I’m struggling with my cholesterol at last test it was 7.4 I feel it may have gone up now since having my gallbladder out and feeling very excited about the fact I can eat anything and everything, I have Autoimmune Thyroiditis too. Tried every statin on the market but on day 5 my muscles go stiff and I can’t walk properly so my GP did bloods on my muscles and said Statins are’nt for me. I worry constantly as my cholesterol bloods say i’m at 38.5% chance of heart attack or stroke.
Can anyone advise please..what are simple refined carbs?
Thank you.
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Benadrove5
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If I remember correctly, Zoe Harcombe is a leading member of a cholesterol-sceptic group. She might be right, but just be aware that it's not the current majority opinion.
There are two risk analysis, QRISK and JBS3. The value (38.5) can be 38 or 39.
If you have all the blood numbers you can do the risk analysis on line. By varying one or two of the parameters you can find out what you need to low to improve your health.
Unnecessary worry can give health problems.
You can also ask your GP to do this and explain life style change.
I think simple refined carbs means processed sugars and starches like white sugar and white flour added to other foods. An easy way of avoiding them is to aim for a so-called mediterranean diet: lots of fresh fruit and veg, beans, fish, some mixed meat (but less than in typical Saxon diets), some whole grains - the one exception I make is for oat bran.
These are simple sugars and refined carbs which you should virtually eliminate from your daily diet:
-Sugar, agave, maple syrup, honey (you can use a half teaspoon per day of honey as it has nutritional and gut microbiome benefits); artificial sweeteners (toxic and complicates your glucose metabolism);
- fruit juice, soft drinks, diet soft-drinks, most alcoholic beverages (red wine in small quantities, up to 4 x per week is acceptable);
- white flour products - white bread, white pasta, white pizza dough;
- white rice, white potatoes;
- bottled ketchup, bbq, salad dressings, and tomato sauces - they all contain sugar;
- potato chips, crackers and any other snack food that comes in a bag or box;
- avoid fried foods as it oxidizes oil which is atherogenic;
Stick to a whole foods, plant-based diet with legumes as your central nutrient source for protein - i.e. beans, lentils, chick peas, green peas;
- eat a small amount of nuts daily - 4 pieces each of the following: walnuts, almonds, pecans, cashews;
- eat seeds daily - shelled pumpkin and sunflower seeds - 1 tablespoon of each;
- eat a table spoon daily of roasted chick peas;
- eat each of - one apple, one orange and a quarter cup of blueberries or blackberries daily;
- use only extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice for salad dressing (you can add a small amount of salt and pepper to it)
- have any one of these greens daily: arugula, kale, spinach, broccoli, green beans;
- the preferred cooking method for foods are boiling, poaching, stewing, steaming, very lightly roasting and warming; high-heat cooking methods promote glycation which contributes to heart disease and early aging.
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Atorvastatin 
50 yrs old , going through peri menopause lots of anxiety and off balance when walking , so many issues , recently had bloods 
Are Cholesterol lowering drinks, spread and milk any good?
Muscle pain/ weakness spasms
High hba1c and cholesterol. Diet confusion too.
