Got a shock - my chloresterol has gone up a lot.

[friedakahlo]

My chloresterol level was always normal - 4.4 was my last reading about 6 years ago.
Last week I went for my well woman check, and asked for a blood test, and my result came back with a highlighted result - 6.4
Now ,the things that have changed in these last few years are -
I'm now post menopause. (56)
I've changed my diet from vegetarian, to a high protein, low carb diet.
I've lost about a stone, and I do a lot more exercise than I used to.
My blood pressure is normal,
I'm not overweight.
I'm very active.
I feel healthy.
So, do you think its the diet change that has caused this rise in chloresterol?
And how should I modify my lifestyle to improve it, or is it my age, or what?
I must admit, it gave me a bit of a shock - Is this an unmentioned danger in a low carb diet? which I must admit, seems to suit me?

My total cholesterol was 6.5 last time I was tested but my 10-year cardiac risk is still only 5% which is about half the average for my age. Cholesterol is not the be-all-and-end-all

cardiac risk factor calculator

How do you know what the average is for your age? I've just done that test you linked to but can't find any comparison with others my age. Also a bit peeved that they increased my BMI to 20 as my actual BMI is lower and 'off the scale'. cheek of it.

ah- ignore, seen it now.
I think the tool is quite crude- all it does is measure weight/ height / BMI, family history and blood pressure. It doesn't measure - and can't- carotid artery plaque which is where the evidence of high cholesterol damage is evident.

My husband had severely high blood pressure, enough to cause an emergency hospital admission and to knacker his kidneys. He attended blood pressure clinic for months and was told by the consultant that cholesterol is an overrated worry. However, if he'd had extremely high cholesterol and had gone to see a high cholesterol consultant maybe they'd have had the opposite opinion??

Perhaps they are at last starting to realise that statins are not the great cure-all they once thought.

No U2 I don't get checked anymore - there is plenty of chat out there saying that actually high cholesterol is a good thing but that may change

Also - most health professionals seem to say that as long as you don't have both high blood pressure AND high cholesterol its ok

DH was told he had high cholesterol but he's taking his chances as the pain caused by statins (he's tried various ones) was unbearable. I have no idea what my cholesterol is and have no intention of finding out. Maybe I should be more concerned but this is one thing I'll be burying my head about.