What are some suggestions to get the cholesterol down? Dr said multigrain
breads, pasta, low fat mayonnaise (ewwww - but she said Hellman's is good)
high levels of omega's, cut out the drinking (who knew drinking alcohol
contributes to high cholesterol?), a few nuts everyday.
I have 3 months to get this down before my follow up and then it will
probably be drugs to control it.
Oatmeal and bran muffins sometimes help.
Don't keep us in suspense. What is your total cholesterol and LDL?
If the doctor prescribes drugs, I would say just take them. You'll have
to have regular lab tests to make sure the drugs aren't hurting you, but
the doctor won't prescribe drugs unless they are deemed more helpful
than potentially harmful. I've been taking them a long time, and there
are no apparent side effects.
--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA
da...@sonic.net
> Don't keep us in suspense. What is your total cholesterol and LDL?
>
Total 271
LDL 190
> If the doctor prescribes drugs, I would say just take them. You'll have
> to have regular lab tests to make sure the drugs aren't hurting you, but
> the doctor won't prescribe drugs unless they are deemed more helpful
> than potentially harmful. I've been taking them a long time, and there
> are no apparent side effects.
>
In three months the Dr will decide if I need to go the drug route. More
ammo for me to stay with the treadmill program I'm on, and now I want to
find out about how to eat right and still have it taste good. Food is one
of my vices.
Cheryl,
One approach is to eat foods that raise your HDL or "good" cholesterol.
Beans of any kind will do this. (And having lentil soup or 15-bean soup with
a sprinkle of cheddar did not affect my cholesterol in a bad way--it was
like the beans canceled out the cheese!) Snacking on raw red and green
peppers and cucumbers with Ranch dip made with low fat sour cream, instead
of other snacks, lowered my cholesterol because the water and fiber filled
me up and there was no room for things like CHEESE, which I also love.
Oatmeal in any form lowers cholesterol, it really does. A couple of
tablespoons of apple cider vinegar taken in a full glass of water daily
lowers LDL, and fresh garlic raises HDL. I eat the hell out of eggs and
always have. (There's stuff in the yolk that actually lowers cholesterol.
Lecithin, Vitamin E, other stuff. It's been a while since I looked at the
nutrition info.)
A very nice way to get cheesy flavor without eating hunks of cheese:
shredded cheddar on a salad. I like to eat salads as snacks when I get
cravings, with ranch and shredded cheddar, some diced tomatoes, maybe some
kidney beans. Cheese is my big weakness, to the point that I don't generally
buy it in any form but shredded.
I think it helps to add foods you LOVE from the good categories--I LOVE
watermelon, red peppers, beany stuff--and to think of it that way, rather
than approach this change as depriving yourself. What happens is, if you are
full of good stuff there is less room for the bad stuff. Wheat chex are a
nice, high-fiber snack. I like them dipped in that same low fat ranch dip.
Good luck. As I mentioned, there are some things you can do, but a lot of it
is hereditary.
Mine too. You can have fun finding things in the good food groups that you
like. Try a 16-0z container Daisy Light sour cream (it's much better than
Breakstones, less crap in it) with half a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dip
mix. (You are supposed to use a whole packet but I like it at half strength,
less salt and such.) I think you could dip cat turds in this stuff and they
would be delish. :)
A low-fat, low-cholesterol diet is certainly one avenue to lowering your
cholesterol. As some have suggested, higher fiber in your diet will also
help. Probably obvious is reducing or eliminating the cheese in your diet,
like it or not. It is a huge source of fat and cholersterol.
Most of the cholesterol in your body is actually manufactured by your body,
and while lowering your intake will no doubt help, you may still need
medication to get it down to healthy levels. My total cholesterol and LDL
was nearly as high as yours at one time. I was put on 1 medication and my
current numbers are 145 total cholersterol and 72 LDL. The only remaining
problem I have is high triglycerides which is currently 245. I was taking
a specific medication for that which was totally ineffective. More
recently I was put on Niacin, and that seems to be bringing it down. A
month before starting the Niacin my number was 269.
It's nice if you can do it without meds, but most people can't get really
good numbers without it.
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Friday, 10(X)/03(III)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 3dys 1hrs 56mins
*******************************************
This Charlie Brown must have been a
very wise man.
Eve
> On Fri 03 Oct 2008 09:46:44p, Cheryl told us...
>
> > "Dan Abel" <da...@sonic.net> wrote in message
> > news:dabel-793C51....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au...
> >
> >> Don't keep us in suspense. What is your total cholesterol and LDL?
> >>
> > Total 271
> > LDL 190
> > In three months the Dr will decide if I need to go the drug route. More
> > ammo for me to stay with the treadmill program I'm on, and now I want to
> > find out about how to eat right and still have it taste good. Food is
> > one of my vices.
>
> A low-fat, low-cholesterol diet is certainly one avenue to lowering your
> cholesterol. As some have suggested, higher fiber in your diet will also
> help. Probably obvious is reducing or eliminating the cheese in your diet,
> like it or not. It is a huge source of fat and cholersterol.
> It's nice if you can do it without meds, but most people can't get really
> good numbers without it.
I don't know that it is *most* people, but still, some people just can't
get it down to really healthy levels without drugs.
My father has no problem. I watched him fry up a pound of bacon once.
I ate a couple of pieces. He ate the rest. He took *all* of the fat
left from the bacon and made gravy with it. I declined to have any,
because of my cholesterol. He ate *all* of the gravy, on toast. His
cholesterol is always fine. He is now 92. He has health issues (only
one kidney due to cancer) but cholesterol isn't one of them. He is only
on one prescription medicine (a little water pill). He has quarterly
blood tests, and visits his doctor a week later. The doctor just shakes
his head. My father has been in kidney failure for 15 years. The
doctor says it isn't important. He eats well, sleeps well and gets
around really well for someone his age with two old artificial knees.
>"Cheryl" <jlhs...@NOSPAMhotmail.com> wrote in message
>> "Dan Abel" <da...@sonic.net> wrote in message
>>> Don't keep us in suspense. What is your total cholesterol and LDL?
>> Total 271
>> LDL 190
>Cheryl, if your LDL is that high, you're going to be on a "statin" at some
>point. I would consider starting a statin drug now, and continue with
>changes in your diet. Statins have been around for awhile now. They bear
>close monitoring, though other than the rather rare skeletal muscle
>breakdown, or rhabdomylolysis, they are well tolerated.
Seems right to me but it's hard to second-guess the doctor.
A person can often trim 30 points off both numbers by diet alone,
but that might still be above goal. Good diet measures are
low total calories, low fat, high soluble fiber. I personally
think low dietary cholesterol, and almost no hydrogenated
fats or processed foods (including refined wheat) also help.
