By AMY SHANKLAND
Sandwiched
My column has featured many mantras over the past 2 ½ years, one of which is “Take care of yourself so you can take care of others.” It’s nothing new, but it’s hard to implement. We just get so darn busy in the sandwich generation that taking care of ourselves often gets pushed to the back burner.
I finally saw my doctor last year for an annual checkup right before COVID-19 hit, and I vowed I would see Dr. H again in 2021. Three weeks ago, I did just that.
I was actually excited to hear my blood work results. Dr. H told me that my calcium was low last year. I was determined to turn that around thanks to eating lots of calcium-rich foods. So when her office called me with the results, I was ready to hear how fabulous my calcium level was.
Yes, that level was great. But my jaw dropped when I heard that my LDL cholesterol level – the “bad” cholesterol – was high. My reading was 170 mg/dL! 100 or less is optimal. I was on my way to needing medication.
I was flabbergasted. My weight is (finally) normal. I exercise regularly, drink lots of water (avoiding soda), and eat lots of veggies and fruits. I’ve been gradually adopting a Mediterranean way of eating as well.
After I hung up, I sat at our dining room table where I do my daily work and pondered things for a bit. The obvious problem was most likely the keto diet my husband John and I followed for a portion of 2020. This diet can raise cholesterol for some people.
While I’ve been off of that eating pattern for months now, I still enjoyed keto-friendly desserts, butter, cream, etc. – all the stuff that the gal on the phone was saying was problematic. I began to go through our cupboard and refrigerator and examine the ingredients. Yep, my Mediterranean “with some keto” way of eating was definitely hurting me.
I absolutely DO NOT want to go on cholesterol medication, so the following week I did a huge overhaul of our grocery list. I’d already given up sweets for Lent, so thankfully I could just continue that way of life. (Although on special occasions, I’m still going to indulge!)
Steel-cut oatmeal, whey protein, less red meat, and even more fruits and veggies are now my staples. I’ve already marked my calendar to call Dr. H for my six-month follow up blood draw. My goal is to lower my LDL level to 120.
This sandwich generation member is going to take care of herself so she can help her mama and family become the best they can be!