Medium carbing and cholesterol

[Willimac]

I wonder if any one else has this issue. After getting a jolt at my annual check up 18 months ago and having a good conversation with my diabetic nurse, I decided to try low/ medium carbing as an option. I reduced my carb allowance to between 60 And 100g per day, nearly always at the 60 end. The results were great. Hbac1 went from 10.5 to 6.5 and I lost 22lbs by the time I was tested again 6 months later, however my cholesterol went from 4.5 to 7 over the same period. Concerned I reduced the fats and added in more carbs/less fat and over the next 6 months the weight crept back up and hbac1 at next check up was 9, I had put on 14lbs but my cholesterol level was back at 4.5. So I am back on the less than 100g of carbs a day and watching the weight come off again but really concerned that my cholesterol level will rise again. I take a statin and have done for the last couple of years, am reasonably active, I weigh everything I eat and keep a dairy on the fitness pal app so I know what I am taking in. So I was wondering if this is a consequence of eating high fat/ protein foods and has anyone else experienced a similar scenario .

 

[noblehead]

I'm probably what you could call a medium carber, eating carbs in moderation so not too low and not too high (currently around 170g a day). My cholesterol is fine and always has been even when I was eating lower carbs than I am now, but I'm a type 1 who injects insulin so can be more flexible when it comes to the food.

 

[Bluetit1802]

I wonder if any one else has this issue. After getting a jolt at my annual check up 18 months ago and having a good conversation with my diabetic nurse, I decided to try low/ medium carbing as an option. I reduced my carb allowance to between 60 And 100g per day, nearly always at the 60 end. The results were great. Hbac1 went from 10.5 to 6.5 and I lost 22lbs by the time I was tested again 6 months later, however my cholesterol went from 4.5 to 7 over the same period. Concerned I reduced the fats and added in more carbs/less fat and over the next 6 months the weight crept back up and hbac1 at next check up was 9, I had put on 14lbs but my cholesterol level was back at 4.5. So I am back on the less than 100g of carbs a day and watching the weight come off again but really concerned that my cholesterol level will rise again. I take a statin and have done for the last couple of years, am reasonably active, I weigh everything I eat and keep a dairy on the fitness pal app so I know what I am taking in. So I was wondering if this is a consequence of eating high fat/ protein foods and has anyone else experienced a similar scenario .

Hi and welcome,

Well done for giving the reduced carbs a go. You have proved to yourself that it works so I hope you can find a way to reduce your cholesterol without increasing the carbs again. I must ask though, what was the breakdown of your cholesterol? The actual total doesn't mean a great deal without knowing all the bits and pieces within it. On low carb higher fat diets, the triglycerides usually come tumbling down and the HDL goes up, giving you better ratios, and it is the ratios that are important. Did you get a breakdown and a print out?

 

[Willimac]

Hi and welcome,

Well done for giving the reduced carbs a go. You have proved to yourself that it works so I hope you can find a way to reduce your cholesterol without increasing the carbs again. I must ask though, what was the breakdown of your cholesterol? The actual total doesn't mean a great deal without knowing all the bits and pieces within it. On low carb higher fat diets, the triglycerides usually come tumbling down and the HDL goes up, giving you better ratios, and it is the ratios that are important. Did you get a breakdown and a print out?

Hi
Thanks to both for replying, I was told at the time what the LDL and HDL were but didn't get a print out, the nurse was happy with both therefore I didn't dwell on them, will get a copy of that and will look into this. Thank you for your input

 

[Bluetit1802]

Hi
Thanks to both for replying, I was told at the time what the LDL and HDL were but didn't get a print out, the nurse was happy with both therefore I didn't dwell on them, will get a copy of that and will look into this. Thank you for your input

They are important. When you find out the figures, let us know. We may be able to give you some pointers on improving them a bit. It's advisable to get print outs of all blood tests so you can study them at leisure. They help to make informed decisions both now and in the future.

