Hi Everyone.
Just wondering if anyone had any thoughts on high cholesterol? I have done 7 weeks on the bsd, and had lost about 11lbs (before going away for 4 days, and put 3 back on! Not worried about that though as can probably lose it now I’m back). Just before I went away last week, I went to the docs for my ‘over 50s MOT’). When I got back there was a letter asking me to contact the surgery about my cholesterol, which is 8.6!! Last time I had it done, about 4 years ago it was 5.0. I’m worried that it is to do with the high fat content of the diet, and wondered if anyone had any thoughts? I want to avoid statins.

hi Malkay

The current thinking is that saturated fat in the diet has very little (if any) effect on blood cholesterol, which is more to do with genetics and high carb intake.

Total Cholesterol is a bit of a misleading figure anyway. You need to know the ratio of LDL/HDL and triglycerides, and even THEN there’s a school of thought that says that there are 2 sorts, one of which is beneficial (the big fluffy particles as opposed to the small sharp ones) and they don’t test for that.

Most people find their levels fall as their weight goes down anyway, so I wouldn’t worry too much 🙂

TP

It turns out that trans fats are the culprit not saturated fats as we were told for years.

Thanks for the replies tree-peony and Janet. I try to avoid all transfats, and am eating very little carb, as per the diet. That’s why I am concerned, as my reading seems to have gone up recently. However, my recent test was not a fasting one, (‘Id had an egg and some yogurt) so I’m hoping that when I have my retest next week, which will be a fasting one, my result will be better. Fingers crossed.

Yes, fingers crossed for you Malkay, I’m a bit nervous of some of these tests doctors do, I don’t always believe they know what they are on about…don’t know why…?

Hi malkay, when bill posted his blood test results 4 weeks into the diet I noticed his cholesterol was lower than his pre diet results. And bill always reminds people to eat fat.

Your lower cholesterol reading was 4 years ago so a lot might have been happening in those last 4 years that you weren’t aware of.

I would say don’t worry and ask to have test repeated in two months 🙂

Just noticed you get it redone next week. 🙂

Hello Malkey

My husband was diagnosed with high cholesterol levels in his early 50’s, it transpired that it was a hereditary problem.

He has to have regular blood tests for cholesterol, but it’s always fasting, 12 hours.

He has joined me on BSD to see if he can bring down his levels naturally, so that he can stop or reduce the statins, which give him unpleasant side-effects.

I’d hang on in there, it might be ketosis, your liver & kidneys processing what’s been sitting there for a while, or it could be because you had eaten before the test.

Also as Hashimoto says, 4 years ago means a lot of water under the bridge.

Good luck!

Again, thanks for the replies. Interesting point, FiFiP, about the liver processing the old gunk – hadn’t thought of that. I am a bit concerned, though, that I have been doing the diet for 7 weeks, so would have expected any benefits to be showing, rather the opposite. My family has had hereditary high cholesterol, both my parents had it, and my brother has been on statins for 30 years, but my previous readings have always been ok. If I am starting to have problems, I’m not sure how important it is health-wise. I know doctors get really hung up on high cholesterol, but I have a feeling there are vested interests regarding prescribing statins.
I seem to remember on one of Michaels tv programmes he went for a walk after his evening meal, and it made a positive difference to his morning cholesterol levels. I’ll try that before my test on Tuesday!