UPSIDE OF DOWN
By Gwen Mergian, Special To The Times Union

Albany Times Union, NY
First published: Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Health regimen surpasses cholesterol goals and boosts mindfulness

Six months, 20 pounds and 97 points!

"Wow," my doctor said, when she saw my latest lab results. Shocked,
I had even less to say.

In six month’s time, my LDL, the so-called bad cholesterol, dropped
97 points, from 193 milligrams per deciliter to a svelte 96.

That’s 34 points lower than the goal I set last March when opting to
try the Ornish plan, a low-fat vegetarian diet combined with moderate
exercise and stress management techniques.

Down from a lofty 303, my total cholesterol reads 177.

And I lost 20 pounds. Stunning numbers, but better still, they’re
not the best part of the story.

At the start of my experiment, though, only the numbers mattered. I
fixated on LDL in particular.

Given my family history of sudden cardiac arrest, the risk of a fatal
heart attack hovered in the not-too-distant future.

Middle-age and sedentary, I had two choices.

"Take the Lipitor, eat the baklava," advised an amiable Armenian
friend, referring to a prominent statin drug.

Well, he certainly articulated a popular approach. The alternative
meant serious lifestyle changes. But could a half-year of healthier
habits undo the damages of a lifetime?

"What the heck," I said, plunging right in.

Small measures

Armed with Ornish guidelines, I patched together a slew of small
measures reported to lower cholesterol, speculating that the net
effect might be enough.

I ate blueberries, walnuts, gingerroot and barley. I drank white tea,
pomegranate juice, apple cider vinegar and cod liver oil.

I cheated just twice during the six months. (Remember Hattie’s pie?)

I walked home after work, biked around my neighborhood and gardened
a bit. (Did you know sunlight lowers cholesterol?)

With some misgivings, I also took red yeast rice, a dietary
supplement similar to a statin. Just how similar, well, that remains
controversial, although close enough to require periodic blood tests.

Oh — and I gave up eating meat, chicken and cheese, limiting fish
to twice-a-week servings of salmon.

Despite these profound changes, I haven’t felt deprived.

The small luxuries I allowed myself — nuts, egg whites, nonfat
dairy and a tiny amount of olive and canola oils — kept the plan
from feeling unduly restrictive.

Brave new lifestyle

On the other hand, and this is where the unexpected curve in the road
appears, I began to enjoy my brave new lifestyle.

Remember, liking it wasn’t part of the plan.

For the record, I considered myself an ordinary eater; roughly 40
percent of my pre-experiment calories came from fats.

Now my plate overflows with fruit and vegetables. I eat eight or more
servings per day — every day.

And I feel better.

So why go back to the way it was before? (Fortunately, my husband
agrees.)

I will, however, make some exceptions when visiting family and
friends. They shouldn’t have to worry about what to feed me.

The exercise part

Once I got the hang of eating beans every day, I set my sights on
exercise, the bane of my existence. I floundered for weeks, unable
to find an activity that fit my routine and sensibilities.

Feeling desperate one day, I walked home after work which, for some
inexplicit reason, amused me. The steady 2 1/2 mile incline was just
vigorous enough to justify being called aerobic.

Now I trek home regularly.

Encouraged, I bought a refurbished older bicycle.

After working up to a mile, I surprised myself by accepting a friend’s
invitation to bike an 11-mile route through the hilly terrain of
southern Albany County.

I trained all summer on flat city streets, building endurance. I fell
off my bicycle. I picked myself up.

I refused to think about hills. Until the big day, when I huffed and
puffed, trying to keep up with my cycling friends who, more than once,
politely waited at the crest of a hill. In fact, I dismounted four
times to walk while catching my breath. But the fields and valleys
were so lovely, I didn’t mind.

In a way, the lengthy ride symbolized my six-month journey. Both
forced me out of my comfort zone, demanding new skills and steadfast
determination. I weathered unexpected setbacks, too. But in the end,
my friends were there to see me through.

Breathing

Let me admit, I am not a yoga kind of gal. But chronic stress can
hurt hearts. Besides, there’s no downside to breathing.

Thus I tiptoed into the realm of meditation, doing deep breathing
exercises while I ironed after dinner.

I liked Zen ironing so well, I added "mindfulness" exercise to my walks
home after work. Mindfulness meditation means paying close attention.

Maybe I am more mindful now. I notice, for instance, the four pizza
parlors at the corner of Ontario Street and Madison Avenue. (Not
that I eat any, mind you.) I also notice worried eyes at the doctor’s
office, smiles on the playground, and madcap splashing in our backyard
birdbath.

Mindfulness awakens us to the power of the moment.

>From there, it’s reportedly not far to feeling less judgmental, more
forgiving, and, in the end, less alone. Not bad, given the fact this
was supposed to be about the numbers.

What’s next

My experiment may be over, but I’m far from done.

Looking ahead, I start a tai chi class next week. I’ve enrolled at
a gym to begin twice-weekly weight training.

And, gearing up for winter, I found an awesome stationary bike at a
nearby yard sale.

In his latest book, The Art of Aging, Dr. Sherwin B. Nuland says
getting older has its surprising blessings. "Even as age licks our
joints and lessens our acuities, it brings with it the promise that
there can in fact be something more, something good, if we are but
willing to reach out and take hold of it," Nuland writes.

In conquering cholesterol, I inadvertently crossed a threshold,
entering territory I didn’t see coming but am more than happy to
inhabit.

Last spring, my doctor said, "Even if you end up on a statin, you’ll
be a much healthier person."

As usual, she was right.