Been eating to lower cholesterol - levels have gone up!

[Christmasisshit]

How can it be, that changing my diet to lower my cholesterol levels has caused cholesterol levels to increase? I've probably reduced butter, biscuits, cakes, fatty meat, hard cheeses etc.. consumption by at least 2/3rds.

It's hard to lower cholesterol by diet alone. It's not really what you eat but that your body makes cholesterol regardless.

Did your cholesterol profile change at all, maybe more of the healthy cholesterol?

Both types of cholesterol increased. I'm a bit annoyed, truth be told. I've been a saint since Christmas, I've eaten healthily, I've lost a stone (10 pounds to go to reach BMI), exercised and got my steps in. Ggrrrr.

The liver produces cholesterol so diet may not be so important.

Are you menopausal?

Oh that's just rude.

I'd try thinking about the amazing improvements you have made to your diabetes risk and bone health. stupid bodies that keep making too much cholesterol

https://drmalcolmkendrick.org/statin-nation-the-documentary/

The great cholesterol con continues

Apparently not, according to blood test (but Dr has acknowledged that this is not concrete proof)

I know....

Thanks, I'll have a watch of that later.

Carb/sugar? Simple carbs and sugar (including fruit) are actually worse than fat.

I would never attempt to reduce my cholesterol. Especially if menopausal. Your steroid hormones are made from your cholesterol and in trying to artificially reduce it from diet, you risk it going higher as your body needs the pregnenolone to produce progesterone and from there your other hormones. When working out you add physical stress and need more testosterone etc and your body senses this stress, and starts working overtime to raise it higher in order to get the steroid hormones it needs. Its really dumb that people keep being told to increase exercise and reduce eating fat and cholesterol at the same time.

Unless it is super high in conjunction with high blood pressure I simply wouldn't. The idea of eating fat being bad is very out of date.

You'd do better concentrating on eliminating sugar and cutting down on white and processed grains with the inclusion of moderate amounts of weight bearing exercise. Vit D, Chromium, Myo-inisitol, Vit A along with plenty of Vit C for blood sugar and adrenal support.

It's all so confusing and the information and advice is conflicting. I have a table of foods from the nurse that shows the things to eat lots of, the things to eat moderately and then the things that should be eaten rarely. If I go low carb and sugar and also avoid fats that leaves only certain fruit and veg and low fat dairy and meat. Is that really the way to go? I'm hungry just thinking about it.

I also think I am perimenopausal. My last period was not up to much and was very late and this current one is ten days late. My body is just going to shit.

If you are losing weight, you are losing fat. Just a thought, but I wonder if the fat stored in our body's cells gets released into the blood stream whilst losing weight, thereby causing a temporary increase in blood fats. This could account for your results. Maybe they will stabilise once your weight loss stops?

Where is the idea that carbs and sugar affect cholesterol coming from? Are some verified sources for this? Just wondering as it's seems contrary to current advice from multiple sources such as the NHS, Heart foundation etc?

DysonSpheres "You'd do better concentrating on eliminating sugar and cutting down on white and processed grains with the inclusion of moderate amounts of weight bearing exercise."

GBoucher "Carb/sugar? Simple carbs and sugar (including fruit) are actually worse than fat."

I'm sure I've read it myself as well somewhere.

Yes I have seen it before but without links to evidence. Sugar and processed carbs are never a good thing obviously, but Oats and Barley both help lower cholesterol.

I found cutting out alcohol had the greatest effect.

Reducing high cholesterol foods don't necessarily lead to lower blood cholesterol as our bodies manufacture it. You don't need to avoid fat. Eat high protein, high fat, and a small to moderate amount of carbs in the form of complex carbs and non-starchy vegetables only.

This.

Sorry

Eat high protein, high fat, and a small to moderate amount of carbs in the form of complex carbs and non-starchy vegetables only.

This.

I could have written this OP! It's infuriating! And I'm not sure what to do next.

Dyslexicwonder Not a drinker. Since Christmas I have had

a can of low alcohol lager
two cans of radler
half a bottle of white wine
a small measure of Bailey's
a limoncella

Don't recall having anything else...

I've got to have more tests and then see the Dr again. They want to do the tests after I have fasted. Until I see the Dr, I should stick to the devised eating plan ,and then go from there. I don't feel like experimenting without first seeking advice.

With all due respect, most medical professionals are clueless when it comes to diet and nutrition. They work off standards that were set decades ago and are severely outdated in their thinking and guidelines. Even if you stick to what your doctor has ordered for the time being, please do your own research and experiment with what works for you. I am quite independent when it comes to matters of my own health and don't rely solely on what my doctors say. I spend a lot of time reading medical journals and medical science papers and once armed with as much knowledge as I can obtain, fine tune an approach for my own body through trial and error.

What are your ratios, OP, TG & HDL etc. ?