<p>
</p>
<p>I agree with the above. The problem is that many doctors recommend statins based on very little really helpful data. And their patients follow their advice and fill those prescriptions.</p>
<p>I would never take a statin unless I had all the information possible, which cannot be gleaned from the average lipid profile. Even then, I would probably not take a statin.</p>
<p>Patsmom, when i was generic, it was the same as you mention, 5 dollars for 30 days…I also have full panels run before i visit cardiologist…</p>
<p>^^I don’t think Crestor is available in generic form.</p>
<p>I don’t know if my doc would have run the VAP test. Apparently Medicare (and presumably my health insurance) will pay for it as it’s priced competitively with standard testing. However, it’s outside the local blood lab that my docs use (operate?). Since my doctor only speaks in monosyllabic grunts, it was just less hassle to pay the $69 and have it done myself. Didn’t even need an appointment. Literally a drop-in storefront deal. I guess their main business is pregnancy testing and drug testing for employers.</p>
<p>I know that many docs do routinely use the VAP test. I first heard about it when science writer Gary Taubes published the results of his VAP cholesterol panel after an appearance on Dr. Oz’ TV show:</p>
<p>[Before</a> sugar, we were talking about cholesterol](<a href=“http://garytaubes.com/2011/04/before-sugar-were-talking-about-cholesterol/]Before”>http://garytaubes.com/2011/04/before-sugar-were-talking-about-cholesterol/)</p>
<p>when i was on simvistatins i was generic, not Crestor</p>
You can get uncured bacon if you’re worried about the nitrates/nitrites. Trader Joes uncured turkey bacon is $6/pound (very good price for uncured), low fat (for bacon) and for me it has a very high satiety at 30 calories per slice.
<p>Probably wouldn’t help me, since I’m having cured country ham for dinner tonight! 
</p>
<p>After I my workout, of course!</p>
<p>My daughter sent me the link to the premier of Jack White’s new video this morning (one of MOWC’s many neighbors). Can’t get it out of my head. Sing songy bouncy music, creepy lyrics. Great combo! The duet partner is another Nashville based singer, a native of Ghana.</p>
<p>[Love</a> Interruption video on VEVO](<a href=“http://www.vevo.com/watch/jack-white/love-interruption/USSM21200168]Love”>http://www.vevo.com/watch/jack-white/love-interruption/USSM21200168)</p>
<p>Ham and bacon are typically at the opposite ends of the protein:fat ratio among meat derived from pigs (“Canadian bacon” or “back bacon” is more like ham than bacon).</p>
<p>My cholesterol is borderline high however I have a very low HDL level which is not good. I also have low triglycerides which is good. Such a mixed bag, my doctor prescribed time release Niacin which supposedly raised your good cholesterol. It raised it a little bit but not nearly where it should have been. My LDL did go down as well. Then I noticed my blood sugar was in the pre-diabetic range which is a side effect of the Niacin in some people. </p>
<p>My doctor took me off the Niacin and since then I religiously eat oatmeal, avocados and am thinking of adding a little raw unprocessed coconut oil (not bad in raw form) which some say helps HDL as well. The last test I had everything went up, my triglycerides did go up but still considered to be low (just not really low), my HDL went up higher than it ever was on Niacin (still needs to be higher), my LDL went up as well but just at the 200 marker. I will go for another test in a month and see where I am then. High cholesterol runs in my family, you have to experiment what works best for your body. </p>
<p>Good luck to everyone battling this!</p>
<p>Didn’t read all of the posts. Physician. I cringe when I hear people say they don’t want to take any medicine then load up on all sorts of unregulated ones such as mentioned in the first post or so. Adding fish oils, coenzyme whatever et al can be more dangerous than pills requiring a prescription. Many have unknown amounts of the substance- often far less than listed. The amounts needed to be effective can be huge, with side effects. If diet changes alone are not effective a prescription drug may be the better, safer choice. Many of the statins have side effects and sometimes you need to try a different one. And bodies change with time- like when niacin no longer works well.</p>
