 | CHOLESTEROL Everyone is concerned about their cholesterol levels, and rightfully so. But for many, cholesterol lab results can be confusing! Remember that the overall number is not as important as the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol. The lower the ratio, the better. Here's an online article on how to interpret your results:
interpreting cholesterol results Here's how I remember which is which:
HDL (good) cholesterol should be High
LDL (bad) cholesterol should be Low
Best ways to improve your cholesterol, which means raising HDL and lowering LDL:
- Regular exercise
- Fiber: ground flax seeds, psyllium husks, apple pectin, bran; high fiber veggies like asparagus, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, kale.
- Omega 3: ground flax seeds, salmon; supplements such as flax seed oil, fish oil caps, primrose oil, borage oil.
- Lecithin granules (much better than the capsules); sprinkled on food or in drinks or just water. Note though that when dissolved in liquids, it becomes somewhat gelatinous, which some consider a good thing since it 'slips' down easily. See article below.
- Keep well-hydrated
- Large doses of vitamin C (like 3 grams a day), in combination with vitamin B-3 This combo has been credited with reducing cholesterol by 50 points in a matter of a few weeks).
- Guggulipids, derived from the Commiphora Mukul plant have shown remarkable results for many. Some info on them: about guggulipids more about guggulipids - Other supplements I've seen mentioned: beta sterols, vitamin E, policosanol.
Some recommend reducing the consumption of certain foods; however I personally am unconvinced there's much merit to that, it's old-think in my opinion. The most recent clinical and anecdotal data indicates that exercise and supplements have a far more powerful effect on improving cholesterol than diet. And if any one diet were preferable to another, it would be a diet low in refined carbohyrates. If you were to adjust your diet, however, the items to consider limiting:
- seafood (shrimp, lobster, crab) since fairly high in cholesterol
- apparently some people are sensitive to something called arachidonic acid. It is found in egg yolks and red meat. The solution is to limit egg yolks, and marinate red meat overnight in olive oil and red wine. Apparently, the red wine breaks down the arachidonic acid, and it is "replaced" by the olive oil. This is discussed in either the Zone or Protein Power? (Both of my books are on loan to friends so I can't check).
Personally, I am wary of the statin drugs because of the Baycol tragedy, and would not even consider taking them. But everyone needs to do their own research and make their own judgements about such things.
Here's an article a fellow lowcarber sent me on Lecithin & Cholesterol:
"The experience of many who have tried low-carb diets is their serum cholesterol level has gone through the FLOOR, not the roof! The best way to reduce your concern about your levels and low-carb eating is to get your levels checked before you start and periodically thereafter. Many on the newsgroup have noted that in the first three months their levels elevated, but dropped after that time period.
Cholesterol is MADE by the liver, for the very good reason that it's vitally necessary in building and maintaining cells - every cell in your body needs it. Cholesterol becomes a problem only when it forms into globs in the blood too large to pass through the arterial walls and transported to the cells where it is needed. That's when it cakes onto the artery walls and causes atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
The mechanism the body normally uses to keep the cholesterol broken up into small particles is to keep the bloodstream supplied with an adequate quantity of the emulsifying agent lecithin.
The body manufactures lecithin in the liver, provided that the liver is healthy and all the needed ingredients are present. Some of those ingredients come from essential fatty acids. Rather ironically, egg yolks are one of the better sources of the nutrients needed to keep your liver making plenty of lecithin, including a substantial amount of lecithin itself. Since the low-carb diet encourages you to eat both vegetable oils (and other fats) and eggs, it tends to keep you well supplied with the right nutrients, and to help you keep your cholesterol level low.
Various supplements are known in the nutrition and "complementary medicine" communities to facilitate lecithin production and control of serum cholesterol. A very knowledgeable discussion of nutrition and cholesterol is provided in Adelle Davis's book "Let's Get Well", Chapter 5, entitled "Those 'Cholesterol' Problems" [2]. This book states that merely adding 4 to 6 Tbsp. of granulated lecithin per day to the diet will, in most cases, bring one's cholesterol level under control, even in people who have not responded to the standard cholesterol-lowering drugs! Another good list of these supplements is contained in "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution" [1], on pp. 182-184.
[1] Robert C. Atkins, M.D., "Dr. Atkins' NEW Diet Revolution", New
York, NY: Avon Books, 1992. ISBN 0-380-72729-3.
[2] Adelle Davis, "Let's Get Well", New York, NY: SIGNET/Penguin
Books, 1965. ISBN 0-451-15463-0" >>>>>
Cholesterol is also of great interest to Dr Atkins and The Atkins Center. Dr Atkins has written a book, "Dr. Atkins' Vita-Nutrient Solution: Nature's Answer to Drugs" in which he suggests how to lower cholesterol. The Atkins Center website has 484 references to cholesterol and a huge list of articles (with summaries) on the subject. These articles refute the myth that a diet low in carbohydrates will raise cholesterol levels over the long term:
cholesterol article summaries >^,,^< |
