Chrisv's tri tune-up

[chrisv]

Hi, About 4 years ago my dr wanted me to take niacin for cholesterol over 200 . That's how I got here. McD lifestyle has worked wonders, my cholesterol has not been above 200. I measure my lipid levels with a finger-stick Cardiochek. Over the holiday season there was a lot going on, and when I measured at the end of december my triglycerides were over 400, yikes--that was a wake-up call like the niacin.

At the end of Jan I started reading everything I could find about lowering tri, and my goal is to get them below 100 for at least a month. I had already found that if I follow MWL my numbers get better right away. So one thing I have been doing is to limit both fruit and flour products. I have been doing this for ab out two weeks so far and here are the resutls (I update on fridays, usually)

total cholesterol and triglycerides:
12/29 176 419
02/04 144 119

Over the holidays I ate at quite a few restuarants, which had some vegan selection, but restuarant food is terrible. I also had some wine which is bad for triglycerides. Also had more sweet stuff than usual, still over 400 is high.

Chrisv

[chrisv]

Hi, so it is friday and here are my results:

12/29 176 419
02/04 144 119
02/11 132 150

Not much for reducing triglycerides, but on the plus side the lowest my cholesterol has been is 131, and my HDL was near the highest it has ever been. It was 40, not very high.

I have been reading the http://www.happyhealthylonglife blog, it has given me a lot of ideas on improving lifestyle. I made the red lentil soup with apple celery salsa last night. Everyone liked that.

This weekend I need to find a plan for navigating through a family celebration and a v-day dinner. So this week will be more challenging than the last two. A lifestyle has to work for actual life.

Chrisv

[ron_dem]

Good on ya, Chrisv. Looks like you taking the proper steps to a healthy life. The fist step is recognizing the dangers and finding out how to over come them. Cheers

[chrisv]

Hi, we went skiing yesterday, so I am checkin in on a saturday instead.

Thanks for stopping by Ron_dem, I read some of your journal, sounds like you are doing well.

I knew this would be a tough week, but a lot more things than I expected came up, and I had three restuarant meals and ate some things at home I usually avoid (like no-cheese pizza.) Last night we ate out due to being very tired and hungry from the skiing. I had planned ahead enough to bring a lunch, next time I will put something in the crockpot for dinner before leaving as well.

results so far:
chol tri
12/29 176 419
02/04 144 119
02/11 132 150
02/19 137 190

My triglycerides are climbing. The number does change depending on what I am eating. For the next week I should be able to keep on track.

chrisv

[chrisv]

Hi, This week I didn't have and tricky eating-out occasions. There are two places near here that we can eat with no problems. I wish more resuarants would serve a few healthy options. I didn't get much exercise and had some olives (bought for xmas) and nuts this week.

12/29--- 176 419
02/04--- 144 119
02/11--- 132 150
02/19--- 137 190
02/25--- 132 157

At least the tri are headed down again. I think another good week will get them below 150.

chrisv

[chrisv]

Hi, no progress this week, but my tc is staying low...I must get more exercise.

12/29--- 176 419
02/04--- 144 119
02/11--- 132 150
02/19--- 137 190
02/25--- 132 157
03/04--- 128 164

chrisv

[chrisv]

Hi, last friday I did a long exercise session and measured my tri a few hours later it was 90 . That was very motivating. I tried it again later in the week and my tri was 200. I measured soon after exercising so I guess it makes sense it is high when burning fat.

So this week:

12/29--- 176 419
02/04--- 144 119
02/11--- 132 150
02/19--- 137 190
02/25--- 132 157
03/04--- 128 164
03/11--- 122 139

Headed in the right direction and 139 is below the official guideline of 150.

chrisv

[carbmama]

chrisV,

Impressive numbers with cholesterol!

Is it fruit that is raising your Tri?

Are you on MWL and losing weight?

Are you taking Omega 3?

I heard that Tri can go up if you eat too many carbs....but we are eating carbs! I am concerned about this as well and posted it on another forum.

[chrisv]

Hi carbmama, I already replied to your post in Heath Issues, but to answer your other questions:

When I started my total cholesterol (TC) was a little over 200, and I was about 20 lbs heavier. On the regular plan my TC and weight dropped gradually, also my LDL. Now my weight is stable, and if it starts to go up I watch my diet carefully.

My tri was very high after the holidays, I ate out more than usual, made some black bean brownies, which have flour and sugar but kept me from eating other things. I did eat more fruit then too.

So I think fruit, bread and sugars raise my triglycerides but it is hard to be sure. I don't completely do MWL, but I limit bread and flour products and keep fruit usually to 1 serving a day.

Carbs do raise it, but it seems like vegetables, potatoes and sweet potatoes do not.

I eat some nuts, including walnuts, flax seed and I just started taking a DHA suppliment. I think the omega-3's are helpful.

Also exercise helps. Chrisv

[carbmama]

Thanks a lot chrisv. You have been fantastic....taking time to respond.

[chrisv]

It's friday, I really exercised a lot this week. I have to push myself to do an intense rather than relaxed workout. Too much higher fat food, (like full fat soy milk), actually the exercise made me hungry. I am careful to keep my weight stable, that is keep it from going up of course.

So, second week in a row below 150

TC 118 -----Tri 135

chrisv

[chrisv]

I hit new lows this week -- TC 109 and Tri 89.

Last night we went out to a mexican restuarant. This one has a menu option w/o cheese. I always take some homemade no oil chips in a pocket or purse and enjoy the salsa dip. Last night I took rye crisps. I ordered a veggie burrito and only ate some of the flour tortillia. It has beans, rice and roasted veggies (with oil).

I seem to be succeeding, but I wonder what I am doing that works best Here is a list, ordered by my best guess.
1) Limiting fruit and items with sugar, items with flour.
2) Exercising longer/harder a few times a week.
3) Omega 3s, ground flax seed, walnuts, algal DHA.
4) Keeping my weight strictly below a set value, I had gained some over the hoidays when my triglycerides went up.
5) Limiting caffeine, I have gone from coffee a few years ago, to green tea, to decaf green tea and herbal teas. I don't know that this is related to triglycerides, but I recently went to decaf/herbal.

Third week below 150

[chrisv]

This has been a strange week due to spring break. I haven't been to the gym. I did go skiing yesterday, but due to a slide closing the pass, spent most of the day sitting in the car, and 2 hours skiing. And eating out instead of the lunch I packed.

So I am very happy with TC = 130 and Tri = 128, up from last week but still in the zone. I need to get stick with my plan for the next week or I expect the numbers will keep rising. Chrisv

[chrisv]

Last friday I was out of town, and measured on Thur, numbers were up, TC & TRI were 163 and 169. Funny mostly they rise and fall together.

Today they were better, 137 and 121. It has been a busy and stressful few weeks, so nice to know they didn't jump up on stress.

I have stuck with keeping my wt steady, and limiting fruit and bread. Exercise has fallen off, I need to get back to more exercise. Other than that I haven't put much time into thinking about food choices.
I have been drinking some white tea, caffeine is less than green tea. Caffeine sneaks back into my life, while exercise tries to sneak out.

[chrisv]

Last friday I was out of test strips, today my cholesterol and tri were both above 150; Chol 172 and Tri 178.

We had a lot of things I don't normally eat as an Easter Feast, dinner rolls and sparkling cider to name a few. I still haven't been exercising enough. I also had a few cookies this week, so the numbers are not suprising. I guess have had a higher fat diet = higher cholesterol and higher fruit, sugar, flour = higher tri.

I will watch these for the next week, and see if they both fall.

Chrisv