<p>Just finished this workout, again. Good solid outing. Nothing fantastic, nothing too bad. I finally did lose my concentration on the box jumps. After five really good ones, I got complacent and caught my toe on the bench on the way up. No harm no foul.</p>
<p>These four strength exercises are just plain hard, although the trap bar dead lifts are getting easier. Alternating overhead DB presses were probably the strongest I’ve done with the 30lb DBs.</p>
<p>**WARMUP (1 set) **</p>
<p>Bent-over thoracic rotation
Squat to stand
Forward/backward jump
Lateral jump
Lateral cross-behind lunge
Seal jack
Reverse inchworm
Forward-backward hop
Curtsy lunge
Straight-leg walk
Heel to butt walk</p>
<p>**CORE (1 set) **</p>
<p>Stability ball plank (2 x 30 seconds)
Side plank knee drives (30 seconds each side)
DB farmers walk (1 60lb DB at side)
Stability ball mountain climbers</p>
<p>**POWER (3 sets) **</p>
<p>Box jumps (16 inch bench)
Med ball - overhead slam</p>
<p>**STRENGTH 1 (3 sets) ** </p>
<p>Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (2 x 30 lb)
Chin ups</p>
<p>**STRENGTH 2 (3 sets) **</p>
<p>Trap bar dead lift (140 lbs)
Alternating overhead press (2 x 30 lb)</p>
<p>Fish oil is not $100 a month and doesn’t have any particular side effects. The only other thing I take is psyllium husk fiber. I don’t know for sure that either of these improves my heath, but I’m pretty confident they don’t do any harm.</p>
<p>I haven’t even taken an ibuprofen or tylenol in a couple of years.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>I only discovered Rod Stewart recently - I had heard a few of his most popular songs before but then I found out that he has done quite a number of songs and I like a fair number of them. Some of his more recent work is just singing well-known songs and I only like a few of those.</p>
<p>At any rate, you must have played the same songs multiple times for that long a run.</p>
<p>I might go for Billy Joel tomorrow.</p>
<p>I finally got back in the groove of doing box jumps last night – after my “freezing up” and not being able to do any. (Fear of catching my toe, as idad did.) I wound up doing 40 of them because they were so damn easy (maybe a 14-inch step) and today I feel a slight soreness (good sore, because of use) in my lower back. Not at all an ache, like something is wrong, but good-sore, like I used different muscles. </p>
<p>Assuming I’ve gotten over the fear, this is in my workout every time.</p>
<p>As a diabetic, I’m on 5 mg of simvastatin which is half the minimum dose. Apparently it has been shown that since diabetics are at an increased risk of a heart attack, the lower the cholestorol the better. Before I started with the simvastatin, my ldl was 85, now its down to 62. When I mentioned to my doctor that there must be a level that is too low, his response was that at birth its between 30 - 50. My total reading is ~ 130.</p>
<p>Hang Cleans
2x4
2x3
2x2
Tried sets of 1 three different times, but couldn’t get the pull. Got the weight into “hang” position, but couldn’t pull from there.</p>
<p>135, 150, 135, 170, 155, 170, 170, tried 185</p>
<p>Dumbbell Bench Press
6x6
50, 50, 30, 60, 30, 60</p>
<p>Farmers Walks (60# dumbbells)
6x100’</p>
<p>My hands HURT.</p>
<p>VeryHappy, glad you are back on the box! Hops – I can see where your hands would be beat. Farmer’s walk - ugh!
Really solid stuff, everyone.</p>
<p>I will be traveling over the next few days – Very limited work out potential, but I will mainly be focusing on the nutrition. Taking my Garmin, in case a run presents itself. I know you all will be keeping up the good work!</p>
<p>Today’s Numbers:
Cals:1628
Fat: 98 g
Carbs: 15 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein:164 g
Sugars:2 g</p>
<p>Chicken breasts sauteed with bacon over greens (kale, collards and mustard greens) for lunch.</p>
<p>Duck breast, skin on, sous vide then pan seared for dinner.</p>
<p>Think I consumed more fat today, than I did in a week in my previous life…</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>See where that TRX comes in handy? ;)</p>
<p>Lot’s of solid workouts here.</p>