On the previous episode of As The Cholesterol Varies we were in a rocky hover mode, with the numbers changing slightly, some the right way and some the wrong way. After 4 months of Tricor…we are about the same. Good news is that the triglycerides are now under the limit, but the “good” cholesterol is still below where it should be. The Doc feels the only way to bring this number up is by adding a statin, so we are going to start taking the Red Yeast Rice again, but as an addition to the Tricor not just by itself. We’ll see what happens in April.
| Chol | HDL | LDL | Trig | |
| Goal | <200 | >40 | <100 | 30-150 |
| 09/21/04 | 209 | 24 | 131 | 271 |
| 01/10/05 | 176 | 33 | 110 | 167 |
| 05/06/05 | 174 | 27 | 108 | 194 |
| 06/17/05 | 164 | 31 | 85 | 238 |
| 07/28/05 | 177 | 30 | 113 | 169 |
| 12/08/05 | 182 | 35 | 120 | 137 |
Started up, still up.
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 376
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/05: 376
Another Grocery item that can be of benefit is “plant sterol esters” as found in “Benecol” or “Take Control” – butter like substitutes. Expensive and you need to take rather large portions but still way cheaper than statins and they don’t taste bad. I use them along w/Lipitor to keep my #’s down.
My source on the benefit is a Mayo Clinic Cardiologist who had pts. who got as much benefit from sterol esters as they did from statins. I believe the benefit is they inhibit fat absorption in the GI tract, so slather them on your cheese sandwiches – probably less benefit if your #’s are inherited.
Cardio exercise is good for Increasing HDL – no source that I remember, but fact seems to stick in my mind and reflects my own experience.
Holidays are a bitch tho for healthy eating.
Merry Christmas
I don’t know how expensive it is for those plant sterol esters, but I can get a 90 day supply of Red Yeast Rice for like $20 at a local health food store.
I’m not really a total slug on the cardio, rollerblade twice a week, bike ride one and hike another. I guess if I could get into doing something at home for a half hour a day, every day, it might increase my cardio workload…