Forums: September 2011 Kickstart Forum: need advice re lipid panel!
Created on: 12/09/11 12:05 PM Views: 3916 Replies: 11
carmenhikes Joined: 09/21/11 Posts: 9	need advice re lipid panel! Posted Friday, December 9, 2011 at 12:05 PM Vegan since July 2011 (OK - almost! cheese 1 slice maybe 1X2weeks, 1 serving meat q2months) Fasting panel from finger stick (about 9am, and I had worked 12 hour night shift before then) : Total Cholesterol - 206 HDL - 65 Triglycerides - 608 Glucose - 106 BP - 122/78 I had lunch around midnight - white pasta w/veggies and an olive oil based 'sauce' (gremolata)and some cookies for dessert, love the peppermint stuff this time of year. Changes since July - I don't know what my lipid panel was before I went vegan. Last one was done in 2001. 20 pound weight loss reduction of systolic BP by 20-30 points reduction of diastolie BP by 10-20 points Fasting glucose in Sept - 120 - so that's improved 14 points I haven't been able to exercise the last few months due to two different injuries and I am getting ready to start that up again. What is up w/the high triglyceride level!!!! I had a lipid panel done around 2001 and everything was low then . . . . why are my triglycerides so stinking high now? And what do I do to fix it . . . that does NOT involve a prescription!!!!
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Oceandog Joined: 01/10/10 Location: California, USA Posts: 644	RE: need advice re lipid panel! Posted Friday, December 9, 2011 at 12:39 PM I would have to question how accurate a finger stick reading is. Second, since I also struggle with high cholesterol, I have found eat fiber and lots of it! Oatmeal every day, apples, etc.. There are 2 OTC products that are supposed to help, one is named Cholestoff (don't know much about it) and the other is red yeast rice. I just found this at Costco and will try it. Here is a wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_yeast_rice I have only read part of that page, as I get irritated when I read about the FDA removing products so pharmaceutical companies can imitate the real thing and make money..grrr.. At any rate, I wish you the best. Kym Always offer kindness and a soft word to the beings around you; You do not know their journey. Your words can be the hug they need or the shove that breaks them.
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mollyhorn Joined: 03/03/10 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 582	RE: need advice re lipid panel! Posted Friday, December 9, 2011 at 2:48 PM I am NOT a doctor or medical professional, so this is based solely on what I've learned from reading nutrition texts and from the internet. I've read that high triglycerides can be caused by too much sugar in the diet. When mine were tested and came out very low (27, I think!?), the technician said "Oh, you must not eat any sugar." I know that most of the 'healthy diet' gurus recommend whole grains and to stay away from refined carbohydrates (white flour, white sugar), so this could be the culprit. Also, I agree that finger stick tests are NOT the most accurate. I've had them done and be wildly off from what my GP got in my regular visit where they did the full vial of blood drawn and tested. I'd recommend you get retested using these parameters: Full 12-hour fast Good night's sleep Not much sugar the night before Glass of water to drink in the morning (makes the blood draw easier) Visit to the GP wherein they draw a full vial of blood and test your stats This way, you'll know you have accurate results as a starting point. Molly Horn
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Oceandog Joined: 01/10/10 Location: California, USA Posts: 644	RE: need advice re lipid panel! Posted Friday, December 9, 2011 at 3:07 PM Molly, Thank you for the info on sugar. My sister and I both are 20+ year vegheads, but recently she had her cholesterol results given to her and they were high, as mine are, and as our mom's is. We are all vegan. We have all had to tell our doctors (several times in one conversation!) no we don't eat meat, nor eggs, nor dairy... nope none. Nada... They are both at a normal weight, and I am not. Our mom just recently went vegan (from her cancer earlier this year) and previously I had always thought that I had the high levels because of my weight, and mom did because of diet. Now that Deb, sis, had it, I was stumped. All that being said I know my sister has a HUGE sweet tooth! Wouldn't it be something to reduce or eliminate the sugar and have the levels go down. I will let her know. I have managed to lose 6 pounds (not much but HUGE for me even getting started!) and I was hoping it would reduce my levels. I will start watching my sugar as well. Thanks again! Always offer kindness and a soft word to the beings around you; You do not know their journey. Your words can be the hug they need or the shove that breaks them.
