Well, I watched the videos that focused on the idea that it's not fat/cholesterol and statins and something that did click with me is it makes sense why there has been such a huge increase in T2. Low fat diets, higher carbs - of course all the sweets don't help, but the focus on grains, etc. I mean, it all makes sense. In a way though it all sounds like the JFK conspiracy theories! Ha!

Still sorting through it all!

several years ago, when I was about 6 months into Atkins, I had my cholesterol checked and it was low - I cant remember the exact numbers, but my doctor actually phoned me to say he'd never seen anyone with such low triglycerides. He also said that he was very worried as low cholesterol was a marker for cancer - thats why he'd gone to the trouble of phoning me!

Jo xxx

Funny! My story about the low Trigs is the last test had an * on result of 30, noting that the blood test was run a second time for accuracy and confirmed correct. The lab analysis machine must have extreme range limits that indicate error, but no, just no fat in my blood after eating a 75% fat diet.

Bworthy, have you seen these graphs http://authoritynutrition.com/11-gr...h-modern-diet/? Since diabetes tracks with obesity, the last one sums it all up. Dr. Davis also says the changes in wheat look like a conspiracy but was done with all good intentions.

But wait, there is another possibility too.
Statins may increase blood sugars and the risk of diabetes. http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/con...s/ucm293330.htm

A recent People's Pharmacy guest studies Numbers Needed to Treat vs Numbers Needed to Harm (we don't hear about that one much!) for many drugs. Statin NNT to prevent a heart attack vs NNH to develop diabetes was not good ratio at all!

Hi, all! I would start a new thread, but the folks participating on this one seem on the ball, so I'd like to run a different scenario by you guys. My doctor is suggesting I look for ways to improve my heart health naturally (always a good idea) and that I at least start thinking about taking statins because I have a 7% chance of having a heart attack in ten years (almost the 7.5% trigger in the new guidelines). I'm trying to figure out how my Atkins diet affects those numbers.

Although my total cholesterol (261) and LDL (188) are high, my HDL is pretty good (57), and my triglycerides are fairly low (81), and my Triglyceride:HDL ratio is 1.4 (I've read that 1:1 is optimal and 2:1 is risk. http://dietheartpublishing.com/lipid-panel). It's my understanding that this is a pretty typical profile for someone on a low-carb diet, and that I might be better off than the total and LDL numbers seem to say. At the same time, however, I'd love to get my Triglyceride:HDL ratio closer to 1:1.

Any advice? Should I get a VAP to see which kind of LDL I have (even if I have to pay for it?) Any advice appreciated!

P.S.: I'm a male, 52, BMI 30.0

Just from what I've learned from the replies here about my own numbers, I think most folks are gonna say your numbers aren't too bad - except maybe your total cholesterol. The low carb eating should take care of the rest.

I do agree, those are good numbers. Very likely that if you stay low carb and lose more weight they will continue to improve. Even that "high" by previous standards LDL squeaks into OK in the new formula.
As aside, I cannot believe there has not been even more outrage from doctors and patients that for years the drive was solely to get LDL as low as possible, under 100. And now, oops, we changed our minds about that. Here's a new risk calculator to up statins prescriptions and your doctor has his script pad out already, even if you don't hit those tougher guidelines!

Cholesterol Clarity which I highly recommend, and not just because my doctor helped write it, includes the suggestions to raise HDL naturally already listed above. HDL above 50 is good, optimal above 70. LDL is virtually meaningless, but it and VLDL (optimal 10-14) can best be lowered by eliminating carbs, particularly refined.
Your Trigs are spectacular, anything under 100 is the goal, they put optimal in the under 70 range, but I'd say 81 is there. The natural way to decrease or keep them low is Decease your Carbs. Also mentioned a cod liver oil supplement, but you already have great Trigs.

They have a chapter on the advanced tests, explaining what they can and can't do. You could get an NMR done yourself by using DirectLabs if you want. Know that what you eat in the five days before the test can impact those numbers. Frankly though, your HDL Trig numbers and ratio look so good, not sure it is needed. I'd just keep eating LC, get to your goal weight, repeat the standard lipid panel then.

New Dr Briffa post on side effects, including diabetes risk.

http://www.drbriffa.com/2014/03/13/...n-observations/

He has many other good articles on statins and cholesterol in side bar, excellent clear communicator.

The way I feel about stains is Hey! Let's take a utterly vital life process and completely screw it up for a tiny tiny possible benefit that is only in men that have already had a heart attack!

Doesn't sound appealing at all, does it?