low carbing and high cholesterol

[vezzie]

does anyone with high cholesterol low-carb, and what are your views on it?
I have high cholesterol (was tested as my veggie super-healthy sister has it too! and said I should get it checked out as it is sometimes genetic). I got the result in the post with a diet sheet that is basically a recipe for me putting on 3 stone by Xmas if I follow it (low fat everything with a side order of cereal on toast, basically). Too depressing to contemplate.

Obviously I suppose I should raise this with a dr (though they don't seem in any hurry to talk to me, having sent a photocopied diet sheet, I guess they think it's covered). I suppose, if I am brutally honest, I want to hear some perspectives from other people who have chosen to eat high fat, rather than put on weight, while knowing they have high cholesterol. to make me feel less guilty.

Any thoughts from anyone?

[ppeatfruit]

What do you eat on your low carb diet? DH has got his cholesterol down to normal on his. I follow low carb but I do eat carbs just no wheat at all and a lot of fruit and vegetables. Perhaps if you lowered your high protein intake and upped your olive oil style fat intake.

The fats in "Low fat" spreads" are often palm oil and or hydrogenated fat which are bad for cholesterol levels. So maybe think about putting olive oil on your toast ;Waitrose do lovely pure rye bread. Which suits everyone.

[vezzie]

Thanks ppeat, good to hear about your husband.

I eat eggs, butter, and chicken with skin, peanut butter, meat incl fat - not all the time, as dp doesn't eat meat, and no one in our house eats red meat often - a fair bit of greek (fatty) yoghurt

(we also eat a lot of fish, esp. oily fish, as dp is pescetarian but that is probably not a bad thing?)

Would you mind rougnhly outlining your husband's day to day diet so I get a sense of the practicalities - if you don't mind?

[BuzzardBird]

I truly believe that the NHS's advice on diet is very out of date. I don't think they realize how bad for you the low-fat products are.

I low-carb but I don't eat all the excessively fatty things as I just don't like them. I think you can low-carb and still eat a sensible amount of fat without turning to high sugar low-fat products.

[vezzie]

Buzzard, I agree the NHS advice is out of date and won't do me any good so I am trying to find my own path that is maybe a little less reckless than just tearing up the sheet and tucking into bacon in cream sauce!

My sister has been vegetarian, in a very pulsey, brown ricey, hardly-any-animal-fat-y kind of way for around 26 years and she has high cholesterol. This inclines me to think that for some people, diet won't have much to do with it - if her body can manage to make too much cholesterol out of lentils, I think it must be genetic. is this defeatist?

[BuzzardBird]

No, I think you have a massive point. An old friend of mine was vegetarian and had really high cholesterol requiring medication.

It is advisable to make an appointment with your GP though or ask for a referral to a dietican who hopefully will not give you the same out-of-date information.

[ppeatfruit]

Sure Vezzie ref. your sister does she eat low fat spreads? It could be those that have affected her BP.

I agree Buzzard The NHS have never given good advice on nutrition IME O.

dh eats rye toast with marmite and olive oil for breakfast

Then a bowl of fruit for a snack

Lunch could be lightly grilled salmon or omelette or organic chicken with large salad or steamed spinach\green beans etc.With a lemon and olive oil dressing.

snax on a carob and seed bar

Supper; similar to lunch or whole rice risotto

Fruit before bed

Drinks filtered or bottled water and ginger/lemon tea (when he's really trying! coffee when he's not ) Coffee is also bad for cholesterol!!

[vezzie]

OMG coffee, really? I had no idea, I drink far too much coffee.

Yep I will be going to the GP soon. I have just changed for various reasons so I am hoping to get some better advice on a few things at the new surgery.

[ppeatfruit]

I lost a stone when I gave up a daily cup of freshly ground coffee (and I wasn't trying to )

[StuntNun]

OP would you be comfortable posting your lipid profile results, or PMing them to me? The interpretation of the results can be quite complex yet some doctors look at a high LDL result and prescribe statins without really looking into the ratios. My MIL was prescribed statins on the basis of her total cholesterol level, they didn't even test the HDL and triglycerides.

[vezzie]

I don't think there was a breakdown, Stuntnun? I don't have the document any more. I wasn't seen or prescribed anything, just sent a photocopied sheet that featured Special K.

[StuntNun]

The individual lipid profile tests are quite important. To put it in perspective with my own results: after I had been low carbing for over a year my LDL cholesterol had gone up by 0.4. Not disastrous but if my LDL had been higher to start with then it may have been enough for my GP to try and talk me out of my low carb diet. HOWEVER, my HDL cholesterol had also gone up slightly and my triglycerides had reduced by two-thirds. The triglyceride:HDL ratio is a better indicator of cardiovascular disease risk because it reflects LDL particle size - 4 is high, below 2 is ideal. So while my LDL went up by 0.4, my triglyceride:HDL ratio dropped from 0.18 to 0.05 which actually shows a substantial improvement in my markers.

It would be worth trying to get your actual results before you make any drastic lifestyle changes.

[BIWI]

It's also worth reading up about cholesterol, vezzie. Look out for "The Great Cholesterol Con" by Dr Malcolm Kendrick.

(If you have a genetic condition, I think it's slightly different)

his website here