Keto and Cholesterol

Cholesterol in the diet affects serum (blood) cholesterol in only a relatively small percentage of the population, so it's probably not that common with keto. If you're one of those for whom it does, however, it doesn't matter whether it's common in other people.

Macro percentages won't directly affect getting your cholesterol down. Losing weight, getting more exercise, and possibly in your case limiting dietary cholesterol are the best factors under your control. Cholesterol is found in fats from animals, so limiting yourself to plant foods and leaner animal foods will address that. You can have lean animal protein and plants on a wide variety of macro distributions.

Other dietary choices that can help reduce serum cholesterol in some people include getting more soluble fiber, which can be found in oats and legumes, and increasing the proportion of omega-3 fats in yours diet (sources include fish; meat, poultry, dairy and eggs from grass-fed or free-range animals; flax meal or flaxseed oil; canola or rapeseed oil).

nvmomketo wrote: »

What went up? If it was total cholesterol, I would ignore it. Completely.

HDL usually goes up.

LDL reactions will vary. Sometimes up, down or stays the same. For most people though, the particle size and density improves which is a sign of good health.

Triglycerides usually go down with low carb although while losing they may be temporarily elevated. HDL and tri ratio is an okay indicator of CVD risk.

So if HDL goes up, and LDL stays around the same, then total cholesterol does go up.... Its a really poor marker of CVD risk, IMO.

Fasting ends to raise cholesterol too. If you fasted over 12 hours or ate very little in the days prior to testing, that could raise cholesterol too.

If familial hypercholesterolemia runs in your family, then you may need to change your diet. If there is not a chance of FH, I would keep going. IMO.

Do you have a medical degree? What training do you have to say that something is or isn't a marker of CVD risk?

Some people react poorly to a keto diet. OP should listen to her DOCTOR and not keto dieters with Google U degrees. God it pisses me off when people deny each and every negative experience strangers have with their WOE because it challenges their magical thinking.

lhanley163 wrote: »

I have started doing Keto a couple of weeks ago and this is what I was thinking about too. It’s so hard to find a good balanced diet

A balanced diet isn't actually as difficult as one might think.
1) Find the right number of calories
2) Get enough protein
3) Get enough fat (50-75 grams and focus on non-saturated fats)
4) Get enough fiber
5) Get enough vitamins/minerals

A diet with a moderate amount of meats, veggies and whole grains will get you closer to the ballpark than you expect.

lhanley163 wrote: »

I have started doing Keto a couple of weeks ago and this is what I was thinking about too. It’s so hard to find a good balanced diet

@lhanley163 it's really not that hard to find a good balanced diet - eat things you like, everything in moderation. Watch calories for weight maintenance and macros/micros for nutrition.

lhanley163 wrote: »

I have started doing Keto a couple of weeks ago and this is what I was thinking about too. It’s so hard to find a good balanced diet

How about just an actual balanced diet?

happytree923 wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

What went up? If it was total cholesterol, I would ignore it. Completely.

HDL usually goes up.

LDL reactions will vary. Sometimes up, down or stays the same. For most people though, the particle size and density improves which is a sign of good health.

Triglycerides usually go down with low carb although while losing they may be temporarily elevated. HDL and tri ratio is an okay indicator of CVD risk.

So if HDL goes up, and LDL stays around the same, then total cholesterol does go up.... Its a really poor marker of CVD risk, IMO.

Fasting ends to raise cholesterol too. If you fasted over 12 hours or ate very little in the days prior to testing, that could raise cholesterol too.

If familial hypercholesterolemia runs in your family, then you may need to change your diet. If there is not a chance of FH, I would keep going. IMO.

Do you have a medical degree? What training do you have to say that something is or isn't a marker of CVD risk?

Some people react poorly to a keto diet. OP should listen to her DOCTOR and not keto dieters with Google U degrees. God it pisses me off when people deny each and every negative experience strangers have with their WOE because it challenges their magical thinking.

^ This exactly. Some people never fail to amaze me with their blatant ignorance, and this response to one of those people is spot on.

ilovefoodalldamnday wrote: »

For what it's worth, my RD at mayo clinic stated very bluntly that KETO is a therapeutic diet only for use in the most extreme circumstances. It definitely can shoot up cholesterol, especially if your genetics are not in your favor. I went on it for a month and my cholesterol was through the roof. Her answer and what worked for me was to eat the rainbow! The classic diet of whole grains, tons of fiber, tons of fruits and veggies was spot on. She also mentioned looking into the Nordic or Mediterranean ways of eating as they are some of the healthiest diets in the world. Don't do a fad diet, it will only bite you in the *kitten* (and the arteries).

Absolutely. Your opinion is worth it. When rigid eating rules your life, get ready for the food explosion that may sneak up on you out of the blue. Might be a year or two down the road but rigid eating, eliminating food groups for months or years can cause a course correction that will not be denied. The brain kicks into overdrive because those old neural pathways don't really die. They just go dormant until you fall asleep at the wheel. If it wasn't true, there would be no such thing as eating it all back with rebound weight gain.

Anikib wrote: »

My HDL went up from 225 to 258 and my LDL went from 156 to 188. My Dr said at 190, they put you on medication. That’s the last thinking I want is to be on medication. High cholesterol runs on both sides of my family.

I had a 'nutritional' coach that I followed into keto/IF/primal/paleo eating for well over a year. I didn't read the fine print or ask enough questions. All of the coach's gluten/fodmap/autoimmune problems were self-diagnosed. The nutritional coach had no medical training whatsoever. Anyone can print up their business cards and hang out a shingle. My coach takes pride that children are now following the rigid eating rules. When I took a couple of steps back I saw disordered eating for no actual medical conditions. Buyer beware with food coaching, sometimes the rigid diet they're following is nothing but a cover for their own disordered eating. Moderation is not a dirty word. Find peace with food in the middle ground.