Comments on: I have high cholesterol, and I don’t care http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care Medicine for the 21st century Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:04:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Eddie http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-13359 Eddie Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:06:10 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-13359 Riddle me this. Everything I've read and researched about cholesterol and diet says that for most people there is no link between dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol. That HDL should go up and that triglycerides should go down while eating Paleo. So why has my total cholesterol shot up to 299 on 1/18 when it was 189 a year ago. (I get that total cholesterol itself is not of much use). Why have my triglycerides gone up to 117 from 99 and why has my HDL gone down from 64 to 55. All in the past year. I've been eating Paleo since 9/17. On the upside, my ratios are pretty good and so is my LDL particle size. I just don't get why these other numbers are going in the wrong direction and my PCP is going to freak when I see him. Also, my girlfriend is not very happy as I keep telling her there is "no link between dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol." Which in my case does not seem to be true? I've never had cholesterol this high and I get a physical every year with blood work. Ratios: (Iranian Method) Total/HDL: 299/55= 5.43 Trig/HDL: 117/55= 2.13 LDL/HDL: 213/55= 3.82 Carpe Optimus Riddle me this. Everything I’ve read and researched about cholesterol and diet says that for most people there is no link between dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol. That HDL should go up and that triglycerides should go down while eating Paleo.

So why has my total cholesterol shot up to 299 on 1/18 when it was 189 a year ago. (I get that total cholesterol itself is not of much use). Why have my triglycerides gone up to 117 from 99 and why has my HDL gone down from 64 to 55. All in the past year.

I’ve been eating Paleo since 9/17. On the upside, my ratios are pretty good and so is my LDL particle size. I just don’t get why these other numbers are going in the wrong direction and my PCP is going to freak when I see him. Also, my girlfriend is not very happy as I keep telling her there is “no link between dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol.” Which in my case does not seem to be true?

I’ve never had cholesterol this high and I get a physical every year with blood work.

Ratios: (Iranian Method)

Total/HDL: 299/55= 5.43
Trig/HDL: 117/55= 2.13
LDL/HDL: 213/55= 3.82

Carpe Optimus

]]> By: Glen http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-12547 Glen Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:21:17 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-12547 More than likely you'll reduce cholesterol by reducing/eliminating your consumption of refined/processed carbohydrate/sugars. Get your carbohydrate from non-starchy vegetables primarily, and fruits secondarily. Do not drink fruit juice - that's pure sugar without the fiber and nutrients that makes fruit healthy. Instead of drinking 1% milk and eating lean meats, enjoy whole milk and full-flavored, well-marbled cuts of beef and pork as well as chicken with the skin on. Have some good fish (salmon steaks, mmm...) once or twice a week. Don't overeat - eat to satiety, and like many people are finding, your cholesterol will reduce. Most modern evidence is showing high cholesterol is largely caused by refined carbohydrate, NOT by saturated fat. The lipid hypothesis is just that - a hypothesis, that over 50 years now has never been proven - and not only unproven, but most studies TRYING to prove it actually show it's untrue. Good Luck! More than likely you’ll reduce cholesterol by reducing/eliminating your consumption of refined/processed carbohydrate/sugars.

Get your carbohydrate from non-starchy vegetables primarily, and fruits secondarily. Do not drink fruit juice – that’s pure sugar without the fiber and nutrients that makes fruit healthy.

Instead of drinking 1% milk and eating lean meats, enjoy whole milk and full-flavored, well-marbled cuts of beef and pork as well as chicken with the skin on. Have some good fish (salmon steaks, mmm…) once or twice a week. Don’t overeat – eat to satiety, and like many people are finding, your cholesterol will reduce.

Most modern evidence is showing high cholesterol is largely caused by refined carbohydrate, NOT by saturated fat. The lipid hypothesis is just that – a hypothesis, that over 50 years now has never been proven – and not only unproven, but most studies TRYING to prove it actually show it’s untrue.

Good Luck!

]]> By: Megan http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-12488 Megan Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:54:15 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-12488 Hi, I just want to make sure I understand this correctly as I just got some wellness screening results back. My triglycerides were 50mg/dL and my HDL Cholesterol was 98mg/dL. So I divide 50/98 = .51, definitely under 3.8. MUCH lower than 3.8, actually. According to the report, my total cholesterol was 265 and my LDL was 157, of course out of the optimal range for a female in her late 20s!! Oops! ;) Everything else was considered okay. Hi, I just want to make sure I understand this correctly as I just got some wellness screening results back. My triglycerides were 50mg/dL and my HDL Cholesterol was 98mg/dL. So I divide 50/98 = .51, definitely under 3.8. MUCH lower than 3.8, actually. According to the report, my total cholesterol was 265 and my LDL was 157, of course out of the optimal range for a female in her late 20s!! Oops! ;) Everything else was considered okay.

