Re: raised cholesterol and veganism

[Guest guest]

You say you are reading labels and watching what you eat. What kind of fats are you eating and how much? The body uses cholesterol to digest fats in our gut, then recaptures it. High fiber diets can bind to this free cholesterol in our gut and lock it up so we pass it harmlessly. It's also possible to have familial high cholesterol caused by genes. Have you run your diet through any diet software? Most people respond well if they get proper balanced nutrition and avoid any excesses.JR On Aug 10, 2006, at 4:07 PM, dogs_to_go wrote:About 18 months ago I started eating vegan (no meat, fish, eggs, dairy). I've tried to be very careful about reading labels and eating appropriately. I went to the doctor today and my cholesterol is 225; that's up 60 points in the past year. It's never been over 200 before.Does anyone have a suggestion about why this might have happened?Thanks,Marilyn Wolf

[Guest guest]

Hello Marilyn,

Since you had normal cholesterol last year, it is unlikely that you

have familial cholesterolemia. Your high cholesterol is probably due

to the adoption of a low-fat diet or a diet with unbalanced fatty acids.

A good diet requires appropriate amounts of fat containing the

essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that cannot be made by the

body. Linoleic acid (omega-6) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid that

lowers cholesterol. By eliminating fish from your diet, you have

eliminated a good source of polyunsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty

acids. High carbohydrate diets normally increase cholesterol because

carbohydrates get metabolized into palmitic acid which is a saturated

fatty acid that increases cholesterol. Some vegetable fats, such as

coconut oil or palm kernel oil, are very high in myristic acid which

increases cholesterol. You also have to avoid any man-made fats such

as hydrogenated oils and margarines which increase cholesterol and

have harmful health effects.

My three web pages on cholesterol describe some studies about

cholesterol and how to balance fatty acids:

http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/cholesterol.html

Reading labels is a wise thing to do, but unfortunately manufacturers

are very sneaky about their claims. Learn about deceptive labels:

http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/labels.html

Opinons vary on what is the right amount of fat in the diet, but the

normal range is from 15 to 30 percent of total calories.

Tony Zamora

>

> About 18 months ago I started eating vegan (no meat, fish, eggs,

> dairy). I've tried to be very careful about reading labels and eating

> appropriately. I went to the doctor today and my cholesterol is 225;

> that's up 60 points in the past year. It's never been over 200 before.

>

> Does anyone have a suggestion about why this might have happened?

>

> Thanks,

> Marilyn Wolf

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you everyone for your comments. My replies are below in CAPS

(not yelling).

> Since you had normal cholesterol last year, it is unlikely that you

> have familial cholesterolemia. NO FAMILY HISTORY OF THIS.

Your high cholesterol is probably due

> to the adoption of a low-fat diet or a diet with unbalanced fatty

acids. I THINK THAT MAY BE THE PROBLEM. COULD IT HAVE MADE THIS BIG

A CHANGE IN A YEAR?

>

> A good diet requires appropriate amounts of fat containing the

> essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that cannot be made by

the body. I TRACKED IT FOR MANY MONTHS THEN STOPPED WHEN I THOUGHT I

HAD IT FIGURED OUT. I WAS WRONG.

> High carbohydrate diets normally increase cholesterol because

> carbohydrates get metabolized into palmitic acid which is a

saturated

> fatty acid that increases cholesterol. I'VE BEEN EATING A LOT

MORE CARBS LATELY. DIDN'T KNOW IT COULD RESULT IN THIS. COULD THESE

CARBS BE FROM FRUITS AND VEGETABLES? OR DO THEY HAVE TO COME FROM

BREAD/GRAINS? DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Some vegetable fats, such as

> coconut oil or palm kernel oil, are very high in myristic acid

which

> increases cholesterol. I DON'T EAT THESE, IF I KNOW THEY'RE IN A

PRODUCT.

You also have to avoid any man-made fats such

> as hydrogenated oils and margarines which increase cholesterol and

> have harmful health effects. AGAIN, I DON'T EAT THEM, IF I KNOW

THEY'RE IN THERE.

>

> My three web pages on cholesterol describe some studies about

> cholesterol and how to balance fatty acids:

> http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/cholesterol.html

>

> Reading labels is a wise thing to do, but unfortunately

manufacturers

> are very sneaky about their claims. Learn about deceptive labels:

> http://www.scientificpsychic.com/fitness/labels.html

>

THANK YOU. I'LL READ THROUGH THEM.

> Opinons vary on what is the right amount of fat in the diet, but

the

> normal range is from 15 to 30 percent of total calories. WHEN I

PUT MY DIET INTO NUTRIBASE, I PLAN FOR A MAX OF 30%, BUT DON'T FEEL

AS WELL AS WHEN IT'S LOWER. I ALSO PLAN FOR A MINIMUM OF 40 GRAMS OF

FIBER A DAY.

>

> Tony Zamora

THANKS,

MARILYN