Help for a Newbie please

[Laraine2]

Nurse practitioner phoned me yesterday with results of annual routine blood test taken as a review of high blood pressure meds. 10mg Andolopine daily. She said my cholesterol was high, but the larger percentage was “good cholesterol”. She then talked about my “sugar”,
She said there was some concern because “it” was 38 last year but now “it” is 42, and 42-48 was considered pre diabetes. (I honestly do not know to what the numbers refer!)
She asked me about my regular diet. I rarely eat sugar, other than one square of 74% dark chocolate a day. I do eat quite a lot of fruit and vegetables, including some potatoes, rice and pasta. She suggested I cut down on fruit and the potatoes, rice and pasta……..and we’ll see how it is next year…… and that was it.
I really do not know what I should be doing next. I am 72, BMI of 35.2, not wonderful, only 5ft tall, 11 stone , but reasonably healthy, or so I thought. Regular gentle exercise- walking, gardening etc.
Our diet is largely based on the recommendations of Tim Spectre of Zoe, plenty of variety of vegetables and no processed food.
Your comments and opinions would be appreciated

 

[ajbod]

I would say her advice was rather good, apart from the Cholesterol bit. A small reduction in the starchy carbs will i'm sure put you back below the prediabetes threshold.
Cholesterol high means nothing, numbers are what matter. Most of the LDL (bad) cholesterol, of which there are about 7 different particle sizes, is actually good, they don't measure it, so the small or none amount of the bad stuff is not known.
My working of your BMI comes out at 30, High but then BMI is not an accurate measure of anything really. Frank Bruno in his prime was clinically obese, a joke when he looked like he was cast out of bronze. If you could shed a couple of stone it would help, it would likely help the blood pressure as well, but at your age you're doing ok, so is it worth the worry.

 

[CatsFive]

<snip>

BMI is not an accurate measure of anything really. Frank Bruno in his prime was clinically obese, a joke when he looked like he was cast out of bronze. If you could shed a couple of stone it would help, it would likely help the blood pressure as well, but at your age you're doing ok, so is it worth the worry.

BMI is OK for average people - Frank Bruno was clearly not average. However an alternative that can be more useful is waist-to-hip ratio, and waist size.

Further information: https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/articles/health/alternatives-to-bmi.php

 

[TriciaWs]

Fruit will be an issue - I only eat berries and rhubarb usually, maybe half an apple or orange once a week.
And above ground veg are best - especially green veg, cauliflower and green salad, plus mushrooms.

I easily manage more than 30 plant-based foods a week in spite of avoiding many fruits and some veg. My diet includes a little 85% chocolate, coffee (Tim counts coffee), nuts, seeds, herbs and spices, and coconut milk.

 

[TriciaWs]

My last week of 30+ plant based foods:
broccoli, lettuce, cucumber, green pepper, spinach, green beans, tomato, rocket, onion, garlic, black pepper, curry spices (6), cauliflower, cinnamon, basil, spring onions, leeks, lemon juice, rhubarb, blackcurrants, raspberries, flaxseed, almonds, coconut milk, oatbran, chia seeds, redcurrants, pistachio nuts, olive oil, mushrooms.
plus tea and coffee and chocolate

 

[Laraine2]

I would say her advice was rather good, apart from the Cholesterol bit. A small reduction in the starchy carbs will i'm sure put you back below the prediabetes threshold.
Cholesterol high means nothing, numbers are what matter. Most of the LDL (bad) cholesterol, of which there are about 7 different particle sizes, is actually good, they don't measure it, so the small or none amount of the bad stuff is not known.
My working of your BMI comes out at 30, High but then BMI is not an accurate measure of anything really. Frank Bruno in his prime was clinically obese, a joke when he looked like he was cast out of bronze. If you could shed a couple of stone it would help, it would likely help the blood pressure as well, but at your age you're doing ok, so is it worth the worry.

Very many thanks, AJBOD