Thanks for your input, Tom. I know that the science surrounding cholesterol
ranges from conflicting too soft at this point, but what concerns me about
my high numbers is that the few existing tribes of hunter gatherers have
really low numbers. Anyway, I'll be testing again soon so we'll see if I've
been able to make any difference. One other thing I've been wondering about
is how long should I wait to have my blood test after any
indulgence/transgression? About a week ago, I had my first desert in about
six weeks. How long should I wait to get tested?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Bridgeland" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 7:47 AM
Subject: Re: Howdy!


> On Wednesday, October 15, 2003, at 01:27  PM, Mike Knickerbocker wrote:
> > Here are the numbers:
> >
> > Total cholesterol 358
> > triglycerides 105
> > LDL 259
> > HDL 78
> >
>
>
> Hello Mike. I have run into something similar myself. I started paleo
> about two years ago, with a total cholesterol about 200. It has climbed
> to 270 since then. Hdl is 57. Triglycerides 42. Given my low blood
> pressure and active lifestyle that still puts me at "low risk"
> according to the online survey I took. Fine, but my doctor and wife
> both freaked, and threatened my with drugs too. ;-)
>
> Checking around I found that cholesterol level depends on many factors,
> some unknown. Saturated fat raises cholesterol, though, so I cut out a
> lot by skipping full cream, and butter, and reducing others like eggs
> and fatty pork. In my last blood test my cholesterol fell to 259, in
> just a few weeks.
>
> Triglycerides are controlled by carb intake. Low carb lowers
> triglycerides, which are a big risk factor according to the theory.
>
> One funny thing, cholesterol is also used by the body to create bile,
> to digest fat. So my guess is that a high fat diet but low in saturated
> fat might reduce cholesterol. I have never seen this idea anywhere
> else, but it would seem to be true. So I upped my olive oil and fish
> oil consumption, hoping that this might reduce cholesterol. Who knows.
>
> In fact I personally don't worry too much about it all, since the
> science for the whole cholesterol thing is pretty insubstantial. Low
> cholesterol is linked in many studies to all kinds of bad things too,
> but it is high cholesterol that gets all of the bad press. I am doing
> it to maintain a low stress home life. Hey, nothing is more closely
> linked to heart disease than home stress!  ;---)