Cholesterol

The only figure within any cholesterol test that is a direct factor to a persons health is Triglceride, along with a majorly low number on HDL ( so called good cholesterol), your HDL of 1.4 is fine, you just need to know

Triglyceride level.

As this reading hasn't been listed separately on your results I can only assume your GP practice has added LDL to Trig levels and given you a reading of 8.1 as a total. Some health practices have been known to combine both figures as ' bad cholesterol' which is misleading.

If this isn't the case then either way you'd need to find out Triglceride level.

Please don't become to obsessed with diet to control cholesterol as only 15% of the cholesterol we consume through diet is absorbed in our bodies, the other 85% is excreted. The cholesterol we consume has very little to do with the cholesterol levels in our bloodstream.

HDL can be raised through healthy diet of oily fish and walnuts, eggs also raise HDL.

Triglycerides can also be lowered through diet, avoid veg oil, low fat products and eat more saturated fat, along with lowering carb intake.

Some of what I've stated may seem a little controversial but I'm a believer in cholesterol being fundamental for our health and each persons cholesterol levels change depending on the needs of our bodies at any given time.

Would be interested to find out your Trigycerides so please keep us posted

I will find out my triglycerides levels and post them. So you think I should just carry on the way I am? Did you say avoid low fat products, is this because they contain more sugar? And eat more saturated fat? Nutrition is a minefield to understand. Not sure whether I should be worried? The doctor said in his letter that cholesterol was " quite high but didn't need to start drug therapy at this time". Confused.

Thanks for the reply.

Michael

Yes I did say eat more saturated fat, I know that's controversial but there have been many studies that actually show sat fat is healthy.

Unfortunately some of the medial profession still believe sat fat and cholesterol to be one of the same, and therefore tell their patients to lower cholesterol cut back on fat, this is true of veg and sunflower oil to name just a few, I use goose fat, old fashioned solid lard and coconut oil to cook with, my cholesterol was 7.5 when using cholesterol lowering spreads and oils, now it's 5.1, the only other change I've made is eating lots of fish, eggs and cutting down on carbs, this has all lead to my HDL rising and Triglcerides lowering so I know it works.

Yes all lowfat food contains masses amount of sugar, food producers up the sugar content to replace fat.

I do not feel you should be worried at all cholesterol is not a killer, many people have higher than the so called norm numbers, just remember that the professionals who said our cholesterol should be 5 or under are the same ones who work or have links to pharmaceutical companies making statins.

Please google ' the great cholesterol myth' and you'll find a whole new world of info that will surprise you .

That's interesting I will do as you say and google it.

Thanks

Michael

Triglycerides 0.47, I have stopped virtually all carbs I do not eat bread potatoes etc, and I have a three egg omelette everyday with a big salad I also have some form of oily fish too for my breakfast, I eat nuts, pulses and I do a lot of exercise, I was advised to see a health therapist so I thought go along and see what they

have to say well guess what, they said that my gp may suggest statins! straight away without talking to me about diet etc, they then dome my BMI (Bodymass Index) this is a formula based on your height, weight,

age and sex and ones all of these factors are considered you will be told if you are over weight, obese or at an ideal weight so let me tell you where I come, I am 5'9.5" I weight 81.5 kg and I have a bodyfat % of 8

and they told me that I have a BMI of 27.5 this makes me obese what it doesn't take in to account is your

lean mass! I have made an appointment to see my gp to see what he recommends!! pills I reckon but I will not be taking them, so ask a lot of questions and read that article it's really eye opening.

Good luck

Tim

I have found full cholesterol results now.

They are LDL 8.1, HDL 1.4 and Tryglycerides 3.1.

What do you read from this. Help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Mick

Your Triglceride level is quite high it's recommended to be below 1.7 , I'd concentrate on getting that figure down.

Please don't worry as this is quite common and can be easlily remedied. The best way to start is cut out ALL processed food as most are made with trans fats or other processed oils and sugars.

