cholesterol

[Guest guest]

Cholesterol is one of those things where mercury poisoned people can

go either way.

Usually it goes up a lot in people who have OK digestion and don't get

super thin.

People who have a hard time digesting food and get really thin often

have their cholesterol head for the floor.

If you are vegetarian your cholesterol is naturally going to be pretty

low.

If your cholesterol is high but you take all the supportive

supplements it goes down A LOT. I know that one from personal

experience as well as from seeing it happen with others - when I

started taking supplements at first (when I had no clue I was poisoned

and going to get a lot worse) my cholesterol fell 96 points from

worryingly high to very normal.

Andy

cw

[Guest guest]

<<<Okay my friends, I need to raise my cholesterol!

At 150, my naturopath says it's too low for further treatment, so

that's what we have to work on first. She's prescribed Flaxseed Oil

and Fish Oil. Great more fats! However, is there anything else I

can do?

I should probably say that 150 is the highest my cholesterol has ever

been tested at! Sheesh!>>>

I'd never heard of low cholesterol being a problem so I googled it. I thought

this was interesting:

http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.html-command=TodayQA-questionId=43423

Cholesterol: Can It Go Too Low?

Are there any dangers of having too low a cholesterol level? Mine has been

in the 90's for a few months now.

-- Burns

Today's Answer

(Published 03/14/2002)

You raise an interesting question. Back in 1994, the American Heart

Association Task Force on Cholesterol Issues put out a statement entitled " Very

Low Cholesterol and Cholesterol Lowering " which noted that there is an increase

in deaths from trauma, cancer, hemorrhagic stroke and respiratory and infectious

diseases among those with total cholesterol levels less than 160 mg/dl. However,

a substantial portion of those deaths seemed to be due to poor health unrelated

to low cholesterol.

Since then, several studies have found a connection between low

cholesterol and depression and anxiety. For example, results of a study in the

Netherlands published in 2000 showed that middle-aged men with low cholesterol

are more likely than other men to have symptoms of severe depression. An earlier

study at Duke University Medical Center found that healthy young women with

cholesterol levels below 160 mg/dl were more likely to score high on measures of

depression and anxiety than women with normal or high cholesterol (the normal

range is 180 to 200 mg/dl). None of the women were being treated for depression

or anxiety.

One of the Duke researchers, psychologist Suarez says that some

evidence suggests that having low cholesterol alters the way brain cells

function and that brain cells with low levels of cholesterol may have fewer than

normal receptors for the mood-elevating neurotransmitter serotonin which could

lead to depression by preventing the cells from receiving and using this vital

brain chemical.

Two more recent studies from the Max-Planck-Institute of Psychiatry in

Germany linked low cholesterol with an increased risk of suicide, depression,

impulsivity and aggression. Here, researchers speculated that a decreased

consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially omega-3s may be a risk

factor and that increasing intake of foods high in omega-3 fatty acids might

lower the risk. By the way, large trials of the statin drugs used to reduce

cholesterol showed no increase in suicide among those participating.

These are all intriguing findings, but if you're not feeling depressed or

anxious, there's probably no need to worry that your low cholesterol levels will

lead you in that direction, and no other evidence that low cholesterol levels

are unhealthy. However, as a precaution, you might want to increase your

consumption of omega-3 fatty acids from sardines, salmon or other oily fish.

Dr. Weil

[Guest guest]

Thanks !

This article gives me an idea of what I'm targeting, and gives me

something to show any doubters!

Ghislaine

> http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.html-command=TodayQA-

questionId=43423

>

> Cholesterol: Can It Go Too Low?

[Guest guest]

> <<<Okay my friends, I need to raise my cholesterol!

>

> At 150, my naturopath says it's too low for further treatment, so

> that's what we have to work on first. She's prescribed Flaxseed

Oil

> and Fish Oil. Great more fats! However, is there anything else I

> can do?

How do you feel? Are you depressed or anxious? Are you digesting

the fats that you DO eat? If you feel content most of the time and

seem to be digesting things well then maybe you don't need to worry

about it?

~~Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Carolyn,

would you mind elaborating a little bit? is depression and anxiety

somehow related to cholesterol level and/or fat consumption or something?

thanks.

laura

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 19:28:09 -0000 " keirfey " <Poofig@...> writes:

> <<<Okay my friends, I need to raise my cholesterol!

>

> At 150, my naturopath says it's too low for further treatment, so

> that's what we have to work on first. She's prescribed Flaxseed

Oil

> and Fish Oil. Great more fats! However, is there anything else I

> can do?

