Knocken' it out!

Back over the summer I went to the Medic mobile station and donated blood. A couple of weeks later I get the paper in the  mail from them that tells you blood type and cholesterol level. My cholesterol was really high. I think it was like 260. Now, this was the end of the day and not a fasting cholesterol letter. And I have actively been trying to lose weight since last January and had been Zumbaing (can I make that a verb?) just about every day and we had been watching what we eat. Mostly I had already cut out sweeties and chocolate. So I became a little concerned. I knew that my grandmother has high cholesterol and I am sure my mom does to if I can ever get her to go to the doctor.
But I found us a new primary care doctor and went to see her.
On October 23, 2012 my overall cholesterol level was 240. Normal range is 170-196. My LDL (the bad cholesterol) was 160. Normal is 120-130 with >100 being optimal. And the HDL (the good cholesterol) was 66 and the optimal is 45-130 with > 60 being the desired.
These were my numbers fasting in the am, by the way.
So needless to say I was a little high. The doctor was concerned because it was so high and I am young and active. My triglycerides were good also, so she said that it had to be a genetic factor. She told me to start taking 2 tablets of Fish Oil twice a day and to keep exercising. She asked me to check back in three months.
So I went back on Tuesday January 7, 2013 so I could get it out of the way before school started.
She called me that evening and said she was very impressed especially coming off the holidays and wanted to know what I have been doing. So I told her. Zumba, running, Fish Oil and watching what I eat.
My numbers were down.
Total was 228; LDL 136, and HDL was 79. She said she could not get most people down that much in three months on 10 units of prescribed cholestrol medications. So she told me to keep up the good work.
I had hoped it would be down under 200, but she was so encouraging that I felt good about it. And since I have the genetic factor it is likely to always run high. But I do not plan on ever going on the prescribed medications. As long as I am active, it should stay where I need it to be.