Has the 'healthy' cholesterol limit changed.
Discussion
I'm due my yearly blood checks with the nurse since having a heart attack in 2009.
My doc has just rung me to say he is concerned about my cholesterol level despite having statins. It's currently 4.7 which it was last year but he says it should be below 4.
Pre 2009 mine was 6.7 and the healthy limit was 6.
He is changing my statins but I must admit that boozing, crisps and chocs have been a large part of my diet since living alone, along with takeaways and not exercising anywhere as much as I did.
Although lately I have cut right back on booze, in fact went from every night to nothing for the past 4 weeks but this week I have had 2 bottles of wine and two pints over 7 days. Still a major improvement. Used to be at least a bottle of the old vino a night along with beer or gin
My doc has just rung me to say he is concerned about my cholesterol level despite having statins. It's currently 4.7 which it was last year but he says it should be below 4.
Pre 2009 mine was 6.7 and the healthy limit was 6.
He is changing my statins but I must admit that boozing, crisps and chocs have been a large part of my diet since living alone, along with takeaways and not exercising anywhere as much as I did.
Although lately I have cut right back on booze, in fact went from every night to nothing for the past 4 weeks but this week I have had 2 bottles of wine and two pints over 7 days. Still a major improvement. Used to be at least a bottle of the old vino a night along with beer or gin
The good news is you are in the right group for statins - men who have had heart attacks.
But TC below 4? I would get a second opinion.
Even Ancel Keys admitted that The Lipid Hypothesis is rubbish, and he was the grandfather of it. TC below 4 is associated with raised stroke risk - Japan was at one point trying to raise it's population's TC through a fattier diet to reduce stroke risk (erroneously, obviously). These days doctors look instead at the lipid profile: HDL, LDL, and triglycerides, which gives a better picture. High HDL is considered 'good' and high LDL 'bad' (very roughly).
Do you know you HDL? Over 2 is good.
But TC below 4? I would get a second opinion.
Even Ancel Keys admitted that The Lipid Hypothesis is rubbish, and he was the grandfather of it. TC below 4 is associated with raised stroke risk - Japan was at one point trying to raise it's population's TC through a fattier diet to reduce stroke risk (erroneously, obviously). These days doctors look instead at the lipid profile: HDL, LDL, and triglycerides, which gives a better picture. High HDL is considered 'good' and high LDL 'bad' (very roughly).
Do you know you HDL? Over 2 is good.
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