I had a physical a few weeks back as I was overdo and got some great blood work results. Now I’m normally a healthy person and all my stats were good about a year and a half ago when I last got checked out, but they have improved dramatically even over those. I inherited my cholesterol levels from my mother who also gets remarkably good results, but I have a theory that running is the reason they’ve gotten better.
When I was last tested I had just had my youngest daughter Isobel about 4 months prior and I wasn’t exercising regularly yet. Soon after I began running regularly, averaging about 3 times a week with some occasional strength training with weights. Since then I’ve logged many miles and a few races. My diet has not really changed. I eat pretty healthy, but I have a mega sweet tooth and indulge in chocolate whenever I can. The only thing that had changed since my last physical was the running.
Here’s the breakdown:
July of 2007-
total cholesterol: 174 (normal is less than 200)
triglycerides: 65 (normal is less than 150)
“good” cholesterol/ HDL: 66 (normal is greater than 40)
“bad” cholesterol/ LDL: 95 (normal is less than 160)
as compared to this year-
total cholesterol: 160 (down 14)
triglycerides: 44 (down 21)
good cholesterol: 78 (up 12)
bad cholesterol: 73 (down 22)
Now I have no scientific proof to back this up, but I’m guessing the running has something to do with it. I was floored by the LDL dropping by 22 points. It seems unlikely that me being a year and 1/2 older and pigging out on peanut butter cups was what did it.
The only way for me to really give some credence to my experiment is to stop running for a year and a half and see what results that will yield.
Sorry. You’re gonna just have to take my word for it.
