I always have elevated cholesterol in the ranges of:
Tot. 180-235
Ldl 120-160
HDL 40’s
Trig. Always in the normal range (100-120)

After quit drinking last year, the readings stayed the same except a huge drop in HDL. It went as low as 28.

I did two blood tests, in September 2006 and last week and here are the results:

September 2006 reading:
Tot. 209
Hdl 32
Ldl 153
Trig 119

Last week result:
Tot. 273
Hdl 36
Ldl 215
Trig 112

Very alarming high jump in relatively short time (5 mo.), the things that I did differently was taking about 2-3 table spoon of olive oil in the morning and taking fish oil tablets (Omega3+joy) every night.
I mentioned the olive oil to the Doc., he shake his head and said “why you drinking
calories!” He wanted to prescribe cholesterol lowering drugs but I am hesitant to use them yet. My diet was not great, not enough fiber. Stayed at home for about 5-week due to sinus infection the week before the test.

Appreciate any feedback or suggestion.…

Cholesterol is used for the immune system. I don't know for sure, but possibly the sinus infection caused the cholesterol to rise.

I've also heard where infections can have an effect on the lipid levels. I would have them recheck a few weeks after the infection was cleared up.

You hear a lot about the benifits of Olive oil but most recommend you only use it to replace the saturated fats you've cut out of your diet. It could be that you have supplemented a diet already high in fat with more fat even though it is a fat that is generally viewed as being a good fat. Most recommend that total fat intake is in the 30-35% a few others recomend as high as 40% of total cal intake. Use the Olive oil to replace salad dressing or some other saturated fat you normally consume in your diet.

I fell into the "GOOD FATS" trap myself. I really cut back on the so called "BAD FATS" and added in to much of the "GOOD FATS" and didn't get the result I had expected. When I really tracked my fat intake it was nearly 45% and the omega6 to omega 3 ratio was still two high. Dialing in the proper diet is a learning process. It's not easy but if you keep at it and coninue to refine your diet I believe you can get the numbers in order in most circumstances.

B,

After quit drinking last year, the readings stayed the same except a huge drop in HDL. It went as low as 28.

AMAZING, you are the first person to report EXACTLY what I found for myself when I stopped druinking...and EXACTLY an HDL 28. About 5 years later I started noticing angina symptoms from a clogging cardiac circulation.

I tried some heavy drinking bouts for as long as 10 days to a month and saw my HDL rise into the 60's...but then back into the cellar when I stopped again. I think reformed drinkers are very much at risk when they stop...but talk about the frying pan and the fire dilemma...OY.:dizzy:

Most recommend that total fat intake is in the 30-35%
I think you'll find that stated usually as "NO MORE than 30-35% of calories should come from fats." It is more of a WARNING than a RECOMMENDATION. :) Dean Ornish reports reversal of heart disease with a 10% fat diet that is ALL from vegetable sources. I WISH I could comply...but it's too hard...I cannot eat that way.

If I saw such a high jump in my LDL with so modest a rise in my HDL, I would judge the extra 300 calories of supplemental olive oil to be a bad idea. Cook with it, use it as a substitue for butter but don't supplement with any oil but fish oil...and THEN only if you don't eat sea fish a couple times a week. Your doctor is right when he asks "Why drink extra calories?"