What would you expect from your doctor?

[Parrothead]

Patient A fasts 12 hours prior to yearly physical and blood draw. Patient A has draw and goes about his business. A week later Patient A is called by the nurse at the practice which did the blood draw. Patient A's blood works shows a cholesterol level of 220. So do you expect:

 

A. The doctor to have a prescription called in and waiting for you

B. The doctor to request an appointment for a retest just to make sure

C. The doctor to request a visit to discuss treatment options.

[curlylocks]

I would hope for C...

[Acorn]

Dh had a total of 210 and had a phone consult saying that he could start a statin or try diet & exercise and then a retest in 6 months. His doctor was SHOCKED that he had greatly improved it and implied that dh was his only patient to ever achieve that. Dh turned recreational jogging (3 miles or so) into competitive half-marathons. Bloodwork at 6 months, 1 yr, 2 yr and 3 yrs later was all great. He then had a heart attack and now has 1 stent but also had significant blockage in another artery that wasn't enough for a stent. In his case, I wish he had started the statin earlier.

[Alice]

I’d always say C would be the best, it’s always best to discuss the options either as another visit or on the phone, even if as a doctor I might strongly recommend a particular option I think I at least owe the patient the courtesy of discussing it.

[k2bdeutmeyer]

I vote C as well.

[SunnyDays]

I'd vote C as well, either another in-office appointment, or a phone consult. And although that's high, it's not off-the-charts high, and probably has a good chance of responding to diet changes, so I'd like to think a doctor wouldn't jump straight to medication....

[KrissiK]

I would say C.

[Perry]

C

[OH_Homeschooler]

I would think B/C. My cholesterol was around there when I was tested recently and my doctor just emailed my lab results and recommended the basic dietary/exercise stuff and to retest in a couple of years. I was satisfied with that but I know I could have responded or called him with questions, because he's always been good about that. I would think Option A would be a bit extreme at this point.

[Mom22ns]

I would hope for C, but I would expect A.

[*Lulu*]

C

[Parrothead]

Well "A" was what dh was faced with at 4:55 this afternoon. As vegetarian that consume a 95% whole foods diet we were quite shocked at both the results and the automatic 'script's-at-the-pharmacy-go-get-it-and-start-taking-the-pills attitude.

 

He is going to make an appointment to talk with the provider next week.

 

(Carp like this is why I've started self medicating. Every doctor we've encountered in this state is like this.)

[OH_Homeschooler]

Well "A" was what dh was faced with at 4:55 this afternoon. As vegetarian that consume a 95% whole foods diet we were quite shocked at both the results and the automatic 'script's-at-the-pharmacy-go-get-it-and-start-taking-the-pills attitude.

 

He is going to make an appointment to talk with the provider next week.

 

(Carp like this is why I've started self medicating. Every doctor we've encountered in this state is like this.)

 

 

Not to excuse the doctor's behavior but did s/he know you were vegetarians already? If so, the assumption may have been that diet isn't the cause of the elevated cholesterol, hence, jump to medication.

[justamouse]

Well "A" was what dh was faced with at 4:55 this afternoon. As vegetarian that consume a 95% whole foods diet we were quite shocked at both the results and the automatic 'script's-at-the-pharmacy-go-get-it-and-start-taking-the-pills attitude.

 

He is going to make an appointment to talk with the provider next week.

 

(Carp like this is why I've started self medicating. Every doctor we've encountered in this state is like this.)

 

 

that would NOT make me happy.

[Perry]

How many carbs is he eating? Have you looked into Low carb/High fat? I'd suggest Gary Taubes' "Why We Get Fat" if you haven't read it already. He talks about cholesterol and heart disease quite a bit.

 

The more I learn, the more I'm convinced that the low fat recommendations of the past are a huge cause of the obesity epidemic. (I'm not saying your dh is obese, just that the dietary recommendations of the past were misguided. :) )

[Parrothead]

 

that would NOT make me happy.

 

Oh, I'm in no way happy. Dh is starting to finally see why I'm so disenchanted with doctors lately.

