Yep. The results are in. You-all regulars readers of this here blog probably remember what my doc said awhile back. Hey, low carb is OK for weight loss, but after two years I'll start getting the risk factors for heart disease.
Of course, we all know a risk factor isn't a risk, and a risk factor isn't even a disease. But I don't even have risk factors! After 3 years of low (or lowish, some days) carb, my doc might be surprised that I am not coming into the office for chest pains. Here's what a few blood tests are currently showing.
Total cholesterol 174
Triglycerides 70
HDL 69
LDL calculated 91
Cholesterol/HDL ratio 2.5
Cholesterol, non-HDL 105
My total cholesterol continues to go down from its peak at the start of my low-carb journey.
My triglycerides were higher than the last time, but still less than half what they were 25 years ago when I was eating a "clean" heathywholegrains vegetarian diet and running 35 miles a week.
My HDL went down slightly from the peak in 2012, but it is still about double what I had measured 25 years ago.
My LDL calculation continues to decrease from the recent peak in 2009. (I don't remember what it was 25 years ago, but it was probably low since my total cholesterol was in the 130's.)
My Chol/HDL ratio is a "healthy" 2.5. My more meaningful Trig/HDL ratio is one. (Twenty-five years ago, this ratio was around 5!)
The non-HDL cholesterol reading is new, so I have nothing to compare. Who knows if that is a good number or not.
This morning I enjoyed a tiny amount of sweet potato strips cooked with undrained bacon and greens. Then I had a couple of eggs cooked in butter. I washed all that down with a mug of joe and real full-fat cream. For lunch, I enjoyed salmon with mayonnaise and basil, pork rinds with sour cream (don't worry, doc, it was low-fat sour cream I bought by mistake), a tiny fig and a full-cream iced coffee. Arterycloggingfersure. The numbers tell all.
