I got my blood results back 2 weeks ago and found the following:

TC - 195
HDL - 32
LDL - 102
Trig - 301

My family has a history of heart disease.

Doctor (from his nurse) recommendation:
Low fat diet.
Don't be concerned about watching sugar.

I'm reading Kowalski's book, "The New 8-week cholesterol cure." Given my high triglycerides and low HDL, it recommends:
1. aerobic exercise
2. avoid starches (empty calories like pasta, potatoes, etc)
3. cut saturated fat
4. use olive oil liberally
5. eat fatty fish (or use fish oil supplement)
6. eat oats/oat bran
7. niacin, vit c and e

Some on this site say don't cut fat. Kowalski says cut fat. I'm confused. I've heard we get nutrients from 3 places: fat, protein, carbohydrates. If I cut fat and carbos, what's left?



What should a person with high triglycerides and low HDL do to get the numbers back in range?

Hi!

I'm sorry to say I can't be of much help except to give you some anecdotal evidence that low carbing, as opposed to low fatting, helps with Cholesterol levels.

My parents both had readings similar to yours - they were about to be put on medication to control it, when their Doctor actually recommended a low carb/high protein diet to them. I know this is in direct opposition to what your doctor (or his nurse - what was that about anyway - the doctor didn't talk to you about it?!) recommends about going low-fat. All I know is that my parents' cholesterol levels dropped, their blood pressure dropped, and they have been living low carb for nearly three years now - each having lost 50 pounds and kept it off. They moved from Ohio to Texas, and their doctors in Texas also tell them to keep the low carbing up - it works and their levels are proof.

Did you talk to your doctor about Low Carbing? If so, what was her/his reaction? If you haven't it might be worth at least a phone call.

Sorry if this wasn't much help - but my parents' story isn't the only one like it on this forum........

Good luck!!

excellent logic, brown! You can't cut out all three macronutrients, or you'll be eating next to nothing.

Dietary fat should not raise your triglycerides in the absence of high levels of carbohydrates. The Eades' description of this process and the reasons why is as thorough as any LC authors, I think.

It's important not to lower your calories too much or you'll end up lowering your basal metabolic rate. If we limit carbs, and only eat 100-150 grams of protein (for 400-600 calories worth), you can see that the only way to keep up your calorie intake is by eating fat.

Olive oil, fish fats, cold pressed flax oil & nut oils are great. But butter (especially if you buy organic butter from free ranged cows) is also good. No data exists to show that butter (or any animal fat) worsens blood lipid readings in the absence of refined carbs.

Eating about 100 grams per day of fat, I have my triglycerides to just under 70.

Unfortunately, doctors only get about three hours of nutritional education; nurses don't get much more, and it's rather 1970's stuff. Read "The Soft Science of Dietary Fat" by G. Taubes (it's on this site) to read how the misunderstandings about dietary fat came to be.

I know it seems odd to say "Trust us" rather than your doctor on this...but we're all quoting MDs and better scientific studies than your MD is relying on. An afternoon spent browing our research forum will help convince you, I think.