Re: cholesterol revisited
- From: "Allan Smith" <guesswho@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:24:03 -0500
nonlinear,
The minimum recommended LDL is 40 for men, and 50 for women. The medical
condition caused by too-low an HDL is hypoalphalipoproteinemia, and in some
cases can be a health risk.
High total cholesterol can be ok, while sub-200 cholesterol can still be a
concern. What is important is the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL. The
lower the ratio, the better. In my case, total runs about 212-220, but HDL
runs about 70-75, giving me a ratio of 212/70, or about 3, and thus the
profile of a 20-something. It's a genetic thing, as most of my family have
low Total/HDL numbers regardless of weight or condition.
In your case, your 181/45 numbers gave you a ratio of about 4, while 176/39
is is about 4.5. Higher than desired, but not unusual for age and weight.
But from a lipid-profile perspective, you may have been at less risk before,
because of the lower Total/HDL ratio.
Your doctor is your best risk-evaluator, but I suspect step one is the
weight. Best to lose it. ;-)
As an aside, I'm reminded of a story about General Curtis LeMay when he
became Chief of Staff of the Air Force. A lean cigar-smoker, he was
insistent on proper weight. He inherited a very valuable but somwhat plump
Brigadier General on his staff, who was called to LeMay's office and was
told he had the entire resources of the Military Medicine behind him, and to
lose the extra weight. After about six months of no change, the man was
again summoned to LeMay's office.
Now understand that LeMay had a reputation for the second meeting on the
same issue as being the one removing the individual from the job [1]. At the
meeting, the sweating Brigadier explained all that had been done, and
surmised that some people were just genetically predisposed to being heavy.
LeMay chewed his cigar a bit, and responded, "I never saw a fat P.O.W.
Lose the weight. Dismissed."
The Brigadier lost the weight.
For the curious, LeMay was the youngest man to get his fourth star since US
Grant, and was, to say the least, a character, albeit a highly accomplished
strategist and tactician. Few know just how much this country owes the man I
think of as "The Nuclear General". A relatively brief bio is at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_LeMay
You may remember some of his more famous quotes therein (don't miss the
"bombs have no eyes" leaflet). I'm pretty sure he is the also only American
General ever to be decorated by the USSR.
Allan
[1] LeMay once said, "I have neither the time nor the inclination to
differentiate between the incompetent and the merely unfortunate."
--
One asks, many answer, all learn -- Plato, on the 'Forum
---
True civility is when every one gives to every other one every right
that they claim for themselves.
"nonlinear warper" <non@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:wISdnUcZzKvGdbDUnZ2dnUVZ_rjinZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A number of folks in here have discussed this subject in the past. I
believe Judy may have been the instigator of more than one of these
discussions.
.
- References:
- cholesterol revisited
- From: nonlinear warper
- cholesterol revisited
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