D
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Was it a fasting test?
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Cholesterol - any tips for reducing it?
- Thread starter zippyjojo
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Was it a fasting test?
Kreator
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No - non-fasting - I'd eaten my usual Porridge!
I did point that out to the Dr just to be sure, but she was aware...
From what I understand;
Below 2.3 is the cut-off for 'normal' people Non-Fasting (1.7 Fasting)
Below 1.7 Non-Fasting for QRISK2 above 10% - which mine is 10.53 - just over, but in the higher risk catagory all the same - Diabetes increases that risk which is why I'm over 10% - but there doesn't seem to be any expansion as to what state that Diabetes is in - seems like a case of 'The Computer Says No...'
But will see, it's given me something to think about, but I won't for the time-being change my food habits drastically at the moment, and see what happens in the next few months 😉
I did point that out to the Dr just to be sure, but she was aware...
From what I understand;
Below 2.3 is the cut-off for 'normal' people Non-Fasting (1.7 Fasting)
Below 1.7 Non-Fasting for QRISK2 above 10% - which mine is 10.53 - just over, but in the higher risk catagory all the same - Diabetes increases that risk which is why I'm over 10% - but there doesn't seem to be any expansion as to what state that Diabetes is in - seems like a case of 'The Computer Says No...'
But will see, it's given me something to think about, but I won't for the time-being change my food habits drastically at the moment, and see what happens in the next few months 😉
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D
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I always do a non fasting test, even if it's afternoon, for repeatability.
Trigs basically carry calories away in the blood to be stored by the body.
If you eat, the trig's increase, but it depends on what you eat, how much you eat, and how fast you digest it, and they then decrease with time and exercise.
So there is a bit of slack in a non fasting test.
Fasting more shows up the background swilling around, that your body hasn't managed to shift, even after an extended time period, and what has become it's "normal" operating level.
There are reasons for a non fasting test, most relevant is diabetics on insulin being advised not to test for obvious reasons, but also that the public simply didn't want to anymore, so an "average" correlation number was calculated, for the average person.
It's usually good enough, but for peace of mind, as I say, I just drink plain water until I've had the blood taken.
harbottle
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My cholesterol was normal when I was diagnosed as diabetic (I'm assuming type 2, never had a formal decision), but HDL was low LDL high and Trigs high. 3 months later, having lost 3 stone, HDL was high, Trigs low but the cholesterol had gone up. I got a phone call 'offering' statins which I refused, as the LDL was estimated and people on this forum had said that losing weight quickly causes a temporary rise in cholesterol - and I found some research where this had been demonstrated. I told the GP I wanted to wait. She agreed (Grudgingly). Three months later: cholesterol back down, LDL down, HDL still high and Trigs still low. My record apparently now states 'No Further Action'.
My diet doesn't have much saturated fat in it - low fat yoghurt, nuts, Olive Oil & the occasional egg or a bag of 'Pork Puffs' which are very low in sat fat and it's a once a month treat at most. I doubt I ever reach the daily allowance. I sometimes have a chunk of cheese with lunch, but it's usually a modest portion (20g, generally.) and might have a teaspoon of cream in a black coffee once a week...
My diet doesn't have much saturated fat in it - low fat yoghurt, nuts, Olive Oil & the occasional egg or a bag of 'Pork Puffs' which are very low in sat fat and it's a once a month treat at most. I doubt I ever reach the daily allowance. I sometimes have a chunk of cheese with lunch, but it's usually a modest portion (20g, generally.) and might have a teaspoon of cream in a black coffee once a week...
My cholesterol went up when I started to eat very low carb. I was eating a lot of cheese, eggs and butter, believing the keto folks who claim it is ok to eat saturated fats.
Now, I've changed to very low carb, but turning to the Mediterranean side. I mean, less cheese, less eggs, no butter. I use olive oil when I need fat in food. I eat salmon about 4 days a week and nuts and seeds now and then.
The aim is to cut a lot on dietary cholesterol, saturated fats while keeping the carbs down.
I'll be having a blood test late in june and I'll share my results.
Fingers crossed.
This is the reasons I was actually asking about the newcastle diet: I wanted to go mostly plant based, even for my proteins, without raising my blood glucose, so as to lower my cholesterol, because it is my understanding vegans have the lowest cholesterol. I would be willing to try the vegan diet IF I knew plant based protein sources didn't raise blood sugar much.
It's difficult to navigate food: what can we eat to keep carbs low, cholesterol low, saturated fats low all the while not damaging our liver, nor kidneys. That's my quest.
Thank you a lot for all who shared their experiences!
Now, I've changed to very low carb, but turning to the Mediterranean side. I mean, less cheese, less eggs, no butter. I use olive oil when I need fat in food. I eat salmon about 4 days a week and nuts and seeds now and then.
The aim is to cut a lot on dietary cholesterol, saturated fats while keeping the carbs down.
I'll be having a blood test late in june and I'll share my results.
Fingers crossed.
