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Fast before Cholesterol test?

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Diaphanous123

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Hello everyone
Just to recap: I am non-diabetic but my spouse is Type 2. His HBA1C was 11.4, then 6.5 now 5.5 following low carb high fat diet, and I have joined him on this regime. After a few adaptation problems we are both loving low-carb and feeling great.

I have just been called for a free NHS heart health check, which includes a cholesterol test. Now, it says "on the day before the test, please AVOID fatty foods at all meals". Of course this is now rather against my "religion": so my question is, as a devotee of the low carb, high-fat school of thought, would my normal diet skew the cholesterol reading? Should I go low carb low fat the day before the test? Or would I be better off fasting altogether for 24 hours?

I expect this is a "let's put everyone on Statins because we get money for doing that" exercise, and unless my cholesterol ratios were horrific I would strongly resist that, (after the nasty symptoms hubby was experiencing on Statins) but I am not planning on putting my head above the parapet and telling them I am eating butter, cream etc!

BTW, my weight loss is no better on the low-carb: I am not losing, but suspect some hormonal issues are at play as well. I think I like the fat too much, and it is not perhaps as self-limiting a diet as I expected it might be, for me. However, as long as I can eat what I want (and now I don't want starches!) and still not gain weight, feel great, and avoid Type 2, I am still happy after my initial misgivings about giving up my precious bread etc.

Would appreciate your thoughts on what to eat the day before the Fasting Lipids Analysis though...
 
Personally, I would advise you not to alter your diet prior to the test.
The purpose of the test is to determine your cholesterol levels based on your current diet and if you are convinced that it is right for you then why would you have a dilemma?
 
catherinecherub, thanks for your reply.

I am convinced the diet is right for me, and I hope the cholesterol test will confirm that. However, the dilemma is because they specify NO fatty foods on the day before the test. I want the reading to be as accurate as can be, but if eating fat specifically on the day before might adversely affect it, there is my dilemma.

Surely some other high-fat low carbers have also wondered what to do on the day before the lipid test?
 
Thanks, that is helpful, at least the bit about the 24-48 hours before,and that eating a fatty meal in that period might elevate trigylcerides and give a skewed reading. That's what I was wondering.

What is more controversial IMHO is the "usual" " saturated fat intake causes dangerous cholesterol readings" stuff, but the proof of the (lack of) pudding will be in the eating when I get my lipid results. I'm well aware of the arguments raging between the non-low-carb, the high-fat low carbers, the low fat low carbers, the high protein low carbers, et al, so I welcome this test to see whether my low-carb lifestyle is indeed paying off in lowered trigylcerides and increased HDL as I have heard so many other high-fat, low-carb proponents assert. Like many before me I am a little nervous, but having seen the effects of this eating regime on hubby's HBA1C and overall well-being, I am reasonably confident. If my ratios are not good, then I would have to do some more research into what I might be doing right or wrong, but lets see...Will find out in early June.
 
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