Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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My LDL cholesterol was 118 (total 236) & my doctor wants to put me on meds if it's not <100 in six months (even though my triglycerides were good - 83). He wouldn't even discuss LDL particle density. He told me to cut back on fast food, pizza, cheese & fried foods and walk a couple times a week. When I told him I don't eat any of those foods and that I'm training for my 3rd half marathon, he decided it was probably genetic & I would need meds. The only higher cholesterol foods I eat are eggs and shrimp, and I only eat these a couple times a week. All my other numbers were fine.

I tried searching http://paleophysiciansnetwork.com but found no medical doctors listed in the Raleigh, NC area. I'm guessing I'm better off with someone younger & preferably doesn't have a huge pot belly like this guy. Any tips?

flag	asked Sep 5 at 22:02 PaleoDogg 207●6

Ginny · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-06 04:33:01Z UTC

Usually those types of numbers are for people with known heart disease/previous heart attacks etc. Your LDL should be less than 130 and your cholesterol under 200 - but I don't buy that number. If your HDL etc are fine then I don't see a problem. I don't give much credence to these numbers anyway - crp, homocysteine, Lpa, even insulin are more indicative of health then total cholesterol - a VAP is a good test for subcategories of cholesterol if you really want to see what's what. I would start looking for another doctor. Where I live there are naturopaths who can prescribe meds - they'd be your best bet to deal with your high bp along side a paleo diet. I only saw one on the naturopathic.org website in your area and not every states will let them prescribe. If you do want to try driving your cholesterol lower you could try fish oil, policosanol, or high dose niacin - all of which I've used to bring my cholesterol down.

JayJay · Answer 2 · 2012-09-06 00:29:02Z UTC

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Unless you have outright acute symptoms why do you feel you need an MD? I would not consider seeing one for anything except emergency/urgent conditions....you know things they are good at "sick care". I wouldn't consider having one for "health care". Just not their thing really. Kinda like using a screwdriver to hammer a nail IMO.

answered Sep 6 at 0:29

JayJay
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	Unfortunately I have to get physicals to get my blood pressure medicine. I'm dependent on them like the local street dealer. Fortunately, since starting Paleo, my blood pressure has greatly improved. I'm hoping that will continue & I eventually won't need the BP meds. – PaleoDogg Sep 6 at 1:57
	Well here's to hoping your BP continues to improve with your lifestyle changes! Best of luck. – JayJay Sep 6 at 2:02

Tami · Answer 3 · 2012-09-06 04:51:51Z UTC

Check out the YouTube video "The Oiling of America"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvKdYUCUca8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

This is the best time investment you can make in educating yourself about the mythical correlation between high cholesterol and heart disease/poor health.

jdege · Answer 4 · 2012-09-06 11:29:28Z UTC

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The only higher cholesterol foods I eat are eggs and shrimp, and I only eat these a couple times a week.

Your serum cholesterol levels have almost nothing at all to do with cholesterol in your diet. And your physician should know that.

edited Sep 6 at 11:29

answered Sep 5 at 22:55

jdege
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"Should" and "do" are miles apart. They buy the propaganda the feds and Big Pharma sell and are often just legal pill pushers. – MathGirl72 Sep 5 at 23:27

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My serum cholesterol level dropped by 75 points when I ate a vegan diet and then went back to where it had been once I switched from vegan diet to paleo diet. Cholesterol levels absolutely are affected by diet, though not by the cholesterol in the food. – Anonymous Chump Sep 6 at 0:02

There is a percentage of the population whose cholesterol is significantly effected by dietary change (don't quote me on it, but I believe it is 30% or less). The real question is weather you decide to base your dietary changes on total cholesterol as a proxy for health. Personally I wouldn't unless we are talking the very extreme ranges. – JayJay Sep 6 at 17:27

He was talking about high cholesterol foods, and they have almost nothing to do with serum cholesterol levels. – jdege Sep 7 at 3:19

Best proxy for heart health, AIUI, is the ratio of triglycerides/HDL. Higher the HDL and lower the triglycerides, the better. I switched to a low-carb diet a couple of months ago, and my triglycerides are down from 208 to 92, and my HDLs up from 28 to 36. Neither is where they should be, yet, but both are better than they ever have been before. And my physician looked at a total cholesterol of 212, and suggested that I cut back on dietary cholesterol and saturated fat. When it's precisely because I'm eating far more saturated fat that the numbers that matter have improved. – jdege Sep 7 at 3:25

DWH · Answer 5 · 2013-01-01 23:30:44Z UTC

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contact Dr. Dan Strickler in Charleston, WV. I believe he also has a practice in Charlotte. His website is physiologix.com. I have been seeing Dan for a few years and have experienced exceptional care and advice.

answered Jan 1 at 23:30

DWH
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Any tips on finding a “paleo friendly” doctor?

5 Answers