HDL levels and Lifestyle....

[naughtoj]

Ok, got a quick question for anyone that knows more than me regarding heart disease/cholesterol.


I had mine tested over a year ago and it came out very low, can't remember the exacts, but I want to say

Total Cholesterol= around 115
LDL= 50's
VLDL=15's or 20's
HDL= 43 (in the 40's)

Anyway, yes I was working out hard then, thought I ate pretty good, blah..blah.... I have a pretty strong line of heart attack/high blood pressure/artherosclerosis in my family history and I have the personality that is more prone to heart disease. So, I am trying to keep track every few years of my levels.

Anyway, my girlfriend went and had hers done at the same time. She does not exercise, watches her diet in the sense she wants to lose weight (always) but not really for health. Kicker is, she drinks on average 4+ alcoholic drinks per day (beer), and sometimes upwards of 12 alcoholic drinks per day on the weekends!:0 Her levels were:

TC=178
LDL= 76
VLDL= 15
HDL= 87

So.......should I start drinking heavily or what? My main health goal is to focus on improving my HDL, cutting out trans fats, more good fats, etc. But I am already at a pretty good weight and exercise daily, so what gives on my low HDL number? Is it my destiny, and how can I raise it to my friends levels?

Help me out here.....

Janice

 

[Barbie]

Oh Janice, I hear you! I have struggled with my triglycerides and cholesterol. My hdl has always been problematic. My doctor recommends a lot of cardio (which I do) and that I try fish oil capsules. She said that it hasn't been proven yet (but she thinks it will) that fish oil will help raise hdl. It seems to me that she is most interested in the ratio between hdl and ldl.

Have you taken a look over at Webmd? There's usually a lot of good info there.

Stop comparing yourself with your friend! LOL! It will do nothing but frustrate you! I had an uncle who smoked every day and I never met him when he wasn't drunk, he never exercised and ate whatever he wanted (but wasn't overweight). He died at age 92 & was going strong until right before he died. Go figure!

 

[naughtoj]

Barbie..
Thanks for your reply. I am not really comparing myself to my friend, I am just wondering if I should be drinking and if that is why her HDL is so high. I know it is largely genetic too, none of my family members have ever had it tested. I would just like feedback from those who went from low levels to high levels and how they did it other than losing weight, since I don't have much to lose, if any.

I think I will have mine measured in a few weeks and then start taking fish oil. I already eat tons of peanut butter.....anymore and I will have to work out all day every day. Who knows, maybe it has improved. We'll see.

Janice

 

[maxwells]

Hey Janice --

I don't believe any respectable health professional would recommend the amount of alcohol that your friend is consuming. However, a light to moderate alcohol intake (in people who do not have health problems that are made worse by alcohol) significantly decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, moderate drinking in women appears to increase the risk of breast cancer. Here are some recommendations from the American Heart Association regarding alcohol and health:

1. Individuals with health problems that are made worse by alcohol should not drink at all.
2. Pregnant women should not drink at all.
3. No one should drink and drive.
4. If you have been a non-drinker all your life, don't start drinking.
5. Men who drink alcohol should have no more than 2 drinks per day.
6. Because of the relation between alcohol intake and breast cancer, women who drink alcohol should have no more than 1 drink per day.
7. A drink is a 12 oz beer, 5 oz glass of wine, or 1.5 oz of hard liquor.
8. Binge drinking does not give any protection from cardiovascular disease.

Why does a light to moderate alcohol consuption decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease?
1. Raises HDL levels
2. Inhibits blood clot formation
3. May decrease insulin resistance

Lifesyle Factors that Increase HDL Cholesterol:
1. increase physical activity level
2. decrease percent body fat
3. quit smoking
4. decrease blood triglyceride levels
5. increase monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat intake; reduce simple and refined carbohydrate intake

Genetics, diet, physical activity level, % body fat and distribution, stress, age, gender and unknown factors determine blood cholesterol levels.

Looks like you have the physical activity thing going. You mentioned peanut butter. Is it the natural kind? Or is it the JIF/Skippy/whatever brand? If it is not the natural kind, then it has trans fat in it which has much the same effect in the body as saturated fat. As for increasing monounsaturated fat -- add some olive oil, canola, avocados and nuts. Monounsaturated fats tend to lower LDL and increate HDL. Polyunsaturated fats include corn oil, soybean oil and safflower oil. Polyunsaturated fats tend to lower LDL but may also lower HDL. There is strong evidence that the omega-3 polyunsaturated fats (found in soy, flaxseed, and fish) inhibit blood clot formation, promote dilation of blood vessels and prevent fatal cardiac arrhythmias.

All this info comes from the AHA and the Cooper Institute.

Good luck!
Shonie

 

[naughtoj]

Shonie,

Thank you so much for taking the time to give me such an informative response. That was very thoughtful of you!

