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How to do the W30 if you have high cholesterol


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Hi, I'm new to this Forum.  I started the W30 on March 27th and so far I am doing OK. Had a bad headache on Day 2 but feeling a lot better and overall more energy.  I read the Whole 30 book before starting and have really been enjoying the Instagram feed and its great recipes !  Yes it is hard, and yesterday found myself staring longingly at a chocolate croissant, but resisted ! :).:)

So here's my question:  2 days ago I got bloodwork results from my doctor showing my cholesterol levels are elevated (258 total, HDL: 75; LDL: 169) though triglycerides are within normal range (71). My doctor wants to put me on a statin medication and for me to follow a " low fat diet " (this is the typical of GPs advice) .  I want to ask her to give me 3 months to see if my current diet modifications + exercize will help with this.  I am really not inclined to take a statin as I heard there are many side effects, on the other hand I am 64 (female) and don't want to take unnecessary risks either.

Any one in the same situation ? What does the Whole 30 team and Melissa advise   Also, would you recommend cutting down on the amount of fat and cholesterol while doing the Whole 30 for example:  use 2 whites and 1 yolk in my scrambled eggs; use Light coconut milk instead of full fat, etc...

Will appreciate any feedback ! Thanks !

Michele

 

 

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I have borderline high cholesterol with high LDLs and higher HDLs (which is good and was increased by my first round of W30) and now acceptable Triglycerides (108 - used to be 249 before my first round of W30). My nutritionist wants me to do minimal coconut oil and since that isn't my favorite anyway is okay. My genetics show a propensity for challenges with saturated fats so I'm using food as medicine.

I am doing round 2 of W30 and use mostly avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, some ghee for flavor, some W30 compliant bacon, and olives as my fat sources. I also choose grass fed beef, pasture raised chicken and eggs, the equivalent for pork as well. 

I only use full fat coconut milk when a recipe calls for it. I have whole eggs 2-4 days a week because I get bored. I frequently have leftover dinners for breakfast to keep up variety.

W30 has helped numerous people with their heart health and it was recommended to me by a couple of my docs. My GP was on the fence, but has seen progress. If you haven’t had a chance to read, It Starts with Food, I highly recommend it as it gives some realy good science to back it up. 

I go back for tests in July. Hoping for improvements.  

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On 4/1/2017 at 5:43 PM, laura68 said:

I have borderline high cholesterol with high LDLs and higher HDLs (which is good and was increased by my first round of W30) and now acceptable Triglycerides (108 - used to be 249 before my first round of W30). My nutritionist wants me to do minimal coconut oil and since that isn't my favorite anyway is okay. My genetics show a propensity for challenges with saturated fats so I'm using food as medicine.

I am doing round 2 of W30 and use mostly avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, some ghee for flavor, some W30 compliant bacon, and olives as my fat sources. I also choose grass fed beef, pasture raised chicken and eggs, the equivalent for pork as well. 

I only use full fat coconut milk when a recipe calls for it. I have whole eggs 2-4 days a week because I get bored. I frequently have leftover dinners for breakfast to keep up variety.

W30 has helped numerous people with their heart health and it was recommended to me by a couple of my docs. My GP was on the fence, but has seen progress. If you haven’t had a chance to read, It Starts with Food, I highly recommend it as it gives some realy good science to back it up. 

I go back for tests in July. Hoping for improvements.  

 

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I am on a statin, as is my whole family, except one brother, as we manufacture cholesterol besides my eating badly. When I asked my GP about doing Whole30 she not only recommended it but was doing it herself. I have not had new blood work done so cannot say my situation now. However my brother that does not take a statin has better cholesterol and good numbers due to Whole30 and feels it is what keeps him off meds. He is also the only one not on BP meds. Another brother who has very bad cholesterol is on minimal cholesterol meds, due to it affecting his brain function, did Whole30 last fall, his cholesterol dropped and his HDL went up. He cannot take more meds as for example he couldnt add 2+2 basically.