How do you feel? Are you depressed or anxious? Are you digesting

the fats that you DO eat? If you feel content most of the time and

seem to be digesting things well then maybe you don't need to worry

about it?

~~Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Our brains need cholesterol to work properly. This link was offered

by about 100 messages ago:

http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.html-command=TodayQA-

questionId=43423

Otherwise I'm having trouble thinking of a site with good reading

material about cholesterol. Hope that helps, anyway!

~~Carolyn

> would you mind elaborating a little bit? is depression and anxiety

> somehow related to cholesterol level and/or fat consumption or

something?

> thanks.

> laura

[Guest guest]

You might need to cut-n-paste that link, .

Re: Cholesterol

Our brains need cholesterol to work properly. This link was offered

by about 100 messages ago:

http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.html-command=TodayQA-questionId=43423

Otherwise I'm having trouble thinking of a site with good reading

material about cholesterol. Hope that helps, anyway!

~~Carolyn

> would you mind elaborating a little bit? is depression and anxiety

> somehow related to cholesterol level and/or fat consumption or

something?

> thanks.

> laura

[Guest guest]

Tas', that's you, right? :-) (just makin' sure)

the link worked just fine...

laura

On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 09:33:16 +1000 " "

<sand8013@...> writes:

You might need to cut-n-paste that link, .

Re: Cholesterol

Our brains need cholesterol to work properly. This link was offered

by about 100 messages ago:

http://www.drweil.com/app/cda/drw_cda.html-command=TodayQA-questionId=434

23

[Guest guest]

Yes, I feel depressed and at times anxious. I don't know if I'm

digesting the fats that I eat, how would I know?

I'm pretty sure I need to worry about it. I would like to bring up

my cholesterol to a level where my Naturopath will feel comfortable

treating my thyroid issues. From what I understand, that treatment

would lower my already low cholesterol.

> How do you feel? Are you depressed or anxious? Are you digesting

> the fats that you DO eat? If you feel content most of the time and

> seem to be digesting things well then maybe you don't need to worry

> about it?

> ~~Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Have you tried eating gobs of butter?

Irene

At 11:22 AM 6/18/04, you wrote:

>Okay my friends, I need to raise my cholesterol!

>

>At 150, my naturopath says it's too low for further treatment, so

>that's what we have to work on first. She's prescribed Flaxseed Oil

>and Fish Oil. Great more fats! However, is there anything else I

>can do?

>

>I should probably say that 150 is the highest my cholesterol has ever

>been tested at! Sheesh!

>

>Ghislaine

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

What did you have for dinner the night before your 8/25 test? This can affect your cholesterol. Of course you were tested on an empty stomach?

Like blood pressure readings, I'm not sure I'd get too excited over one higher reading. When are you due to retest? If it isn't too long I'd just wait to see what it's like then. I haven't heard of anyone on LDN having a rise in cholesterol as a side effect.

----- Original Message -----

From: Little

low dose naltrexone

Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 9:22 AM

Subject: [low dose naltrexone] Cholesterol

I started LDN less than a week ago and I am pleased with the way I am feeling. I do have one slightly disturbing factor. My total cholesterol jumped from 186 on 8/13 to 210 on 8/25 without my changing anything else in that time frame - a least nothing of which I am aware might cause the increase. Any ideas?Thanks.

[Guest guest]

My cholesterol in 1999 was 230. In 2001 it was 199. I started LDN 4/17/03 and 11/03 it was 206.

----- Original Message -----

From:

low dose naltrexone

Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 18:25

Subject: Re: [low dose naltrexone] Cholesterol

What did you have for dinner the night before your 8/25 test? This can affect your cholesterol. Of course you were tested on an empty stomach?

Like blood pressure readings, I'm not sure I'd get too excited over one higher reading. When are you due to retest? If it isn't too long I'd just wait to see what it's like then. I haven't heard of anyone on LDN having a rise in cholesterol as a side effect.

----- Original Message -----

From: Little

low dose naltrexone

Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 9:22 AM

Subject: [low dose naltrexone] Cholesterol

I started LDN less than a week ago and I am pleased with the way I am feeling. I do have one slightly disturbing factor. My total cholesterol jumped from 186 on 8/13 to 210 on 8/25 without my changing anything else in that time frame - a least nothing of which I am aware might cause the increase. Any ideas?Thanks.

[Guest guest]

This is likely due to inadequate/improper fasting before giving the

blood sample. You need to be 10-12 hrs without food or fluids.