]]> By: Jeff Wahl http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-12031 Jeff Wahl Wed, 14 Dec 2011 04:46:20 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-12031 Chris, I am on Simvastatin (not by choice) for an overall cholesterol level of 237 (HDL: 33; LDL: 175; and Trigliceride: 143). I know you cant give medical advice over the internet, however, can you suggest ways to lower my cholesterol through natural means? The military is now using service member's overall cholesterol to say if they are "fit for duty", and not allowing servicemembers to deploy if their overall cholesterol is over 150. I am looking at real flax seeds, fish oil, cardiovascular excercise (30 to 60 min a day) as a possibility. I am 5'8", 131 lbs, with less than 5% body fat and I do not have high blood pressure. I drink coffee, water, and 1% low fat milk. I eat chicken, turkey, and 90% lean beef (from my father in law, raised on grass/hay only; no grain). Chris,
I am on Simvastatin (not by choice) for an overall cholesterol level of 237 (HDL: 33; LDL: 175; and Trigliceride: 143). I know you cant give medical advice over the internet, however, can you suggest ways to lower my cholesterol through natural means? The military is now using service member’s overall cholesterol to say if they are “fit for duty”, and not allowing servicemembers to deploy if their overall cholesterol is over 150. I am looking at real flax seeds, fish oil, cardiovascular excercise (30 to 60 min a day) as a possibility. I am 5’8″, 131 lbs, with less than 5% body fat and I do not have high blood pressure. I drink coffee, water, and 1% low fat milk. I eat chicken, turkey, and 90% lean beef (from my father in law, raised on grass/hay only; no grain).

]]> By: Chris Kresser http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-12025 Chris Kresser Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:57:11 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-12025 There are references all over the blog. http://chriskresser.com/heartdisease. There are references all over the blog. http://chriskresser.com/heartdisease.

]]> By: David http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-12018 David Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:52:18 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-12018 Your lack of reference to your publication in scientific journals is telling. Thank goodness for the internet when you've got something to sell! Your lack of reference to your publication in scientific journals is telling. Thank goodness for the internet when you’ve got something to sell!

]]> By: Chris Kresser http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-11997 Chris Kresser Sat, 10 Dec 2011 03:13:39 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-11997 Brad: I can't offer medical advice over the internet. But there are tons of articles here about this subject. http://chriskresser.com/heartdisease and http://chriskresser.com/statins. Brad: I can’t offer medical advice over the internet. But there are tons of articles here about this subject. http://chriskresser.com/heartdisease and http://chriskresser.com/statins.

]]> By: brad http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-11995 brad Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:11:34 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-11995 Chris, Went to doctor to get a check up. My cholesteral is 260 - LDL is 190 - they want me to go on Lipitor ASAP. they said my LPA Liprotein A is double than normal male at age 45 - Should I take the Lipitor or what other options are available? Chris,

Went to doctor to get a check up. My cholesteral is 260 – LDL is 190 – they want me to go on Lipitor ASAP. they said my LPA Liprotein A is double than normal male at age 45 –

Should I take the Lipitor or what other options are available?

]]> By: Chris Kresser http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-11904 Chris Kresser Sun, 04 Dec 2011 01:23:40 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-11904 Saturated and monounsaturated fat are both beneficial, as are small amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fat. See http://chriskresser.com/perfecthealth for more details. Saturated and monounsaturated fat are both beneficial, as are small amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fat. See http://chriskresser.com/perfecthealth for more details.

]]> By: Nick Brantley http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-11896 Nick Brantley Sat, 03 Dec 2011 17:38:35 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-11896 Does that mean any type of polyunsaturated fat is bad, and monunsaturated fats are the only healthy option? A lot of times I eat organic peanut butter with whole wheat toast, am I just counterbalancing the bad with the good? Just feels weird totally giving up wheat bread, what about potatoes since they are a starch, but also contain the most potassium compared to most fruits and vegetables, do I just load them up with butter and think the same thing, the good with the bad? What are the best oils to use, we mostly cook with olive oil at low to moderate heat? Does that mean any type of polyunsaturated fat is bad, and monunsaturated fats are the only healthy option? A lot of times I eat organic peanut butter with whole wheat toast, am I just counterbalancing the bad with the good? Just feels weird totally giving up wheat bread, what about potatoes since they are a starch, but also contain the most potassium compared to most fruits and vegetables, do I just load them up with butter and think the same thing, the good with the bad? What are the best oils to use, we mostly cook with olive oil at low to moderate heat?

