Usually in the ER, patients will come in with a high blood pressure reading, slightly overweight and a history of smoking. After I comment about please rechecking this with the primary care doctor, the defensive answer is I just had a normal physical and normal cholesterol level. Ooohhh my gosh! I think it is the fault of the medical community in giving false hope that chasing a number keeps people healthy. I admit, with the short time we have to discuss, evaluate and treat symptoms in my exam room, it is easier to give a temporary "bandaid" to an effect of the disease and not the cause of it. Perhaps in the next decade, we can have doctors that fix things fast but medical advisors that guide people to make life changes.
Focusing on heart health, cholesterol is a good parameter to check in blood testing at the office once or twice a year but healthy lifestyles and habits will make permanent changes so that you may not have to ever check another blood test ever! (My doc friends are going to hunt me) This is what I believe and I walk the walk, I am a protector of life; family, friends and patients. If people are giving out poor medical or dental advise, I work to educate the patient on other options, natural healing and healthier living. I believe we doctors are giving a false sense of security to people when just controlling cholesterol levels and not making suggestions for life change. The reasons for bad health are multifactorial; can't change the world with one visit. Sometimes it just takes proper planning over the course of time. Building a practice from scratch seemed harder than moving a mountain. Now that I have utilized those around me who have the same passion for helping others, the task at hand seems so easy. (We could have opened a clinic right down the street from the old place, with less overhead and more life breath coming from the physical location never seen before!) This reflects one of my beliefs that when the world is viewed with reservation and contempt, a "black and white" picture will be seen. When viewed with love, faith and energy the colors will be infinite.
Just don't believe maintaining a normal cholesterol level will keep you free of disease. Strive to improve your health, diet and mind even with normal tests. Push the envelope with what you can perform with your body and mind, find a good doctor, dentist, trainer, therapist and life partner. Together we can change the world! There will always be bad economies, bad debt, bad medicine and bad people around but when we all lock elbows together, our concepts and faith are indestructible.
Check out this blog for other things to do in getting that heart healthy;
http://saguilapproach.blogspot.com/
