Health & Support

Hi All

I recently had my annual check up where I had a full physical with bloood work done. I recieved my results in the mail yesterday and my doctor noted that while I dropped 16 lbs in the last year, my cholesterol was higher than in the past. Now my total cholesterol is at 207, where normal is below 200.

I have actually been eating healthier in the past year and the only thing that I can think would have adversely affected my cholesterol is eating an egg every morning for breakfast (instead of my usual cereal). Do you think this is what caused the jump, or could it have been something else?

Also, is it not wise to continue to eat eggs in the morning if I seem to be prone to higher cholestrol? I am going to call my doctor this week sometime, but wanted to get your thoughts as well.

Thanks!

Bump! Anyone??

One egg every day shouldn't make your cholesterol level increase significantly.  Blood cholesterol is increased by the general consumption of animal products.... full-fat dairy products (cheese?), meat, animal fats.   It can be reduced by the consumption of plant-based foods... oatmeal, vegetables, beans, legumes/pulses, oily fish, olive oils, fruit.   But it's also affected by other factors e.g. smoking, lack of exercise, being overweight and, very importantly, genetics.   Not everyone with higher cholesterol levels will go on to get heart problems.  Not everyone with heart problems has high cholesterol.

Try not to panic.  However, keep a food diary until you can get to see your doctor.  You may be eating healthier than you were but there could still be other things you could do.  Show the doctor the food diary and ask their opinion.

Thank you so much gi-jane. I will restart logging my foods and try to make an appt to speak with the doctor on a follow-up visit. I do eat red meat and cheese, but always in moderation. Genetics of course may be the culprit, so we shall see.

Thanks again!

Ashley

I had another thought.  Don't know if you drink decaffeinated coffee.  It's made with a different bean to the caffeinated type... and it doesn't raise your blood-pressure but instead raises cholesterol. 

When I began losing weight a few years ago I'd often have weeks where I'd temporarily 'go veggie'.  Partly because veggie food is very low cal but filling, partly because I like to keep things interesting with new recipes and partly because it saves on the grocery bills!  (They almost give beans away, it's incredible)  I went for a cholesterol check after one such week and the numbers were excellent.  So much so that I now only eat meat 2 or 3 times a week as standard.  Maybe that's something you could try?

That's actually a good idea. I have no problem not eating meat ever day - I love to cook and have made some pretty good dishes with beans. I'm not a huge fan of tofu, but I think this is because I haven't learned the best way to cook it yet.

Thanks!

I've never managed to get on with tofu .... I reckon it's not really a food but Japanese cavity wall insulation. :-)   If you do cook veggie, just go easy on the cheese.  Kind of defeats the object. 

Had you not eaten anything 12 hours before the cholesterol test?

What was your previous result?

Waht was your HDL/LDL breakdown?

Ditto what nycgirl said.  I don't believe any cholesterol test that was not fasting and refuse to let them pull it.

Did you get a breakdown? I would suspect the HDL went up and LDL went down comparatively. 

Is family history an issue?  My cholesterol was 225 when I was 28 and very active and eating a good diet. But I have 4 grands with heart disease and 3 that died of it. Mother had stroke, Father by-pass. My brother who died at 6 already had plaque in his veins. So according to the doctors I could be a strict vegetarian and still have high cholesterol. Still I with a high total, I can be at low risk by bumping up my HDL. But I'm also medicated--yuk!

An egg does have a lot of cholesterol but a lot of people eat many eggs for breakfast. Could be family history and you are just know becoming aware or it could be a medication you are taking that might make it increase.