And here we are in 2009, ready for another round of "Check out grubette's lipids."
At first blush, these appear to be fine numbers. However, my cholesterol overall number is nearly 30 points more than last year. I blame my rising HDL, the good cholesterol, skewing my results. By the way, HDL range is generally around 40-50, but the higher the better. Why this year are my HDL's at alien levels? Let's see what the experts list as ways to increase levels and how I contribute.
How Can We Increase Our HDL Levels?Aerobic exercise. I walk my dog three times a day. However, she has ballooned to 42 lbs. because she is often caught scarfing down cat food. I also bought an i-Gallop because you can "exercise while watching tv." It's gathering dust.
Lose weight. Nope.
Stop smoking. Nope.
Cut out the trans fatty acids. I believe the government and McDonald's is doing this for me.
Alcohol. Alcohol is good for HDL levels. I blame this.
Increase the monounsaturated fats in your diet. I'm not too big on oils or peanut butter.
Add soluble fiber to your diet. SpaghettiO's have 3g of fiber and grapes have 1g. That's about the extent of my fiber intake.
I have no idea. Genes maybe? Poorly trained blood testers? In either case, it's a strong indication I won't drop dead of heart disease any time soon. I'll get back to you next year.
I've been recovering from Vegas a couple weekends ago, having endured a pounding on slots but did find a shining bright spot that is pai gow.
Played on IP $1/2 NL semi-blogger table of BWoP, F-Train and a new guy Pokergrump, who said he often sees this blog on rolls because it's so similar in name. Grump was not as his name suggests, and was quite comical as a relaxed local, even casually bringing in his double scoop waffle cone and eating it on the table, to the chagrin of every other player that can't eat, play cards and stack chips at the same time.
$1/2 card playing is terribly boring. I drank more beers than the number of hands I played. I donkeyed out F-Train on one bored hand, causing him to huff off. That was like the only hand I won and couldn't even enjoy it. Even worse, I hadn't played poker in over a week so I was ready to play and rake in some chips. But it was not to be.
Mamagrub also showed up to IP that night, checking into a room over looking the Carnival Court bar, rousing even at 3am. Since my mother is more of a sleeper than a partier, she wasn't too keen on watching and listening to drunkards. Fortunately, I had another room at IP for her, complete with a bar, a pull out wipe clean sofa and mirrored ceilings.
Doug and I stayed and didn't play at the Palazzo -- there is nothing better than waking up in the morning and pushing a button to dramatically raise the roman blinds to peer out onto the Wynn, its golf course and the newly built Encore. And to realize it's daylight. And not morning, afternoon, but whatever.
We did actually visit Encore, walking through the Wynn to witness a woman having a seizure on the floor amid scores of camera wielding onlookers. Doug walked away quickly saying he didn't want to stare, but commented that she had red panties on. Both casinos are ok, overdone a bit and lacking the feeling of luck.
Ah Vegas. It's like a bad boyfriend you keep going back to.
So I finally joined the facebook revolution. Perhaps that's too strong of a word --"networking application" then. It's absolutely wonderful to see all the bloggers on there with their real names. I wonder how people have time for this .. blogging, facebooking, along with work and life. I think myself adept at multitasking, working on two applications today while also shopping for a purse and thinking about my looming paper due in a few days for one of my classes. Last two classes. Can't. Wait.
Time to go home - and walk my dog to get those HDL levels up.
by grubette
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