Replace all processed cooking oils, especially the ones that state ' lowers cholesterol' use goose or duck fat, extra virgin olive oil and the best thing of all is extra virgin coconut oil.

As Tim and I mentioned before I cannot stress how important lowering your carb intake is, this will help increase HDL and lower LDL.

Please don't be persuaded to go on any statin medication inform GP your going to try diet first.

Can you just clarify that your cholesterol test was a fasting one? Did you fast for at least 12 hours before?

Thanks for quick response. As I said earlier the cholesterol test was just done as a matter of course as I was being tested for other things (all of which came back negative) so the doctor said I didn't need to fast? What difference does this make I really don't much about this.

The doctor to be fair said he didn't want to put me on drugs but to try dietary changes first. What sort of diet would you recommend?

Thanks Mick

I will Google diet as suggested and yes glucose levels are fine.

Thanks

Mick

As you haven't fasted this could have a baring on your Triglceride result. There are a lot of medical professionals now who feel it is unnecessary to ask a patient to fast for 12 hours before their cholesterol test, some research has shown there is not much difference between fasting and non fasting, most cholesterol a levels remain around the same figure either way.

Having said that it's not true for Triglceride as this is a measure for fat content in the blood and it he result can be affected by what food a person has eaten the night before.

Example : a patient may have eaten a high fat meal which increases their Triglceride test the next day. Medication can also affect total cholesterol result so if your taking any drugs this needs to be accounted for.

Alcohol also affects results so even a glass of wine with evening meal the night before. Although research sows not much difference re fasting or not it is recognised that thiis isn't the case every time.

As your numbers appear to be quite high I'd ensure the next test you have be a fasting one, no food and only water to drink 12 hours before.

Sorry but could I ask what time of day you had test? And can you possibly remember what you'd drank and eaten leading up to test?

I had the test about 9am in the morning. I would have eaten about 5.30 - 6pm the previous evening, can't remember what but it wouldn't have been anything too fattening as my wife is healthy eating too. I had no alcoholic during as I never drink during the week. I would probably had a couple of cups of black or green tea without milk before bed.

Thanks

Mick

So basically it sounds like your test was really a fasting one, although unintentional.

Tim is right the healthiest diet is the Mediterranean and as you need to get your Triglceride and LDL levels down this would be the best diet to follow.

I don't believe in cholesterol being the great evil, our bodies need it to function properly so high cholesterol results don't worry me, having said that Triglcerides is totally different as this is basically fat floating around in your blood stream.

By following as much as you can the med diet and cutting down on carbs, processed oil and all low fat, lowering cholesterol products you should see your numbers drop.

To many people feel a healthy diet is one with low fat products, skimmed milk and lots of fruit. This is definitely not the way to health and will increase Triglcerides and LDL ( bad cholesterol)

We should throw away all what we've been told and begin eating full fat dairy products, butter not spreads and lower our carb intake.

Here's an excert from one of my many books on the subject:

' if you love animal fats but have cut back to keep your cholesterol numbers down, take heart. One of the best ways to raise your HDLcholesterol is to consume more dietary fats, including healthy saturated fat such as coconut oil, butter, cream and full-fat meats, and the dairy as well as monounsaturated fats like avocados and olive oil.

Consuming a high-fat diet provides your body with the raw materials for making HDL ( good cholesterol).

If you need any info at all in explaining cholesterol etc then please ask I'm happy to clarify and break the myth that surrounds cholesterol.

Sonya

I have Googled the Mediterranean diet and I am not too far away from this anyway. I have started eating more healthily anyway but will now modify it further. So wholemeal bread and regular butter is good, is that correct? I am just bemused as to why my Cholesterol levels are so " high". Unless they were even higher of course and they are coming down anyway in which case I will see results when I go for another check.

You all have been very helpful.

Thanks

Mick

So you would not recommend products such as Benecol. What is the reasoning behind this?

Thanks

Mick