Uggghh..why did you have to bring up the peanut butter. Yes, it is JIF. I just hate the natural kind, it seems so messy! And not as good. But you are right, with the amount I eat I really need to make the switch. I will try to increase my good fats and hope it helps. I have never been a drinker so I don't know if I will start now. Plus, I prefer beer and not wine when I do drink. It is not that I don't like it, I just don't like how it affects my physical performance. But, I guess that is when I am having more than ONE drink!

You gave me the information I wanted. Thank you!

Janice

 

[maxwells]

Janice --

I feel you on the peanut butter thing. I hate the natural kind too and can't keep myself away from the reduced-fat JIF. Seriously -- I'm addicted to the stuff. I once ate 2/3 of a jar in one sitting (plain...no bread...nothing). I have yet to find a 12 step program for peanut butter addiction So I simply do not buy it when I go grocery shopping anymore. Apparently my heart (and waist-line and thighs) will thank me.

Have a great day!
Shonie

 

[EricaH]

I don't know if this is true or not, but I have heard that the amount of trans fats in the processed peanut butter is very small and not considered a risk.

I prefer the taste of the natural peanut butter anyway, but I thought I would pass that along for Jif addicts!

Erica

 

[mogambo]

Have you tried Arrowhead Mills organic creamy peanut butter? Yes, it's messy to stir up, but once you do, it's fantastic. Better than freshly ground, better than any brand I've ever tried.

Homer Simpson voice, "Mmmmm, Arrowhead Mills Peeeeeaaanut Buttterrr."

Anyway, I love love love it. I raised my daughter on it and haven't found a better brand in 20 years.

 

[40something]

Hi. My Dh has high cholesterol...course his diet is terrible and he won't do what the doctor tells him...but I try to get him to eat better at least with the meals he eats here at home. His father died of a massive heart attack at age 68. He led a very sedentary lifestyle and drank beer every single day. My FIL's mother also died of a massive heart attack and she was age 63 at the time of her death.

After my FIL past away and I found out at the funeral that his mother had also died the same way, I made DH go to the doctor for a blood draw. I don't have his numbers handy but they were all terrible. I went out and bought two books..."Good Fat Bad Fat" by William P. Castelli, MD and the other book is..."The New 8-Week Cholesterol Cure" by Robert E. Kowalski. These books have been on the market for some time so you should be able to find them at your library if you don't want to purchase them. Both of these books have alot of very useful information in them...I read them cover to cover and wasn't inclined to just skim around.

Okay, in the time since my Dh had his cholesterol checked I have urged his siblings to do the same. Course they are like their father and would prefer to keep their heads stuck in the sand when it comes to their health. My FIL actually had been having 'symptom's' of heart trouble before his death but he preferred to ignore the signs and so did my MIL. Anyway, two of my Dh's sibs have had their cholesterol checked and one brother has numbers just as frightening as my H and one sister who claims that she runs everyday on her lunch hour also has horrible cholesterol...and she drinks like a fish. She leaves work everyday and goes to a bar with friends and that is her life.

So, what I'm trying to say is if heart disease/high cholesterol is in your family history you really need to be paying attention to it and educating yourself on how to better your odds. I know, that's why you posted here but I would love to see you read the books that I mentioned because they are full of so much useful information that can help you make good choices in your life.

 

[Gretzky]

I'm the exact opposite on the peanut butter issue! I can ONLY eat the natural stuff... JIF or Skippy tastes so incredibly sweet and fake to me! Yes, the natural stuff is messy, but I pour off some of the oil first, then stir it up once, put it in the fridge and voila!

Good luck with coming off the JIF!

 

[mogambo]

Yes, me too. The Jif and Skippy kind taste like peanut-butter flavored shortening and sugar. Which natural brand do you like the most? Have you tried Arrowhead Mills?

"Aaaaarrowhead Miiiiilllls...", said Homer again.

 

[dsmiller]

I'm with you on the natural peanut butter front--so much better than Jif or Skippy or Peter Pan. I've never tried the Arrowhead Mills brand--would have if I'd seen it. What stores tend to carry it? My current favorite is Kroger's Natural Crunchy, but I'm trying to cut down. I can eat it with a spoon (or a fork or a finger or a knife--whatever's handy)--other adornments not required. I usually pour off the excess oil, too, stir and refrigerate. Yum! If I'm going to make an Asian slaw, I've sometimes saved the excess oil and used it there. Love that Natural Peanut Butter!

PS - Last year my HDL was 90 and tri-glycerides were excellent. Don't recall the exact numbers now, but I did remember the HDL. I also take 2 fish oil caps a day, eat at least 2 T. of ground flax seed in my yogurt each morning, drink a little wine on the weekends, eat as much salmon and other fish as I can afford, exercise daily, etc.

 

[naughtoj]

Dsmiller....WOW! HDL of 90?? Looks like you are really doing something right. I will try to be more like you!

Mogambo..I am going to try the peanut butter you are praising. I will look this weekend at our local health food shop.


40something...thanks for the information on your DH and his siblings. Something to think about. Atleast I have the lifestyle mostly down, just gotta deal with the Type A personality and the diet.

Thanks for all the wonderful advice you guys have provided!!

Janice