Hello, I just found this board a week ago and have found it very informative. It's great to have a forum were people can share their own real world result's. There's so much hype and advertiving on the net you just don't know what to believe. Well anyway I'll get to my results and questions.

I had a blood work up as part of a general phsical and my cholesterol didn't look to hot.
TC 233
Tri 218
HDL 29
LDL 161
VLDL 44
Every thing flagged high exept the HDL
DR's recommendation was low fat diet and retest in 3 mo. His recommendation was written on the bottom of the test results that where sent to my home address.

Anyway I did some research on the Net and modified my diet based on the info I collected hoping for good things to happen.

I cut out all proccessed foods and Transfats. Reduced the saturated fats. Started eating more complex carbs, fruits, veggies.......ect.

Retested 3 mo later.
TC 198
Tri 145
LDL 142
VLDL 29
HDL 27
The DRs comments again attached to the results sent to my home. "Colesteral is high try to lower the animal fat in diet."

The good news is improvement in every area exept the HDL. I also lost about 20 lbs. I really expected better results considering how horrible my diet was for the first test. The HDL dropping was a bit of a shock also. I don't know if I can reduce the animal fats much. At this point I'm eating a mostly chicken breast, turkey breast, a little skimmed milk, maybe one serving of lean beaf or pork a week and three or four of the Omega 3 eggs per week.

I read one report where during weight loss the HDL levels could drop my as much as 8% per Kilo loss but when the weight stabalized there was an increase of 1 unit per 7 lbs lost. Has anyone experienced this?

Also I'm a long time heavy smoker and from what I've read that has a negative inpact on HDL. What kind of gains have any of you experience from quitting?

Exercise gains?

Thanks for reading I know its kinda long. If you have any questions let me know.

I think your first numbers were great! I did so poorly when mine as below 200 that I actually want mine above it. My last check, mine was 253 and I was thrilled to death. My weakness is sweets! I have to have sweets every day or I just freak so I know if I cut those out, mine would be lower.

I hardly eat meat anymore, no processed foods, I eat a lot of beans (I LOVE BEANS!), salad, fruits, limit carbs, and oatmeal with cinnamon and walnuts every day.. Do you eat oatmeal? That will bring it down more, add cinnimon and walnuts, both are good to lower it too. I also have always loved oatmeal and cinnamon and I use honey to sweeten it. Omega 3 fish oil helps lower it also.

I give you credit for trying to treat your naturally. If I'd know then what I know now, I would have tried everything before I ever took that first statin drug.