Health Markers Success Stories

try2again

Would anyone be willing to share their health markers success story? How much have you been able to improve your numbers for things like your cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, etc and over what time frame? (If you didn't want to share your actual numbers, maybe the amount or percentage of improvement?)

Would also be interested in what dietary changes have helped people raise their HDL. Thanks!

AnnPT77

At some past point triglycerides hit 402, HDL 39, LDL 161. Varies from test to test now, but the last one (May 2019) was pretty typical of the last few years since weight loss, with tris 97, HDL 66, LDL 89.6. At one point, Chol/HDL ratio had hit 5.9; this last test was 2.65.

I got the tris and LDL down a little before weight loss with eating changes, but the difference was fairly small, and they were still in a too-high range. Everything bad started dropping like a rock with weight loss, and hit levels close to the current ones +/- in under a year. They'd dropped quite a bit even part way through weight loss, though I don't have the exact numbers in front of me. HDL went up a lot in that period too, but kept drifting up for a while after IIRC.

Blood pressure used to be borderline high to high, too: 140/80 and up. Now it tends to be low 120s to one-teens over 70-something most of the time.

I don't know what specific changes raised my HDL, other than weight loss. I don't feel like I changed what I ate dramatically with weight loss, though portions changed a lot and proportions also. I probably eat fewer carbs (but not at all low carb, usually around 200g-ish daily), probably lower sat fats (less cheese, but still some pretty much daily), possibly relatively more MUFAs/PUFAs (nuts, nut butter, seeds). Veggies and fruits may be a higher proportion of intake than formerly, but not sure about absolute amounts. (I've been vegetarian for decades, and mostly eating whole grains and such, not some standard American diet sort of thing.)

I've been active for a long time; exercise didn't change much from when I was obese to now. Resting heart rate also isn't dramatically different: High 40s to low 50s, generally, fat and thin (first thing in AM readings).

YellowD0gs

In May, at the time of my heart attacks, my lipid panel was: Total Cholesterol 165, HDL 57, LDL 93, Triglycerides 74. Not horrible numbers on their own, and the highest they'd ever been, but the ratios were all wonky. Bad wonky. After six months of a prescribed statin, a strict low sodium diet (which also affects the amounts of other parameters), and 27 pound weight loss via diet and exercise, I asked my Doc to run another test. Don't hate me: Total Cholesterol 96, HDL 73, LDL 15, Triglycerides 37. My regular Doc is ecstatic! My Cardiologist..."LDL is still too high!". :noway:

AnnofB

YellowD0gs wrote: »

In May, at the time of my heart attacks, my lipid panel was: Total Cholesterol 165, HDL 57, LDL 93, Triglycerides 74. Not horrible numbers on their own, and the highest they'd ever been, but the ratios were all wonky. Bad wonky. After six months of a prescribed statin, a strict low sodium diet (which also affects the amounts of other parameters), and 27 pound weight loss via diet and exercise, I asked my Doc to run another test. Don't hate me: Total Cholesterol 96, HDL 73, LDL 15, Triglycerides 37. My regular Doc is ecstatic! My Cardiologist..."LDL is still too high!". :noway:

Fantastic results! But I do think you need a new cardiologist.

MikePfirrman

I don't know my specific numbers but I eat a Mediterranean Diet. When I started, I was prediabetic. I just got 15 year life insurance this year and out of 16 categories, I got the best rated one. My BP is 110 over 55. Doc just said my blood work was "stellar". I'm 55 years old and on no medication.

It's not just diet, it's exercise as well. I eat healthy, get sleep and manage stress. I also workout seven hours a week. This all from a guy that used to eat like a garbage can and could barely walk a mile 13 years ago.

ElBence

Jan 22, 2019
Triglycerides - 114
HDL cholesterol - 37
LDL cholesterol - 125
VLDL Calc - 23
Cholesterol - 185
Non- HDL cholesterol - 148
Hgb A1c - 5.7%

December 16, 2019
Triglycerides - 50
HDL cholesterol - 44
LDL cholesterol - 90
VLDL Calc - 10
Cholesterol - 144
Non- HDL cholesterol - 100
Hgb A1c - 5.4%

Dietary changes - Went from eating whatever I wanted whenever I wanted to relatively strict Mediterranean diet, including lots of fish, specifically sardines because they're cheap, sustainable, and portable.

Exercise changes - Went from mostly nothing to swimming two miles a day 4-6 days a week.

Eat like a fish. Swim like one too.

Bonus - lost 47 lbs, fit into the same size jeans I wore 20 years ago in high school, I can swim races and come in at times that are pretty close to how fast I was in high school, people who have known me since I was a kid think I look like I'm still in high school (basically time traveling here).

YellowD0gs

@ElBence Great job! Especially without an Rx to help along. Keep up the good work!

seltzermint555

I avoided doctors most of the time when I was at my heavier weights (100+ higher). I think when I did get testing done it was decent only because of genetics and youth, though. Now I'm 43 and most of my friends are getting horrible results from bloodwork and doctor visits while mine is "all normal, really good". I credit genetics and definitely weight loss.

I also believe weight loss is part of the reason I no longer have frequent & debilitating migraines. My doctor says it's probably just a hormone shift that caused them to end. I just don't think it's coincidence that they stopped abruptly when I got to a fairly healthy weight, though!