<p>Morning workout - chipping 3/4 inches of ice off my windshield and sitting in far more traffic than usual because of various accidents in the city. Looking forward to hitting tennis balls today. I have an invite for this weekend though I’ll probably decide on it after hitting today.</p>
<p>It looks like my new shorts won’t arrive until Monday which means that I’ll have to go back and dig into the XL pile if I want to run tonight and this weekend.</p>
<p>I think that I am going to use the snow rake on the roof tonight. It’s not going to be as warm as I expected today and tomorrow so I need to help the melting along.</p>
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<p>That’s the $1000 question with all this stuff. To the extent that lower cholesterol numbers are associated with reduced coronary arterey plaque buld-up, is it because lower cholesterol is achieved through other healthy things (diet, exercise, fitness, and so forth) or is it solely the result of low numbers no mater how they are achieved.</p>
<p>IMO, the whole structure of medical research and marketing tends to make us focus on the numbers, when it probably makes more sense to look at the big picture. I have a strong suspicion that someone who eats well, maintains a good weight, exercises, and is fit probably has a lower risk of coronary artery disease than someone is is overweght, out of shape, with poor cardio fitness, but good cholesterol numbers on Lipitor. In theory, all of this stuff can be controlled in analyzing the data, except that the data doesn’t really show a particular life expectancy benefit from statin drugs outside of men with existing coronary artery disease.</p>
<p>I don’t think there is a solid answer to your question. I think it’s one that we all have to juggle.</p>
I love the Cresstor ad that says “Crestor has not been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks.” Well then, what is the point of taking it!?!
I’ve posted this picture somewhere else (I don’t think it was this thread, but then, I’m not really sure how I wound up subscribed to this thread). There are many other factors besides cholesterol:
[The</a> 17 daggers of Heart Disease](<a href=“Vitamins and Supplements Rooted in Science - Life Extension”>Vitamins and Supplements Rooted in Science - Life Extension)
I’ve read about studies that showed the lowest overall mortality is at cholesterol levels between 210 and 250.
Personally I think the inflammation theory of heart disease will wind being far more correct than the cholesterol theory.
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<p>Yes.</p>
<p>This meta-analysis study questions the effectiveness of statins in reducing all-cause mortality among those without prior CVD:
[Arch</a> Intern Med – Statins and All-Cause Mortality in High-Risk Primary Prevention: A Meta-analysis of 11 Randomized Controlled Trials Involving 65 229 Participants, June 28, 2010, Ray et al. 170 (12): 1024](<a href=“Statins and All-Cause Mortality in High-Risk Primary Prevention: A Meta-analysis of 11 Randomized Controlled Trials Involving 65 229 Participants”>http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/170/12/1024)</p>
<p>However, other studies claim that there is a benefit with respect to CVD:
[Efficacy</a> and safety of statin treatment for cardiovascular disease: a network meta-analysis of 170?255 patients from 76 randomized trials](<a href=“Efficacy and safety of statin treatment for cardiovascular disease: a network meta-analysis of 170 255 patients from 76 randomized trials | QJM: An International Journal of Medicine | Oxford Academic”>Efficacy and safety of statin treatment for cardiovascular disease: a network meta-analysis of 170 255 patients from 76 randomized trials | QJM: An International Journal of Medicine | Oxford Academic)
[Efficacy</a> of statins for primary prevention in people at low cardiovascular risk: a meta-analysis](<a href=“Efficacy of statins for primary prevention in people at low cardiovascular risk: a meta-analysis - PMC”>Efficacy of statins for primary prevention in people at low cardiovascular risk: a meta-analysis - PMC)</p>
<p>Statins are generally viewed as effective in preventing repeat CVD incidents in those who already have had CVD incidents.</p>
<p>Now, compare the sometimes-in-question benefit of statins to the uncontroversial huge benefits of exercise (not just in CVD, but in many other aspects like obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, etc.).</p>
<p>1 hour of tennis, 6-1, 3-1. They dropped the prices by 50% for court time which means that there are a lot more people using the courts which means that we have to reserve time now. This time I reserved 60 minutes. I should have reserved 90 or 120. I will reserve 90 next time to see how that goes.</p>
