I began low carbing last june and I've learned to love this way of life. For the first time in my life (have been overweight since a child) I feel in control over food. My weight loss have been slowly but steadily for a total of 30 ps lost. Just 11pds from goal.
I've checked my lipid profile 3 times. The last one was today, 9 months after I started. All of the 3 times I"ve got very poor results. I'll see my doctor next tuesday. Last november she wanted to medicate me and to quit Atknis...I insisted in give it a chance. She agreed in give it 3 months more. Today I got my results and I feel devastated. What happened here!
I work out at high intensity 3X week (weight lifting and run). My BP is super good 120/80. I'm 37.
Any advice would be deeply appreciated. I feel lost and I don't know what's next...

TOTAL CHOLESTEROL
(>240 high risk, 200-239 borderline, <200 desirable)
14/08/03 ~ 352 (High risk)
11/11/03 ~ 345 (High risk)
TODAY ~ 410 (high risk)

Ratios
Total cholesterol divided by HDL - should be below 4
14/08/03 ~ 7.4 ( Very Poor)
11/11/03 ~ 5.65% (Very Poor)
TODAY ~ 7.4 (Very Poor)

Triglyceride
(<150 normal, 150-199 borderline high, >200 high)
14/08/03 ~ 137 (Normal)
11/11/03 ~ 206 (High)...I don't understand what happened here!
TODAY ~195 (Borderline High)

LDL Cho
(<100 optimal, 100-129 borderline, >130 high)
14/08/03 ~ 278 (High)
11/11/03 ~ 243 (High)
TODAY ~316 (High)


HDL Cho
(>40 low, 40-59 normal, <59 high - a good thing)
14/08/03 ~ 47 (Normal)
09/26/03 ~ 61 (Very good)
TODAY ~ 55 (normal)

Are you using any margarines, spreads, or solid shortenings? Those can skyrocket cholesterol even if they say they are "heart smart". It's the trans fats in them.

Please give a list of all "products" that you consume.
When I say product, mean anything that doesn't come directly from the ground, a plant, a tree or an animal.

Also, I think I would ask for a re-test. If these results are valid, then a re-test should come up with the same numbers.

That just doesn't sound right. Have you been completely faithful to this WOE? (It sounds like you have, but I just have to ask!) And are you currently ON any statin drugs, right now? Sometimes the statins will totally SKEW the triglyceride numbers.

Thank you so much for your answers.

I can honestly say that I've been completely faithfull to this WOL...I love it!
I do not consume many "products" and 0 low carb procesed food (I live in a country where you can't get any of them). " Packaged" foods that I use: splenda, whipping cream, nuts, cream cheese, sour cream.Ocasionally, pork rinds.
No margarine (love real butter!).

I do eat liberally amounts of saturated fat, I eat the skin of poultry, pork chops, real pork skin, eggs and very fatty cheese like mazdam, brie, cheddar,etc
I'm posting my fitday thing, I havent entered my food for today but it was eggs fried in butter, chicken with some cashews and cheese for dessert. Also, you would find that I've used Fitday just for the 5 last days (I don't like it, but since I was on a stall I began to use it again) Last october I used it regularly so you may see more menus in that month.

An important note here: My thyroid was removed some years ago, but I'm under medication and my TSH levels are normal (0.572) today. (0.4-4 normal range)

I know it doesn't sounds right it doesn't feel right neither but it is not new to me. Actually I was feeling really anxious for having to check them again.

My question would be, if you were in my case, what would you do? I know low carb is the way to go for me, so there's no way to low fat plans (I can't stick with them more than 2 days...)

Thanks. I really apprecciate any suggestion. Feel lost

http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/DayFoodsTab.asp

Hi Dora,

It's possible that you are sensitive to arachidonic acid (AA). Here's what the Drs Eades (of Protein Power) say about AA:

I hope that helps, matey.

Roz

Roz, thank you. You're such a big

I'm in a research mission now and honestly the allergy of the acid that Roz mentioned seems to be the only explanation to my bloodwork. (I eat eggs all mornings and love meat...love VERY fatty meats) What still seems weird is that I don't have the other symptoms that the Eades related with the allergy and my BP is very good...Hmmm

I'll cut them and see what happens... The other circumstance that I have to face is my doctor I havent follow her recomendation of medication and I'll have to face her again next tuesday. I'm absolutely sure that she'll be radical regarding medication this time....So. I have a question here, does somebody knows how long does it takes to notice change in bloodworks once you change your diet? I guess my decission will be to do not take any drug to low my cholesterol even if she order it at least I'll not take any drug without trying first to cut eggs and meat...but since this time I will be against my doctor advice I'll need to know how long will be a prudential time to checked my blood profile again...
Dr Eades, suggests 3 weeks...it couldn't be less? I havent panic but I'm scared

Thank you so much for all the advice. I know it is a very rare case and somewhat difficult and your not doctors...but I appreciate all of your suggestions and comments so I can make my own decission...
Blessings to all,

I've heard it's more like 3 months. I think the 3 weeks the Eades refer to are if you are having symptoms such as arthritis, fluid retention, rashes and so on. Still, it would be interesting to see if there's a change in your blood work that soon.

