Cholesterol news

Los Alamitos Medical Center is offering free cholesterol screenings for American Heart Month. On Friday February 12 and Saturday February 13 from 8 am to noon. Screening will be held in the Total Care Pavilion at 3951 Katela Avenue. Call 800 548 5559 so staff will be on hand to make less waiting. Fasting is recommended.

Cholesterol blues

I'm completing my second week of a low cholesterol diet and have only cheated three or four times. On the whole, I've enjoyed venturing into dietary choices I'd ordinarily avoid like cabbage and beets, but the low salt/no salt items are a challenge and eating out is a real nightmare. The goal is to have a HDL (the good cholesterol) level greater than 60 milligrams per deciliter, and a total cholesterol level of less than 200 milligrams per deciliter. The low cholesterol diet recommends consuming less than 200 mlligrams a day, 14 grams of saturated fat and 73 grams of total fat. My daily calorie intake should be about 2200 calories. I also read that garlic and green tea have been found to lower cholesterol levels in some studies. Sadly, I have decided to stay away from the Chocolate Festival this year. Too much temptation.

Health concerns

In addition to my cranky right shoulder which sends out streaks of pain when I reach my arm behind me, I've learned that I have "very high" cholesterol levels. So I've been following a diet designed by Prevention Magazine and am very seriously considering a vegan diet, since these produce heavy meals take as much time to make as vegan meals. I've also been getting massages from Dr. Kim Campbell at Clements Chiropractic Center. I feel that I'm being proactive, but no real solution in sight.

Healthcare not Weathcare

I found time to show up at the Moveon.org emergency rally for healthcare reform today at 7th and Bellflower. There were about 15 enthusiastic sign carriers and a lot of supportive drivers who honked and give us the thumbs up. Now I hope a few of those good people will write Feinstein and Boxer to remind them of the urgency of continuing to pressure reform naysayers and persuade them that change is needed.

Health Care Reform: Maybe We Should All Just Die

As much as I endorse a day at the beach for everyone, I was VERY sorry to hear that the esteemed members of Congress are happily packing their sunblock and flippers even as we speak without taking action on health care reform. People are dying without the aid of medical care and these so-called leaders are going on vacation. I am writing yet another letter to Dana Rohrabacher that no one in his office will read. When are we going to vote this bloated bond-holder out of office?

Here's my letter and his address. Write him, call him, email him. Let him know that people care about his carefully choreographed tip-toe routine concealing his determination to let the leaches in the pharmaceutical and insurance industries continue to make millions on Americans' illnesses.

Representative Dana Rohrabacher
101 Main Street, Suite 380

Huntington Beach, CA 92648

To the Honorable Mr. Rohrabacher:

After reviewing the statement on your website regarding your opinions about the need for expanding access to high quality health care, I was glad to see your note at the end of your statement that you have not endorsed any proposal.

You have stated that you are reaching out to all sides to achieve affordable, accessible, doctor-patient-centered health care, so I urge you to seriously consider HR 3200 America’s Affordable Health Choices Act. I strongly endorse it and so do my family, friends, and, yes, even my doctors in Long Beach. As our representative, I hope you will vote in our interest rather than waste time devising a new bill that perpetuates the stranglehold of the pharmaceutical and insurance conglomerates.

Elements I particularly like about the bill are:

--Essential benefits package created by an independent committee

--Caps on an individual’s annual out-of-pocket medical expenses

--Simplification of paperwork for patients and businesses

Please be a leader in the GOP and work with the existing bill. Please provide much-needed access to health care for your constituents in Long Beach.