Cholesterol

[towser]

I had a recent blood test that came back with a Cholesterol LDL score of 7.0.

I’ve no real feel for how big a deal this is, the covering letter suggest lifestyle changes or statins, I’m reluctant to start taking statins.

So how big a threat is that 7.0 score.

What is the best approach to managing it downwards?

I’m not particularly overweight and I’ve never felt my diet is that bad - I don’t really eat very much to be honest. I have a weakness for cheese but I guess that’s off the menu now!

TIA

[the-norseman]

I got 6.6 the other week, supposed to book an appointment. Instead I have completely changed my diet (gone back to my diet I used to follow when I trained (weights) and competed (BJJ). Hoping in a month or so to get a repeat blood test that shows changes.

[towser]

the-norseman said:

I got 6.6 the other week, supposed to book an appointment. Instead I have completely changed my diet (gone back to my diet I used to follow when I trained (weights) and competed (BJJ). Hoping in a month or so to get a repeat blood test that shows changes.

Assume you’re on a high protein diet - fish, chicken, veg?

Thing I struggle with is snacking and how I replace a biscuit with something healthy and convenient.

[Peterpetrole]

Pretty outdated the NHS on cholesterol imho. It's an essential substance which the body manufactures if you don't consume sufficient quantities.
Weight management is more of a priority for regular folk.

[the-norseman]

towser said:

Assume you re on a high protein diet - fish, chicken, veg?

Thing I struggle with is snacking and how I replace a biscuit with something healthy and convenient.

Yeh basically.

Although I have stopped consuming a lot of eggs and bacon!

[wyson]

I follow Jasen Fung, who is a doctor behind the books like the Cancer Code, Obesity Code and Diabetes Code. He follows the latest science, which says high cholesterol is a risk factor, but a small one, inline with stuff like eating processed meats. By far the biggest is diabetes. These are often comorbidities however.

Long story short, people are just eating far too much of the wrong foods, far too frequently these days. He recommends low carb, intermittent fasting and keeping a healthy body weight. The goal is to keep insulin down and increase insulin sensitivity, which is problematic for most who are overweight. For most Brits the best thing they can do for their health is lose weight. End of.

Obesity has become far too normalised now. Reading and listening to general comments, being overweight is now ‘normal’ , and being a healthy BMI is ‘skinny’.

Edited by wyson on Sunday 14th September 16:21

[the-norseman]

BMI isn't a great measure mind you.

I used to weigh 120kg (5ft 8) and was morbidly obese , I then lost weight over a 3 year period and ended up at 68kg which was "perfect" in the green on the BMI scale, guess what... I looked seriously ill, literally skin and bones.

I'm 100kg now and a hell of a lot more muscular than I've ever been. But I'm "Obese" again now.

When I think of obese and morbidly obese I think of them men/women you see on American shows where they haven't got out of their chairs for 4 years, not me with a bit of excess belly.

[wyson]

Yes, not a perfect measure by any means, but a convenient one, that can explain things when looking at the overall population.

Edited by wyson on Sunday 14th September 16:22