I think they divide TG by 5 or some number then add it to the TC score. Not sure how HDL gets added, or if it does even, to the score. You can google if you want the actual method.

The Friedewald equation is used in calculating cholesterol levels. Total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides are measured. The total cholesterol is then estimated by the equation.

Estimated LDL = Total cholesterol - HDL - Triglycerides/5

Then there is the issue of "Familial Hypercholesterolemia."

I had totally forgotten about that until I just read about it in a blog. That term has been used to describe my Mom's side of the family as long as I can remember. This is the same Mom who has recently tested positive for protein S and protein C and cardiolipia deficiency (genetic hyper-clotting disorder). Mama, while diabetic and with sky-high cholesterol levels all her life and the clotting disorder is the only sibling (2 girls, 2 boys) who hasn't had heart disease--however she is the only one who has had DVT, twice now. She's 72.

They are all diabetic and have all had high cholesterol at a very young age. My brother was placed on Lipitor at about 40 b/c his cholesterol was elevated at a young age. I think Daddy told me he's pre-diabetic.

The good news, I most likely don't have it, b/c this is the first time I've ever had increased levels. If I had it, my understanding is that the very first time I had it checked it would have been high. And it wasn't. I remember my very first cholesterol test being in the 160's and remained there for several years, even while LCing. Skip ahead 5-6 years, when my next test was 197, then 199, then 230.

It's still kinda scary, but I'm just going to ignore it for now. I'm hoping I drew the lucky genetic straw...

Even though I'm on a statin, my LDL has been creeping up (something my doctor is watching and called to my attention). I think the solution is exercise - but now that I read Hayes' solution (some dietary changes), I think I'll start making my big treat of the day a bowl of whole grain oatmeal! Also, I love butter but may switch to something a little less lethal.

For me, the longer I am doing this WOE, the less scary cholesterol is to me.

Couldn't agree more! I am currently reading Sally Fallon's "Nourishing Traditions" (she's a big cheese with the Weston A. Price people) and she also mentions cholesterol as being an anti-oxidant that goes round our bodies scavenging up all the nasties that may have accumulated. Her reasoning is that a "high" cholesterol count may simply mean that there is a greater need for cholesterol due to the higher amount of toxins to be dealt with.

The Masai (those blood and milk eaters) have cholesterol counts of about 150, but I bet they're not exposed to the same amount of toxins as us victims of modern western "civilization" - car fumes, pollution in general, amalgam fillings, all the toxins from coffee, tea and other not-so-good foods and beverages etc etc we regularly consume - and therefore their bodies don't need to have so much cholesterol circulating around in them.

My cholesterol count was exactly 200 the last time I had it checked and it doesn't worry me in the slightest. I worry about enough other stuff without having that to worry about, too!

amanda

Please read up on statins. As a female, you don't need them full stop. High cholesterol counts are regularly found in fit nonagenarian females. Low cholesterol counts are not good for women or anyone - unless you want to get depressed, get Parkinson's etc.

And, please stick to your butter!!! There's absolutely nothing "lethal" about butter - especially if you can get butter from pasture-fed cows (Irish butter, for example). Weston A. Price used to regularly administer butter and cod-liver oil to ailing patients and saw them make miraculous recoveries.

Check out the Weston A. Price site or read Sally Fallon's book "Nourishing Traditions" or anything you can find about fats by Mary Enig. But don't believe the butter-bashers and the statin-pushers!!!

amanda