If one is not eating in restauraunts it is not absurd to
keep fat to 10 grams per day, and your blood lipids can markedly
improve as a result. There are some negative effects like
your skin becoming dry. I once got my triglycerides to drop
from 180 all the way to 80, from dietary measures. However
it is pretty difficult to sustain, unless one stays at home
and counts everything.
Steve
> I don't know that it is *most* people, but still, some people just can't
> get it down to really healthy levels without drugs.
>
> My father has no problem. I watched him fry up a pound of bacon once.
> I ate a couple of pieces. He ate the rest. He took *all* of the fat
> left from the bacon and made gravy with it. I declined to have any,
> because of my cholesterol. He ate *all* of the gravy, on toast. His
> cholesterol is always fine. He is now 92. He has health issues (only
> one kidney due to cancer) but cholesterol isn't one of them. He is only
> on one prescription medicine (a little water pill). He has quarterly
> blood tests, and visits his doctor a week later. The doctor just shakes
> his head. My father has been in kidney failure for 15 years. The
> doctor says it isn't important. He eats well, sleeps well and gets
> around really well for someone his age with two old artificial knees.
How is/was your mother's cholesterol and your cholersterol? Most people
are genetically predisposed to their cholestserol characteristics from one
parent or the other or both.
My mother's cholersterol was low-normal; my father's cholersterol was high,
as was his father's. Mine is apprently influenced by my father's.
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Friday, 10(X)/03(III)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 3dys 29mins
*******************************************
If you can't laugh at yourself, make
fun of other people. --Bobby Slayton
> On Fri 03 Oct 2008 11:10:14p, Dan Abel told us...
>
> > I don't know that it is *most* people, but still, some people just can't
> > get it down to really healthy levels without drugs.
> >
> > My father has no problem. I watched him fry up a pound of bacon once.
> > I ate a couple of pieces. He ate the rest. He took *all* of the fat
> > left from the bacon and made gravy with it. I declined to have any,
> > because of my cholesterol. He ate *all* of the gravy, on toast. His
> > cholesterol is always fine. He is now 92. He has health issues (only
> > one kidney due to cancer) but cholesterol isn't one of them. He is only
> > on one prescription medicine (a little water pill). He has quarterly
> > blood tests, and visits his doctor a week later. The doctor just shakes
> > his head. My father has been in kidney failure for 15 years. The
> > doctor says it isn't important. He eats well, sleeps well and gets
> > around really well for someone his age with two old artificial knees.
>
> How is/was your mother's cholesterol
I don't know. Either they didn't measure it back then or else she never
got old enough for it to get high. She died in her forties of kidney
failure.
> and your cholersterol?
Mine was too high until I changed my diet and went on statins, both of
which happened a long time ago. I'm a diabetic, and my doctor says my
goal is less than 200 total and less than 70 LDL. I usually but not
always am at goal.
> Most people
> are genetically predisposed to their cholestserol characteristics from one
> parent or the other or both.
I never met my grandparents on either side and know very little about
them. I do know that there was major diabetes on both sides (type II
with insulin), so I know where I got that. I've been on insulin for
several months now, and expect to be on it for the rest of my life.
>> How is/was your mother's cholesterol
>
> I don't know. Either they didn't measure it back then or else she never
> got old enough for it to get high. She died in her forties of kidney
> failure.
Chances are good that she may have been predisposed to high cholesterol
since you are.
>> and your cholersterol?
>
> Mine was too high until I changed my diet and went on statins, both of
> which happened a long time ago. I'm a diabetic, and my doctor says my
> goal is less than 200 total and less than 70 LDL. I usually but not
> always am at goal.
As was mine, and I'm also type 2 diabetic, but only on oral meds for that.
My weight is out of control again, but I'm working on it. When I was near
goal weight, I was able to control the diabetes by diet alone.
>> Most people
>> are genetically predisposed to their cholestserol characteristics from
>> one parent or the other or both.
>
> I never met my grandparents on either side and know very little about
> them. I do know that there was major diabetes on both sides (type II
> with insulin), so I know where I got that. I've been on insulin for
> several months now, and expect to be on it for the rest of my life.
It wasn't common to know the cholesterol levels of people our grandparents
ages, but I do know that my paternal grandfather died from a heart attack
caused by blocked arteries, so I conclude that it was high.
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Saturday, 10(X)/04(IV)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 2dys 23hrs 24mins
*******************************************
Cats are so marvelously true to themselves.
*******************************************
ROFL, I had a dog that used to think cat turds were delish on their own. I
used to call the litter box the tootsie roll factory. :~)
kili
Great advice, Cyber! You summed it all up really well.
My idea of snack foods would include bean tacos with whole wheat, lard-free
tortillas. A make-shift black bean layered spread with tomatoes, lettuce,
onion, low-fat sour cream, a smattering of shredded cheddar, black olives,
and avocado. Yes, avocado. Avocado has been known to raise the HDLs. All
you need to dig into this layered spread (which could be considered a meal
or a version of nachos) is a good whole grain baked chip.
We'll get you through this, Cheryl! :~)
kili
Exercise.
When my mother was told to go on a low cholesterol diet her doctor gave her
some informational sheets about what foods to limit or cut out altogether.
There are also cookbooks out there specifically geared towards this so if
there's a library handy you might peruse a few to get some ideas.
I hear ya on the low-fat cheese! If you drink milk, switch from whole to
2%, 1% or skim. (Skim - or non-fat as they're calling it these days - works
perfectly well in cooking unless you're trying to make a heavy cream sauce!)
She started using Benecol spread on toast and vegetables. These days they
make many more such spreads. She didn't mind using it because she'd been
used to Parkay margarine (ugh). We only had butter in the house when I was
a kid if it was a holiday. LOL
I agree with the multi-grain suggestion. Good luck!
Jill
Thank you, kili!
>
> My idea of snack foods would include bean tacos with whole wheat,
> lard-free tortillas. A make-shift black bean layered spread with
> tomatoes, lettuce, onion, low-fat sour cream, a smattering of shredded
> cheddar, black olives, and avocado. Yes, avocado. Avocado has been known
> to raise the HDLs. All you need to dig into this layered spread (which
> could be considered a meal or a version of nachos) is a good whole grain
> baked chip.
You're so right, I woke up thinking, "bean dip!" Even canned, fat free
refried give me that mooshy gooshy good element, all the while adding no fat
and no cholesterol. I think one of the reasons my HDL is always so high is
because I eat a lot of black beans. I love to make a thick, garlicky, tangy
side dish out of these, either from dried or canned if I am in a hurry, and
put it in a whole wheat tortilla or just eat it like a thick soup. I do add
a sprinkle of cheese, but a little goes a long way.
