----- Original Message -----
From: Dr. Mom <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, 22 September 1999 3:27 AM
Subject: Re: [P-F] cholesterol test


> =::Then when I was in the chair giving the blood, the tester said, well,
if
> you
> ::have not fasted this morning, this test will not be accurate. Is that
> right?
> ::Is cholesterol a fasting test, just wondering.
>
>
> Fasting only.  Otherwise, the meat you ate for breakfast would give a
> different reading than if you ate cereal.  What irritates me is that when
> people go to donate blood the red cross as a "service" tells you what your
> NON-fasting cholesterol is.  I wonder how many people think their
> cholesterol is too high because of this?
>
Cholesterol doesn't usually fluctuate much unless one eats high cholesterol
foods (which most people don't. What does fluctuate a lot is the cholesterol
fractions- HDL and LDL.

Cholesterol doesn't float free in the blood, it is carried by proteins.
Total cholesterol is just that- all forms of cholesterol. LDL is being
carried by LDL protein and is "bad" cholesterol- the fresh cholesterol that
the liver hasd just made and it goes out and clogs up the arteries. HDL is
carried by HDl protein and is "good" cholesterol -it's pold cholesterol that
has been cleaned up. The more cleaning you do, the less blockages in your
arteries.

So, a non-fasting total cholesterol is valid, but it's not valid to check
LDL and HDL in the fasting state. If you've got heart disease or your
cholesterol is even slightly elevated, it's essential to check the LDL and
HDL. It's desirable to check it anyway- but many funds (inc Medicare in
Australia) don't cover it unless total cholesterol is elevated. it's also
necessary to cheack ti if you're taking statins to make sure your dose is
adequate.

It gets more complex- LDL is far more dangerous if it's oxidised or
glycosylated. Oxidation of LDL is under dietary control- eating more fruit
and veg gives you protection. Paleo diet is rich in antioxidants. If you
take sugar with a fatty meal, the glucose can bind with LDL and the liver
won't recognise to clean it up (this is from Tamir's page- referenced on
www.paleodiet.com ).

HOMOCYSTEINE is another risk factor AS POWERFUL as cholesterol and I forget
to mention it in my previous post on the facts. it has a dual role- one it
actually damages blood vessels directly. Two, high levels indicate higher
levels of cholesterol-oxidation. Reduction is by vitamins eg folic acid 5mg
daily, and I'm sure a paleodiet will lower it very well. Homocysteine
doesn't get as much publicity as it's newer and the therapy is so goddam
cheap it would make a drug company executive cry!!!!!!!!! (and the therapy
is non-patentable).Therefore there's not as much financial pressure driving
the homocysteine message.

Ben Balzer

>
> Dr. Mom- Ph.D. in motherhood.
> BS- psychology, BA-biology
> Graduate courses in biochemistry.
> Will give nutritional advice for books.
>
> http://drmom.cc
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