This is the reasons I was actually asking about the newcastle diet: I wanted to go mostly plant based, even for my proteins, without raising my blood glucose, so as to lower my cholesterol, because it is my understanding vegans have the lowest cholesterol. I would be willing to try the vegan diet IF I knew plant based protein sources didn't raise blood sugar much.
It's difficult to navigate food: what can we eat to keep carbs low, cholesterol low, saturated fats low all the while not damaging our liver, nor kidneys. That's my quest.
Thank you a lot for all who shared their experiences!
Kreator
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Ah, yep so I have seen some discussions around fasting etc before, and of sorts attempted this but as the time approached forgot and just carried on as normal! - I drank a little less coffee, but didn't take much water in - I need to look at this anyway coffee is fine, but should really balance it out with water also...
To be honest, I think that's a sensible approach, and I'll definatley bear this in mind nearing my next test...
All of your comments have put things in perspective for me... 😉
Kreator
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So the Newcastle diet is temporary - it's designed really to lose weight as quickly as possible for a max of 12 weeks - it isn't a diet par se - it would be impossible to keep up the Newcastle Diet long term as it's 800 Cals per day - it's designed to make your body use your fat stores to make up for your calorie deficit, and hence lose weight...
😉
joner847
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I was diagnosed with High Cholesterol back in 2003...be accident! My employer offered one of those health "MOTs" and that found my Cholesterol levels in the mid-teens (around 15 mmol). So I'm on Statins and have been since 2003, well apart from the few times I've fell off the wagon! And stopped taking them.....because I've gone through some form of lazy phase! But everytime i have a blood test the numbers of back off the charts!!
I don't produce enough HDL, so adjusting my diet purely for to reduce Cholesterol doesn't really touch the issue! So I've come to realise that I'm on statins for life! I have, however, managed to get to a stage where I don't need to take such a high dose..and I've moved from Simvastatin to Atorvastatin (believe this has less side effects (for me!!)).
I would like to add that I do eat sensibly!! But as I'm now a diabetic I have to balance the requirement to eat less sugar and carbs with eating less fat!! i.e. no point me going for the fat free versions of everything as whilst these are, indeed, low in fat...they are, however, high in sugar (don't forget the food manufacturers have to put something in them). I also don't bother with benecol (or similar) as these don't have enough statins to actually do anything to my levels and, as had already been said, bad diet only adds 10% (ish) to your cholesterol levels. One last thing, I've learnt that Cholesterol is not fat!! Fat is not Cholesterol!!
I don't produce enough HDL, so adjusting my diet purely for to reduce Cholesterol doesn't really touch the issue! So I've come to realise that I'm on statins for life! I have, however, managed to get to a stage where I don't need to take such a high dose..and I've moved from Simvastatin to Atorvastatin (believe this has less side effects (for me!!)).
I would like to add that I do eat sensibly!! But as I'm now a diabetic I have to balance the requirement to eat less sugar and carbs with eating less fat!! i.e. no point me going for the fat free versions of everything as whilst these are, indeed, low in fat...they are, however, high in sugar (don't forget the food manufacturers have to put something in them). I also don't bother with benecol (or similar) as these don't have enough statins to actually do anything to my levels and, as had already been said, bad diet only adds 10% (ish) to your cholesterol levels. One last thing, I've learnt that Cholesterol is not fat!! Fat is not Cholesterol!!
Eddy Edson
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That's just mistaken. Dietary cholesterol doesn't impact LDL very much, but dietary saturated fats & refined carbs are both major drivers for increased LDL cholesterol levels.
joner847
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Well, that's what my GP told me the last time I couldn't be bothered to renew my Statin prescription for 6 months (yeah I know....stupid!) and my LDL levels were ...well back to the "not good" category...(around 3 years ago, well before a diabetes diagnosis)! I was also told back then that IF there was nothing wrong and I ate all the wrong stuff I could probably get my TC levels to 6, 6.5mmol. Which is in the Red zone admittingly, but my sense of perception is way off as if you want LDL and TC levels as high as me than you need to have something wrong that needs treating. Was my GP generalising? probably! We are all different after all, what works for one may not work for another.
The point is that there are no magic wands here, if you want to manage your Cholesterol, like everything else in life, you have to look after yourself; Exercise, eat fresh fruit and veg, lay off foods which are processed, high in saturated fat, ensure the diet encompasses from all the main food groups (Being diabetic I've had to tweak that to ensure that refined carbs are banished!), lay off the booze and fags (not a problem for me as I've never been attracted to these vices!). And yes, I know (from personal experience) that this is easier said than done!
D
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Have a shop around.
I eat a lot of fat free, and there is definitely a lot less sugar in it then there was a while ago.
Some are around the same as the full fat version nowadays.
Thank you. I know that. The question is: since it reverses diabetes, does it mean after it one can eat carb protein sources without blood glucose big spikes?
But testing postprandial spikes is a bit of a taboo for a lot of people. I understand. It can be stressful and frustrating. Who needs extra frustration? We do what we can.
