How can I lower my cholesterol when I am only just on weight. I’m 65 female .thanks

Hi Artyone – Many people on the BSD have reported a drop in their cholesterol while following the BSD, so completely from a layperson’s point of view, I would think this would be possible by applying the BSD principles, but on increased calories.

This would mean cutting out the bad carbs, but instead of sticking 800 calories a day, eat nearer your normal intake, by eating more of the ‘good’ foods. So, cut out all starchy foods, potatoes, rice, pasta etc. in fact anything grain based and everything you can containing sugar including cutting down on fruit and root veg, but increase above ground veggies, include extra good fats too. Don’t eat any low fat products, as these often have sugars and fillers added, none of which is any good for us.

I would suggest track what you are eating and keeping a record, so that if there is any unintentional weight loss, you can more easily see where adjustments might be made. Might be worth taking a look at the ‘Associations of fats and carbohydrate’ thread, as the extract from a recent report is quite interesting.

Best of luck to you ….

Hi there, as SunnyB says you need to cut out all the bad carbs (as much as possible) but I would suggest you do the Mediterranean diet rather than the 800 Fast. You dont need to lose weight so no need to go totally low calorie but you will have to change a mindset that says fat = high cholesterol, not true. Bad fats, carbs and processed foods = high cholesterol. Good fats like full fat butter, cheese, plain yoghurts, milks and cream are good for you, as are olive oil for dressings, rapeseed oil for cooking, eat a small handful of nuts daily – not too many but hey ho you dont have to worry about the calories, avocados are also good fat. And whoever told you eggs are full of cholesterol needs their qualification taken away from them, it is rubbish. Have you read the book???

Before you panic and think these are going to cause bad cholesterol try to look at some of the evidence. I for one have had high cholesterol for years and was on 60mg simvastatine, when I moved to France my doctor told me that 40mg was the max dose allowed so went on that. Even on high doses my cholesterol was always around 6 or 7. The I started the BSD for my diabetes and my cholesterol is now 3.9 and my statins have been cut to 20mg. Doctor wont stop them completely as he says diabetics need extra protection against strokes and heart disease so I go along with that. Give it a go, you will be amazed. P.S. I am 64.

Good Day, Artyone:

Both my husband and myself had very high chloresterol numbers prior to switching to this style of eating.
Now we both have all blood work in the optimal range. I’ve also lost 142 lbs, O/H 50 lbs. I am currently doing
maintenance. Since you don’t wish to lose any weight, cutting out white carbs and increasing the good fats, i.e.
plant based in the form of olive oil, avocado, and a measured portion of nuts, and greek yogurt should add enough
calories to prevent you from losing. We also eat wild fish (salmon), 2 eggs/day, and other animal protein in
the form of free range chicken and the occasional serving of grass fed, grass finished beef. It has had a
significant effect on our chloresterol. Best of luck to you. I am 68, husband 70.

One other thing, Artyone:

re the subject of cheese…We have eliminated it all together. I think there is still a lot of questions about how
advisable it is if you have a family history of coronary artery disease, i.e. a predisposition to forming a lot
of plaque. My husband has advanced CAD and we aren’t willing to take that chance. It was probably the
hardest thing to give up!