Keto and cholesterol

[exceltolive]

Hi there. I’ve just sort of started a version of the Keto diet. I am just eating more vegetables for various reasons. I am concerned about my cholesterol as high cholesterol runs in the family’s mine was 6 months ago 5.5 with a slightly higher bad cholesterol. I was advised to cut back on carbs so I now eat no bread/ flour pasta or rice. What is the take with Keto and cholesterol? Thanks in advance karen

[shawnner]

Hi!

It sounds like you're doing the right things! Cutting carbs is job #1 and once you've been carb free for a while you'll find will power that you didn't know you had. Carbs is crazy addictive and keeps us from eating right.

FYI: Google carbs in fruit & veggies since there are better and worse ones.

I'd also highly recommend a video about Cholesterol. Big pharma pays for the studies, pays doctors to prescribe and most concerning is manipulating results of studies. Very interesting YouTube to better describe it: David Diamond- Demonization and Deception in Cholesterol Research.

I've lost 75 pounds this year with low carbs and intermittent fasting.

Welp, Good Luck in improving your health!

[Nessie87 in reply to shawnner]

Vegetables that grow above ground are low carb/starch.

It’s the ones that grow underground to need to cut down on, like potatoes. Hope that helps.

[shawnner in reply to Nessie87]

thanks! I guess I never noticed that, It's far easier than memorizing different veggies

[TheAwfulToad]

The short answer to your question is "it doesn't matter". Cholesterol is merely a marker for metabolic disease (and even then not a very reliable one except at the extremes). It is not the cause of any known disease - as shawnner said, it's mainly the pharma companies who have been instrumental in creating paranoia about a brand-new disease ('hypercholesterolemia'), which has no symptoms and no consequences, but which can be 'treated' with statins. Ka-ching!

Do remember that "keto" has two aspects - cutting down on carbs, and increasing dietary fat. If you don't add fat then you're basically running on fumes, and you will (at best) feel terrible, and at some point you'll fall off the wagon. Head over to dietdoctor.com, carbdodging.com, or phcuk.org for the correct instructions, and don't try to modify or 'improve' them.

For what it's worth, you'll most likely find that your HDL will increase on low-carb and triglycerides will drop dramatically, thus making your doctor very happy (ie., your HDL/TG ratio will look very good indeed). LDL and TC may go up, down or stay the same, but most people see LDL fall slightly and TC rise slightly. It really is mostly meaningless, though.

I post regularly on the subject of fat, cholesterol, and heart disease in the LCHF group. You might want to join us there and browse through the older discussions.

healthunlocked.com/lchf-diet

David Diamond's video is well worth watching.

[shawnner in reply to TheAwfulToad]

Thanks Toad!

My Cholesterol numbers reacted exactly as you said in your reply! My Doctor however, no so happy. I told him I was stopping statins and he wasn't happy at all. I had to stand my ground with him...thats ok.

My thoughts: I spend 5 hours a week researching my health and seeking understanding/balance - he spends 10 minute every year on me. Secondly - if I'm wrong, I die and if he's wrong, he loses a client. A big difference. Finally - I told him he'd need to convince me that all of the sudden half the adult population needs statins - really?!?!

following

[Elektra70 in reply to shawnner]

Hi Shawnner

I was one of those who was conned into taking statins many years ago. My GP is weaning me off them as the current thinking is that statins are only advised for people who've had a heart attack or stroke. It was indeed bonanza time for big pharma when they touted statins to all and sundry.

[Cooper27 Administrator]

I haven't had high cholesterol myself, but I did find that my cholesterol reduced following lower carb eating, any many others do too.

Will you be counting your carb intake and monitoring for ketosis?

[exceltolive in reply to Cooper27]

Thanks for replying. It seems to be the general consensus. No I won’t on either. I am just upping my fat and lowering my carbs as I sate quite a bit of pasta and rice so I’ve cut rice pasta and bread out completely and reducing things like potatoes etc

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to exceltolive]

That's ok. I think keto is a bit more specific on carb limits (typically restricting to 20-50g of carbs per day), with the intention of pushing you into ketosis, so you might find the results vary. It's still lower carb though, so you'll hopefully still have some improvement in cholesterol.

[exceltolive in reply to Cooper27]

Yes I really need to loose weight. I was always thin then in2001 I was ill,not eating but putting on weight . I have an underactive thyroid. It stayed at about 10 stone but I was active with my job u til I had 2 different types of cancer, lost my job because of them and ended up with fibromyalgia. I am now about 12.5 stone. I think seeing myself on photos did it for mexlol

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to exceltolive]

That's rough

I have thyroid issues myself, I found Izabella Wentz had some of the best information for dieting with thyroid issues, definitely have a look at her website

[exceltolive in reply to Cooper27]

Cheers😃😃😃

[shawnner]

Great to hear you're cutting carbs! That's the #1 contributor to today's health problems. There's growing evidence that cancers NEED sugars, fructose, carbs to survive. Starve that bitch out by eating whole foods that our bodies were made for! Zero processed.

Dr Sten Eckberg has some great YouTubes that explain much better than I can. Everything from cancer to diet tips, intermittent fasting benefits. If you want some knowledge...it's free. I'm excited because it's saved my life!

[exceltolive in reply to shawnner]

Yes I agree. I am doing it slowly so I can plan ahead and get to know recipies etc, some of which iv3 already tried. One of my daughters I’d doing Keto as well. Thanks for that anyway😀