<p>Definitely need to do some running today.</p>
<p>ucbalumnus:</p>
<p>What’s really breathtaking is that statins are the biggest selling prescription drugs on the planet, at a cost often more than $1000 per year per person, based on what can generously be described as only marginal evidence that they provide any net health benefit. And, it’s not without a mountain of funded research trying to prove some benefit. Yet, we wonder why our health care system is being crushed by costs.</p>
<p>I think the three best things anyone can do for their health are:</p>
<p>a) Quit smoking or never start
b) Don’t eat or drink very much sugar
c) Do some kind of exercise. Any kind of exercise, preferable with enough intensity to breath hard and start sweating, even if only for a few minutes a couple times a week.</p>
<p>I’m all snowblowed and shoveled out. Driveway, front walk, front porch, deck. Patio furniture is back in place. Now, I’ve got to gear up for my workout! Oh boy, I’m excited.</p>
<p>I thought that was your workout.</p>
<p>2 hours of cross country skiing. Had a minor wipeout going downhill on a particularly steep part and managed to damage one of my poles which made for a bit of a lopsided experience, but overall not disastrous. Wore my HR monitor and HR was definitely up, not as high as running, but comparable to biking. I was feeling my quads and lats by the end.</p>
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<p>post of the day.</p>
<p>Rode out the tornado with a friend drinking wine and eating bread cubes dipped in blackberry flavored balsamic vinegar/lemon flavored olive oil. SO good. No touch down by tornado and all is well. Cool front moving in. All schools and govt offices closed mid-day to get ready for the weather. Got up to 81 before it hit. It was pretty freaky, really.</p>
<p>MOfWC, I’m glad to hear that you are OK. I was really worried when I heard about the tornadoes on the radio earlier today.</p>
<p>Weights day for me today. Will run tomorrow, rain or shine (most likely, rain). :)</p>
<p>Well, I did my part to combat insulin resistance with high intensity exercise. Changed up my schedule (Planet Fitness tomorrow) and did the dreaded Airdyne intervals. Five intervals, go like hell until my HR hits 90% of max, then go easy til it falls to 65% and repeat. I pushed really hard and was blowing snot bubbles by the end of the first interval. I told myself I was going to quit at the end of each interval, but I hung in there and did all five. When I climbed off after 31 minutes (under 7 minutes of actual hard pedalling), I not only couldn’t walk, but my legs were wobbly just trying to stand.</p>
<p>Now, it’s off to a lovely dinner of country ham and butter beans. Yum!</p>
<p>Took the dogs for a loooooooooong walk, on the hilly trails I haven’t been on since at least last summer. Dogs are pooped, and my legs are sore.</p>
<p>Today’s Numbers:
Cals:1303
Fat:85 g
Carbs:61 g
Fiber:14 g
Protein:90 g
Sugars:6 g</p>
<p>Jane- you are doing great. Cross country skiing is hard (but fun). I always crashed going down any kind of hill.</p>
<p>Got in 1.25 miles of running after tennis. Then went to sleep (actually a nap) around 9:30 and woke up around 7:30 this morning. Still feeling a bit sore and tired so it appears that I’m not playing enough tennis to keep my body conditioned to it.</p>
<p>Some nap, BCEagle.</p>
<p>Some days you’re the windshield and some days…</p>
<p>Wheels came off around mile 6 of my 10 mile run this morning (car 4 miles away…). I guess I started off a little fast, but didn’t feel like it. A little more wine than I needed early evening yesterday (riding out the tornado/storms with friends) and maybe not enough other fluids. Who knows? It was NOT pretty. I had to keep taking “catch my breath” breaks after about 8 miles and there was no pace that kept my heart rate under 160 (my max in 185 or so). It felt REALLY bad. I tried to just slow down (which I did) but it didn’t help. I was SO glad to finish. It’s a shame, because it was a gorgeous morning. 37-46 while I was out there, clear blue skies. Of course, all the thoughts start “How will I finish a marathon?” etc.</p>
Funny, that’s what happens when I run, too! 
Only mine are after about 300 meters!
I’m just glad that you didn’t have tornadoes touch down yesterday. The midwest is a mess. We just have upper 30s, raining, melting snow dripping everywhere. Nasty.
blankmind:
How’s your hip?
<p>Did the killer spin class again today–81% max was my average heart rate. Did better last week. I’ve felt like I was dragging while doing cardio this week. I think it’s part of getting back to where I was before I injured my ankle. Last week I pushed really hard and exercised all 7 days. This week I’m taking Sunday off.</p>
