FTS and Cholesterol

[AliciaInTX]

Hi there!

Well, I've been eating the FTS way for the past several weeks and have lost weight and felt great! BUT...I had bloodwork done last week and found out that my LDL is higher and HDL is lower than my doc would like. I don't think this happened BECAUSE of the FTS diet...I'm sure it doesn't cause changes that quickly. However, I'm now kind of stressing out about what I should eat. My grandfather is a retired cardiologist and lives with heart disease, himself, so over the years I've heard A LOT about what you should/shouldn't eat to keep your cholesterol down. It always kind of went in one ear and out the other because I didn't think I'd ever have to deal with it....at least not until I was in my 60s or so! Well....now I'm looking at the foods I'm eating, which are fine for FTS...and they aren't so looking so good for my cholesterol. An egg and two strips of bacon on a GG Crispbread for breakfast, a few slices of salami or summer sausage for snacks, brisket or polish sausage for dinner and whipped cream on my sugar free jello for dessert. These are not things my grandpa would recommend!    My doctor also encouraged a more balanced meal and only olive or canola oil (no butter).  Is it safe to continue this or should I make some tweaks to my FTS diet to lower the cholesterol? Since neither of my parents have heart disease, my doctor wants me to address this via diet...but her idea of a low-cholesterol diet differs quite a bit from what I've been doing.

I'm just concerned. If you have any experience or thoughts on this, please share!

Thanks! 

[mouseissue]

Hi Alicia!

You've just started.
So I would not be too alarmed at those results just yet.
It takes time before you'll see positive results.

It took a month or so of FTS and weight loss before my numbers improved.
During that time, I ate many foods high in fat and other things that "conventional" nutrition science thought would elevate bad cholesterol and lower the good.
But as time went by, my numbers improved drastically anyway.

So be patient and give it a bit more time.
Our metabolisms are never in a hurry to do what they do.

[suzlyn454]

Hi Alicia,

I want to add my 2 cents worth here.  I started FTS early July 2011.  Since then, both my husband and I have been eating FTS.   I hadn't had bloodwork done for a year and a half.  When my doctor (who supports FTS!!) did my bloodwork in December everything was great (6 months).  My previous bloodwork before he told me to CUT OUT THE SUGAR.  I'm a slow loser and have only lost 25 pounds since starting FTS but have never been happier with the results and the way I feel.  My energy is thru the roof and clothes are still coming out of the back of the closet LOL.  My husband still takes cholesterol medicine (he hates it, it gives him leg cramps) although since his last bloodwork in December he is taking a lower dose.  Hang in there for about 6 months, get bloodwork done again and then make a decision on how FTS is really affecting your cholesterol.  It may not be FTS but in your family makeup.  Good Luck.
Suz

[AliciaInTX]

Thank you, both, for your replies! I love it that there always seems to be someone out there on the forum that has personal experience to share!

I plan to start exercising more regularly and eat a few more FTS sanctioned veggies (I'd only been eating a lettuce leaf or two per day, tops) and hope that in doing so I'll raise the HDL a bit. I'm being retested in 6 months to see how things look then. I do plan to stick with FTS. We'll see what happens!

Thanks again for the input!

[Rena]

I need to get mine checked also. At my last eye doctor visit, he said he "saw" something that usually appears in people with high cholesterol. I've tried to cut back on the heavy cream and such, but like you, I'm wondering what else I can cut back. I use mostly liquid eggs instead of fresh, which I think helps a bit.

[mouseissue]

Hi Rena!

I think it also possible that undesirable cholesterol levels may be caused by something other than what we eat.
I say that because so many folks (like me) find their cholesterol dramatically improve (and stay good) after living the FTS lifestyle for a time.

I think that possibility is something worth discussing with your doc.

[jen1975]

Hey Alicia!  My total cholesterol was 300 in March of last year!!  I then started FTS and in August (6 months later)  I had dropped it to 239.  My good and bad are still off (good is too low, bad is too high) but both had improved quite a bit.  I would say give it a few months and have your numbers checked and see where you are at.  I eat EVERYTHING that typical "low cholesterol" diets say not to - cream, butter, red meat, etc. 

[Doug Varrieur]

Hi Alicia, one of the numbers I'd be interested in knowing are your before and after triglyceride levels. I agree with your doctor recommending more variety. If you go back and review the FTS book you'll find I do too. You should be mixing up your protein sources between red meats, seafoods, poultry, tofu and white meats. The first thing I noticed was your high intake of processed meats. "An egg and two strips of bacon on a GG Crispbread for breakfast, a few slices of salami or summer sausage for snacks, brisket or polish sausage for dinner"

The eggs are no problem, as the years have gone by studies have proven this. FATS in general should be balanced well with "lean", this list of foods you're eating leans heavily on the fat side. I see you like snatch and grab foods, that explains the processed meats. Try making yourself some snack trays with a better mix of fats, veggies and lean. A tray in the fridge with cooked chicken breast chunks on toothpicks, cooked asparagus spears, broccoli florets, boiled cajun shrimp, chunks of your fav cheese. Make up some Tuna Fish to spread on your GG's ..... you get the picture

[Amber]

I think I am guilty of the "snatch and grab"    Thanks for the reminder of quick snacks Doug.

[Rena]

LMHO @ "snatch and grab" -- that just sounds so wrong.

I'm guilty of that, too. It's easier to eat some ham or salami. I do eat a lot of chicken and we've started using ground turkey more in our chili. But I like the idea of having the cooked chicken ready to go ... you know ... so you can "snatch and grab" it easier.

[AliciaInTX]

Haha. Now that I look at what I posted, you're right, Doug...it looks like all I eat is sausage!    That's not QUITE the case. I do eat tuna and chicken, as well! But I still love the snack tray idea. Having some already cooked chicken cubed and ready is a great idea!

Thank you ALL for your suggestions! Ya'll are the best!

[umpa]

i like chicken cordon blue sliced in the fridge,I am definately a grabber!Look out!