[Parrothead]

How many carbs is he eating? Have you looked into Low carb/High fat? I'd suggest Gary Taubes' "Why We Get Fat" if you haven't read it already. He talks about cholesterol and heart disease quite a bit.

 

The more I learn, the more I'm convinced that the low fat recommendations of the past are a huge cause of the obesity epidemic. (I'm not saying your dh is obese, just that the dietary recommendations of the past were misguided. :) )

 

I'd imagine a normal amount of carbs. I don't think we want to live on fruit, veggies, and olive oil.

 

If you divide a plate into 3rds, one third is cooked veggies, one third mixed greens or some other raw veggies or fruit, and the last 3rd whole grains or legumes.

[Parrothead]

 

Not to excuse the doctor's behavior but did s/he know you were vegetarians already? If so, the assumption may have been that diet isn't the cause of the elevated cholesterol, hence, jump to medication.

I see what you are saying, but I can't get past why not retest first. Our fat comes from olive oil or things like nuts and avocados. Those things aren't high in cholesterol. I'd just think the anomaly might be the test, not dh. Why all of a sudden would someone start producing excessive cholesterol? High cholesterol doesn't run in his family.

 

It is just so off that to not explore more options is boggling my mind.

[Parrothead]

Well, flame away, but based on your plate breakdown you are consuming quite a bit of carbs. High fat low carb lowers cholesterol for some people. Sounds crazy and goes against everything we are told, but seriously it does. My mother was never able to lower her cholesterol nor control her diabetes using a diabetic diet which was low in fat and high in carbs.

 

Okay so we drop the whole grains and legumes. Then what? You have to take into consideration the vegetarian part. We aren't going to just start eating copious amounts of meat.

 

And I'm not so sure that 1/2 to 2/3 a cup whole grains or legumes is high carb. Maybe to people who eat massive quantities of meat it does sound high.

[MIch elle]

The Doctors Who Say Everything You Know About Cholesterol Is Wrong

Watch the video:

http://www.doctoroz....olesterol-wrong

 

and this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSZTa5bZ41g

 

 

 

 

 

 

and this:

 

[cin]

I would expect/request more blood work. I would want a test that breaks down the cholesterol into LDL and HDL, because my MIL lived with this for YEARS. She had high cholesterol, and she ate low/no fat and exercised like a crazy person. Come to find out she had a high good cholesterol and a very low bad cholesterol. DH has followed in her footsteps. So he always requests a COMPLETE workup.

[Mom23Boys]

Patient A fasts 12 hours prior to yearly physical and blood draw. Patient A has draw and goes about his business. A week later Patient A is called by the nurse at the practice which did the blood draw. Patient A's blood works shows a cholesterol level of 220. So do you expect:

 

A. The doctor to have a prescription called in and waiting for you

B. The doctor to request an appointment for a retest just to make sure

C. The doctor to request a visit to discuss treatment options.

 

 

 

My dr would call, discuss options to try to help bring it down and then schedule a retest for 6 weeks. That is what happened to me in the past, but my number wasn't 220, it was lower.

 

eta: My number was 202 and 6 weeks later it was 170. They figured most likely the test was off bc I ended up getting sick the day after the test. The next time it was checked, it was under 170, but the ratio is off bc my HDL is low. I am already doing all that can help it and may end up on meds one day. High cholesterol and heart problems run in my family.

[Parrothead]

Well I do eat quite a bit of meat, but not massive amounts.

 

What about eggs? Or fish? Or meat replacements such as soy?

 

I mean the beans are better than bowls of white rice, but if you look at the numbers, not a ton better really. You could also look into upping fats (lots of butter on your veggies, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.). It adds calories without requiring you to eat tons of meat.

 

Do you eat this way because you prefer the taste or because you think it is healthier? Have you considered just trying the lower carb diet? I eat lots of veggies. I don't even count carbs in veggies. But I avoid stuff like rice. I eat beans sparingly.

 

 

soy is a bean

 

fish is full of mercury.

 

We don't eat bowls of white rice. Well, at least when it isn't Chinese food night. :drool5:

 

Are we adding calories or adding fat? We do eat butter, eggs and cheese but from local grazing cows and chickens.

