What to Avoid

Happy Monday Hivers!

Last February 2026, our company had its annual medical and physical examination. That was when I found out that my bad cholesterol and total cholesterol levels were slightly elevated. My blood pressure at the time was 130/80.

The doctor prescribed medication to help lower my cholesterol, but I decided not to take it. I actually tried to eat healthy food, but since we have to be at work early, around 7 a.m., I usually eat breakfast and lunch outside. And when you eat out, most of the food available tends to be unhealthy.

The first thing I wondered was, why is my cholesterol high when I eat vegetables regularly and I’m not even a big seafood eater? The doctor then asked me how I usually cook my vegetables, and I answered, “I sauté them.”

And when I buy cooked vegetables outside, they’re usually sautéed as well. So even though I was eating vegetables, I realized that the way they were prepared could also be something to consider.

This year, I had another laboratory test, and unfortunately, my bad cholesterol and total cholesterol levels had increased even more. My blood pressure was also a little high when I had it checked at the doctor’s office.

I told my doctor that I tend to get anxious whenever my blood pressure is being checked, so she recommended that I undergo an ABPM (ambulatory blood pressure monitoring) test. The results showed that my blood pressure was fine during the daytime, but it tended to increase at night. This is called nocturnal hypertension.

This time, I decided to be more serious about taking my cholesterol medication, especially since my doctor explained that high cholesterol can be one of the factors that may contribute to high blood pressure.

For now, I’m also avoiding oily foods, MSG, and too much salt. I’ve decided to make more time for exercise and be more consistent with it. I also decided that while my cholesterol levels are not extremely high yet, I would rather take action and try to correct the problem early instead of waiting for it to get worse.

For me, this was a reminder that taking care of our health is not something we should wait to do until a problem becomes serious. It’s better to start making small changes while we still have the chance.

Thank you for reading and see you on my next blog. Cheers!

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Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.

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