A

> I started LDN less than a week ago and I am pleased with the way I

am

> feeling. I do have one slightly disturbing factor. My total

> cholesterol jumped from 186 on 8/13 to 210 on 8/25 without my

> changing anything else in that time frame - a least nothing of

which

> I am aware might cause the increase. Any ideas?

> Thanks.

>

[Guest guest]

I am speculating, but the decline in cholesterol might be expected

and a true observation with LDN. Statins are used to treat MS, and

what effect do the statins have on lipids ?. Think about it.

A

--- In low dose naltrexone , " LarryGC " <larrygc@s...>

wrote:

> My cholesterol in 1999 was 230. In 2001 it was 199. I started

LDN 4/17/03 and 11/03 it was 206.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, . I work as a lab tech as my " normal " profession. (Nothing

is normal about my life right now, but thats another story for

another forum! LOL) Anyway, we can almost always tell just by

looking at the serum when it comes out of the centrifuge if the

results are going to be elevated for cholesterol readings or not,

especially if the diet the day before consisted of fried chicken or

the equivalent. It is very lipemic, so cloudy and thick and white

that you can barely see through the serum, if at all. The serum

should appear clear amber once the blood is spun down. We always

note the appearance of the specimen for our docs, and they will take

that into consideration and order new testing after asking the

patient to be a bit more wary of their diet the day before. You

should try doing this the next time you have it checked. Hope this

helps!

Kim

> I started LDN less than a week ago and I am pleased with the way I

am

> feeling. I do have one slightly disturbing factor. My total

> cholesterol jumped from 186 on 8/13 to 210 on 8/25 without my

> changing anything else in that time frame - a least nothing of

which

> I am aware might cause the increase. Any ideas?

> Thanks.

>

[Guest guest]

Larry,

Your cholesterol is fine, too low is worse than too high. Anything below 240 is OK.

Regards,

Tom

----- Original Message -----

From: LarryGC

low dose naltrexone

Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 12:51 PM

Subject: Re: [low dose naltrexone] Re: Cholesterol

In 1999 I was told if I didn't get my cholesterol below 200 he would bug me, so when it came up 199 in 2001 he left me alone. Last year when it was 206 he didn't say anything about it. That was November, so I guess I'm almost due for another panel.

I just have to get on the phone and make some appointments... no hurry here.

----- Original Message -----

From: aegis_on_ms

low dose naltrexone

Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 08:16

Subject: [low dose naltrexone] Re: Cholesterol

I am speculating, but the decline in cholesterol might be expected and a true observation with LDN. Statins are used to treat MS, and what effect do the statins have on lipids ?. Think about it.A> My cholesterol in 1999 was 230. In 2001 it was 199. I started LDN 4/17/03 and 11/03 it was 206.

[Guest guest]

In 1999 I was told if I didn't get my cholesterol below 200 he would bug me, so when it came up 199 in 2001 he left me alone. Last year when it was 206 he didn't say anything about it. That was November, so I guess I'm almost due for another panel.

I just have to get on the phone and make some appointments... no hurry here.

----- Original Message -----

From: aegis_on_ms

low dose naltrexone

Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 08:16

Subject: [low dose naltrexone] Re: Cholesterol

I am speculating, but the decline in cholesterol might be expected and a true observation with LDN. Statins are used to treat MS, and what effect do the statins have on lipids ?. Think about it.A> My cholesterol in 1999 was 230. In 2001 it was 199. I started LDN 4/17/03 and 11/03 it was 206.

[Guest guest]

There is a lot of controversy over the attention and concern given to cholesterol. Is it really a valid indicator of impending heart disease? I'm not convinced anymore.

JT

----- Original Message -----

From: Bayuk

low dose naltrexone

Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 9:50 AM

Subject: Re: [low dose naltrexone] Re: Cholesterol

Larry,

Your cholesterol is fine, too low is worse than too high. Anything below 240 is OK.

Regards,

Tom

----- Original Message -----

From: LarryGC

low dose naltrexone

Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 12:51 PM

Subject: Re: [low dose naltrexone] Re: Cholesterol

In 1999 I was told if I didn't get my cholesterol below 200 he would bug me, so when it came up 199 in 2001 he left me alone. Last year when it was 206 he didn't say anything about it. That was November, so I guess I'm almost due for another panel.

I just have to get on the phone and make some appointments... no hurry here.

