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High fat... Improved cholesterol

Ian DP

Ian DP

Well-Known Member
Messages
712
Location
Suffolk
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Chips
My latest cholesterol test shows that my HDL level is great and that my ratio has improved on my last cholesterol test, which sort of is amazing since my last test was done around a year ago shortly after my diabetic diagnosis when I was on a 'very healthy' low fat diet (but unintentionally probably high carb diet). My GP said my previous cholesterol levels were fine, and of no concern, but my latest even better, and was a little surprised when I informed him of my high fat intake!.

For the last 6 months I have been on a low carb high fat diet. Very high fat during the last 4 months, in order to increase calories to maintain my weight with low carbs (30g /day) and without overdoing protein.

At my 1st appointment with my diabetic dietician a couple of weeks, she understood and supported my high fat diet (to maintain weight and keep BG levels low) but was concerned about possible high cholesterol levels, hence the test. Strangely also questioned why I was eating coconut oil, and suggested that butter would be better (more vitamins etc), I don't know if coconut oil has improved my cholesterol, but I am sticking with it.

Typically my diet consists of 2egg and 2bacon breakfast; pork or lamb chops with salad for lunch and cheese salad for dinner. Typically I will consume; 150ml double cream, 30g butter, 30g coconut oil, 30g cheese, 200g coleslaw, 200g meat (sometime fish) small handful of nuts and seeds and loads of salad per day.

My conclusion, my observation..... Fat alone is not responsible for high cholesterol levels.
 
Well that's good news Ian, hope your good progress continue :)
 
Ian DP said:
My latest cholesterol test shows that my HDL level is great and that my ratio has improved on my last cholesterol test, which sort of is amazing since my last test was done around a year ago shortly after my diabetic diagnosis when I was on a 'very healthy' low fat diet (but unintentionally probably high carb diet). My GP said my previous cholesterol levels were fine, and of no concern, but my latest even better, and was a little surprised when I informed him of my high fat intake!.

For the last 6 months I have been on a low carb high fat diet. Very high fat during the last 4 months, in order to increase calories to maintain my weight with low carbs (30g /day) and without overdoing protein.

At my 1st appointment with my diabetic dietician a couple of weeks, she understood and supported my high fat diet (to maintain weight and keep BG levels low) but was concerned about possible high cholesterol levels, hence the test. Strangely also questioned why I was eating coconut oil, and suggested that butter would be better (more vitamins etc), I don't know if coconut oil has improved my cholesterol, but I am sticking with it.

Typically my diet consists of 2egg and 2bacon breakfast; pork or lamb chops with salad for lunch and cheese salad for dinner. Typically I will consume; 150ml double cream, 30g butter, 30g coconut oil, 30g cheese, 200g coleslaw, 200g meat (sometime fish) small handful of nuts and seeds and loads of salad per day.

My conclusion, my observation..... Fat alone is not responsible for high cholesterol levels.
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That's a lot of double cream in there! I'm assuming many, many berries have been sacrificed to enable that consumption?

Very well done though Ian. I think we still have much to learn about the fatty acids.
 
AndBreathe said:
That's a lot of double cream in there! I'm assuming many, many berries have been sacrificed to enable that consumption?

Very well done though Ian. I think we still have much to learn about the fatty acids.
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LOL @ berry sacrifice!

Well done Ian :D
 
Bluetit1802 said:
Well done Ian. You didn't say if your LDL and trigs had improved?
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My GP did not say..... It was a phone call conversation...... And I don't know enough about cholesterol to ask about that kind of detail.....he originally just said my cholesterol was fine, nothing to worry about, I asked how it compared to last time..... Which is when he said my good cholesterol is excellent and my ratio had improved..... GP had said last year that my cholesterol was fine with nothing to worry about..... So based on last year was ok, and latest is better, I am happy, and will continue with my LCHF diet, which is working wonders for my BG levels.
 
well done Ian, Honeymoon phase still going strong I hope and not deteriorating too much yet?
 
Ian DP said:
My GP did not say..... It was a phone call conversation...... And I don't know enough about cholesterol to ask about that kind of detail.....he originally just said my cholesterol was fine, nothing to worry about
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Better to ask for a lipid breakdown, your gp surgery should be able to give you a print out. However, these are the target cholesterol figures that they want people with diabetes to aim for:

  • Your total cholesterol level should be below 4.0mmol/l.
  • LDL levels should be less than 2.0mmol/l.
  • HDL levels should be 1.0mmol/l or above in men and 1.2mmol/l or above in women.
  • Triglyceride levels should be 1.7mmol/l or less.
 
Andrew Colvin said:
well done Ian, Honeymoon phase still going strong I hope and not deteriorating too much yet?
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Honeymoon period still going strong, and for some reason this week I have seen the lowest pre breakfast BG readings ever, average this week below Dr Bernstein's 4.6.... Will they stay low.... Time will tell!!
 
fingers cross for many years yet
 
Ian DP said:
My GP did not say..... It was a phone call conversation...... And I don't know enough about cholesterol to ask about that kind of detail.....he originally just said my cholesterol was fine, nothing to worry about, I asked how it compared to last time..... Which is when he said my good cholesterol is excellent and my ratio had improved..... GP had said last year that my cholesterol was fine with nothing to worry about..... So based on last year was ok, and latest is better, I am happy, and will continue with my LCHF diet, which is working wonders for my BG levels.
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I agree with @noblehead in that I think you should ask for a print out of your last results and the previous ones. You need to know the figures of the full breakdown. Hopefully in both cases your doctor was correct to say they are "fine" , "nothing to worry about", or "improved". However, I personally am not happy to accept these types of blanket statements from my doctor. I prefer to decide for myself if the results are good, bad, or indifferent, and I like to keep an eye on upward or downward trends as time progresses. Still, that is just me, but no harm in asking for the print outs though.
 
Actually for the any cardiac risk ask for a apolipoprotein quote measured that's ApoB/ApoA1 this is a much more modern test or some other test where they look att particle number or particle size regarding LDL . Agree that triglycerides are important but low carb usually keeps this low.
 
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