It's the same with vegetables, salads and even things like steamed broc. If
a smidge of shredded cheddar makes it more attractive (and it always does!)
I add it. For me, anyway, the addition of the fiber and other good things in
the whole, fresh vegetables or legumes seems to outweigh the bad of the
little bit of cheese. My last numbers were 93 LDL and 79 HDL, triglycerides
87. But, again, a lot of it is hereditary and not diet-related.
>
> We'll get you through this, Cheryl! :~)
>
Yes we will! Hopefully without medication, but the medications they are
making now are so much better than they have been in the past.
Helps, but is often not enough in and of itself.
Hi
I mentioned this free software the other day to Kajikit.
I like it a lot.
"Kelpiesoft Food File"
Hope it helps.
:-)
Most people are not aware that a diet high in carbohydrates will also
raise cholesterol levels. If you look at the nutrition labels on those
Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, etc. meals, they are very high in
carbohydrates. If you choose to make carbohydrates a major percentage of
your diet, choose whole grains. At least there is some nutrition and
fiber in them.
There have been several studies that a glass of red wine every day can
lower cholesterol, so if you need your happy hour, consider switching to
red wine. Cheap wine works just as well as expensive wine. <g>
The very best thing you can do to boost your HDLs and lower your LDLs is
to exercise.
--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
Sounds familiar. It's not easy to change your habits. Look here:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/cgi-bin/chd/step2intro.cgi
You will learn to read labels carefully.
Look at it when you have some time to read it; note the links at the
bottom of the page (after the calculations section). Follow those links.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, and here's the link to my appearance
on "A Prairie Home Companion," <http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
programs/2008/08/30/>
Hi Cheryl,
You might want to look into alt.support.diabetes. I had extremely high
cholesterol and triglycerides, and I was constantly looking for "low fat"
without considering the carbs. My idea of "cooking" was to put a Lean
Cuisine in the microwave. I live alone, and it was much easier -- and even
cheaper -- to simply pick up some drive-through or frozen food entree. I
thought I was doing some "healthy" things by placing emphasis on Lean
Cuisine, Healthy Choice and Weight Watchers frozen food (just as you
described). I ate lots of baked potatoes and would use low-fat sour cream.
I also drank lots of orange juice.
Then I developed diabetes. That was a wake-up call for me, and I completely
changed my diet. I discovered that the diet recommended by the American
Diabetes Association did not help my BG (blood glucose) level at all, and I
was taking Metformin for the diabetes. The answer came from friends with
diabetes and from reading the NG I mentioned. The answer for me was carbs!
I started out on South Beach *plus* I modified it so that I no longer eat
*any* flour, pasta, rice, potatoes or refined sugar. It's not a true low
carb diet because I eat lots of fresh veggies and fruit, but it is much
lower-carb than previously. More important, it's what SB calls "good
carbs."
Now, how does this relate to your question? This diet has controlled my SG
*without medication* (no medication since March 2005, and my glucose levels
are usually less than 100), and *my cholesterol and triglyceride levels*
fell dramatically. Traditional low-fat diets had never done that, although
(unlike many on the diabetes group) I still place emphasis on looking for
low-fat alternatives; the difference is that I now combine it with
eliminating those carbs I mentioned. LDL fell and HDL rose very quickly,
and those were benefits that I had not even expected since I was only
looking at blood glucose levels originally.
I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, but you might want to look into carbs (the
"bad carbs" variety) as a possibility. Incidentally, I am never hungry. If
I am hungry, I eat -- but I eat different food than in the past. I
emphasize fresh food and *never* buy frozen meals. I eat fresh or frozen
veggies but not canned. I eat eggs, lots of nuts, some cheese. Unlike many
diabetics (but this is not your problem anyway), I have oatmeal for
breakfast almost every morning -- but it's important to always use
old-fashioned or steel cut oatmeal and never "quick" or "instant" oatmeal.
I usually throw a handful of fresh berries (especially blueberries) and a
few broken-up walnuts on the oatmeal, and I use skim milk (something the
true low-carbers would frown on because there are more carbs in skim milk
than regular milk -- but, as I said, I do also watch fat and not just
carbs). I look for low-fat meat on most occasions and put more emphasis on
chicken (skin removed) than on red meat. I also frequently have days where
I don't eat any meat or poultry at all. Fish would probably be good for
you, but I am allergic to it -- or, more likely, "intolerant" because I
become violently ill every time I try to eat any type of fish. Oddly, I can
eat shellfish.
MaryL
I just posted a report on how my diet for diabetes also had the effect of
dramatically reducing LDL and tryglercides while increasing HDL. Everything
cybercat has written here also applies to the type of food I eat. I eat
lots of black bean soup or lentil soup. Despite the carbs, beans are an
excellent selection! They are not quickly converted into sugar, as are
refined products.
MaryL
Jill
Ditto what Dan said. Statins can really help if you get the right one
for you.
gloria p
Bummer!
IMHO there are several steps you can take. Remember I ain't no medical
person
1. Stop the frozen food lunches. If at all possible start taking your
lunch. be sure to include a piece of fruit - you know an apple a day. A
salad with fat free dressing or lemon juice & salt There plenty of
sandwiches you can make. Any or all processed foods are really not too good
for you no matter what they say.
2. Do not cut out all fats - your body will make cholesterol and you
need a certain amount in your diet.
3. Use only olive oil in your cooking it does not have to be EVOO. just
OO is ok for sautéing. Make your own salad dressing with EVOO.
4. Most/some will not agree with this but I believe real butter in
moderation is better than ANY margarine you can buy.
5. Yes Oatmeal works and is very good for you as are any whole grains
and whole grain products. Remember Cheerio's are oats too. :-)
6. Keep an eye on the dairy product you are using as far as quantity is
concerned.
7. Being medicated is not the worst thing that can happen.
Here are a few points I follow:
A. I eat only butter, EVOO & real Mayo.
B. I am medicated with a statin
C. I eat a ton of red meat and generally have what would be considered a
high fat diet.
Here are my most recent numbers
Triglycerides 131
Cholesterol 142
HDL 38
LDL 77
VLDL 26
Cholesterol /HDL 3.7
I am not saying that what I do will work for everyone but when I went on a
modified Atkins my overall came down by 20 points. I truly believe there is
a lot of genetics involved.
Dimitri
> Hi all. Just found out my cholesterol is high with high high LDLs. I don't
> eat a really high fat diet, and very little meat and my lunches are always
> Lean Cuisine, Healthy Choice or Weight Watchers. I never have time to binge
> from the vending machines, and I only drink water. What kills the good I do
> at lunchtime is what I eat at home. I love cheese. I tend to cook with it
> whenever possible. I don't like the low fat cheese substitutes and not a
> fan of the naturally occurring low fat cheeses.
