Cholesterol levels and Dukan

[Dub07]

I was a little concerned about my cholesterol given how many eggs I've been eating on Dukan so I got the doctor to do a blood test for me ten days ago. The results were back yesterday.

My cholesterol level after 5 weeks on Dukan was 4.2! The gp was as astonished as me since last time I had it checked (about five years ago perhaps) it was 5.7.

I'm eating very little fat from sources other than the eggs, so that's probably a factor, but however it's come about I'm delighted.

 

[cheryl7]

That's fabulous My cholesterol when tested in March was 7.7 and I'm hoping that this diet will help to bring it down, though I'm not holding out much hope since my levels are mostly down to my genes ... but you never know!

 

[Atropos]

Eggs used to be seen as the villains in the cholesterol debate - now it has been recognised that they actually improve the balance of good and bad cholesterol in the blood in most people.

 

[Maintainer]

Question - did your results give you the HDL / LDL breakdown, by any chance? or just the "total"

 

[Dub07]

Question - did your results give you the HDL / LDL breakdown, by any chance? or just the "total"

Just the total Jo, but I'm seeing another doc tomorrow so I'll ask her if she can access the breakdown.

 

[Maintainer]

t'would be good cos my GP and my labo are annoying me about mine!!

 

[wkdstepmum]

What's a 'labo'?

 

[Maintainer]

ah laboratory... we take our arms to one, write huge cheques, and get reimbursed some by social security...; and, if we pay for private health insurance, some by them... aaah for free medical care like in your country

 

[wkdstepmum]

Oh Maintainer, I pay through the nose for my medical care but how interesting, I didn't know there were labs involved in France. I assumed it was some secret cholesterol thingy I'm trying to get all up on the lingo as my father had a heart operation last month and I've been looking after him and keeping up with all this cholesterol stuff! x

 

[-Pudding-]

I would really recommend reading a book called The Great Cholesterol Con by Dr Malcolm Kendrick as it's quite an eye-opener or indeed, Trick and Treat: How Healthy Eating is Making Us Ill by Barry Groves.

After reading those I never worried about cholesterol levels again (though mine are officially 'low' so I don't get nagged about it either).

 

[wkdstepmum]

I definitely will have a read up on those Pudding... I inherited low blood pressure from my mother and have always had low cholesterol but am v interested in knowing more as am keen to have my father lower his weight and cholesterol naturally rather than having to take tablets!

 

[Maintainer]

ooooh Pudding - when I get my results I'll come to you for interpretation! (The chances of my reading another book are slim at moment!). Thanx!!!

 

[Dub07]

Well I asked the registrar today and she informed me that there was no breakdown of my cholesterol. We both found it odd. She said my HDL is "probably" around 1 and the LDL is perhaps 2.something. (Or was that the other way round? Good was supposedly higher.) :sigh: The triglycerides (anyone know what they're about - new to me) are .79. Apparently I should just be a good girl and not worry (or ask awkward questions! ).

 

[Maintainer]

You got it re your last comment. When my GP first raised the cholesterol issue with me, and I retorted "yes but it's my HDL which is high", his response was "oh we've been on internet, have we?!"

Yes trigylcerides are one of my numbers too. Off to the laboratory this morning (drinking black tea as I type, yuck!)

 

[Dub07]

Good luck, Jo!

 

[Maintainer]

ok here goes

Triglycerides 0.69 (norm 0.3-1.6)

Cholesterol total 2.39 (underlined in bold!) (norm 1.2-2.2)

HDL (good cholesterol) 1.0 (norm over 0.3) = 2.58 mmol/l (norm over 0.77)

Cholesterol Total/HDL 2.39 (norm below 5.50)

LDL (bad cholesterol) 1.25 g/l (norm under 1.6) = 3.23 mmol/l


I'm thinking this is A-OK... whatever pretty colours they choose to use on my "total".