Need Help, MY Friends

[ShannonK]

First, thanks Wannabethintoo for asking about me. I do appreciate it.

I have been out for the past few weeks. My father had a massive heart attack and after nine days in a coma, he has passed away. It has been a week now and we are still reeling from the loss. I have not been doing my WOE at all. I have hardly eaten anything, to be honest.

My question for you all my friends has to do with my cholesteral (sp?). Everyone in my family is now saying... okay Shannon, enough of the fad dieting. No more fatty foods, etc... I am so torn right now that I don't know what to do. Help! I just don't feel like getting my book back out and rereading it right now, but I do know that the atkins WOL has made me feel so much better than I ever had.

Your advice is so appreciated.

[ladyinred]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

I'm so sorry for your loss Shannon. I lost my dad too, quite suddenly, a few years ago. It's tough. I don't have an answer for you, but my thoughts are with you.

[sadie@136]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

hi shanon
i am very sorry to hear the loss,be strong!!
(((hug)))
as for the friends,atkins isnt a fad diet...and u dont get a high cholestrol eating fatty foods..dont try to convience them,and dont listen to them do what u think is best,and what u can do...and what makes u feel happy.
dont throw pearls before swines.
sadie

[wannabethintoo]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss Shannon. It's hard losing a parent.

Many people have lowered their cholesterol with Atkins but I can understand how your family would be concerned.

[kayceear]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

Shannon, I am truely sorry for your loss and my prayers are with you.

Did you have your tests run before you started Atkins? Have you had them checked recently? Since you have a dispostion to having high colesterol I would keep an eye on your situation. Don't freak out but do give the book a read when you feel better. It won't be this WOE that hurts you but it could be hereditary.

[teejay]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

Shannon, I am sorry for your loss, you are in my thoughts.

I would do what I felt was best for me. If they keep giving you problems about it, tell them to go read the book, then come talk to you. Or send them to a doctor.

TJ

[Spikette]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

Hi Shannon...so sorry for your loss...my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

As far as cholesterol...mine was always low...around 150 ish. When I first started Atkins it went up for a few months, then when my body got used to eating healthy, it went back down to the 150's. It happened that way for a couple of friends of mine also.

If you're feeling good on this WOL then that's what counts...plus get your bloodwork done every 6 months or so and you can keep track.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

Shannon SOrry for your loss. My dad had a massive heart attack outof the blue and died in May so I can understand some of what you are going through.

To answer your Atkins questions you need cholesterol 101

over 25% of the cholesterol in anyones body is self made and 50% of that is from Acetyl-CoA inside their cytoplasm. that molecule look formilur? it is the 2 carbon molecule in both fat and carbohydrate breakdown for energy pathways. 10% comes from liver metabolism. Healthy folk make about 1 gram of cholesterol a day and consume about .3 grams.
only 20% of the cholesterol in your body comes from the foods you eat.
Cholesteol is a very important body molecule as every cell in our body uses it in the cell memebrane, it is the material bile is made of and it is used in other reactions to as a lipoprotein. with out cholesterol we would be puddles on the floor. less then 1/4 of the total cholesterol comes from the food we eat.

cholesterol has 3 big parts HDL LDL and triglycerides
Eating high fat in the absence of carbs the human body will burn triglycerides which is what is the storeage molecule of fats in most animals including humans so that number will go down.

Atkins eating and exercise will raise your HDL which is the good stuff. this inturn will help remove from your blood some of the LDL and return it to the liver for removal as bile. ( yep that bile needed to digest fats is the only way other then shedding dead cells for the body to remove cholesterol from the body). If you are having the high fiber foods on the OWL ladder rungs then you are binding up some of that bile and pooping it out thus ridding your body of LDL too ( yep that is how oatmeal works).

So from a eating stand point you are decreasing TGs and indirectly lowering the LDL and raising the good stuff. Can't do any better dietarily as long as you are following Dr Atkins advice and selecting healthy fats as part of your Atkins.

There are several foods tht can be eatten as part of your Atkins that actualy help increase the good stuff HDL and lower the bad stuff LDL nuts like walnuts ansd almonds, seeds like flax, plants with natural sterols like soy and plants with soluble fibers like peas barley oats and others. if you chose your Atkins foods wisely you can lower cholesterol too.

But they have yet to link high cholesterol to actual cause of heart attacks. Some folk like my Dad have were healthy cholesterol and get one. they know it is from blood clots and the think it is the plaques rupturing and leeting out a clot in the repairing but they haven't actually proved this is the cause. there are some researchers who thing the plaque is the repair of the leak not the cause of the leak. C reactive proteins seem to be a much better indicator if heart problems to come.

much study is still needed but if you are worried about your Cholesterol get yours tested and see.

[wannabethintoo]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

I think that exercise plays a very important role in decreasing cholesterol. Studies show that it increases the HDL levels. I have never had a problem with cholesterol...even at 252 lbs and I attribute that to exercise.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

uh wannabe not to point out the obvious but you and shannon are not genetically the same so you don't make the same amount of cholesterol no matter how much or how littel y'all would way. Some folk like our poster in spooks topic have out of control livers making it out the wazzhoo and only medical intervention will alter that. other can't turn of the key step in the cells and make massive amounts there too. the only way for Shannon to know now that she has cardiac riskfactors in her genes ( dad's heart attack is called that in my med history bu my doc) is for her to discuss her concerns with her doc and get tested regularly.

[wannabethintoo]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

I was just pointing out the effect of exercise on cholesterol in general.

[Stacilynn]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

I'm sorry for your loss. It's great to have you back.

[2big4mysize]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

okay but you could be 300 pounds and not have a cholesterol problem if your genes don't make excees was the point I was making even exercising will not turn off a faulty on switch it will just help control part of the excess as incrasing the HDL will allow more LDL to be removed from the blood plasma and also acted on by the eznymes associated with HDL to break up the LDL it contacts.

[ShannonK]

Re: Need Help, MY Friends

Thank so much for the support. It is more difficult than I ever imagined.

I guess that I need to really do some further research. It sounds like it is less the diet and more the lifestyle I lead. I have to stop the yo yo dieting for sure.

You guys are the best. Thanks for the quick response.