Health update

Today I went back to the health centre to get the results of my last set of tests. These are the first tests after I decided last year to stop taking the Lipitor for my high cholesterol. Since I retired I've changed my daily routine to include a 30-minute walk (usually to or from a nice cup of coffee) and am having oats for breakfast most mornings. As well, I have found that not working makes it very much easier to control what I eat for lunch and have been eating much more sensibly.

Today's results were not as good as I'd hoped for, but much better than I'd expected. The cholesterol level is up a bit, but not as high as it has been; strangely there were no results for the "good" cholesterol, HDL, so we don't know the ratio of HDL to LDL, which is a useful measure - we'll make sure we get them next time. Blood glucose was fine; however the liver function was up slightly - the doctor thinks this could be as a result of the bad cold I had in the week before the blood test.

My blood pressure was slightly elevated and we've made an appointment for a catch-up appointment in six weeks time when we'll check it again, possibly with several readings.

All in all, quite an encouraging result.

Walking works

Good news today - I visited the health centre to get the results of my six-monthly battery of tests. My cholesterol is down to 3.7, LDLC/HDLC ratio is 1.9 and fasting glucose is back to 5.2 (it had reached 6.0 for the past two tests).

So it seems my regular morning constitutional is working. I am now walking half-way to work (who knows, in the warmer weather I might even go the whole hog), and anywhere else that's appropriate. I also try to reach 10,000 steps a day (keeping track with a pedometer, not counting them, that would be silly), but so far that goal is reached only about once a week. Still, the pedometer at least gives me an indication of how I'm going.

Voyage to diabetes (sooner or later)

Today I went to the health centre for my semi-annual round of blood letting. They test for a range of conditions including cholesterol and blood sugar levels. For the latter the doctor had arranged for do a glucose tolerance test which required me to give a series of samples over a couple of hours to help determine the severity of my insulin resistance.

As fasting is required I had no breakfast and got to the health centre around 8.30. First I picked up my month's supply of Lipitor before sitting down to wait for the pathology nurse to call me. This didn't happen until 9; after she had done a pin-prick test to make sure my blood-sugar wasn't too high she then extracted the first lot of samples. Then I drank a small bottle of a glucose drink (tasted just like flat lemonade) before returning to the waiting room.

An hour later she called me back and removed another lot of blood (from the other arm this time), then I went back to the waiting room. Luckily I had a magazine and my radio/mp3-player to keep me amused.

During this hour I made a follow-up appointment with my doctor to discuss the results of all the tests - unfortunately not until the week after next. At the end of the hour I returned for the final extraction after which I was free to eat at last.

I had a meal in town before wandering in the heat (hot again, alas) up to work.

Health news

Another glorious day. A visit to the health centre produced the news that I am insulin resistant, a common precursor to type 2 diabetes. More walking and more care over diet is in order.

Actually I'd already started a new regime of walking for 30 minutes in the mornings; instead of trying to squeeze myself into one of the packed trains I walk to the St Vincent's interchange where I catch a Latrobe Street tram to work. So far I've managed this about three times a week and at this time of the year it's terrific. It might get a bit harder (and stickier) when the weather warms up.

After the visit to the doctor I walked up to Smith Street (passing Ms Fits and her dog, Bob Ellis in Johnston Street) for breakfast at Cavallero. Then it was back home to potter about before setting off for work.

As the weather was so pleasant I jumped on a bus down Hoddle Street to Bridge Road where I set off for the Yarra path and a brisk walk into town. And so to work.