Health

Got a slightly panic stricken call from Sister in law last night. She's just had a blood test and according to the test, her cholesterol was very high. Almost 'dangerously' so if the conversation was to be believed.

This came as a bit of a shock because Sister in law is almost vegetarian, doesn't eat red meat and not much chicken. Lots of bran, low fat milk, in fact she hasn't got a spare ounce of flesh on her. Her Doctor, obviously a graduate of the tick box school of medicine, insisted that she was eating too much fatty stuff, and despite Sister in law describing in detail her low fat lifestyle which includes thirty mile cycle rides, lots of other exercise, fresh vegetables, hardly any alcohol; in fact all the things certain 'health' experts incessantly lecture us about. Both my brothers in law suffer similarly. Low fat, high exercise lifestyles, cholesterol and blood pressure through the roof. Go figure.

By contrast there's chunky old me, who only walks about three or four miles a day on average (Not like the route marches I used to do), and spends the rest of his time rooted behind a keyboard and sitting in meetings. I tuck into steaks, eggs, bacon, coffee, cheese, granary bread and don't fuss too much about what I eat so long as it's freshly cooked. My only dietary prejudice is processed food like ready meals - won't touch 'em with a bargepole. My cholesterol was measured recently and my doctor told me it was well below average. My Blood pressure runs around 110 over 75 and my resting pulse is generally around 60. Heart enzymes low, all the indicators of potential illness well below the wire. You'd think the situation would be reversed if you apply accepted dietary wisdom that is. However, my stress levels are one hundredth of what my corporately employed Sister in law undergoes on a daily basis.

Food for thought, what?