Saturated Fats

[Wurst]

After my recent blood works I was told my LDL cholesterol was a bit on the high side. Triglycerides were okay and HDL was really high due my exercise regime. Anyway this was a week ago , I changed my diet instantly removing all saturated fats such as cheese , salami , cream etc and now find my insulin sensitivity is amazing. I've almost halved my basal rate in a week and feel like I'm in the honeymoon period again. Is this a transitional thing or does saturated fat (or high LDL cholesterol) really make you that insulin insensitive?

My current diet involves lots of 'fatty' fish such sardines ,mackerel , low carb bread , almonds , boiled chicken etc etc

 

[noblehead]

According to Gary Scheiner the amount and type of fat we eat does indeed effect insulin sensitivity:

http://www.mendosa.com/The-Fat-of-the-M ... lucose.htm


Recent research from the Joslin Study suggest the same:

http://www.joslin.org/dietary-fat-can-a ... betes.html

 

[diamondnostril]

After my recent blood works I was told my LDL cholesterol was a bit on the high side. Triglycerides were okay and HDL was really high due my exercise regime.

Hi Cblake . . .

I hope you forgive me for being off-topic . . . but I do have a question regarding the part of your Post that I quoted above. Do you mind if I ask what was your HDL reading?

The reason I ask is that I have an HDL reading that is well above what is considered to be the normal range (I am HDL = 87,2mg/dl) . . . but I am the laziest person I know, and don't partake in exercise of any kind . . . therefore I think my high HDL reading must be due only to my VLC/HF diet. I think you also are/were on LCHF? I'm interested to know if your exercise regime pushed your HDL reading even higher??

Thanks for any info
Antony

 

[Wurst]

Hi Antony,
My HDL was also above normal range over 70 mg/dl if i recall correctly. At the time the doctor told me this was due to my exercise regime. I am no expert on cholesterol , first time I've been over the normal ranges, but I believe having a high
HDL is good. I'm not sure how your HDL is high if you don't exercise , I did read that omega 3 fats can raise your HDL so perhaps it is diet related.

I believe eating too much saturated fat caused my LDL to be high out of range. I'm still on a LCHF diet but without the saturated fats i.e. cheese, salami, i've found various brands of protein bread and sardines to be a good substitute. My insulin sensitivity is unbelievable since the change in diet , my basal has almost halved so I assume my LDL is on the way down.

 

[ewelina]

I started low carbing few weeks ago and its amazing how isnulin sensitive I am. I nearly halfed lantus (form 16 units to 10) and take only few units of novorapid (about 2 or 3 units with each meal). I do excercise but its nothing very extreme (lots of walking and evry other day about 30 mins work out at home). I eat mainly meats with salads/veggies and eggs for breakfast or low carb muffins (not much cheese, sausages or ham). I wonder if my cholesterol will be fine. I really hope so because this diet works wonders for me

 

[paul-1976]

I can't remember my exact figures but last time my Trigs were below 1,my HDL was above 2 and my LDL was below 3 so all in all a decent improvement since LCHF dieting.

 

[iHs]

Vitamin D can also play a big part in controlling cholesterol levels and many people are deficient without really ever knowing it.... often a blood test needs to be done.

 

[phoenix]

I think it's worth actually checking at the proportions of sat fat to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. We often stick all fats in the same bundle.

Though all fats have 9cal/g , most sources suggest that mono and poly may lower cholesterol . Sat fat is really only the highest proportion of fats in dairy products such as cream and cheese.

Nuts, olives, avocados , salmon, even duck contain much higher levels of non sat fat than sat fat. (duck with skin has 35.7% saturated, 50.5% monounsaturated (high in linoleic acid) and 13.7% polyunsaturated,
( My doctor 'sort of' approves of duck but the neighbour's say that foie gras is a health food .They don't really eat much of it because they can only produce a small amount and they sell it to expensive restaurants. They eat a lot of duck but it goes a long way as they use all the bits, not just breasts and legs ie gizzards (gesiers), necks, wings, hearts and fritons (skin and bits from carcass cooked until crispy)