 

I don't eat meat because I don;t believe we need to eat other living creatures. For years I was able to justify it in my mind, but not anymore. Dh has mostly come along because he thinks it is healthier and he refuses to cook for himself much less anyone else.

[Parrothead]

The Doctors Who Say Everything You Know About Cholesterol Is Wrong

Watch the video:

http://www.doctoroz....olesterol-wrong

 

and this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and this:

 

 

Thank you.

[Perry]

I see what you are saying, but I can't get past why not retest first. Our fat comes from olive oil or things like nuts and avocados. Those things aren't high in cholesterol. I'd just think the anomaly might be the test, not dh. Why all of a sudden would someone start producing excessive cholesterol? High cholesterol doesn't run in his family.

 

It is just so off that to not explore more options is boggling my mind.

 

Dietary cholesterol doesn't cause high cholesterol.

 

The following are remarks from Dr. Dwight Lundell. I totally agree with them, although he has a somewhat shady background and isn't the best spokesman. But it's well written and easy to understand, and is consistent with what most LCHF people are saying.

 

 

Heart Surgeon Speaks Out On What Really Causes Heart Disease ~Dr. Dwight Lundel

 

We physicians with all our training, knowledge and authority often acquire a rather large ego that tends to make it difficult to admit we are wrong. So, here it is. I freely admit to being wrong. As a heart surgeon with 25 years experience, having performed over 5,000 open-heart surgeries, today is my day to right the wrong with medical and scientific fact.

 

I trained for many years with other prominent physicians labelled "opinion makers." Bombarded with scientific literature, continually attending education seminars, we opinion makers insisted heart disease resulted from the simple fact of elevated blood cholesterol.

 

The only accepted therapy was prescribing medications to lower cholesterol and a diet that severely restricted fat intake. The latter of course we insisted would lower cholesterol and heart disease. Deviations from these recommendations were considered heresy and could quite possibly result in malpractice.

 

It Is Not Working!

 

These recommendations are no longer scientifically or morally defensible. The discovery a few years ago that inflammation in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease is slowly leading to a paradigm shift in how heart disease and other chronic ailments will be treated.

 

The long-established dietary recommendations have created epidemics of obesity and diabetes, the consequences of which dwarf any historical plague in terms of mortality, human suffering and dire economic consequences.

 

Despite the fact that 25% of the population takes expensive statin medications and despite the fact we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before.

 

Statistics from the American Heart Association show that 75 million Americans currently suffer from heart disease, 20 million have diabetes and 57 million have pre-diabetes. These disorders are affecting younger and younger people in greater numbers every year.

 

Simply stated, without inflammation being present in the body, there is no way that cholesterol would accumulate in the wall of the blood vessel and cause heart disease and strokes. Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body as nature intended. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped.

 

Inflammation is not complicated -- it is quite simply your body's natural defence to a foreign invader such as a bacteria, toxin or virus. The cycle of inflammation is perfect in how it protects your body from these bacterial and viral invaders. However, if we chronically expose the body to injury by toxins or foods the human body was never designed to process,a condition occurs called chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is just as harmful as acute inflammation is beneficial.

 

What thoughtful person would willfully expose himself repeatedly to foods or other substances that are known to cause injury to the body? Well, smokers perhaps, but at least they made that choice willfully.

 

The rest of us have simply followed the recommended mainstream diet that is low in fat and high in polyunsaturated fats and carbohydrates, not knowing we were causing repeated injury to our blood vessels. This repeated injury creates chronic inflammation leading to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity.

 

Let me repeat that: The injury and inflammation in our blood vessels is caused by the low fat diet recommended for years by mainstream medicine.

 

What are the biggest culprits of chronic inflammation? Quite simply, they are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods.

 

Take a moment to visualize rubbing a stiff brush repeatedly over soft skin until it becomes quite red and nearly bleeding. you kept this up several times a day, every day for five years. If you could tolerate this painful brushing, you would have a bleeding, swollen infected area that became worse with each repeated injury. This is a good way to visualize the inflammatory process that could be going on in your body right now.

