[ale] OT: Anybody sick today?

[Dow Hurst]

Excellent way of putting this, Matt.  I am not up on the biochemistry of
cholesterol, but the description is adequate.  You can have a propensity
to have high cholesterol that is on a genetic timer.  Only certain
medications that you must take the rest of your life can keep it down,
provided you are controlling your diet.  Just like a computer can slowly
or rapidly build up dangerous amounts of dust in critical areas based on
airflow design and environment, the human body can do the same with
deposits on the arterial walls.  Most guys don't go to the doctor the
way they ought to.  I lost a friend at age 47 two years ago due to a
stroke caused by high blood pressure.  That was a treatable condition,
but he hadn't gone to the doctor in over ten years.  He just assumed all
was okay in his body.  Your body's genetic makeup is the most important
factor in how long or well you will live.  But, you can help or hurt the
process along the way.  You ever noticed that some people can live for
eighty years eating pork and smoking everyday, while others live by a
health regimen and die at age 50?
Dow


>>> mattmagee.md at netzero.net 12/30/03 9:42 AM >>>

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ChangingLINKS.com" <groups at ChangingLINKS.com>
To: "Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts" <ale at ale.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 12:44 AM
Subject: Re: [ale] OT: Anybody sick today?


> > > However, usually it greatly increases cholesterol.  If you go on
the
diet
> > > > be sure to get yours checked.  While I lost 20# on it, a
subsequent
Physical
> > > > caused my doctor to order me off of it permanently.
> > > >
> > > > Bob
> > > > ..heads off for yucky diet dinner food.
> >
> > > I call "myth."
> > My cholesterol was measured via standard scientific methods.  No
myth
> > in the numbers.  Anyone at risk (almost everyone on this list)
should
> > spend the few hundred dollars to get their cholesterol checked.  An
> > extra 10 years of life could be the result...now back to our
regularly
> > scheduled geekdom.
> >
> > Bob
>
> My reaction was to your use of the word "usually."
> I was not doubting that your cholesterol level was raised.
> The point is you seem to blame the diet, claiming it "usually" raises
the
level.
> Then, you tell us that your doctor blamed the diet as well, and told
you
to stay off it.
> And while respecting those facts, I posed two questions:
>
> The logical question is "how can you raise your cholesterol if you are
eating less of it?"

This question reminds me of what people said about the negative effects
of
emissions reducing equipment on 1970's vintage cars.  When the
automakers
were forced to reduce emissions in the early 70's, their methods had the
unfortunate effect of making the engines less fuel efficient.  The
question
was (and still is) "how can you burn more fuel, but make less
pollution?"
The answer is simple...... it's how you combine it.  If I read right,
the
atkins diet is supposed to "reprogram" your body to be more efficient
with
its food.  The idea is that all those carbs screw around with your
metabolism, and make you fat indirectly by ruining your chemistry.  So,
the
very reason that the Atkins diet can work for one factor (weight) it
could
have an adverse effect on another factor (cholesterol).  Your body is
not
simply a cholesterol collection device.  It processes cholesterol based
on
many factors.   This logically explains why some people can take drastic
measures to reduce their cholesterol intake and take medication, but
still
have outrageously high levels in their bloodstream.  This being true, I
can
see how it could be posssible that even if you take in less cholesterol,
you
may end up with more in your system.

Maybe Dow could shed some light on this, as he is a chemistry guy.

> The second question is "if you are eating more cholesterol on the diet
. .
. why?"
> And now: What would happen if you binged that "diet" food you are
eating
now?
>
> -course you don't have to answer any of that, I was just clarifying-
> -back to our regularly scheduled geekdom-
> -- 
> Wishing you Happiness, Joy and Laughter,
> Drew Brown
> http://www.ChangingLINKS.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing list
> Ale at ale.org
> http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>

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