On Fri, 2 Jun 2000, TempestTerriers wrote:

> Todd,
>
> Since you have mentioned having a real problem controlling your cholesterol level in
> addition with your BF and weight, and I believe quite awhile ago you mentioned that
> your father had the same problems - is it possible that you are just outside of the
> norm, that you are genetically disposed to hang onto your fat more so than the
> "average" person who seems to have more success with the paleo way of eating?  Just a
> thought I've had.

Paula,

My father has never had much of a weight problem, but both he and
my mother have high cholesterol (without medications) and blood
pressure.  My mother also is not overweight.  It is quite
possible that am genetically inclined to obesity, althouth oddly
enough, I don't get *that* fat.  I've yet to break 260 lbs.
Although that is certainly more BF than I should have, it is not
as daunting as what many people (including people on this list)
have to contend with.  At 200 lbs., with little loss of LBM, I
would be very "cut" indeed.  In other respects, I can't complain
about this WOE.  As I've mentioned in the past, it has pretty
much cleared my periodontitis, which I had for a number of years
and cost me 3 teeth.  The residual slight gum inflammation that I
had disappeared when I started supplementing with 3g of ascorbate
daily.  My health has been generally good, though I have had the
flu a few times.  I have had very few colds since starting paleo,
and my hay fever symptoms are much diminished.

I am not convinced that the cholesterol numbers are a great
threat to my health (otherwise I'd be on statins by now), but I
do think they are a sign of some metabolic imbalance, and it is
an imbalance that has been worsened by Neanderthin.  There is no
question of that, since I have my numbers from before, even from
before the Zone, when I was close to 260 lbs.  Back then, my
total cholesterol hovered at around 225, with high triglycerides
and low HDL.  Since Neanderthin, my total cholesterol varies, but
has not gone below 275, or above 320.  My HDL has increased
somewhat, and triglycerides have dropped sharply.  So in some
respects the numbers have improved; in others they have worsened.
What all this means depends on who you talk to.  But these are
not typical hunter-gatherer cholesterol numbers.

Todd Moody
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