8000 steps

So welcome to my new blog. Following is an introduction to why I have started this.
 I have wanted to start this second blog for some time, but have always found a reason  not to.  In April I went to the doctor for a 3 hour exam.  What can they do in three hours you say?  Well I had many blood test run, including a glucose test, special test run through Berkeley heart lab checking for many sub levels of ldl, hdl , genetics, and goodness knows what else, and EKG, to compare to a baseline I had several years ago. I had total body photos taken to monitor my history of melanoma.  I had body measurements taken, including some electronic testing for metabolism, composition, a complete history including 2 weeks of diet history.  They ask you what you think or would like to weigh. How often and what types of exercise you do, what hobbies you have, your family history, stress factors in your life, depression history, its quite quite thorough.  So go back three weeks later to get results and recommendations. 
First thing, retake some photos that have suspicious results.  2nd long talk about the blood test- good i don't have diabetes! yeah.  I also appear to have normal kidney and liver function.  Bad, although my cholesterol numbers are very good- Low LDL and High HDL, but their is a gene that increases risk of heart attacks, and some sub levels of LDL also are higher than they would like.  OK so now what?  Add fish oil capsules- ugh, the thought has always disgusted me.  Change medication- from a diuretic to a blood pressure medication that reduces inflammation.  Inflammation is a big concern evidently.
3rd- iron results-I have had basically no ferretin levels for over two years.  I went through tons of  testing : endoscopy. colonoscopy, barium test, to make sure it wasn't gut related like ulcers.  I also went to gyn to check if it was related in some way to the feminine components.  But still no answers.   I basically have a level of 2 where it should be 16.  It means I have no reserves and used my reserves.  I take mass iron but am not gaining any.  This affects alot of things.  Like being able to exercise, being able to not burnout after 10 minutes of walking,  by being able to breathe normally instead like having asthma.  It sucks no doubt about.  I've learned to push through alot and basically do things anaerobically that other people don't unless they've worked out for and hour or more. So now Iron infusions at least once or twice a week.
4th - Lifestyle and diet-   So what's the 8000 steps stand for?  In fitness we recommend you do 10,000 steps a day to be fit.  My doc wants me to 8000 at this time.  Right now that's still kind of hard.  I avg about 6000 which is OK but not enough.  He also gave me an item from bodymedia.com that you wear on your arm about 23 hours a day- including sleep- it measures your steps, activity levels, sleep, calories used, you put your food into the computer and sync the device to keep track.  Overall I like it.  It's no different than keeping track of your food with weight watchers, and you get more information back. The first week I lost 4lbs. After I went off my diuretic I gained water weight, which I guess takes awhile to balance out, but I still faithfully put in everything, including that movie popcorn.  So if you want to follow my 8000 steps to health follow me here.  Or just check in once in awhile.  I will still have my other blog, which is more creative/ life oriented.