----- Original Message -----

From: aegis_on_ms

low dose naltrexone

Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 08:16

Subject: [low dose naltrexone] Re: Cholesterol

I am speculating, but the decline in cholesterol might be expected and a true observation with LDN. Statins are used to treat MS, and what effect do the statins have on lipids ?. Think about it.A> My cholesterol in 1999 was 230. In 2001 it was 199. I started LDN 4/17/03 and 11/03 it was 206.

[Guest guest]

Since I posted on cholesterol earlier this week, I decided to ask for

another test. I had blood drawn this morning after eating turkey and

chicken yesterday - nothing after 6:30 PM. All I had between then

and the draw ayt 8:30 this morning was LDN and water. Have to wait

until Monday for the results. I will report then.

Little

> Oh, yeah, I know. I haven't worried about my cholesterol at all.

>

> The other 3 in the house though.. they have much higher levels...

and they don't seem to care either.

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: Bayuk

> low dose naltrexone

> Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 12:50

> Subject: Re: [low dose naltrexone] Re: Cholesterol

>

>

> Larry,

> Your cholesterol is fine, too low is worse than too high.

Anything below 240 is OK.

> Regards,

> Tom

[Guest guest]

Oh, yeah, I know. I haven't worried about my cholesterol at all.

The other 3 in the house though.. they have much higher levels... and they don't seem to care either.

----- Original Message -----

From: Bayuk

low dose naltrexone

Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 12:50

Subject: Re: [low dose naltrexone] Re: Cholesterol

Larry,

Your cholesterol is fine, too low is worse than too high. Anything below 240 is OK.

Regards,

Tom

[Guest guest]

I do have one more point to make on the cholesterol issue. My father

collapsed on a treadmill several years ago after going to the doctor

for symptoms of fatigue and lack of energy ONLY. A heart cath was

done immediately, and he was admitted to the hospital for emergency

quadruple bypass surgery - they intended to do 5 bypass' but were

unable to do the fifth one. Upon his hospital admission, his

cholesterol was 180. He came through the bypass surgery, and left

the hospital with a new lifestyle...He gave up his 3 pack a day

smoking habit and totally changed his diet. No more bbq ribs and

friend chicken for him, he followed a TOTALLY heart smart diet. When

he went back for his 3 month post op check up, they checked his

cholesterol again. It was 240. My theory??? The nicotine was

speeding up his body metabolism and making him able to break down the

cholesterol better. Am I saying start smoking? No way. I'm saying

that sometimes, it just doesn't matter what you do, you cannot

control your cholesterol. Because of his previous problems, they

monitored his blood pressure closely for the next 3 months, and it

continued to rise. He has been on Zocor ever since.

Just thought you might find this interesting. I find it totally mind

boggling. By the way, he has had a massive heart attack since then,

total heart failure, and has a defibrillator AND resumed smoking. He

rides a Harley without a helmet and dates 24 year old women - he's

retired. Don't really know what that all means, but I'm sure there's

a moral to the story somewhere!!! LOL

Take care and have a great weekend!

Kim

> I started LDN less than a week ago and I am pleased with the way I

am

> feeling. I do have one slightly disturbing factor. My total

> cholesterol jumped from 186 on 8/13 to 210 on 8/25 without my

> changing anything else in that time frame - a least nothing of

which

> I am aware might cause the increase. Any ideas?

> Thanks.

>

[Guest guest]

Kim, your theory on smoking doesn't work here. . My husbands cholesterol is over 300 and he smokes plenty. It could be that your dad was doing the Atkins diet without knowing it. Alot of fat, no carbs , and is proven that it lowers cholesterol but not heart disease. Could be he discovered Atkins before Atkins . Kiki

[Guest guest]

You have a good point there, Kiki. Maybe he was on Atkins and

didn't know it, but he gained 75 pounds, which I also contribute to

smoking cessation. Nicotine DOES speed up your body metabolism, so

that is where my theory came from. That is one of the reasons most

people gain weight when they stop smoking, even though they maintain

the same diet they had before. Most docs won't say this to you,

since smoking is taboo, but I once worked for a doc who smoked

cigars at the time my father went through all of this, and he showed

me documentation from the AMA.

Hope you're having a great week! It's raining cats and dogs here.

Take care!

Kim

> Kim, your theory on smoking doesn't work here. . My husbands

cholesterol is

> over 300 and he smokes plenty.

[Guest guest]

Thanks, Tas!!!!!! Marilyn

[Guest guest]

Carol--That helps. I need to investigate this further. I was just browsing

the WAPF info when your post came through. Thanks so much for sharing your

experience! Marilyn