Discussion Board

Numbers one year ago.
Total cholesterol 128
LDL 72
HDL 35
Tri 60

New numbers
Total cholesterol 148
LDL 72
HDL 57
Tri 60

So what did I do different. First I cut out all white flour. I ate way too much. I would eat humus at the restaurant with white bread, Subway vegi subs, pasta etc. So after three weeks I lost four pounds which I did not need to loose. So that tells you how much processed flour I was eating.
So now I eat at least one avocado and day and a few ounces of nuts also. The weight is slowly starting to come back. So here is the question. Am I better off with slightly higher cholesterol with much higher HDL and next to no white flour or really low cholesterol but eating the flour?
I know there can be other substitutes but I have not found them yet. I need the high fat avocados and nuts to hopefully keep my weight on. These are both whole foods and even though they are high fat I think I’m better of now than before. Any comments?

Well I would eat wholemeal bread instead of white, wholemeal pasta instead of white pasta etc. It's important to eat wholefoods because they carry more minerals, vitamins and fibre than the refined variety. Go easy on the nuts and advocado, they are very high in fat.

Remember the fat you eat will be the fat you wear. Also you don't want your cholesterol to rise above 150 or you will be risking heart disease.

Its is far better to get your calories from starch rather than fat. All Dr McDougall's recommendations are for a starch based diet (whole foods), with less than 10% of calories from fat. Only this will keep you as disease free at possible.

Sue

Based on what McD has written, don't concentrate on the LDL or HDL numbers, as peasouper mentioned, shoot for a target of 150 TC. He does cite a few levels in his September 2002 Newsletter.

Congratulations, GC!!!

Since both of your TC levels are in the excellent/safe range (<150), I think you should not worry about it! Be happy!

What is your BMI?

See
http://www.crsociety.org/

I totally agree with Sue. If...no when...I get to my goal weight, I will eat more whole grain breads, etc. rather than up the avocado/nuts to keep from losing.

I even think a small amount of sugar...I said small...is better than a lot of fat.

I talk from experience. I was never as healthy as when I followed a very low fat/Pritikin type diet in the 80's. I went off it for many years, and now I'm suffering the consequences.

Just a short follow up. I have replaced most white bread and pasta with whole wheat. However I still have lost weight. I think I’m eating less whole wheat than white because I’m willing not to eat unless it’s whole wheat. That tells you how much white products I was eating.
So even though whole wheat is considered calorie dense it’s still not enough calories. Hence the need for avocados and nuts.
Bmi is 21. My body does not look to thin. I have been doing a fair amount of push ups, chin ups etc. However, at my age and with my farcical structural I start to look bad at my current weight.
Also, I had them check LDL particle size seeing that is the latest and there are on the large size which is great if you believe it that science.

Will someone explain to me why lots of white flour products will keep cholesterol low?

Didi

I don't think white flour will keep cholesterol low. In my case I was eating a very low fat diet. Now that I gave up white flour I have been eating more fat which is why my cholesterol is up.

You can't focus on just a particular number. While certain items tend to be reflected in jumps on the bloodwork panel it is much more complicated. Eating a highly processed item is bad on MANY levels, not just a cholesterol fragment. White bread, for example, is ruinous to health on dozens of levels and to replace it with something healthier is a multiple win, not singular. Jeff Novick always cautions about the focus on individual nutrients. Focus on the diet as a whole and the rest falls into place.
f1jim

I agree. So even though my cholesterol came up I think I'm better off adding whole foods like avocados and raw nuts rather than white flour even though it adds fat to my diet.