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DrDons Joined: 01/11/10 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 17	RE: need advice re lipid panel! Posted Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 12:05 PM Triglycerides can be somewhat challenging although a fat like cholesterol is different and fortunately not as associated with heart disease as cholesterol. Triglycerides are raised by fats and simple sugars in the diet. Exercise will reduce triglycerides. Make sure to avoid high fructose corn syrup. I would also minimize fruit juices; initially whole fruits would be fine but some folks have to restrict those as well. A good resource for more reading is the January 2003 McDougall newsletter which can be found by going to Dr. McDougall's website. The article is entitled "Taming triglycerides,...". Hope this helps. Don www
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Naturehike Joined: 04/06/11 Posts: 14	RE: need advice re lipid panel! Posted Monday, December 12, 2011 at 11:57 AM Thanks to all who responded to this post as it is helping me as well. I have been vegan since April. Did a fasting test last week and all of my numbers except HDL went up - and not just a little! I am really concerned. One thing I could use some help from you all - and I will read the McDougal info is that my diet is high in carbs and low on protein. I struggle with protein - which I think also feeds my monstrous sweet tooth when I crash - how do you all get adequate protein short of eating way too much soy? Any ideas you could share would be helpful.
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Naturehike Joined: 04/06/11 Posts: 14	RE: need advice re lipid panel! Posted Monday, December 12, 2011 at 11:57 AM Thanks to all who responded to this post as it is helping me as well. I have been vegan since April. Did a fasting test last week and all of my numbers except HDL went up - and not just a little! I am really concerned. One thing I could use some help from you all - and I will read the McDougal info is that my diet is high in carbs and low on protein. I struggle with protein - which I think also feeds my monstrous sweet tooth when I crash - how do you all get adequate protein short of eating way too much soy? Any ideas you could share would be helpful.
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mollyhorn Joined: 03/03/10 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 582	RE: need advice re lipid panel! Posted Monday, December 12, 2011 at 12:18 PM If you're eating whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds and not filling up on white/refined carbs, candy, sugars, then you're probably getting more than enough protein. The human body only needs 10% of its calories from protein to function, and most Americans get more like 30%-50%. If your numbers are out of whack, try keeping a food log for a week. Just get a journal that you can carry with you, and as you eat, write down what you're having and roughly the portion size. (If you need help with that, here's a good link: http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-portion-size-plate ) At the end of the week, you'll have a good idea of what foods you're getting too much of, and what you're not getting enough of. When I first went vegan, I read a couple of Dr. Barnard's books, and Eat to Live by Fuhrman. They gave me a pretty good idea of what I should be eating. Of course, I still had my little treats here and there, but at least I knew a general guideline to go by! Molly Horn
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Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2087	RE: need advice re lipid panel! Posted Monday, December 19, 2011 at 10:42 AM carmenhikes wrote: Vegan since July 2011 (OK - almost! cheese 1 slice maybe 1X2weeks, 1 serving meat q2months) Fasting panel from finger stick (about 9am, and I had worked 12 hour night shift before then) I had lunch around midnight A lipid panel needs (a) a 12 hour fast (b) a regular blood draw not a finger stick if you want accurate results. --Deb R
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carmenhikes Joined: 09/21/11 Posts: 9	UPDATE !!!! Posted Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 9:17 AM I want to thank everyone for their comments! I was quite upset over the last lab results. I had a re-test of my liped panel and am much happier! It was another finger stick but I didn't work the night before and was able to fast over 12 hours and get a night of rest before getting tested. Total cholesterol - 181 HDL - 67 LDL - 69 Triglycerides - 224 <-- still a bit high, see below for more info regarding Blood sugar - 103 <-- a smidge high, am hoping this improves as I lose more weight. I don't have a family history of diabetes but I could see myself ending up a type 2 due to weight and my *formerly* poor diet. I didn't change my diet but one thing I realized as I was making some pasta for my work lunches yesterday and mulling over my results was that I have over the last four months or so begun to use coconut oil in cooking. I looked it up and voila! it is composed mostly of medium chain triglycerides! Guess what oil I used in my pasta dish that I ate for lunch the night before my last test? Yup, it had coconut oil in it. I am guessing that contributed tremendously to my high triglycerides. So as an FYI to those who may have a blood draw scheduled, you may want to lay off the coconut oil before hand! I am not sure how long it takes for it to clear from the body and I am wondering if that is why my triglycerides are still a bit high. All the best to everyone!!!!
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Drack8	RE: need advice re lipid panel! Posted Friday, October 5, 2012 at 8:18 AM Cholesterol comes from animal products primarily beef and pork and their products such as cheese and milk. Work at reducing the portion and frequency of these. A good rule of thumb is that a portion of meat should be the size of the palm of your hand, the thickness of your little finger. In poultry the cholesterol is in the skin and organs (livers and gizzards). The seafood highest in cholesterol are the shell fish like shrimp and lobster. Try to reduce these as well. The fish oil/Omega 3 fatty acids are beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease, per the research. They will not reduce cholesterol by themselves and other measures, like those above, are needed, too. ................................................. visit site
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Naturehike Joined: 04/06/11 Posts: 14	RE: need advice re lipid panel! Posted Friday, October 5, 2012 at 9:10 AM At the time of the post I had been vegan for nearly a year.
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