 

Regardless of where the inflammatory process occurs, externally or internally, it is the same. I have peered inside thousands upon thousands of arteries. A diseased artery looks as if someone took a brush and scrubbed repeatedly against its wall. Several times a day, every day, the foods we eat create small injuries compounding into more injuries, causing the body to respond continuously and appropriately with inflammation.

 

While we savor the tantalizing taste of a sweet roll, our bodies respond alarmingly as if a foreign invader arrived declaring war. Foods loaded with sugars and simple carbohydrates, or processed with omega-6 oils for long shelf life have been the mainstay of the American diet for six decades. These foods have been slowly poisoning everyone.

 

How does eating a simple sweet roll create a cascade of inflammation to make you sick?

 

Imagine spilling syrup on your keyboard and you have a visual of what occurs inside the cell. When we consume simple carbohydrates such as sugar, blood sugar rises rapidly. In response, your pancreas secretes insulin whose primary purpose is to drive sugar into each cell where it is stored for energy. If the cell is full and does not need glucose, it is rejected to avoid extra sugar gumming up the works.

 

When your full cells reject the extra glucose, blood sugar rises producing more insulin and the glucose converts to stored fat.

 

What does all this have to do with inflammation? Blood sugar is controlled in a very narrow range. Extra sugar molecules attach to a variety of proteins that in turn injure the blood vessel wall. This repeated injury to the blood vessel wall sets off inflammation. When you spike your blood sugar level several times a day, every day, it is exactly like taking sandpaper to the inside of your delicate blood vessels.

 

While you may not be able to see it, rest assured it is there. I saw it in over 5,000 surgical patients spanning 25 years who all shared one common denominator -- inflammation in their arteries.

 

Let's get back to the sweet roll. That innocent looking goody not only contains sugars, it is baked in one of many omega-6 oils such as soybean. Chips and fries are soaked in soybean oil; processed foods are manufactured with omega-6 oils for longer shelf life. While omega-6's are essential -they are part of every cell membrane controlling what goes in and out of the cell -- they must be in the correct balance with omega-3's.

 

If the balance shifts by consuming excessive omega-6, the cell membrane produces chemicals called cytokines that directly cause inflammation.

 

Today's mainstream American diet has produced an extreme imbalance of these two fats. The ratio of imbalance ranges from 15:1 to as high as 30:1 in favor of omega-6. That's a tremendous amount of cytokines causing inflammation. In today's food environment, a 3:1 ratio would be optimal and healthy.

 

To make matters worse, the excess weight you are carrying from eating these foods creates overloaded fat cells that pour out large quantities of pro-inflammatory chemicals that add to the injury caused by having high blood sugar. The process that began with a sweet roll turns into a vicious cycle over time that creates heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and finally, Alzheimer's disease, as the inflammatory process continues unabated.

 

There is no escaping the fact that the more we consume prepared and processed foods, the more we trip the inflammation switch little by little each day. The human body cannot process, nor was it designed to consume, foods packed with sugars and soaked in omega-6 oils.

 

There is but one answer to quieting inflammation, and that is returning to foods closer to their natural state. To build muscle, eat more protein. Choose carbohydrates that are very complex such as colorful fruits and vegetables. Cut down on or eliminate inflammation- causing omega-6 fats like corn and soybean oil and the processed foods that are made from them.

 

One tablespoon of corn oil contains 7,280 mg of omega-6; soybean contains 6,940 mg. Instead, use olive oil or butter from grass-fed beef.

 

Animal fats contain less than 20% omega-6 and are much less likely to cause inflammation than the supposedly healthy oils labelled polyunsaturated. Forget the "science" that has been drummed into your head for decades. The science that saturated fat alone causes heart disease is non-existent. The science that saturated fat raises blood cholesterol is also very weak. Since we now know that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, the concern about saturated fat is even more absurd today.

 

The cholesterol theory led to the no-fat, low-fat recommendations that in turn created the very foods now causing an epidemic of inflammation. Mainstream medicine made a terrible mistake when it advised people to avoid saturated fat in favor of foods high in omega-6 fats. We now have an epidemic of arterial inflammation leading to heart disease and other silent killers.