>
> What are some suggestions to get the cholesterol down? Dr said multigrain
> breads, pasta, low fat mayonnaise (ewwww - but she said Hellman's is good)
> high levels of omega's, cut out the drinking (who knew drinking alcohol
> contributes to high cholesterol?), a few nuts everyday.
>
> I have 3 months to get this down before my follow up and then it will
> probably be drugs to control it.
What made a major difference for me before I started low carbing was Oat
Bran. Oat Bran made as a hot cereal like Cream of Wheat is wonderful.
I used to mix it with some plain fat free yogurt that we made at home
with skim milk.
I'm considering going back to using it for breakfast. My total
cholesterol fluctuates a lot, but triglycerides stay well below 100
mg/dl and LDL stays in normal range.
Don't underestimate the value of regular aerobic exercise.
Fish and/or flax seed oil supplementation is supposed to be good too.
--
Peace! Om
"He who has the gold makes the rules"
--Om
"He who has the guns can get the gold."
-- Steve Rothstein
>
> I just posted a report on how my diet for diabetes also had the effect
> of dramatically reducing LDL and tryglercides while increasing HDL.
> Everything cybercat has written here also applies to the type of food I
> eat. I eat lots of black bean soup or lentil soup. Despite the carbs,
> beans are an excellent selection! They are not quickly converted into
> sugar, as are refined products.
>
> MaryL
I rec'd my recent lab results for a physical and am happy to report
Cholesterol-196 (low risk, but wouldn't mind it a bit lower even)
Triglicerides- 130 (normal)
HDL-63 (low risk)
LDL-107 (Near or above Optimal)
I can thank my parents for the genes and the "Mediterranean"
diet/lifestyle.
I am still pretty shocked about the general health of the people I cared
for down after the Hurricanes. Far too much diabetes and hypertension,
far too many on antidepressants and morbidly obese. (Did I mention that
having teeth seem to be a too short period of life?) I observed far too
many young people smoking (especially discouraging when around their
babies and young children who also suffer from it) yet I truly don't
know if they realize the vicious circle all these factors play into
their general "un-health" ??
Good Job.
Those are good numbers -
Dimitri
>> I rec'd my recent lab results for a physical and am happy to report
>> Cholesterol-196 (low risk, but wouldn't mind it a bit lower even)
>> Triglicerides- 130 (normal)
>> HDL-63 (low risk)
>> LDL-107 (Near or above Optimal)
>>
>> I can thank my parents for the genes and the "Mediterranean"
>> diet/lifestyle.
>>
>> I am still pretty shocked about the general health of the people I
>> cared for down after the Hurricanes. Far too much diabetes and
>> hypertension, far too many on antidepressants and morbidly obese. (Did
>> I mention that having teeth seem to be a too short period of life?) I
>> observed far too many young people smoking (especially discouraging
>> when around their babies and young children who also suffer from it)
>> yet I truly don't know if they realize the vicious circle all these
>> factors play into their general "un-health" ??
>
> Good Job.
>
> Those are good numbers -
>
> Dimitri
I can't really take credit for it. Good genes mostly. I eat tons of
cheese, use real butter, lots of olive oil (weaned on the stuff, I
swear!) and eat everything and anything but in moderation. I always
strive for good food over fast or cheap foods. I do like my red wine
now and then. And I've never smoked a day in my life. I like looking
healthy, although of course I could stand to lose some poundage.
> On Sat 04 Oct 2008 12:23:40a, Dan Abel told us...
>
> >> How is/was your mother's cholesterol
> >
> > I don't know. Either they didn't measure it back then or else she never
> > got old enough for it to get high. She died in her forties of kidney
> > failure.
>
> Chances are good that she may have been predisposed to high cholesterol
> since you are.
>
> >> and your cholersterol?
> >
> > Mine was too high until I changed my diet and went on statins, both of
> > which happened a long time ago. I'm a diabetic, and my doctor says my
> > goal is less than 200 total and less than 70 LDL. I usually but not
> > always am at goal.
>
> As was mine, and I'm also type 2 diabetic, but only on oral meds for that.
> My weight is out of control again, but I'm working on it. When I was near
> goal weight, I was able to control the diabetes by diet alone.
Good news! I just got my lab results back. The diabetes looks good,
although my BG is too low and I need to get my insulin adjusted (I've
lost weight). My cholesterol is:
Total 136
Triglyc 67
HDL 53
LDL 70
> Good news! I just got my lab results back. The diabetes looks good,
> although my BG is too low and I need to get my insulin adjusted (I've
> lost weight). My cholesterol is:
>
> Total 136
> Triglyc 67
> HDL 53
> LDL 70
Hey! That's great. Nice to hear good news like that.
nancy
I forgot to mention this. Current research shows that people who eat lots of
fresh, whole foods have less cancer etc., so I rarely eat processed foods
anymore. (I do splurge on total crap like hot dogs every now and then, but
for the most part ...) I don't think they know WHY the whole foods are worth
more than the sum of their parts--say, supplements carrying the same
nutrients--they just know they are. Since I have dumped most processed
foods, all my numbers are better.
> 3. Use only olive oil in your cooking it does not have to be EVOO. just
> OO is ok for sautéing. Make your own salad dressing with EVOO.
I also forgot the above. I use only olive oil for cooking, except I love
Country Crock for scrambled eggs and toast.
That's what my Dr said, too. She did give me a list of foods that could
help.
> Beans of any kind will do this. (And having lentil soup or 15-bean soup
> with a sprinkle of cheddar did not affect my cholesterol in a bad way--it
> was like the beans canceled out the cheese!) Snacking on raw red and green
> peppers and cucumbers with Ranch dip made with low fat sour cream, instead
> of other snacks, lowered my cholesterol because the water and fiber filled
> me up and there was no room for things like CHEESE, which I also love.
Problem is that I'm a pretty picky eater and don't like beans or peppers,
mushrooms and many other things.
> Oatmeal in any form lowers cholesterol, it really does. A couple of
> tablespoons of apple cider vinegar taken in a full glass of water daily
> lowers LDL, and fresh garlic raises HDL. I eat the hell out of eggs and
> always have. (There's stuff in the yolk that actually lowers cholesterol.
> Lecithin, Vitamin E, other stuff. It's been a while since I looked at the
> nutrition info.)
I got a big box of Cheerios and will start eating some daily. Just plain.
I like those.
>
> A very nice way to get cheesy flavor without eating hunks of cheese:
> shredded cheddar on a salad. I like to eat salads as snacks when I get
> cravings, with ranch and shredded cheddar, some diced tomatoes, maybe some
> kidney beans. Cheese is my big weakness, to the point that I don't
> generally buy it in any form but shredded.