Also agree you I think your GP or whoever is behind the times. Bro 2 had to change docs due to this, the doc insised he take more meds or he couldnt keep him as a patient. He switched docs and goes to a specialist at a heart institute instead

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  • 3 weeks later...

I used to have high cholesterol and was on statins, but over the years (I am over 70), I have managed well with healthier food and have stayed off the drugs.

one year ago I did the Whole30 mostly for my IBS and weight, did well, but asked my doc to check my cholesterol since I was eating more butter and meats, after 9 months mostly eating whole30.  

Oops, numbers getting higher, so doc suggested cutting back on animal fats, and get retested in 6 months.  Doing my second Whole30 now, in Day 6.

I now get approved Whole30 turkey bacon only, and eating ghee sparingly.  But eggs have good cholesterol so still eating them daily. And plenty of olive, avocado and coconut oil.

i am hopeful I can restore my good cholesterol numbers by the fall.

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5 hours ago, Izziegirl said:

I used to have high cholesterol and was on statins, but over the years (I am over 70), I have managed well with healthier food and have stayed off the drugs.

one year ago I did the Whole30 mostly for my IBS and weight, did well, but asked my doc to check my cholesterol since I was eating more butter and meats, after 9 months mostly eating whole30.  

Oops, numbers getting higher, so doc suggested cutting back on animal fats, and get retested in 6 months.  Doing my second Whole30 now, in Day 6.

I now get approved Whole30 turkey bacon only, and eating ghee sparingly.  But eggs have good cholesterol so still eating them daily. And plenty of olive, avocado and coconut oil.

i am hopeful I can restore my good cholesterol numbers by the fall.

Thanks for your comments ! and good luck on restoring good numbers in the next few months. I'm in the same fight !

My doc also suggested cutting back on animal fats. Problem is, how do you do this on a program which requires you eat a lot of meat ...I'm just taking a leap of faith that the Whole30 can work for me instead of the very low fat diet my doc wants me to follow....

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1 hour ago, MicMD2503 said:

My doc also suggested cutting back on animal fats. Problem is, how do you do this on a program which requires you eat a lot of meat ...I'm just taking a leap of faith that the Whole30 can work for me instead of the very low fat diet my doc wants me to follow....

You'll be fine.  The doc is operating on old outdated information.

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17 hours ago, kirkor said:

You'll be fine.  The doc is operating on old outdated information.

I agree with you, at the same time I am still a bit nervous as I have seen several people on the W30 Instagram feed, report their cholesterol numbers went up while on the Whole 30.  I'm supposed to have another blood test at the end of May and we will see...

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There's nothing to fear. You could conduct a Whole 30 without one single egg and zero red meat. You could eat fish, fish, fish, chicken and turkey, and use avocados for your fat if you're fearful of coconut oil.  Add your fresh produce and you wouldn't be raising your cholesterol numbers.

How do you normally eat, that's the question. It's the sugary foods and refined foods that mess with cholesterol the most.  But there are those who've been doing this for years who seldom if ever eat red meat.  There is nothing in ISWF that says you are "required to eat alot of meat" or clarified butter (ghee) or bacon or eggs.

There are so many options, there is nothing in ISWF that says you're required to eggs every single day or at all. You can be completely compliant without meat or eggs or bacon or ghee or coconut oil.

I think some confuse Whole 30 with extreme atkins. A side of bacon, a pound of butter, a dozen eggs, burgers or gut bombs, and a spinach tennis ball every day. 

Thirty days are just a drop in the bucket when you're looking at the cholesterol big picture. I have relatives who've had a few heart attacks apiece and their cholesterol is next to nothing and yet, they were put on statins. Their joints ache so badly, they're in pain all of the time but their numbers are more than perfect.  

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  • 8 months later...

I just had my labs done and my Triglycerides are over 2300, so I have to do something. I was doing the Keto diet for a while and that lowered my A1C from 12 to 9,but the lipid specialist said the Keto diet doesn't work for cholesterol.

Sooo.. now i'm going to go back to the W30, which I enjoyed but I didn't lose the weight as fast as I did on Keto.

I would much rather use food to heal me than the two medications they put me on. Statins are evil. 

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