 

What you can do is choose whole foods your grandmother served and not those your mom turned to as grocery store aisles filled with manufactured foods. By eliminating inflammatory foods and adding essential nutrients from fresh unprocessed food, you will reverse years of damage in your arteries and throughout your body from consuming the typical American diet.

 

 

I don't know much about vegetarian LCHF. I think it would be doable but more work than non-vegetarian LCHF. Off to google...

[Mom-ninja.]

I see what you are saying, but I can't get past why not retest first. Our fat comes from olive oil or things like nuts and avocados. Those things aren't high in cholesterol. I'd just think the anomaly might be the test, not dh. Why all of a sudden would someone start producing excessive cholesterol? High cholesterol doesn't run in his family. It is just so off that to not explore more options is boggling my mind.

 

I just finished an interesting book called Politcially Incorrect Nutrition. He has a lot to say about heart disease, high cholesterol, and being a vegetarian. He is not anti vegetarianism but discusses what some may be eating or not eating that may harm their health. Unfermented soy is a no-no for example. He also says that elevated cholesterolis a sign that the body is trying to fix itself....like a fever.

 

Anyway, as others have posted natural fat in the diet is not a problem as far as heart disease. Nourishing Traditions is another book that I believe says something along those lines.

[Parrothead]

Dietary cholesterol doesn't cause high cholesterol.

 

The following are remarks from Dr. Dwight Lundell. I totally agree with them, although he has a somewhat shady background and isn't the best spokesman. But it's well written and easy to understand, and is consistent with what most LCHF people are saying.

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know much about vegetarian LCHF. I think it would be doable but more work than non-vegetarian LCHF. Off to google...

 

We don't have a problem with consuming fat as long as it isn't animal (meat) fat. We do eat nuts, avocado, olive oil and local dairy

[Parrothead]

I just finished an interesting book called Politcially Incorrect Nutrition. He has a lot to say about heart disease, high cholesterol, and being a vegetarian. He is not anti vegetarianism but discusses what some may be eating or not eating that may harm their health. Unfermented soy is a no-no for example. He also says that elevated cholesterolis a sign that the body is trying to fix itself....like a fever.

 

Anyway, as others have posted natural fat in the diet is not a problem as far as heart disease. Nourishing Traditions is another book that I believe says something along those lines.

 

We don't eat soy. The texture of tofu is off putting.

 

90-95% of our diet is whole foods cooked at home or eaten raw.

 

I did just ask dh what the breakdown of numbers was. He was in such shock that he couldn't remember. I do wonder if by chance the good stuff was he high number. He is going to make an appointment for next Wednesday.

[Barb_]

I've read that excess cholesterol is produced as a result of inflammation. I once had a reading like that when I coincidentally had an infected tooth giving me fits. Also once in early pregnancy when I didn't know I was pregnant. Has he been sick or injured? Is is pregnant? :tongue_smilie:

[Miss Marple]

I'm from a family with a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol. My sister had a level of 280 on the last draw. She is 5'5" and weighs 130 lbs. She eats a very balanced diet and gets a fair amount of exercise (for a 53 year old). I truly believe that some people can do everything dietary and through exercise and still have high levels. But I'm not a fan of statins at all...

 

The new literature seems to indicate that we might not know as much as we think we know about high cholesterol and heart disease.

 

I apparently did not get the predisposition. My levels run about 170-180. And I eat lots of fats; try to limit carbs but I love a good cinnamon roll with my coffee for breakfast (I'm not overweight so I indulge periodically).

[Barb_]

We don't eat soy. The texture of tofu is off putting.

 

90-95% of our diet is whole foods cooked at home or eaten raw.

 

I did just ask dh what the breakdown of numbers was. He was in such shock that he couldn't remember. I do wonder if by chance the good stuff was he high number. He is going to make an appointment for next Wednesday.

 

Ask if they can email you a hardcopy of the results.

[Parrothead]

I've read that excess cholesterol is produced as a result of inflammation. I once had a reading like that when I coincidentally had an infected tooth giving me fits. Also once in early pregnancy when I didn't know I was pregnant. Has he been sick or injured? Is is pregnant? :tongue_smilie:

He is 6 weeks post op from surgery.