Great tip about the moderation and using cheese on salad. That I can do.
>
> I think it helps to add foods you LOVE from the good categories--I LOVE
> watermelon, red peppers, beany stuff--and to think of it that way, rather
> than approach this change as depriving yourself. What happens is, if you
> are full of good stuff there is less room for the bad stuff. Wheat chex
> are a nice, high-fiber snack. I like them dipped in that same low fat
> ranch dip.
>
> Good luck. As I mentioned, there are some things you can do, but a lot of
> it is hereditary.
>
Yep, plenty of high cholesterol in my family history.
Thanks for the ideas.
Cheryl
LOL! Thanks for the support Kili! :)
That is a common consensus. My Dr said the same. I have a treadmill and
I'm good about using it. I'm going to up the usage, though. Thanks!
Thanks for the info, Mary. I will have to watch the carbs, too. Diabetes
is also in my family but so far my BG is good.
> What made a major difference for me before I started low carbing was Oat
> Bran. Oat Bran made as a hot cereal like Cream of Wheat is wonderful.
> I used to mix it with some plain fat free yogurt that we made at home
> with skim milk.
>
> I'm considering going back to using it for breakfast. My total
> cholesterol fluctuates a lot, but triglycerides stay well below 100
> mg/dl and LDL stays in normal range.
>
> Don't underestimate the value of regular aerobic exercise.
>
> Fish and/or flax seed oil supplementation is supposed to be good too.
Fish oil and flax seed oil are both in the cabinet. I will add those daily,
too. Also suggested by my Dr. Got the exercise thing covered. I have more
incentive to keep up with the treadmill now. :)
I'm glad you were able to bring your numbers down. I'll talk with the Dr
about the use of medication because from the way you guys sound, it will be
difficult to get this improved in 3 months. I honestly had no idea. Very
scary.
Thanks Sandi!
> Good news! I just got my lab results back. The diabetes looks good,
> although my BG is too low and I need to get my insulin adjusted (I've
> lost weight). My cholesterol is:
>
> Total 136
> Triglyc 67
> HDL 53
> LDL 70
>
Great numbers, Dan!
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Saturday, 10(X)/04(IV)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 2dys 8hrs 5mins
*******************************************
Live as you will have wished to have
lived when you are dying.
>>Cheryl, if your LDL is that high, you're going to be on a "statin" at some
>>point. I would consider starting a statin drug now, and continue with
>>changes in your diet. Statins have been around for awhile now. They bear
>>close monitoring, though other than the rather rare skeletal muscle
>>breakdown, or rhabdomylolysis, they are well tolerated.
>
> Seems right to me but it's hard to second-guess the doctor.
>
> A person can often trim 30 points off both numbers by diet alone,
> but that might still be above goal. Good diet measures are
> low total calories, low fat, high soluble fiber. I personally
> think low dietary cholesterol, and almost no hydrogenated
> fats or processed foods (including refined wheat) also help.
>
> If one is not eating in restauraunts it is not absurd to
> keep fat to 10 grams per day, and your blood lipids can markedly
> improve as a result. There are some negative effects like
> your skin becoming dry. I once got my triglycerides to drop
> from 180 all the way to 80, from dietary measures. However
> it is pretty difficult to sustain, unless one stays at home
> and counts everything.
Both of your comments about medication are very much appreciated, and make
sense. Thank you.
I always pack a lunch for work, but your comments about the frozen processed
stuff is duely noted.
>
> 2. Do not cut out all fats - your body will make cholesterol and you
> need a certain amount in your diet.
>
> 3. Use only olive oil in your cooking it does not have to be EVOO. just
> OO is ok for sautéing. Make your own salad dressing with EVOO.
>
> 4. Most/some will not agree with this but I believe real butter in
> moderation is better than ANY margarine you can buy.
>
> 5. Yes Oatmeal works and is very good for you as are any whole grains
> and whole grain products. Remember Cheerio's are oats too. :-)
>
> 6. Keep an eye on the dairy product you are using as far as quantity is
> concerned.
>
I only use half and half in my coffee, but I only drink one travel sized mug
a day so that shouldn't be too bad, I'd think. I will miss the cheeses but
I gotta do it.
> 7. Being medicated is not the worst thing that can happen.
>
> Here are a few points I follow:
>
> A. I eat only butter, EVOO & real Mayo.
> B. I am medicated with a statin
> C. I eat a ton of red meat and generally have what would be considered
> a high fat diet.
>
> Here are my most recent numbers
>
> Triglycerides 131
> Cholesterol 142
> HDL 38
> LDL 77
> VLDL 26
> Cholesterol /HDL 3.7
>
> I am not saying that what I do will work for everyone but when I went on a
> modified Atkins my overall came down by 20 points. I truly believe there
> is a lot of genetics involved.
>
You're doing great! Isn't it a wakeup call to get such high results? It is
for me.
Cheryl
> I'm glad you were able to bring your numbers down. I'll talk with the
> Dr about the use of medication because from the way you guys sound, it
> will be difficult to get this improved in 3 months. I honestly had no
> idea. Very scary.
Cheryl, most docs like to see first if diet alone will do it. Occasionally
it does, but the effort in order to control it only by diet is terribly
stringent. Most end up giving their patients medication, which is
generally very effective and easily tolerated. Don't let it scare you. I
don't know your age, but most of the people I know over fifty are taking
some type of cholesterol lowering medication, usually one in the statins
family. It's amazing how well they work. If your put on medication, you
will probably have chem-7 and lipids panel blood tests on 3-6 months
intervals to determine the cholesterol level and insure that the medication
is not adversely affecting other organs.
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Saturday, 10(X)/04(IV)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 2dys 7hrs 58mins
*******************************************
Useless Invention: Kickstand for a tank.
*******************************************
Thanks! Bookmarked and I'll read it when I have some more time.
>I always pack a lunch for work, but your comments about the frozen processed
>stuff is duely noted.
One of the best pieces of advice is to shop the perimeter of the
grocery stores. That is where the fresh stuff usually is.
I also like the advice of Michael Pollan: Eat food, not too much,
mostly plants. Also, to elaborate further, to eat food your great
grandparents would recognize as food. Skip the processed stuff.
Christine
> Good news! I just got my lab results back. The diabetes looks good,
> although my BG is too low and I need to get my insulin adjusted (I've
> lost weight). My cholesterol is:
>
> Total 136
> Triglyc 67
> HDL 53
> LDL 70
You win. ;-)
What's your HA1c?
(Glycosylated Hemoglobin)
> That's what my Dr said, too. She did give me a list of foods that could
> help.
