Triglycerides & Total Cholesterol have gone up - any advice?

[Parisienne]

Hello everybody,


First, let me tell you that I’ve been reading your forum for months and I really enjoy it and I learn a lot! – Drs. Eades and you all are doing a great job!
I have some trouble with the interpretation the reason for my recent blood test but let me first explain to you ‘my story’. Hope it won’t be too long.
I am a female, 34 yo, 163 cm (approx. 5’4”). There is a family story of high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol and I’ve been struggling with some excessive kilos (sorry, I’m French so I do use cm and kg;)) since my early childhood. I’ve started with Somersizng in August 2005 at 67 kg (I believe it makes +/- 147 lb) my worst weight ever. I bought Fran McCullough ‘The Low-Carb Cookbook’ and decided to reduce even more carbs in my diet and decided to check on Protein Power (low carb is not very popular in France, and this is a euphemism:)). In January 2007 (61kg/134lb) I’ve read “Protein Power” and “The 30-day Low-Carb Diet Solution” and it makes so much sense to me that I’ve decided to follow this WOE. Neither having much to lose nor problems with diabetes/high blood pressure/elevated cholesterol/triglycerides – I’ve decided to start with Phase II Intervention (55-60g carbs/day).
It went pretty well: I feel great, I kept on losing weight, my triglycerides went down and only my total cholesterol went up a bit. I wasn’t surprised reading your post on the forum, I was sure it would be fine at the end. I’ve decided to lower a bit my carbs intake which is now around 40-45g/day (with some excess on Shabbats and festivals).
I’ve just got the recent result of my blood test (for the first time with the fraction for HDL and LDL as my last reading of the total was a bit high) and I am even more puzzled: my triglycerides has gone up! This is something I haven’t seen before so I would be grateful for your thoughts. My HDL seems ok, but the ratios are not so great. Have a look:

10/Sept/04(65kg/143lb)
Trig. 1.21 g/l Total Chol. 2.04 g/l HDL - LDL -
5/April/07 (59.3/130)
Trig. 0.73 Total Chol. 2.43 HDL - LDL -

09/Nov/07 (57.5/126.7)
Trig. 1.08 Total Chol. 2.92 HDL 0.68 g/l LDL 2.02 g/l


As for recent ratios it makes:
Total Chol./HDL – 4.29
LDL/HDL – 2.97
Trig/HDL – 1.58
I know it is not *that* bad. Still I admit I am a bit disappointed if not – looking at my family’s medical history – worried. I have a rendezvous with my doctor in two days and I don’t know what to tell her. Should I blame the pill (I know it affects the lipids)? Or should I blame the antibiotic treatment I’d had two weeks before my blood test was done? Or perhaps I’m doing something wrong? Too much nuts and heavy cream? Problems with some excessive carbs on Friday evenings (it doesn’t seem to affect my weight for more than 1-2 days)? Could it be related with the fact that I don't have enough protein in the morning? Thank you for any advice or any comment.

[Gaelen]

Welcome, Parisienne!
From the sticky at the top of this forum:
TTL Chol/HDL = < 4
LDL/HDL = < 3
Trig/HDL = < 1.8

The short answer is that your ratios are really fine...more later, I'm being paged!

[Parisienne]

Thank you for a warm welcome, Gaelen! Now when I've finally dared to write for a first time - I am terribly self-conscious about my English and I ask for your indulgence - I hope to become a more active member of Protein Power Forums.
I agree that my ratios are quite fine at the moment. What worries me the most is this tendency of my TTL Chol to increase. The TTL Chol/HDL ratio is already a bit over the top. And why the Trig number has gone up? Usually it's the other way round... Anyway, I really believe and I know that Protein Power works (last July I made my husband to read Protein Power and start eating this way and his HDL has increased for the first time - and his cardiologist made him start brisk walking at least 3 times a week) so even if I am surprised by these increasing numbers of TTL Chol and Trig in the recent test I will keep on.
After reading one of the posts in this forum I realised it could be due to my permanent lack of regular exercise. I try to finish my PhD thesis and honestly my lifestyle is awfully sedentary. I've decided to do some exercises on the daily basis and perhaps - hopefully! - my blood work is going to improve. Do you think it could really make a difference?

[lczeledoc]

Parisiene,

I wouldn't worry su much about the CHOL, I am intrigued a little about the increase in triglycerides. Triglycrides levels are highly correlated with carb. consumption. If you flow a lowcarb diet, exercise would help you lower them by using them for energy! As for exercise do resistance training, 2 sessions a week of 30-40 minutes is enough.

[Parisienne]

Normally, I would say that I really do watch my carbs intake but then there were the festivals of the month of Tishri and I exaggerated a bit with carbs... I am really tempted by the idea of doing resistance training even if it seems to be much more complicated than my stationary bike or 'Walk Away the Pounds - 1 Mile'. At the moment 30-40 minutes seems like a lot to me, I am not in such a good shape, I'm afraid. Do you think I could start with some 15-20 minutes at first and than increase it gradually? Anyway, thanks a lot for your insight!

[lczeledoc]

Adina

15/20 minutes is fine. You could do body exercises, squats, push-ups, lunges, ab exercises, etc. You could also do your bike exercises HIT style (High Intensity Interval), you go all out for 30-60 secs, then go at about 50% for 3-4 minutes, repeat the cycle 4 0r 5 times, much more effective than steady state aerobics for fitness and fat loss.

Carlos

[Parisienne]

Carlos

Thanks for all your help. I've noted down your remarks and will do my best. I will start tomorrow before my writing. Hope I will be able to post about some decreasing in my Triglycerides number soon, too.

[Mitra]

Adina, you've already had good answers to your questions, but I just wanted to welcome you :). I'd also like to say that your English is excellent.

[Parisienne]

Thank you Mitra, you are so kind! I am so glad that I can be around such a nice people!

[Songwriter]

You could also do your bike exercises HIT style (High Intensity Interval), you go all out for 30-60 secs, then go at about 50% for 3-4 minutes, repeat the cycle 4 0r 5 times, much more effective than steady state aerobics for fitness and fat loss.

Carlos

Can you do this sprinting / walking? I like to go on long hikes. I am wanting to get in better shape but it seems my long walks aren't so favored now in the literature? Is there a described HIT for sprinting / walking or jogging?

[lczeledoc]

Songwriter,

Sprinting is even better! Usually the prescribed ratio for HIT interval is 3/4 to 1. The high intensity portion from 30 to 60 seconds. I am ocasionally doing it with stair climbing. There is long set of stairs where I work, which takes me about 20 sec..