Hate to brag, but my yearly checkup went fine!

[IrishAyes]

Almost 7 years ago the right rear tire on my van blew out, and I took a sudden side trip down the hill and into the woods. Left me pretty banged up, including a TBI. Since I was rattled anyway and barely able to walk for a long time, I gained a lot of weight, my cholesterol shot up, etc.

But as soon as I regained enough balance, I started pushing myself physically and mentally. Started taking red yeast rice for the cholestrol, etc. Now my weight's much closer to normal, and the good/bad cholesterol has moved almost into the perfect range. BP and blood count etc were excellent. I really feel good. Doc thinks adding fish oil to my regimen will finally get the cholesterol into the perfect range by next year's checkup. Contrasting this to where I was a few years ago makes me feel very, very good. Well worth the effort. I've even donated 3 big garbage bags of my 'fat' clothes. Only 2 more sizes to go. Losing that much weight took so long that it's not likely to pack back on.

[Skittles]

1. sweet

[bravenak]

2. Awesome!!!

I'm finally within 15 of my goal too. I bet you feel so good knowing you didn't take any shortcuts.

[IrishAyes]

10. Oh, I'm the sort who'd take shortcuts, believe me - if only they worked! Sadly, not.

[flamingdem]

3. What's the story with Red Rice?

Sounds like a nice and easy way to lower cholestrol.

Congrats on your progess!

[IrishAyes]

8. Thanks for your kind words.

Please also see followup posts 6 & 7.

[Suich]

4. I used to take red yeast rice.

It did a great job keeping my cholesterol low. Then it got really hard to find. I had been able to get it at Whole Foods, but they quit selling it after the fed was making noise about banning it because it was "unproven." I always had a really hard time explaining to different doctors why I was taking it. None had ever heard of it.

I take Simvastatin now and my numbers are fine.

Congrats on the weight loss and good check-up!!!

[IrishAyes]

7. Thanks for your kind words. Please also see followup post 6.

While it's true that any substance misused can be deadly - even water - red yeast rice has an excellent and ancient record of safety and efficacy. The only place I buy mine is online, usually either Swanson or Puritan's Pride.

Here's a great link for Consumer Reports vetted companies:

http://www.consumerlab.com/news/Top-rated0Vitamin0Brands0and0Merchants0on0Satisfaction/2_1_2013/

[sheshe2]

5. Irish...

You are awesome!

Way to go, from down hill so to speak, as your van did a slip sliding away, yikes! Scary that!

You have done a great job of turning it all around. Brag all you wish. You deserve it!

[IrishAyes]

6. Thanks, everyone, for all the kind words and recs.

I really did want to encourage others - in addition to celebrating a bit.

Will send a separate reply to the poster who asked about red yeast rice. I swore to my doctor long ago that I'd never take a statin no matter what because they do a number on the liver. Big Pharma just wants to protect its market share, and they don't care who they kill doing it. Anyone who does take a statin really needs to switch to red yeast rice or at least take an herb like milk thistle to offer some liver protection. Dr. Weil said on Dr. Oz' show this year that there's another herb that will help offset the bad side effects of statins, but I don't remember what it was. That info will be somewhere in the WebMD database, though, for anyone who cares to look. For those who might not know, both these men are tops in their field of cardiology and practice at major western medical clinics. They simply know that the more we rely on healthy lifestyles and diets, the less likely we are to need their intervention services.

As for diet, basically I still eat everything I ever did, just a lot less of it. I have a jelly donut every Sunday morning at Sunday school, on that day only, and at least once a day I have a little piece of chocolate. Instead of 2 chimis for lunch, 1 instead, etc. And of course the ability to become more active was crucial. The only major thing I cut out entirely, and that years ago, is sodas diet or otherwise. Haven't entirely weaned myself off cured meats but try to save them for occasional treats only.

Basically I'm trying to say that if a lazy little glutton like me can do it, it's not an impossible dream.

[CFLDem]

9. Excellent news!

[SheilaT]

11. You are entitled to brag!

So many of us have all sorts of health or physical issues, and getting them under control is a big deal. Good for you!