one of the benefits i received after getting into masters after a 20 year retirement was meeting a new doc (not only does he swim he's placed at nats) and getting a solid understanding of my triglycerides and cholesterol.
with my current shoulder issue i've been unable to train at all. while i have cut back my diet some prevent becoming a balloon, i still love my Blue Bell ice cream.
however, even taking the best meds like Tricore 150 and Crestor, my blood work from last week showed that
*N O T H I N G* !!!
beats going 4k a day 6 days a week.
taking the meds exactly as i should (i cant even remember the last time i missed just 1 day) my levels are right back up to where they were.
my cholesterol is borderline bad. between 195 and 205.
my triglycerides are another story. always have been. think of a number that is high and well double that. or triple it.
but with swimming, i seem to burn it all off. both the cholesterol and the triglycerides.
with swimming my numbers are low. 150chol and 120tri
i have now direct proof that swimming is good for me! well, at least my blood and heart. i kinda seem to tear up other parts of my body as i train to race these other guys that arent as short as i am. :D
steve
my cholesterol is borderline bad. between 195 and 205.
This isn't so bad if your HDL is high. My HDL was 79 at last check, and that elevates the total cholesterol when there is really no risk.
While I know there are physical health benefits, for me the biggest noticeable difference is in my mental health. I find that when I need a lift, swimming provides it and I'm usually able to muster up the energy to get to the pool, which wasn't the case with any other form of exercise. When I need to be calmed down, it lets me work out the excess energy. I think there is something about water in particular that does this for me. I think it's something tactile plus being submerged cuts out a lot of the noise of the world and somehow this translates to cutting out a lot of the metaphorical noise in my head.
Blue Bell ice cream is also good for my mental health. :D
**Try eating lots of high quality fruits, vegetables, quinoa, and fiber to lower the triglycerides. Avoid processed foods (basically anything with more than 3 ingredients), bad fats, and meat. I've always been under the assumption triglycerides were a result of lifestyle habits, food and exercise.
my triglycerides are another story. always have been. think of a number that is high and well double that. or triple it.
but with swimming, i seem to burn it all off. both the cholesterol and the triglycerides.
with swimming my numbers are low. 150chol and 120tri
i have now direct proof that swimming is good for me! well, at least my blood and heart. i kinda seem to tear up other parts of my body as i train to race these other guys that arent as short as i am. :D
steve
I'm with you ekw, swimming has absolutely boosted my mental health like no other sport. Swimming is what I did as a kid, whether it was in the ocean or pool. I broke my shoulder a few years ago training for a tri and fell into a quagmire after a lot of pain and weight gain. I had it worked on and slowly got better. It took me a while, but found exactly the right coach and team for me and haven't been happier. Yay!
This is last years blood report:
Cholesterol - 175
HDL - 86
Triglycerides - 70
LDL - 75
Chol/HDLC ratio - 2.0
Non-HDL - 89
My Doc said it was good. I never eat fast food and my sugar consumption is very low. Raw vegetables and fruits 2 times a day (broccoli makes this convenient) unless we run out.
I do eat red meat several times a week and consume about 2 gallons of 2% milk a week (but I'm planning on tapering to 1% milk). My wine intake might be considered excessive to some.
I compared a few numbers to a ten year old report before I was a swimmer and they significantly improved since then, but so has my diet.
This isn't so bad if your HDL is high. My HDL was 79 at last check, and that elevates the total cholesterol when there is really no risk.
Mines about there too. I just say, I don't have high cholesterol, just lots of cholesterol!
This is last years blood report:
Triglycerides - 70
LDL - 75
NOT FAIR!!!! just like when i stand next to PWB, Ande, Ross and ok ok everyone else!
tri's of 70....jeez do you know what 70 is for me? its a good number to put in front of the "x4" or "x5".
my genetic heritage says mine will be high. but that same heritage also says i'm going to be in the 95-99 age group
and possibly diving off the blocks as i race.
yes i drink milk as well. love it. both in liquid and frozen form!
diving off the blocks as i race.
believe me, the unfairness will disappear if I was on the other block
My blood numbers are mostly due to my diet (no sugar), I also go through the olive oil like a big-block Chevy with worn rings - the stuff is good