If it helps, I don't take the Lipitor my doctor wants me to take - and probably thinks I do take. My LDL is high, but as my HDL is very high, and my trigs low, I do not see any need. My doctor just overruled me and gave me the prescription, but I didn't have it filled. Now when he asks me do I need another script, I just say no.

I think it's definitely worth waiting to see what happens if you cut down the red meat and egg yolks.

My fingers will be crossed tight for you.

Roz

Hi Dora,

Only things besides the above I can think of would be to ask how long you fasted prior to the test .. should be 12 - 14 hrs, with no food but water taken freely. And .. do you smoke, or live/work with second-hand smoke? That will affect your levels in a negative way too.

It may help for you to read some facts about cholesterol, from Cholesterol Myths by Dr. Uffe Ravnskov

• link - Cholesterol is not a deadly poison, but a substance vital to the cells of all mammals. There are no such things as good or bad cholesterol, but mental stress, physical activity and change of body weight may influence the level of blood cholesterol. A high cholesterol is not dangerous by itself, but may reflect an unhealthy condition, or it may be totally innocent.

• link - A high blood cholesterol is said to promote atherosclerosis and thus also coronary heart disease. But many studies have shown that people whose blood cholesterol is low become just as atherosclerotic as people whose cholesterol is high.

• link - There is no evidence that too much animal fat and cholesterol in the diet promotes atherosclerosis or heart attacks. For instance, more than twenty studies have shown that people who have had a heart attack haven't eaten more fat of any kind than other people, and degree of atherosclerosis at autopsy is unrelated with the diet.

There's more, and the scientific evidence to back it up, at Ravnskov's site.

Another article worth reading is Cholesterol and Heart Disease - a phony issue .. and .. What Causes Heart Disease?, from the Weston A. Price Foundation.

I hope you find those articles reassuring.


Doreen

Hi Doreen!
Thank you so much for your answer.

I fasted 13 hours before the test. And yes I do smoke.

I read the first article that you post and I found it very enlightened. I'll read all the others as soon as I can. Seems that it is time to face my smoking habit (I have procrastinated this for a long time...)

Again, thank you so much

Ah!!!!

Yes, THAT's what it is, hon!

I know, it's a TOUGH thing to do. I finally quit for good last October.

Good luck to you!

Hi everyone--I have really enjoyed reading what each had to say--I have one question. My cholesterol isn't that high--220 up 40 points from 180--but I have very low HDL--33. I used to smoke but quit 7 years ago--At that time my HDL was even lower. What do I need to do to get a better reading on that? I assume if that was higher I would have a better ratio. Now it is 6.7---This hospitals normal range goes from 1.4-6.0. How do you elevate the HDL??
Thanks for your help. Alice

Hi Aleka!
From what I've research about cholesterol and my own experience, it seems that physical activity, helps much to increase HDL.

Alice,

You may also want to increase your consumption of fatty fish (salmon, cod), and/or add fish oil to your diet (in capsule form). This, coupled with some form of daily exercise should get those numbers climbing back up there.

Congrats on the non-smoking!

Hi Aleka-
Congrats on quitting smoking. It's wonderful! In addition to the suggestions of the other posts, you might want to also add flax meal. The best way to have it bioactive is to grind the seeds daily (I use a coffee grinder), and use at least 1T. There are a lot of good ways to use it. And a web site:www.flaxcouncil.ca

Good luck-
e

Today's paper had an article from the Harvard Medical School regarding fats in your diet. I especially loved the last sentence - "So you shouldn't worry too much about the amount of fat in your diet - as long as it's the good kind."
It included a chart that explained all the different fats and how they affect your body. This is it:

Saturated - such as red meat, whole milk, cheese, butter, poultry skin, coconut and palm oil - raises bad LDL, RAISES good HDL

Trans fat - such as many margarines, crisco, hydrogenated, meals at fast food, store bought crackers and cookies, most processed foods - raises bad LDL, lowers good HDL, linked to an increase in heart disease - the article stresses how bad this is and says it should be completely avoided

Mono-unsaturated - such as olive oil, canola oil, olives, avocadoes, cashews, almonds - lowers LDL, raises HDL

Polyunsaturated include omega 3 and omega 6

Omega-3 - fish, flaxseed oil, walnuts, canola oil - little effect of cholesterol levels, lowers tryglycerides, might help with depression

Omega-6 - corn, soybean, and sunflower oil - lowers LDL, raises HDL

Unfortunately, the article fails to mention the part that carbohydrates play in lipid levels but I thought the chart was a helpful explanation of fats and their effects.