With high profile people refusing to release their medical records these days, it was tempting to follow suit when my cholesterol numbers came in a bit disappointing. But in the interest of honesty and full disclosure here is the report.

My cholesterol was up - 221. It has only been this high one other time (in 1995).

The rest of the numbers look ok. Triglycerides were 62, HDL was 99, LDL was 110. The good news was that my cholesterol/HDL ratio was 2.2, the lowest it has ever been.

Mike Staffieri did a performance review not long ago, and I've been intending to do the same. Just the brief review I've done since getting this report turns up one thing that may have contributed to the higher cholesterol reading. In the weeks prior to my previous test the main fat in my diet had been olive oil on vegetables and salads. In July I reworked a buttery spread recipe to be BTD neutral/beneficial with ghee & olive oil. For most of the summer I used the buttery spread sparingly. But for a couple of weeks prior to my recent blood donation I had a craving for it, and let myself overindulge. Overindulgence has now come to a screeching halt, and I'm getting myself back toward the recommended 5-8 Tablespoons per week.

The nice thing about getting a free cholesterol test when I donate blood is that I don't have to worry over this report for 6 months or a year. I'll donate again in December, if not before.