Apparently, I'm (mostly) healthy.

[jsbowden]

I had a physical earlier this week, and got the bloodwork results from my Doc yesterday. Blood pressure is at the low end of normal, but pulse is strong and loud at the extremities, so this isn't a problem. Cholesteral was 154 total, 49 HDL, and 92 LDL. I have no idea what those numbers mean, so I'll be spending time with Google later on it seems, but I'm confused as to how the whole is apparently greater than the sum of the parts (I may have HDL and LDL mixed, the lower number is the 'good' type and the higher number is the 'bad' type). Again, the Doc said this is good and I have nothing to worry about on this front. I have no hernias, my reflexes are above average, my resting heart rate is very good, and my kidneys, liver, and thyroid are all working as per spec. She said I could stand to lose another 20 lbs, but since I've already lost 35, and am continuing the downward trend, once again this isn't a concern.

So far so good.

One minor issue. I have mild anemia. She's not sure she believes the lab result, and thusly I'll be going back to bleed for a bit more so they can recheck since according to her, this isn't something that men normally have issues with.

So I guess I'm not a real man after all.

Comments

[texas-tiger.livejournal.com]

LDL = Low Density Lipoprotein(s)
HDL = High Density Lipoprotein(s)

LDL is the bad, HDL is the good. Actually, it's all the same molecule really, because what it is is a transport mechanism. Lipoproteins are little lipid (fat) and protein membranes that run around your blood vessels transporting fat and cholesterol. The LDL are the lipoproteins that have a lot of fat (hence being low density), and their function is to transport that fat into your fat cells. They usually end up depositing cholesterol in the lining of your arteries and other bad places. The HDL are the lipoproteins that have deposited the fat and are going back to your liver to pick up more. Being "emptier", they tend to pick up cholesterol from the lining of your arteries and take it back to your liver, where it gets turned into nifty things like bile acids to help you digest fats.

Incidentally, this is how high fiber in your diet helps lower cholesterol, because the fiber binds those bile acids, preventing them from being reabsorbed by the stomach lining, thus forcing your liver to make more from cholesterol that is stored in your body.

In short, LDL bad, HDL good. Fiber also good.

This, at least, is what I remember from about a year of biochem. I'm sure our medical geeks out there will correct me if I made any really big blunders.