....... True enough in recent blood tests I have great HDL but my LDL levels have also gone up. How are you guys getting enough good fats in your diet without the LDL?
If cholesterol is bothering you then i would recommend reading (or, in this new-fangled age, download a podcast and listen while walking amongst tree) Chris Masterjohn
-while he is definitely on the 'fat is good' side, he has a bit to say about why LDL may rise, what it is telling you, and what things to do about it.
explore this site at leisure, he's the 'go-to guy' amongst the paleo bloggers.
http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Does-Cholesterol-Cause-Heart-Disease-Myth.html
or a hour long lecture....
http://vimeo.com/27692174 (with the relevant slides on a link)
or the podcasts (about 3 hours worth but great)
part 1.
http://chriskresser.com/the-healthy-skeptic-podcast-episode-11
part 2.
http://chriskresser.com/episode-16-chris-masterjohn-on-cholesterol-heart-disease-part-2
part 3.
http://chriskresser.com/chris-masterjohn-on-cholesterol-and-heart-disease-part-3
So, I'm
not saying high LDL is good, I'm saying it is a marker and may provide useful information, but good luck finding a doctor who can help you in any useful way
Edit:
-Sorry, too much info, just listen to the last podcast, sums it up nicely-
-total cholesterol up to 250 not abnormal in traditional (heart attack free) societies on ancestral diets.
-an increase may just be due to normal variation as the levels can fluctuate alot. Large increases or a consistent increase over a prolonged period are needed to be sure levels have risen.
-If you have changed the way you eat recently then it may take a while to find a new level.
-Ratio of total/HDL is (apparently) the strongest indicator of risk. LDL is a calculated value.
-some people find cholesterol rises after going very low carb or if there is a thyroid issue or if you have Familial Hypercholestrolimia
If you jump to 11:10 on the podcast -or scroll down the transcript to...
"
.......So, what could be going on here in these cases? This is what we’re gonna talk about today, and what kind of steps can people take to investigate a little further to determine whether that slightly elevated total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol is a problem or whether it’s just part of a natural physiological process.
What to do – and not do – about high cholesterol
Chris Masterjohn: Absolutely. So, the first thing that we need to understand is that there are good reasons and bad reasons for increases in cholesterol in the blood......."