I am 62 and around 7 years ago the doctor told me I was pre-diabetic; borderline hypertensive; and and my cholesterol was edging upwards.
I was told several things: (1) If I smoke, stop; (2) If I drink, reduce consumption; (3) moderate my diet and loose a few pounds; and (4) exercise, but he said that brisk walking and/or walking as much as I could in a day would probably suffice as the only exercise I needed.
I don't smoke -- so no issue there.
I drank. My problem with drinking was if I had a 12-pack in the refrigerator, I was prone to grab a beer before anything else - so I just stopped buying alcohol. He told me this on a Monday and by the next day - I had stopped completely. Later, he told me I didn't need to stop drinking alcohol, just not drink as much. My problem is if it is in the house - I will drink it. (NOTE: Same thing with candy, foods high in carbohydrates, soft drinks, etc. It is easier for me not to buy these things then have them in the house and try to control my consumption. I changed my buying habits and just limit what is in the house and that has worked pretty well).
I moderated my diet (for the diabetes and cholesterol) and lost about 20 pounds.
I walk as much as I can. I park near the back of the parking lot when I go to a store; walk up and down stairs instead of elevators; etc.
Those few changes have helped me control all of the conditions he was worried about.
[TD="class: tableCell"]
Name
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 200px"]
Value
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 200px"]
Reference Range
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]HgbA1C[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]5.8[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]<6.0 %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell"]
Name
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 200px"]
Value
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 200px"]
Reference Range
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Cholesterol[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]139[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]<200 mg/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Triglyceride[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]89[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]<150 mg/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]HDL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]40[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]>40 mg/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]VLDL-Calc[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]18[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]<30 mg/dl[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]LDL-Calc[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]81[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]<130 mg/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Chol/HDL Ratio[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]3.5[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]<4.0
[/TD]
Yes, I can't get my GOOD cholesterol up, but my Doctor says that is not unusual for many people.
[TD="class: tableCell"]
Name
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 200px"]
Value
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 200px"]
Reference Range
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]T. Protein[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]7.3[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]6.3-8.4 g/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Albumin[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]4.6[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]3.5-5.0 g/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Total Bili[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.6[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.2-1.3 mg/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Alk Phos[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]79[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]23-159 U/L[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]AST[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]40[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]17-59 U/L[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]ALT[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]45[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]21-72 U/L[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Sodium[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]140[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]134-144 mmol/L[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Potassium[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]3.8[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]3.5-5.3 mmol/L[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Chloride[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]101[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]98-107 mmol/L[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]CO2[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]24.6[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]22.0-30.0 mmol/L[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Glucose[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]111[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]74-100 mg/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Calcium[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]9.8[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]8.5-10.5 mg/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]BUN[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]17[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]8-24 mg/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]Creatinine[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]1.0[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.3-1.4 mg/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]GFR[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]76[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]>60 mL/min per 1.73
[/TD]
My glucose is higher then I want - but a few years ago my reading would have been fine. LOL. They keep changing the standard (and lowering the number).
[TD="class: tableCell"]
Name
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 200px"]
Value
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 200px"]
Reference Range
[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]WBC[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]5.5[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]3.8-10.6 10^3/uL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]RBC[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]4.68[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]4.20-5.80 10^6/uL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]HGB[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]15.3[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]13.5-18.0 g/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]HCT[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]44.1[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]42.0-52.0 %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]MCV[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]94.2[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]78.0-100.0 fL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]MCH[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]32.6[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]27.0-31.0 pg[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]MCHC[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]34.6[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]32.0-36.0 g/dL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]RDW[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]13.8[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]11.5-15.5 %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]PLT[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]198[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]130-400 10^3/uL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]MPV[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]9.5[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]7.4-10.4 fL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]NEU %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]69.5[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]40.0-74.0 %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]LYMPH %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]19.9[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]14.0-46.0 %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]MONO %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]7.0[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]4.0-13.0 %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]EOS %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]2.9[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.0-7.0 %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]BASO %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.7[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.0-3.0 %[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]NEU #[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]3.8[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]1.8-7.8 10^3/uL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]LYMPH #[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]1.1[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.7-4.5 10^3/uL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]MONO #[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.4[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.1-1.0 10^3/uL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]EOS #[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.2[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.0-0.4 10^3/uL[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]BASO #[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.0[/TD]
[TD="class: tableCell, width: 215px"]0.0-0.2 10^3/uL[/TD]
Now here is the sad part. Many conditions, i.e. diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure have
NO OBVIOUS SIGNS. You may feel perfectly fine but in fact have a serious underlying medical problem or one that is developing. I grew up being told:
ONLY GO TO THE DOCTOR WHEN YOU HAVE TO! Unfortunately, that means many people don't go at all.
How many of you even recognize what these tests are? And what they tell you?
Sorry folks - but when you get our age (I call it Spyder Rider Age) most of us should have these tests run routinely. And please - have a family Doctor who is familiar with your over-all health. Lastly, there are many conditions that are "hereditary" so if your parents, brothers, sisters, etc. have medical conditions - you should be on alert as to whether heredity plays a factor.
These numbers fluctuate through out the years.
My blood pressure readings are good but it is more important to track that then rely on a single reading in the Doctor's office. Get your own blood pressure device and track it yourself.
Yes, I did not have to stop drinking - but I chose to - nothing wrong with drinking alcohol in moderation.
Modest exercise was all that was required of me.
Modest changes in diet was all that was required of me. I still eat things that are
BAD for me, just not as often. So if you think this means eating rice cakes and bland foods the rest of your life you are greatly mistaken. Mostly, it is eating the right portion. Get the 6 oz. petite steak and not the full pound. Don't go to buffets where you feel you are cheating yourself if you don't stuff yourself. Don't "biggie size" your order just because for $1 more you get twice the food.