[Parrothead]

I'm from a family with a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol. My sister had a level of 280 on the last draw. She is 5'5" and weighs 130 lbs. She eats a very balanced diet and gets a fair amount of exercise (for a 53 year old). I truly believe that some people can do everything dietary and through exercise and still have high levels. But I'm not a fan of statins at all...

 

The new literature seems to indicate that we might not know as much as we think we know about high cholesterol and heart disease.

 

I apparently did not get the predisposition. My levels run about 170-180. And I eat lots of fats; try to limit carbs but I love a good cinnamon roll with my coffee for breakfast (I'm not overweight so I indulge periodically).

As far as we know there is no genetic predisposition to high cholesterol. Last year when he had the draw his numbers where at the low end of normal.

[Perry]

As far as we know there is no genetic predisposition to high cholesterol. Last year when he had the draw his numbers where at the low end of normal.

I'm not opposed to medicine, but I'd never start a statin based on one blood test, especially when it is inconsistent with all previous tests. I also wouldn't start a statin without looking carefully at any lifestyle changes I could make.

[Parrothead]

I'm not opposed to medicine, but I'd never start a statin based on one blood test, especially when it is inconsistent with all previous tests. I also wouldn't start a statin without looking carefully at any lifestyle changes I could make.

I've convinced dh to leave the 'script at the pharmacy.

[nono]

He is 6 weeks post op from surgery.

 

I would wait a few weeks/months on the retest then.

 

What's the rush on a 220 anyways? It is squarely in the middle of borderline, according to the lab which did my bloodwork.

[Parrothead]

 

I would wait a few weeks/months on the retest then.

 

What's the rush on a 220 anyways? It is squarely in the middle of borderline, according to the lab which did my bloodwork.

Thanks.

[Trillian]

The good vs bad ratio is important, especially with a borderline number. Still, the Dr. should be doing C (and gets paid more). I find our Drs frustrating as well.

[ktgrok]

I bet it was the surgery. Or just an off number from one particular meal. That can happen.Get a copy of the results before going any further.

[idnib]

Cholesterol is protective. People who have high cholesterol are not getting it from food, but they may be eating food that is damaging their arteries and the cholesterol is protecting them. If this situation continues for some time the cholesterol can build up. But the cholesterol built up in arteries is not that which was eaten, for the most part.

 

If the last test was low end of normal, and this one is high, and the diet is the same, I would wonder what else is going on. Some other inflammation or situation for which his body needs protection.

 

My cholesterol was always in the 150s. Then I developed an autoimmune problem resultig in inflammation and within a month my cholesterol was 470. But I didn't have a cholesterol problem. The high cholesterol was protecting me and the real problem was elsewhere. I paid a fortune to see one of the best doctors in the world and he confirmed this. He didn't prescribe statins becasue the reduced cholesterol would have been bad for me. We dealt with inflammation and the cholesterol went back down on its own.

[Parrothead]

Cholesterol is protective. People who have high cholesterol are not getting it from food, but they may be eating food that is damaging their arteries and the cholesterol is protecting them. If this situation continues for some time the cholesterol can build up. But the cholesterol built up in arteries is not that which was eaten, for the most part.

 

If the last test was low end of normal, and this one is high, and the diet is the same, I would wonder what else is going on. Some other inflammation or situation for which his body needs protection.

 

My cholesterol was always in the 150s. Then I developed an autoimmune problem resultig in inflammation and within a month my cholesterol was 470. But I didn't have a cholesterol problem. The high cholesterol was protecting me and the real problem was elsewhere. I paid a fortune to see one of the best doctors in the world and he confirmed this. He didn't prescribe statins becasue the reduced cholesterol would have been bad for me. We dealt with inflammation and the cholesterol went back down on its own.

 

 

Thanks. After reading this I'm betting it was the recent surgery.

[ZeeMommy]

Patient A fasts 12 hours prior to yearly physical and blood draw. Patient A has draw and goes about his business. A week later Patient A is called by the nurse at the practice which did the blood draw. Patient A's blood works shows a cholesterol level of 220. So do you expect:

 

A. The doctor to have a prescription called in and waiting for you

B. The doctor to request an appointment for a retest just to make sure

C. The doctor to request a visit to discuss treatment options.

 

 

Here's a few thoughts from a medical lab technician...

