Blood Lipid Profile Results 2/8/2011

I received my Blood Lipid profile results today. I was not particularly happy about them. My kidney and liver tests were normal including urine microalbumin test. Praise the lord for that portion of it. My triglycerides were at (374) which are not good, and my HDL/LDL ratio was not good. My HDL was 36 and my LDL was 76. This has been a problem for me for years, and sometimes it is discouraging since no matter how well I seem to eat and exercise etc. the genetic influence wins out more often than not.

High triglycerides and LESS than optimal good (vs.) bad cholesterol ratio seems to run in my gene pool. The HDL of course is the GOOD cholesterol and the LDL is the BAD cholesterol. One BLOG I follow is Michael R. Eades and here is a link to his article on high triglycerides.

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/cardiovascular-disease/elevated-triglycerides-are-driven-by-carbohydrate-consumption/

In the article he lists eight methods the Harvard Heart Letter recommends to lower high triglycerides:

• Beware of bad fats / saturated fats found in high fat dairy foods and red meat etc.
• Go for GOOD carbs  I.E. whole grains etc. and cut out sugary drinks and foods
• Avoid excessive alcohol
• Eat fish 2X per week
• Lower you weight
• Get moving, exercise more
• Stop smoking
• Take medication / Niacin, fibrates. fish oil and statins

My problems are basically none of the above. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't eat a lot of red meats, I already exercise, and I take my medications with the exception of (statin drugs) which have too many side effects and I had a bad reaction to most of them.

His best advice I think and one which I can get my teeth into and suck up my pride on is AVOIDING CARBS. Simply cutting WAY BACK on carbs as the single best way to cut high triglycerides.

Here is an excerpt from his blog article:

If you want to lower your triglycerides, lower your carbs. It’s as simple as that. But you’ve got to really lower your carbs, not just make a half-hearted stab at a low-carb diet. If your idea of lowering your carbs is avoiding a dessert from time to time, but continuing to chow down on ‘good’ carbs all day long, you’re going to be disappointed. But if you eat a lot of meat, even red meat, accompanied by green and colorful vegetables and low-carb fruits, you should be rewarded with triglycerides that are almost always below the 150 mg/dl limit of what’s considered ‘normal,’ and you will more than likely find yourself with fasting triglycerides below 100 mg/dl, which is a very good place to have them.

I am going to continue to take all my supplements, along with exercise, and ADDING more weight resistance training, and I just ordered a two month supply of KRILL OIL. I normally get my blood lipid profile done every 3 months so I will post my results on this blog again.

The best thing I can tell you (and myself) is NOT to get discouraged. MY gene pool is not going to provide a lot of help for my situation. That being said, it is what it is, and I have to suck it up, and follow the Marine Corp motto:

You adapt, you improvise and you overcome. Yes, I was in the NAVY and not the Marines, however I still like their motto.

Dan

Don't be impressed with your own wisdom.

Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

Then you will have healing for your body

and strength for your bones.

Proverbs 3:7-8 (NLT)