 

[jack412]

losing weight will throw your bloods out
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/06/i-lost-weight-and-my-cholesterol-went-up/

cholesterol

 

[Kat100]

Hi , I am more of medium carb and good fat not high fat ..person type 2

My cholestrol,went down and has stayed down from 7 now between a 2 and a 3 but I now take statins ...
My hba1c has come right down to....just waiting for next results ...hoping it has stayed about the same ...

Sorry my answer is short ...I can only share my experience ...I do lots of tweaking with my diet as and when and exercise ...

So many have different experiences ...best wishes ..Kat ...

Hope you get the answers and outcomes you want soon ....

 

[Willimac]

They are important. When you find out the figures, let us know. We may be able to give you some pointers on improving them a bit. It's advisable to get print outs of all blood tests so you can study them at leisure. They help to make informed decisions both now and in the future.

losing weight will throw your bloods out
http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/2012/06/i-lost-weight-and-my-cholesterol-went-up/

cholesterol

Wow what a great reply, that goes a long way to reassuring me, my diabetic nurse is great with me and a huge source of encouragement, But if she had that information available to give me I'm sure I wouldn't have doubted what I was doing, will pass this on to her also.

 

[jack412]

Wow what a great reply, that goes a long way to reassuring me, my diabetic nurse is great with me and a huge source of encouragement, But if she had that information available to give me I'm sure I wouldn't have doubted what I was doing, will pass this on to her also.

no worries..do you want our paypal account number to deposit

 

[Willimac]

Hi , I am more of medium carb and good fat not high fat ..person type 2

My cholestrol,went down and has stayed down from 7 now between a 2 and a 3 but I now take statins ...
My hba1c has come right down to....just waiting for next results ...hoping it has stayed about the same ...

Sorry my answer is short ...I can only share my experience ...I do lots of tweaking with my diet as and when and exercise ...

So many have different experiences ...best wishes ..Kat ...

Hope you get the answers and outcomes you want soon ....

Thank you for your reply, perhaps like you I tend to do things in moderation and was wary of extreme carbing but the carb levels I set myself really worked for me, the change in eating was straightforward once you get to know where the carbs are hiding, so glad I posted on here today, feel confident of getting back on plan. Will do like you say and pay attention to good fats not necessarily high fats

 

[Willimac]

no worries..do you want our paypal account number to deposit [/QUOTE
Haha. If only I had a paypal account. Sigh

 

[jack412]

here is a weeks worth of reading to slowly go through

From the Southport gp who posts here
http://www.practicaldiabetes.com/SpringboardWebApp/userfiles/espdi/file/March 2014/PP Unwin final proofs revised.pdf

it’s a long page and a few good video’s
http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

how much carb
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarb101/a/carblevel.htm

American diabetic association
Position Statement

http://www.professional.diabetes.org/admin/UserFiles/0 - Sean/dc132042 FINAL.pdf

Evidence is inconclusive for an ideal amount of total fat intake for people with diabetes; therefore, goals should be individualized; fat quality appears to be far more important than quantity.

In people with type 2 diabetes, a Mediterranean-style, MUFA-rich [mono fat-rich] eating pattern may benefit glycemic control and CVD risk factors and can therefore be recommended as an effective alternative to a lower-fat, higher-carbohydrate eating pattern.

 

[Lamont D]

I have to low carb, I have been for well over a year now. Before I started low carb, my cholesterol amongst other life signs were dreadful.
Now after a rise in my cholesterol results. They have come down to what is considered normal levels.
And all my others have as well!
Also lost quite a bit of weight in the process.

 

[Kat100]

Thank you for your reply, perhaps like you I tend to do things in moderation and was wary of extreme carbing but the carb levels I set myself really worked for me, the change in eating was straightforward once you get to know where the carbs are hiding, so glad I posted on here today, feel confident of getting back on plan. Will do like you say and pay attention to good fats not necessarily high fats

Hope all works out for you ..sometimes there were what felt a few stop and and start moments ...but I feel happy about everything ...
Of course I tweek and change at times but mostly I know what I am eating during each day , before the day begins ...
I think my veggie diet helped , so I sort of had a routine going ....

Stay confident , sounds like you know what is right for you ...best wishes ..Kat