 

Most doctors would probably be A or C, depending on how they manage their patients and how well they know their patients. A 12 hour fast should give you accurate cholesterol results. 210-220 is borderline high for cholesterol, and other risk factors would have to be considered. (info from http://labtestsonlin.../lipid/tab/test)

 

If you don't want to go the route of prescriptions, then finding a good herbalist, homeopath, or naturopathic doctor would be a good step to take. Unfortunately it's probably not going to be covered by insurance. We see a herbalist - everything he's prescribed has worked to improve our health.

[idnib]

Thanks. After reading this I'm betting it was the recent surgery.

 

Yes, it could be. If it were me I would take things to heal, including arnica to increase blood flow to the surgery site and lots of omega-3s and tumeric to decrease inflammation. Also some coenzyme Q10 and make sure his vitamin D3 level is fine.

 

Then I would get another test in 2-3 months and see what happened.

 

How recent is the surgery?

[Melissa in Australia]

I see what you are saying, but I can't get past why not retest first. Our fat comes from olive oil or things like nuts and avocados. Those things aren't high in cholesterol. I'd just think the anomaly might be the test, not dh. Why all of a sudden would someone start producing excessive cholesterol? High cholesterol doesn't run in his family.

 

It is just so off that to not explore more options is boggling my mind.

 

IF you are in a high stress situation, your body can produce cholesterol as it is needed in the production of adrenalin.

[Parrothead]

 

 

Yes, it could be. If it were me I would take things to heal, including arnica to increase blood flow to the surgery site and lots of omega-3s and tumeric to decrease inflammation. Also some coenzyme Q10 and make sure his vitamin D3 level is fine.

 

Then I would get another test in 2-3 months and see what happened.

 

How recent is the surgery?

29 November

[SunnyDays]

Especially knowing about the recent surgery, I'm glad you had him not start on the medication. As Perry said, I wouldn't want to start a statin drug based on one blood test when all others have shown good numbers.

 

Unfortunately, that's probably a more common response by medical professionals than we know. There's a pill for everything after all. I'm not opposed to modern medicine at all, but in a situation like this, it's not the answer, certainly at least, not the first answer.

 

Hope his next appt goes well.

[TravelingChris]

A few years ago, my dh went to a doctor or a PA and was given a script for high blood pressure medication. He didn't have high blood pressure. His top number was in the 120's which is not where even the most aggressive recommendations consider adding blood pressure medications. I don't remember his bottom number but I do remember that I was shocked he was prescribed the medication. He was about to get on a plane and fly for 16 plus hours in flights. I told him not to take the medication. He didn't and since then, he hasn't had anyone else recommend he take any medication. The doctor or PA didn't suggest anything- just the heavy duty meds. Now I have had periods of having higher blood pressure (caused by medications and that stopped when I stopped those medications) and no one ever recommended that I immediately start taking blood pressure pills. When I am not in bad pain, my bp is never high.

 

In terms of diet, I recently changed our diet to be more tasty. I am making more sauces, fancier dishes, etc. I use olive oil, butter, vinegar, wine, etc. in my sauces. I also changed to drinking whole fat milk. These were the only changes I made. I have lost almost 20 pounds.

[MIch elle]

If you liked the previous videos I linked, you will probably like these:

 

http://www.dietdocto...tor.com/

http://eatingacademy...eos-peter-likes

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT_1dCbbR4I

[Annabel Lee]

Chucki, I don't know that this applies, but I'll throw it out there for your consideration: My mom found out her body was producing cholesterol because her estrogen was low because it can draw some estrogen from the cholesterol. Her body was seeking to self-correct, just in a way that traded one ailment for another. There's more to it than diet & exercise.

[Donna]

I would think C. My DH had very high cholesterol and high blood pressure. He did not want to go on medication. He started eating right (lots of veggies and fruit), lost 30lb., and walks nearly every day. At his physical last month both cholesterol and blood pressure were normal.