# Health priorities **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-priorities/536285 "2010-04-16T01:24:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-priorities/536285/1 "2010-04-16T01:24:35Z")
My employer offers every year free blook work. I did it two years ago, skipped last year, and did it again this year. Got results today. I was expecting high bad cholesterol; had it - got it. But, in the last two years, I appear to finally be showing the effects of some decades of bad habits. OK, as a almost-53-year-old-male at high risk for a heart attack or stroke (already known, thank you so much), I’ve got to change my ways if I expect to make retirement age and be able to have a reasonably active life. (I don’t so much mind the concept of dying before retirement age–we’ve all got to go sometime–what I fear is that I will make it that long, and not be fairly healthy and active.) 1. Quit smoking - required for the exercise that is needed for almost everything else. 2. Exercise - I like walking. I don’t want to be muscle-bound; I want to concentrate on stamina and muscle-tone. Some weight work might be helpful, but that’s not where I want to focus. 3. Cholesterol and pre-type2-diabetes - Portion control and finding acceptable substitutes for whole butter and 2% milk. Return to making my own food instead of sugar-laden store-bought meals. Exercise. 4. Reduce alchohol - Not quit, reduce. Considering switching to a glass of wine with dinner, and nothing else. 5. Find a doctor who is worth a shit. - Best of luck to me on that one. Advice? Thoughts on the order of my priorities? Suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/health-priorities/536285/2 "2010-04-16T01:33:59Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > 1. Quit smoking - Yes. I quit Halloween of 2007 and I’m glad I did. No more smoker’s cough and my breath is so much better. Hubby _has_ to quit (doctor’s orders) this year too. > [@](#): > > 1. Exercise - I like walking. Swimming or other water exercise is good too, I do 2 days a week ‘land’ aerobic excercise and one day a week I do aqua pilates. It helps to change things up. > [@](#): > > 1. Cholesterol and pre-type2-diabetes - The single best thing I did for cholesterol was to start eating oatmeal for breakfast. Every day. I also take some fish oil which my doctor prescribes. Regarding the diabetes: my son’s fiancee switched to whole grain pasta and bread; it makes a big difference for her. > [@](#): > > 1. Reduce alchohol - Not quit, reduce. A little bit is supposed to be good for you. I quit totally, but that was so I’d quit smoking. > [@](#): > > 1. Find a doctor who is worth a shit. - Jeez, I know what you mean. Hubby and I have a great GP but finding other kinds of doctors has been an expensive excercise in futility. I think these are good ideas. Good luck. 🙂