I recently reviewed my cholesterol numbers again.
They are not terrible.
They are not perfect either.
Like many women in their 60s, I was offered a statin. I paused.
Not because I am anti-medicine.
Not because I do not trust my doctor.
Because I want to identify what I can improve first.
At 66, I do not want to automatically add another pill without asking myself one honest question:
What can I control?
What I Am Looking At
My cholesterol is influenced by:
Smoking
Stress
Daily habits
None of that requires denial.
It requires discipline.
What I Am Doing Instead
Before adding another medication, I am focusing on:
Reducing cigarettes gradually
Walking daily
Paying attention to saturated fats
Drinking more water
Rechecking labs after consistent effort
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing extreme.
Just consistent.
What I Am Not Doing
I am not ignoring my health.
I am not pretending numbers do not matter.
I am not refusing medication if I truly need it.
But I am giving my habits a real opportunity to work.
At this stage in life, every decision is intentional.
Health is not about fear.
It is about responsibility.
And at 66, I choose responsibility.