>
> > Beans of any kind will do this. (And having lentil soup or 15-bean soup
> > with a sprinkle of cheddar did not affect my cholesterol in a bad way--it
> > was like the beans canceled out the cheese!) Snacking on raw red and green
> > peppers and cucumbers with Ranch dip made with low fat sour cream, instead
> > of other snacks, lowered my cholesterol because the water and fiber filled
> > me up and there was no room for things like CHEESE, which I also lov
One often missed is Shrimp.
Long story but nobody ever seems to believe me, even tho' I've proven it
to myself on multiple occasions.
There are advantages to being a lab tech. I can run those levels pretty
much any time I want... I work the Chemistry bench at night.
Here is the story.
I ran HDL one day and it was 110. Mine normally runs up around 60mg/dl
or so. I thought I'd made a mistake since, back then, we were doing
serum extractions to run them. I totally re-did it from scratch and it
came out the same.
110 is WAY above normal range for our methods then, and even now...
I thought about our current diet at the time. Randal's grocery store
had gone out of business and had a close-out sale on everything in the
store. They had some 5lb. bricks of shrimp on sale dirt cheap.
Mom and I had (and I still have) a serious passion for shrimp so we'd
been literally pigging out on it for several days. ;-d It was the only
thing I could think of.
Over the next couple of weeks, my HDL returned to baseline but I've
since run it after eating shrimp every day for 3 or 4 days when it was
on sale, and every single time I've done it, it's gone up. Not to 100,
but at least 70 to 85...
I'd love it if someone else ever tried this and checked if it's just me,
or a weird anomaly.
See, the funny thing about Shrimp is is that even tho' it's almost fat
free, it's high in Cholesterol! Most high cholesterol foods are also
high in fat. I'm wondering if that Cholesterol is HDL...
Due to my current back issues, I swim.
Few people understand that one really can work up a sweat in a swimming
pool. :-) It's an aerobic exercise that I actually enjoy too!
I'm lucky here. Our city built a "city activity center" that includes
conference rooms, a swimming pool, (6 lane indoor lap pool) a weight
room (machines only), two basketball courts, child care room, aerobic
and spin room and 3 raquetball courts. They also have elipticals and a
"walkers gallery" that is 1/8th of a mile. Kinda neat to be able to
walk indoors on carpet and in air conditioning. <g>
Access to this facility for in city residents is $80.00 per YEAR. Out
of towners is $160.00 per year.
Classes are separate, but I'm not taking any. I just swim. They have a
9am water aerobics class M/W/F am tho', but I've not checked the cost.
I'm just glad to see my local taxes going for something useful for once.
:-)
> In article
> <dabel-5F2E68....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
>
>> Good news! I just got my lab results back. The diabetes looks good,
>> although my BG is too low and I need to get my insulin adjusted (I've
>> lost weight). My cholesterol is:
>>
>> Total 136
>> Triglyc 67
>> HDL 53
>> LDL 70
>
> You win. ;-)
>
> What's your HA1c?
>
> (Glycosylated Hemoglobin)
Don't know about Dan's, but mine is 5.6, safe enough.
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Saturday, 10(X)/04(IV)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 2dys 5hrs 30mins
*******************************************
The boundary of world peace is in the
heart of each human being.
> On Sat 04 Oct 2008 06:09:28p, Omelet told us...
>
> > In article
> > <dabel-5F2E68....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> > Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Good news! I just got my lab results back. The diabetes looks good,
> >> although my BG is too low and I need to get my insulin adjusted (I've
> >> lost weight). My cholesterol is:
> >>
> >> Total 136
> >> Triglyc 67
> >> HDL 53
> >> LDL 70
> >
> > You win. ;-)
> >
> > What's your HA1c?
> >
> > (Glycosylated Hemoglobin)
>
> Don't know about Dan's, but mine is 5.6, safe enough.
Mine has been running 5.5 to 5.6 I'm happy to say.
> In article <Xns9B2DBC6EBC002wa...@69.16.185.250>,
> Wayne Boatwright <waynebo...@geemail.com> wrote:
>
>> On Sat 04 Oct 2008 06:09:28p, Omelet told us...
>>
>> > In article
>> > <dabel-5F2E68....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
>> > Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
>> >
>> >> Good news! I just got my lab results back. The diabetes looks good,
>> >> although my BG is too low and I need to get my insulin adjusted (I've
>> >> lost weight). My cholesterol is:
>> >>
>> >> Total 136
>> >> Triglyc 67
>> >> HDL 53
>> >> LDL 70
>> >
>> > You win. ;-)
>> >
>> > What's your HA1c?
>> >
>> > (Glycosylated Hemoglobin)
>>
>> Don't know about Dan's, but mine is 5.6, safe enough.
>
> Mine has been running 5.5 to 5.6 I'm happy to say.
You doing good, girl!
--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
*******************************************
Date: Saturday, 10(X)/04(IV)/08(MMVIII)
*******************************************
Countdown till Veteran's Day
5wks 2dys 5hrs 3mins
*******************************************
He who is content can never be ruined.
- Lao-Tze
That is a problem, but not insurmountable. I bet there are things you might
like that you haven't even tried.
>
> I got a big box of Cheerios and will start eating some daily. Just plain.
> I like those.
I forgot all about Cheerios! We keep a big cookie-jar type thing full of
them.
>
>>
>>
> Yep, plenty of high cholesterol in my family history.
>
> Thanks for the ideas.
>
Good luck! FWIW, you're way ahead of me on the exercise. We have a treadmill
on the way, but I dread using it.
> On Sat 04 Oct 2008 06:53:02p, Omelet told us...
>
> > In article <Xns9B2DBC6EBC002wa...@69.16.185.250>,
> > Wayne Boatwright <waynebo...@geemail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> On Sat 04 Oct 2008 06:09:28p, Omelet told us...
> >>
> >> > In article
> >> > <dabel-5F2E68....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> >> > Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Good news! I just got my lab results back. The diabetes looks good,
> >> >> although my BG is too low and I need to get my insulin adjusted (I've
> >> >> lost weight). My cholesterol is:
> >> >>
> >> >> Total 136
> >> >> Triglyc 67
> >> >> HDL 53
> >> >> LDL 70
> >> >
> >> > You win. ;-)
> >> >
> >> > What's your HA1c?
> >> >
> >> > (Glycosylated Hemoglobin)
> >>
> >> Don't know about Dan's, but mine is 5.6, safe enough.
> >
> > Mine has been running 5.5 to 5.6 I'm happy to say.
>
> You doing good, girl!
I go carefully. My other numbers are good except for total Cholesterol.
I have trouble getting it below 220. Normal (here) is up to 250, but
I'd prefer it to be below 200.
