as well. :0)
We have realized how important it is to take care of your heart and that a healthy diet and regular exercise can prevent heartattack & stroke, America's #1 killer. Read below a bit more about Cholesterol. If you also need to lower your cholesterol, go to the webpage: www.cholesterollowdown.org or visit the American Heart Association Website at www.americanheart.org. If you are interested in looking up some healthy recipes go to: www.deliciousdecisions.org. Happy & Healthy living!!
What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy substance made by the liver and also supplied in the diet through animal products such as meats, poultry, fish and dairy products. Cholesterol is needed (in the body) to insulate nerves, make cell membranes and produce certain hormones. However, the body makes enough cholesterol, so any dietary cholesterol isn't needed.Too much cholesterol in the blood can lead to cardiovascular disease—America's No. 1 killer. Understanding the facts about cholesterol will help you take better care of your heart and live a healthier life, reducing your risk for heart attack and stroke.
The Good…High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as the "good" cholesterol. Your body makes HDL cholesterol for your protection. It carries cholesterol away from your arteries. Studies suggest that high levels of HDL cholesterol reduce your risk of heart attack.
The Bad… Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as the "bad" cholesterol. Too much LDL cholesterol can clog your arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
…and The UglyWhen there is too much cholesterol in your blood, cholesterol and other substances build up in the walls of your arteries. This build up is called plaque. Over time, it causes "hardening of the arteries" so that arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart is slowed down.
The blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach your heart, you may suffer chest pain. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack. Heart attacks most commonly occur when plaques become fragile and rupture. Then blood clots are formed and can completely cut off blood supply to a portion of the heart.