Lots of foods that are high in saturated fat are also high in cholesterol. That's the problem.
It's difficult to find the perfect food: doesn't raise blood glucose AND doesn't raise cholesterol.
We should start a list of foods. It could be helpful.
Lots of people are lucky that they're not sensitive to saturated fat, nor dietary cholesterol. Like the other super lucky people, who aren't sensitive to carbs.
I've seen a video of a guy on youtube who wanted to show foods with lots of carbs are bad for you. The "poor" chap tries his best, but couldn't get his blood sugar above... 120 mg/dL! Ah, the luck!
D
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NotWorriedAtAll
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Well I was diagnosed with early onset non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes in January 2019.
That followed a number of years when I was getting nasty pains that were diagnosed as gallstones and so I went onto a very low fat diet which did not help and i was taking pain killers to deal with the gallbladder pain and was on a 'wait and see' because the doctor had recommended I have my gall bladder removed.
When I got my diagnosis I went straight onto low carb which meant my diet changed completely because it had been high 'good' carbs like brown things and green things and no saturated fat. Then I changed to keto with trepidation - expecting my gallbladder to get worse because that was what everybody said.
I eat loads and loads of eggs now and butter and lard and double cream and ribeye steak.
I eat leafy veg and 100% cocoa chocolate and cocoa butter and lots of fibre and now and then - maybe once in six months I eat a wholemeal pita bread or have some chips from the chip shop. I have noticed that my blood pressure goes up if I have wholemeal bread or chips even if it no longer makes a negative impact on my blood sugars so I don't push it.
My blood pressure is normal, my cholesterol is fine and I haven't had a twinge from my gallstones/gall bladder - I have come off all meds except for the occasional aspirin/paracetamol for when I have had Covid jabs. My liver is fine.
I think that things have improved for me since I stopped stressing my liver with carbs and processed seed oils. My liver seems to be fine with high fat. I have never bothered with alcohol except as a cooking ingredient and due to my hormonal imbalance problem I haven't used cosmetics nor cleaning chemicals much and I stopped wearing perfume years ago.
I have bought a steam mop recently and vastly reduced my used of antibacterial cleaning stuff and that seems to have helped a lot too along with doing a bit more exercise and drinking plenty of water and getting a good night's sleep and reducing stress by meditating and doing breathing exercises regularly.
That followed a number of years when I was getting nasty pains that were diagnosed as gallstones and so I went onto a very low fat diet which did not help and i was taking pain killers to deal with the gallbladder pain and was on a 'wait and see' because the doctor had recommended I have my gall bladder removed.
When I got my diagnosis I went straight onto low carb which meant my diet changed completely because it had been high 'good' carbs like brown things and green things and no saturated fat. Then I changed to keto with trepidation - expecting my gallbladder to get worse because that was what everybody said.
I eat loads and loads of eggs now and butter and lard and double cream and ribeye steak.
I eat leafy veg and 100% cocoa chocolate and cocoa butter and lots of fibre and now and then - maybe once in six months I eat a wholemeal pita bread or have some chips from the chip shop. I have noticed that my blood pressure goes up if I have wholemeal bread or chips even if it no longer makes a negative impact on my blood sugars so I don't push it.
My blood pressure is normal, my cholesterol is fine and I haven't had a twinge from my gallstones/gall bladder - I have come off all meds except for the occasional aspirin/paracetamol for when I have had Covid jabs. My liver is fine.
I think that things have improved for me since I stopped stressing my liver with carbs and processed seed oils. My liver seems to be fine with high fat. I have never bothered with alcohol except as a cooking ingredient and due to my hormonal imbalance problem I haven't used cosmetics nor cleaning chemicals much and I stopped wearing perfume years ago.
I have bought a steam mop recently and vastly reduced my used of antibacterial cleaning stuff and that seems to have helped a lot too along with doing a bit more exercise and drinking plenty of water and getting a good night's sleep and reducing stress by meditating and doing breathing exercises regularly.
D
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Cholesterol is "fine"
I go by the strict NHS definition of fine, I completely ignore ratios, if the numbers are right, the ratios follow.
Can I ask what yours are?
NotWorriedAtAll
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No idea. I just get my bloods done and the GP tells me if my readings are within the normal ranges or if I need to make changes. I don't get hung up on exact numbers apart from my HbA1C
I gave up on My Fitness Pal. There is so much rubbish in the crowd sourced nutrition database where people have filled in the one data point they are interested in and left the rest empty. Even the official entries are often incomplete, inaccurate, or just buried in the junk.
There are plenty of alternatives. NutraCheck has been pretty good for me.
Eddy Edson
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I use cronometer.com, just because I saw some nutrition science types using it & I'm fine with US-style nutrient measures and the USDA food database - but I avoid the crowd-sourced parts of its database because it's full of junk there also.
D
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Ah,
I do get all of mine on line, and have a good read of all of them.
"Fine" is subjective, and GP's have sometimes looked and thought "diabetic, that's good enough then".
I want everything on the right spot for none diabetic results.
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