I think it's the booze. :-p
Indeed... and if you have pets:
> In article
> <dabel-5F2E68....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
>
> > Good news! I just got my lab results back. The diabetes looks good,
> > although my BG is too low and I need to get my insulin adjusted (I've
> > lost weight). My cholesterol is:
> >
> > Total 136
> > Triglyc 67
> > HDL 53
> > LDL 70
>
> You win. ;-)
>
> What's your HA1c?
>
> (Glycosylated Hemoglobin)
6.2
fasting BG 81
--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA
da...@sonic.net
> In article <ompomelet-73180...@news.giganews.com>,
> Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > In article
> > <dabel-5F2E68....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> > Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
> >
> > > Good news! I just got my lab results back. The diabetes looks good,
> > > although my BG is too low and I need to get my insulin adjusted (I've
> > > lost weight). My cholesterol is:
> > >
> > > Total 136
> > > Triglyc 67
> > > HDL 53
> > > LDL 70
> >
> > You win. ;-)
> >
> > What's your HA1c?
> >
> > (Glycosylated Hemoglobin)
>
> 6.2
>
> fasting BG 81
Hm. That's getting up there...
Watch the simple sugars. :-)
Exactly. I made the dining room in to a "gym," with a bike and Nordic Track
and mat and free weights. My husband looked askance at the dining table
upended against the wall, and I said, "what? We need ANOTHER room in which
to sit on our asses and eat?" :D
> In article
> <dabel-155A72....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
> > fasting BG 81
>
> Hm. That's getting up there...
No, it's too low. I'm on insulin, and the motto is "better safe than
sorry". My doctor says my fasting goal is 90-130. Once you black out,
it's hard to get it back up again. Nothing by mouth when you are
unconscious.
>In article
><dabel-155A72....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
>
>> In article <ompomelet-73180...@news.giganews.com>,
>> Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > In article
>> > <dabel-5F2E68....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
>> > Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
>> >
>> > > Good news! I just got my lab results back. The diabetes looks good,
>> > > although my BG is too low and I need to get my insulin adjusted (I've
>> > > lost weight). My cholesterol is:
>> > >
>> > > Total 136
>> > > Triglyc 67
>> > > HDL 53
>> > > LDL 70
>> >
>> > You win. ;-)
>> >
>> > What's your HA1c?
>> >
>> > (Glycosylated Hemoglobin)
>>
>> 6.2
>>
>> fasting BG 81
>
>Hm. That's getting up there...
No, you are wrong. It is not "getting up there" at all.
Name a medical source that says 81 as fasting BG is in any way outside
of normal range.
Boron
> I'm glad you were able to bring your numbers down. I'll talk with the Dr
> about the use of medication because from the way you guys sound, it will
> be difficult to get this improved in 3 months. I honestly had no idea.
> Very scary.
Cheryl, give me a bit to formulate thoughts here and i can give very
specific advice on what I did to get the ranging 350-450 cholestrol readings
down to pretty consistantly 120-130 with just diet (did not want the meds
and was contra indicated for them for the most part anyways due to other
things).
For starts, radical overnight changes in diet do not work and you have to
accept that diet changes are needed but work on them slowly. It's no better
to go on a 750 calorie a day diet when 350 lbs overweight, than to cut all
fats unsensibly just now. You will just backslide.
What you need is sensible replacement of lower cholestrol/fat in ways that
work for *you* without destroying your fun in eating. You also need time to
reasonably establish this or it just wont work. (Docs and related medical
folks are not allowed to suggest this as our litigineous society can take
them to court if so).
So, you've probably had high cholestrol all your life and just now found out
right? Now all the Docs want to do is what is safe legal-wise for them in
advice and so you got some short list of foods and no idea how to match that
to your eating?
Make no mistake, you *will* have to change, but you need to do this sensibly
in bits.
>> We'll get you through this, Cheryl! :~)
> LOL! Thanks for the support Kili! :)
Still chomping through, but Kili and Cybercat had good solid ideas on it.
What they tried to express if what I call the 'replacement theory'. That
means to eat as normal pretty much butbuy small amounts of stuff you know is
better for you, and try it out. Ones you like you get again and slowly they
become a major part of the diet but it tkes about 1 year to really notice a
shift 'major'. The differ5ence is it *lasts* an you are *happy* as you
picked new foods, vice just deprived of favored ones without aything but a
bald carrot stick to soothe your savage heaving _I WANT CHOCOLATE DAMIT'
breast (grin).
> Problem is that I'm a pretty picky eater and don't like beans or peppers,
> mushrooms and many other things.
And here we may part mental company (though i still am witrh you in heart).
I have never fathomd the 'picky eater' and know I am the extreme the other
drection, but you no longer have a choice. Oh well, you do. You can chose
to not eat what you need and frankly, die early or chose to get over being
that and eat good wholesome fresh stuff and try many new ones to see what
you like and slowly get more of the new stuff you like to replace the stuff
you are not allowed to have any more.
You might also ping Cindi Fuller, rfc's resident dietitian.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller, and here's the link to my appearance
on "A Prairie Home Companion," <http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
programs/2008/08/30/>
> "sandi" <m...@privacy.net.invalid> wrote in message
> news:48e7744d$0$31767$8f2e...@news.shared-secrets.com...
>>
>> I mentioned this free software the other day to Kajikit.
>> I like it a lot.
>> "Kelpiesoft Food File"
>>
>> http://www.kelpiesoft.com/
>>
>> Hope it helps.
>>
>
> Thanks Sandi!
You're welcome.
:-)
Oh dear, I too love shrimp, cooked any way. This may be part of
> In article <ompomelet-C3270...@news.giganews.com>,
> Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > In article
> > <dabel-155A72....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> > Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
>
> > > fasting BG 81
> >
> > Hm. That's getting up there...
>
> No, it's too low.
No babe, I meant the HA1c. ;-)
My fasting glucose runs 89 to 92.
> I'm on insulin, and the motto is "better safe than
> sorry". My doctor says my fasting goal is 90-130. Once you black out,
> it's hard to get it back up again. Nothing by mouth when you are
> unconscious.
I know someone that died that way so I understand. He was alone in the
hot tub at the health club. When we ran his glucose level when they
brought him into the ER, it was 19. :-(
He was 72 and I'd worked for him for 14 years. <sigh>
He mis-read my post babe. I was not talking about the FBS.
> > See, the funny thing about Shrimp is is that even tho' it's
> > almost fat free, it's high in Cholesterol! Most high
> > cholesterol foods are also high in fat. I'm wondering if that
> > Cholesterol is HDL...
