I agree that everyone should be concerned when they try something new. You should always ask, "How is this going to affect me?" (affect/effect? I never know which one to use) I've been eating low carb for quite a while. I started about 3 years ago and have been off and on it since.
Before gaining weight, my total chloresterol had always been below 200, usually 143. But 4 years ago, I jumped up to 175. Still well within normal limits, I know, but I could see it was going to keep on going up if I didn't get my weight under control. I tried the usual low cal diet and failed miserably. I was starving and really light headed. I kept fainting and couldn't function normally. And as soon as I had my first cheat, I went way overboard. The result; I gained more weight than if I hadn't dieted at all. My cholesterol numbers were not improving.
I recently attended a medical conference where a drug rep was doing blood screenings. I was rather pleased with my outcome.
Total cholesterol 168,
HDL 70,
LDL 74,
Triglycerides 123.
Now what does this mean?
According the American Heart Association web site;
Your total blood cholesterol level
Desirable -- Less than 200 mg/dL
Borderline high risk -- 200-239 mg/dL
High risk -- 240 mg/dL and over
Your LDL cholesterol level greatly affects your risk of heart attack and of stroke. The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk. In fact, it’s a better gauge of risk than total blood cholesterol. Your LDL cholesterol will fall into one of these categories:
LDL Cholesterol Levels
Less than 100 mg/dL Optimal
100 to 129 mg/dL Near Optimal/ Above Optimal
130 to 159 mg/dL Borderline High
160 to 189 mg/dL High
190 mg/dL and above Very High
Triglyceride Level Classification
Less than 150 mg/dL Normal
150-199 mg/dL Borderline-high
200-499 mg/dL High
500 mg/dL or higher Very high
AHA
The technician told me that I should continue doing whatever I was doing. I gave him a big smile and said; "I've been on Atkins for over a year"
And now the kicker; I do not exercise. I am very active, but I do not follow any regular routine. However, at my age, I really need to start.