]]> By: Kate http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-11859 Kate Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:29:52 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-11859 I was hoping those were available. I enjoy reading sources for myself so I really know what I'm talking about. Woly, thanks for asking and Chris, thanks for providing your sources. I was hoping those were available. I enjoy reading sources for myself so I really know what I’m talking about. Woly, thanks for asking and Chris, thanks for providing your sources.

]]> By: busymom http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-11856 busymom Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:09:00 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-11856 hi chris, i watched the videos and they were great. i feel like a medical mystery and im looking for answers. :) in june of this year i was37 yrs old and 9 weeks postpartum and my baby woke me to nurse at 3am . i felt a little drugged or lightheaded and my right arm was numb/tingly . i got up and walked to the bathroom and realized my leg also felt the same and it was difficult to make it work- like when your foot falls asleep . i sat on the side of the tub for a minute noting how odd i felt and noticed pen/paper on my counter got up and tried to write my name but my hand wouldnt work either. tried to read the paper- slurred speech. i noted those were stroke symptoms , so i tossed my hair up, changed into easy clothes and woke my husband . in the ER they though mini stroke because after 2hrs i was regaining function. over the next 3 days they did all manner of tests including an initial MRI which showed a real stroke on the left side of my brain. they did CT scans with and w/o contrast, heart sonos,carotid artery sonos, mri angiogram and venogram and a chest x-ray all of which came back normal . also did tons of blood work for clotting disorders,lupus, diabetes, etc... -- all of that totally normal.ive never smoked, took the pill for one year of my adult married life 15 yrs ago (this was our 8th baby, the 7th born at home. this one born into his daddys hands since i thought id have more time and i called the midwife too late :) . i take no prescription meds,ocassional red wine, eat a pretty decent diet with some farm eggs,raw milk, organic chicken , half and half in my coffee and i like an oreo now and then :). but ive not done paleo so theres refined carbs in there too. my gramma died of atherosclerosis in her 50s but she smoked all her life , ate horribly , was mentally ill, prescription drugs and wandered her whole life- i never counted her dying of that as a risk factor for me because weve lived totally different lives. my paternal grandmother whome ive never met had a few strokes and died in her 80s. no other family history . of heart disease, diabetes,strokes etc... they said my cholesterol was high and wanted to give me a statin but i was breastfeeding and i said no because i didnt think that really was the cause. i later read breastfeeding mothers (and 2nd/3rd trimester mothers) have naturally high cholesterol because its building babys brain cells and that you cant get a good read till a mom is done nursing (my baby is 7 months old and were still nursing so i havent had my levels checked again .my numbers were: HDL 68 LDL 166 VLDL 18 cholesterol (add the three above) 252 triglycerides 91 my homocysteine was one point out of normal at 11.7 and they noted that too. and i dont excercise :). im 5ft. and 135 lbs- carrying 20 lbs of baby weight currently left from my pregnancy. in the end they deemed it a postpartum stroke since they had nothing else and had no answers as to why someone who was as young and healthy as i was would have a stroke and sent me home taking an aspirin a day and more B vitamins. an integrative health doc put me on fish oils and wanted to do a MTHR ? gene test and i figured out that i am a migraine sufferer and i had aura or visual disturbances in the two weeks before i had my stroke. id also had neck pain (poor posture i think) and went to the chiropractor in those 2 weeks before. i was taking a host of prenatals , magnesium etc... while pregnant but stopped after the baby was born . im wondering if you have any thoughts as to what could cause that stroke ? (of course they advised a low fat diet ! since then i have recently cut vegetable oils and been eating more good fats like coconut oil and olive oil and some nuts. but i havent curbed my 1/2 and 1/2, butter usage or cheese ,eggs or meat. im taking a fish oil and a prenatal.) thanks! hi chris,
i watched the videos and they were great. i feel like a medical mystery and im looking for answers. :) in june of this year i was37 yrs old and 9 weeks postpartum and my baby woke me to nurse at 3am . i felt a little drugged or lightheaded and my right arm was numb/tingly . i got up and walked to the bathroom and realized my leg also felt the same and it was difficult to make it work- like when your foot falls asleep . i sat on the side of the tub for a minute noting how odd i felt and noticed pen/paper on my counter got up and tried to write my name but my hand wouldnt work either. tried to read the paper- slurred speech. i noted those were stroke symptoms , so i tossed my hair up, changed into easy clothes and woke my husband . in the ER they though mini stroke because after 2hrs i was regaining function. over the next 3 days they did all manner of tests including an initial MRI which showed a real stroke on the left side of my brain. they did CT scans with and w/o contrast, heart sonos,carotid artery sonos, mri angiogram and venogram and a chest x-ray all of which came back normal . also did tons of blood work for clotting disorders,lupus, diabetes, etc… — all of that totally normal.ive never smoked, took the pill for one year of my adult married life 15 yrs ago (this was our 8th baby, the 7th born at home. this one born into his daddys hands since i thought id have more time and i called the midwife too late :) . i take no prescription meds,ocassional red wine, eat a pretty decent diet with some farm eggs,raw milk, organic chicken , half and half in my coffee and i like an oreo now and then :) . but ive not done paleo so theres refined carbs in there too. my gramma died of atherosclerosis in her 50s but she smoked all her life , ate horribly , was mentally ill, prescription drugs and wandered her whole life- i never counted her dying of that as a risk factor for me because weve lived totally different lives. my paternal grandmother whome ive never met had a few strokes and died in her 80s. no other family history . of heart disease, diabetes,strokes etc… they said my cholesterol was high and wanted to give me a statin but i was breastfeeding and i said no because i didnt think that really was the cause. i later read breastfeeding mothers (and 2nd/3rd trimester mothers) have naturally high cholesterol because its building babys brain cells and that you cant get a good read till a mom is done nursing (my baby is 7 months old and were still nursing so i havent had my levels checked again .my numbers were:

HDL 68
LDL 166
VLDL 18
cholesterol (add the three above) 252
triglycerides 91
my homocysteine was one point out of normal at 11.7 and they noted that too. and i dont excercise :) . im 5ft. and 135 lbs- carrying 20 lbs of baby weight currently left from my pregnancy. in the end they deemed it a postpartum stroke since they had nothing else and had no answers as to why someone who was as young and healthy as i was would have a stroke and sent me home taking an aspirin a day and more B vitamins. an integrative health doc put me on fish oils and wanted to do a MTHR ? gene test and i figured out that i am a migraine sufferer and i had aura or visual disturbances in the two weeks before i had my stroke. id also had neck pain (poor posture i think) and went to the chiropractor in those 2 weeks before. i was taking a host of prenatals , magnesium etc… while pregnant but stopped after the baby was born . im wondering if you have any thoughts as to what could cause that stroke ? (of course they advised a low fat diet ! since then i have recently cut vegetable oils and been eating more good fats like coconut oil and olive oil and some nuts. but i havent curbed my 1/2 and 1/2, butter usage or cheese ,eggs or meat. im taking a fish oil and a prenatal.) thanks!

]]> By: dhalia http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-11669 dhalia Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:38:08 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-11669 I find your research valuable. I don't know about heart disease but, our grandparents who lived through WWll in Europe used to eat fat to protect themselves from tuberculosis. In fact, my grandmother told me that she saved her life by eating a spoon of plain thick grease from goose every day for some (?) period of time, until she got better (advised by an old village woman). I also heard a report sometime ago that low cholesterol was linked to cancer. Is there any research done in that respect? Again, I had a neighbor, who went on a crush three month diet to lower her cholesterol, which she did successfully, but the same CBC came back with terrible WBC values implying leukemia and two years later she died. Her brother, who is a GP blamed her sudden and complete change of diet. Perhaps he was wrong, but it would be interesting to hear if there is any correlation. Thank you. I find your research valuable. I don’t know about heart disease but, our grandparents who lived through WWll in Europe used to eat fat to protect themselves from tuberculosis. In fact, my grandmother told me that she saved her life by eating a spoon of plain thick grease from goose every day for some (?) period of time, until she got better (advised by an old village woman).
I also heard a report sometime ago that low cholesterol was linked to cancer. Is there any research done in that respect? Again, I had a neighbor, who went on a crush three month diet to lower her cholesterol, which she did successfully, but the same CBC came back with terrible WBC values implying leukemia and two years later she died. Her brother, who is a GP blamed her sudden and complete change of diet. Perhaps he was wrong, but it would be interesting to hear if there is any correlation. Thank you.

]]> By: Fara http://chriskresser.com/i-have-high-cholesterol-and-i-dont-care#comment-11581 Fara Sun, 20 Nov 2011 02:06:11 +0000 http://chriskresser.com/?p=717#comment-11581 Chris, great videos. Thank you. I was just informed by my opthemologist that I have cholesterol build-up in front of my eye. Can I do anything to eliminate or perhaps even eradicate this build-up in the eye? TIA Forgot to mention I am following the Leptin Reset ala Dr. kruse. Chris, great videos. Thank you.
I was just informed by my opthemologist that I have cholesterol build-up in front of my eye. Can I do anything to eliminate or perhaps even eradicate this build-up in the eye? TIA

Forgot to mention I am following the Leptin Reset ala Dr. kruse.

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