>
> Oh dear, I too love shrimp, cooked any way. This may be part of
part of what dear? :-)
I misread it, too. I was puzzled by "getting on up there" since the remark
immediately followed 81 FBG. After I re-read his message, I was again
puzzled because I would not expect 81 FBG to equate HA1c of 6.2. It seems
that he must also have some pretty high readings mixed in there (or possibly
times when he did not take readings...which to me is the advantage of HA1c
because it does not simply consider times when we "choose" to take
readings). Incidentally, 81 also does not seem to me to be in "danger"
territory. I frequently have readings of 85, but I was told that 60 would
be more in the area of causing concern. My last HA1c was 5.2.
MaryL
>In article
><dabel-80DE7D....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
>
>> In article <ompomelet-C3270...@news.giganews.com>,
>> Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > In article
>> > <dabel-155A72....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
>> > Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
>>
>> > > fasting BG 81
>> >
>> > Hm. That's getting up there...
>>
>> No, it's too low.
>
>No babe, I meant the HA1c. ;-)
His HbA1c is not out of range for his medical state, either. Anything
below 6.0 is considered non-diabetic levels, but he *is* a diabetic
and he is in the process of adjusting insulin levels. Until things
settle down, and even if he does settle there, he is in pretty good
shape. It'd be great to get it a smidge lower, but not much more.
HbA1c levels, when used correctly, are an excellent diagnostic tool,
but they are one measure and, in and of themselves, may be variable.
Two people with similar, monitored, BG levels may wind up with
different HBA1c levels. And there is a genetic factor too.
http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/50/12/2858
They are best used for tracking, not just point-in-time measurement.
>My fasting glucose runs 89 to 92.
Mine runs lower. Generally in the low to mid 80s range. I am a T2, who
manages with diet and exercise. And my HbA1c is 5.4.
>
>> I'm on insulin, and the motto is "better safe than
>> sorry". My doctor says my fasting goal is 90-130. Once you black out,
>> it's hard to get it back up again. Nothing by mouth when you are
>> unconscious.
>
>I know someone that died that way so I understand. He was alone in the
>hot tub at the health club. When we ran his glucose level when they
>brought him into the ER, it was 19. :-(
When I used meds (one of them a sulfonurea), I crashed as low as mid
30s. It isn't fun. I have a dog who remarkably sensed when I was
crashing (always in the middle of the night) and a husband who knew
exactly what to do to push the BGs back up ASAP.
Oh, and I am not your babe. Shove it.
Boron
Our max at work is 6.0 for normal range. Your geographical area may vary.
ADA recommends keeping the HA1c below 7.0. The lab that does my bloodwork
considers HA1c below 6.0 to be in the normal range, but they can
register/show levels far above that. If 6.0 is your maximum, it is
apparently an entirely different type of test than what we use. So, you're
right, it sounds like a very different geographical area. Different labs
have somewhat different ranges, but there does not seem to be a significant
variation in the reference ranges they list. (East Texas, USA)
MaryL
Yesterday I picked a cabbage, darn thing weighed more than ten
pounds... cabbage is one of the best ingredients to keep cholesterol
down... I made a ten quart potful of cabbage soup just because I like
it. Only cholesterol is in the 2 lb slab of lean top round that I
also trimmed of extraneus fat (I suppose it can be meatless too).
This is very tasty, slurpped down more than a quart last night, makes
for a complete dinner; ten pounds cabbage, 2 lbs carrots, 2 lbs spuds,
two 28oz cans crushed tomatoes in puree, big bunch home grown curly
leaf parsley, two big bay leaves, two cloves garlic, beef stock and
water, marjaram, s n' p to taste, cook long and slow.
It's a lot, I froze six quarts.
http://i38.tinypic.com/dlj52o.jpg
They don't like cabbage:
http://i37.tinypic.com/11ijthl.jpg
> In article
> <dabel-80DE7D....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
>
> > In article <ompomelet-C3270...@news.giganews.com>,
> > Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > In article
> > > <dabel-155A72....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> > > Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
[snipped A1C of 6.2]
> > > > fasting BG 81
> > >
> > > Hm. That's getting up there...
> >
> > No, it's too low.
>
> No babe, I meant the HA1c. ;-)
The normal range for normal people for A1C is 4.6 - 6.0, according to
the web page that reported my 6.2. However, I've been told for many
years by doctors and diabetic nurses that the normal for diabetics is
less than 7.0. Upon diggging down in the web page, it also mentions <
7.0, and states that that is also the recommendation of the ADA
(American Diabetic Association).
> My fasting glucose runs 89 to 92.
>
> > I'm on insulin, and the motto is "better safe than
> > sorry". My doctor says my fasting goal is 90-130. Once you black out,
> > it's hard to get it back up again. Nothing by mouth when you are
> > unconscious.
>
> I know someone that died that way so I understand. He was alone in the
> hot tub at the health club. When we ran his glucose level when they
> brought him into the ER, it was 19. :-(
I've never known anybody who died of low blood sugar. I've never
passed out (although my father has, and they called for the medics).
I'd just as soon keep it that way.
> "Omelet" <ompo...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:ompomelet-0F3E5...@news.giganews.com...
> > In article <pvdge4dg015l93995...@4ax.com>,
> > Boron Elgar <boron...@hootmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> On Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:28:24 -0500, Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> >In article
> >> ><dabel-155A72....@c-61-68-245-199.per.connect.net.au>,
> >> > Dan Abel <da...@sonic.net> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> In article <ompomelet-73180...@news.giganews.com>,
> >> >> Omelet <ompo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >> > What's your HA1c?
> >> >> 6.2
> >> >>
> >> >> fasting BG 81
> >> >
> >> >Hm. That's getting up there...
> >>
> >> No, you are wrong. It is not "getting up there" at all.
> >>
> >> Name a medical source that says 81 as fasting BG is in any way outside
> >> of normal range.
> > He mis-read my post babe. I was not talking about the FBS.
> I misread it, too. I was puzzled by "getting on up there" since the remark
> immediately followed 81 FBG. After I re-read his message, I was again
> puzzled because I would not expect 81 FBG to equate HA1c of 6.2. It seems
> that he must also have some pretty high readings mixed in there
The 81 is simply my lab result, not home testing. I took home readings
before and after the lab blood draw, and got 77 and 72. It appears that
my home meter is reading slightly less than the lab.
My highest reading this last week was 315, after dinner. 12 fasting
hours later, it had only dropped to 206.
> Incidentally, 81 also does not seem to me to be in "danger"
> territory. I frequently have readings of 85, but I was told that 60 would
> be more in the area of causing concern.
I had three readings this last week (all before dinner, which isn't
fasting) of less than 50. That is concerning me, since it's only
another 10 down to danger of blackout.
He drowned when he passed out.