I just came from the doctor’s office. My numbers CHOL 301, HDL 60, TRI – 137, LDL 214.

I maintain a high protein diet though probably not a super strict one. Rice is a staple at our home, otherwise, it is pretty strict.

The doc said I needed drugs to bring the numbers down. I pointed out that the HDL was high, the TRI low (somewhat) and he said, “We are not concerned about those numbers.” Sounds like a couple of posts above.

I immediately made a list of things to cut out, add or substitute – egg substitute (- yolks), no milk, no cheese, less meat, add fish oil and oat bran…

And then for the heck of it I started looking around and came upon your site.

Lo and behold, it seems I might have been doing something right in the first place.

The Tri:HDL ration is 2.28, <5, good by your standards, meaning my high LDL is made up of larger bubbles(?) I forget what you called them.

I am a hard exerciser at the gym, 45-90 minutes at least five times a week….lifting weights and cardio. I am also 53. I am sure that helps.

Whew, that might be more info than you care to read, but I have a couple of questions.

1. Do I need to substantially change the way I eat just to meet my Doc’s expectations? high-protein, lo-carb (and when I do, it’s complex carbs), no processed foods, no trans fats and rice cause it’s there. Or can I go on business as usual?

2. What can I do to increase metabolism, because my weight continues to creep up?

I watch the calorie intake pretty closely…and as I pointed out, I work hard at the gym. My particular exercise menu involves weights so I know I might/could have gained some muscle mass, but I am just 6′1″ and now weigh 235 (my heaviest ever!), despite my best efforts to eat right and exercise hard.

I don’t like being heavy and the lo-carb style doesn’t seem to be lending itself to losing weight. BTW, BP at today’s check up – 106/64…always around 105-115.

So, the extra weight doesn’t seem to be hard on my body other than I just don’t like the way I look.

Any suggestions on how to increase the fire inside, to burn more calories would be much appreciated. Oh, and I don’t do coffee, caffeine and such.

Thanks for the good read above. I appreciate finding some reassurance after feeling pretty down on my way home today from the doc’s office.

Hi Bill–

I can’t really give specific dietary advice to individual readers without having them as actual patients. But it has been my experience that when people go on a good-quality, whole-food low-carb diet, they lose weight and improve their lipid profiles. If as you say rice is a staple in your home (your triglycerides levels look like you’re getting some extra carb), then you’re probably eating way too many carbs. For some reason people tend to think that if they add a bunch of meat or other protein sources to a bunch of carbs, they’re still doing a low-carb diet. But they’re not. I would carefully restrict carbs to below 30 gm per day ( a single cup of cooked rice contains 45 gm of carb) while consuming plenty of good quality protein and see what happens. But work under the care of your physician.

Cheers–

MRE

Four years ago, my cholesterol was 162 with HDL of 73, LDL of 82, and triglycerides of 34. My most recent test shows cholesterol of 166 with HDL of 90, LDL of 70 and triglycerides of 32. Is there a point where HDL is too high or triglycerides are too low? If so, are there any symptoms I should be aware of?

Thank you!

As far as I’m concerned there isn’t a point at which HDL is too high or triglycerides too low. Your numbers look fine.

MRE

Hi Cathy–

MRE

My pleasure. I hope you find what you’re looking for.

MRE

I can testify that LC doesn’t always lower one’s cholesterol. MY wife is a case in point, she’s been on LC for three years and has about the same total cholesterol as before. Her ratio is good at 4.2, and her triglycerides are in double digits so I think she is OK. In any case, we don’t subscribe to the simplistic and idiotic “clogged pipe” model, we both think she is safe because without the carbs there to cause general inflammation, there is nowhere for the cholesterol to adhere.

My own cholesterol went down dramatically when I went to LC. While it gave me some comfort at the time (I started LC after my dad died of a heart attack at 56), in retrospect I don’t think it was a big deal.

The low-carb diet usually lowers elevated total cholesterol levels, but not always. What it does do is lower elevated triglycerides and raise HDL and increase LDL particle size.

MRE

My husband and I have each lost 40 pounds (so far) and improved our skin, our sleep, our attitude (random outbursts of rage – totally gone), lowered our stress, etc – since April.

My husband’s doctor was thrilled with his continually lowering blood sugar numbers, his lower weight, and took him off glucophage.

But now he’s “a little worried” about his slightly elevated total cholesterol. The note he sent said, “we need to talk about putting you on statins”. Arghhhh. How can I put an eyeroll in here?

And I’ve just finished 5 days at Canyon Ranch, where I had to specially request a yolk in the morning, or some chicken with the veggie stirfry. And endless lectures about how I’ve been on some crazy diet.

I read your blog regularly, and participate in a low carb forum with many that have adapted to intermittent fasting, and to the low carb way.

I forgot what “freaks” we are! When even the acupuncturist started to lecture me about how I should be eating grains, and I tried to explain how frustrated I was that the ADA was trying to kill the diabetics with their suggestions about grains. She lectured me some more until I finally burst into tears.

Thank God for your continuing efforts! The comments on the news articles. The spotlights on new medical studies.

Thank you thank you thank you.

Sarah

Hi Sarah–

MRE

Thanks for this posting. Could not believe my eyes. This is the sad state of medical ‘journalism’. It would be a blessing for NYT-readers if Mrs Brody, being such an influential (but hopelessly misguided) health writer, happens to be one of the many people in whom even low dose statin therapy rapidly causes debilitating pathology.

Melchior Meijer
The Netherlands

I see your point, but I try not to wish bad things on anyone, not even on Jane Brody.

MRE

Could you provide a cite or two regarding statins generally, pros and cons? I feel like I need a tad more ammo before meeting with my cardiologist as “everyone on the internet knows they’re bad” is not exactly a persuasive argument, ya know?

Hi Jackie–

MRE

http://www.sydneysymphony.com/event_detail.asp?s=459

Tugan Sokhiev conductor
Boris Berezovsky piano

PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No.3 in C major
BERLIOZ Symphonie fantastique

The Prokofiev was great. But I’ve heard better live performances of the Berlioz (e.g. Colin Davis and Charles du Toit with the SSO).

All the Best,

Michael Richard

Thanks. I’m envious. One of my goals is to someday see an opera in the Sydney Opera House. Maybe you can host.

MRE

Thanks so much for your article. You’ve successfully proven that I’m smarter than Jane.

When I was in my 30s, I had my first cholesterol check. It was something like 260, so of course my doctor said I needed to go on a low fat diet. I tried it and gained three pounds in a week. Distraught, I stumbled upon Jonny Bowden’s ‘Shape Up’ diet group on iVillage, and started on a low carb diet instead.

A few weeks later, I went back to my doctor and had my cholesterol retested. It had dropped to around 230. They asked me what I had been doing, and when I told them I just stopped eating sugar and junk carbs, they didn’t believe me! And as you may have guessed, they told me I still needed to lower my cholesterol. So I e-mailed all my numbers – HDL, LDL, and triglyceries – to Jonny and asked his opinion. I don’t remember the exact numbers, except that my triglycerides were 50. Jonny told me that my numbers looked great to him, so I started reading more and more about cholesterol and its effect (or lack thereof) on heart disease. I finally just stopped getting it checked.

My father-in-law takes statins, and I worry about him. His cholesterol is really low and his triglycerides are really high, but he trusts his doctor completely on this. The whole family – except my husband and me – are low fat freaks. They eat all kinds of nasty fake food because it’s low fat. It’s all crazy.

I know the low-carb folks are going to be proven right one day soon (if not already), but will it be in time to save the poor souls who are gulping down the statin drugs? I hope so.

Hi Pam–

MRE