Lowering LDL page

[haroldcrews]

Hello everyone. I had a physical last week and have just gotten the results from my blood work back. My resting heart rate (72 when nervous) and blood pressure are good (101 over 69). My HDL level at 74 is good. But my LDL is on the high side at 161. I'd prefer for it to be below 100 of course. I've been more or less paleo for a year. I do regularly eat some sweets and do have 3 or 4 servings of carbs (generally potatoes) a week. I'm 5'10" and weight 153-155 pounds. This gives me a BMI of 22 or slightly more. My breakfast is an egg and sausage patty. My mid-day meal is generally a spinach/broccoli/carrot salad with extra-virgin olive oil; a can of tuna and an apple. Supper will be a meat dish with one or two sides. I do stay away from processed foods, legumes and grains (other than the occasional sweet). Snacks are generally fruit (an apple or banana), dark chocolate or nuts. I do take 3 1000 mg capsules of fish oil omega-3 daily.

I will be starting a high intensity workout program within the next week or so as set out in Doug McDuff's guidelines in 'Body By Science'. That was why I had the physical.

What can I do to get that LDL down? Any advice will be appreciated.

[EagleRiverDee]

The exercise will probably do it. I did a test last year involving cholesterol and exercise. I did bloodwork, then commenced the 90 day exercise program called P90X, then did bloodwork again. These were my before/after results, without dietary changes and without drugs.

Total cholesterol: Before 265/After 184
Triglycerides: Before 136/After 44
HDL: Before 67/After 68
LDL: Before 187/After 127

Then I started Primal Blueprint, and after a month had my blood tested again. My TC and HDL didn't change much (both improved a couple points), but my LDL dropped even more and is now 100. I'm doing a second round of P90X concurrently with Primal Blueprint. So you can see that eating PB style hasn't hurt me, but exercise made a huge difference in my LDL.

[haroldcrews]

Thanks Dee. That's what I was hoping to hear. Aside from completely kicking the sugar habit I'm happy with what I eat. Although I've yet to go organic and grass-fed.