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Nutrition My lipid profile and low HDL

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Abdul-Rasheed

Abdul-Rasheed

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Here is my lipid profile that I received today.

Total Cholesterol 116
Triglycerides 67
HDL 38 (Low as per the doctor. Should be 40 or above)
VLDL 13
LDL 65

My HDL is suprisingly low (surprising because regular exercise is supposed to increase HDL, and I have been training regularly). However my total Cholesterol is also low. Anyting to be concerned about? If so, what can do to improve HDL?

All the ratios (Total to HDL, LDL to HDL, Tryglyceride to HDL) give good numbers.

Thanks,
Abdul
 
@ Abdul Rasheed- What's your daily diet look like? When I cut out carbs that werent veggies and fruit and started eating salmon and other fish my cholesterol levels improved.
 
@ShawnM my diet is decent. lots of greens, veggies, oily fish, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, yogurt cheese, meat, chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, whey protein and occasional grains (rice or wheat). I have been working on it. I am not really strict these days. Once a week or so, I indulge in a resturant meal or guest food.

@offwidth That is true. I thought of that, but I figured there may be a few here who knows something about this partly due to their profession, partly this is a general, common health matter.
 
@Abdul Rasheed- try kicking the dairy and grains aside for a month or two. When I got rid of them it made all the difference in my blood profile. You probably don't have to get rid of them all, just try and reduce them a bit at a time. Hope that helps.
 
Abdul, I would speak with your doctor - that's an unusually low total number. I have no idea what it means but that's worth asking your doctor about.

-S-
 
@offwidth , @Steve Freides The doctor said it is low but since total cholesterol is also low, she said she is 'not too concerned' and asked me 'to start exercising'. Well, I have been exercising. I am not too concerned with it. Just wanted to see if there are any more nuances to this.
 
I don't know. My cholesterol is the opposite of yours - my total is more than double yours, but my HDL is also very high, about 80, and my ratios are also good.

I would look into genetic things as well, e.g., I have low blood pressure (typical is 100/60 to 115/70 for me) but I know my mother also had and that it runs in her family.

-S-
 
Abdul Rasheed said:
my diet is decent. lots of greens, veggies, oily fish, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, yogurt cheese, meat, chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, whey protein and occasional grains (rice or wheat). I have been working on it. I am not really strict these days.
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What? You know what you should be eating; you list those foods, and then foot note it with something like I bolded. This is common for folks to do when interviewed by a nutritionist. But I have a feeling that if you scoured your past posts, you'd find that you usually do this. With your disclaimer, I am apt to think that your daily intake looks little as you described. So what does this add up to over time? Little, if any, progress.

What are you doing for training? Still very purely strength? Any brisk walking? Have you lost any of your visceral body fat since we last spoke? Are you on any medications?

I just read your training log a bit and see you were sidetracked by an IV gone awry. But before and after that, there is a lot of "piecemeal" training with missed sessions and parts of a session, or day, or week.

Many of us have watched you spin your wheels for quite some time now, Abdul, and this is all well and good. That you're still participating means that one day it will click, and you will go to that place where do what it takes to make and maintain those lifestyle choices that support your goals.

The best thing about a log is that it is a record of what you did. Go read it over. Until you get serious about training, you will make mediocre progress at best; until you get serious about nutrition, again, you will make mediocre progress at best. And, your lipid tests will also be questionable. By "get serious", I mean in practice... your actual choices played out, and not in your thoughts alone.

I hope you receive this as constructive as I intend it to be. You are by no means unique to this situation. Good luck to you!
 
Thanks for that feedback @aciampa . What you said is absolutely correct. My poor progress is proof, no need to look elsewhere.

Training: It has been purely strength. Starting this month I was trying to incorporate some High HR and Low HR Cardio.

Diet: Not sure what to say. I have been eating those what I listed. However considering that I am deadlifting and pressing heavy (do not laugh, it is heavy to my standards!) I was a bit loose with grain-based carbs.

Visceral bodyfat is still there, stubborn. I am not on any medications.

Your comments made me think hard. About my diet and training and beyond that. About my discipline (or lack thereof) in many aspects of my life.

Absolutely, no offense taken. All of you here in StrongFirst forum, I have huge respect for, and I look upto you all. I value your words of wisdom and criticism equally.

Thanks again.
 
aciampa said:
You are by no means unique to this situation. Good luck to you!
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No, you are definitely, not. But you are also not alone. Al's post and Abdul's response shows that this forum is truly a place for ladies and gentlemen and is an oasis in the desert of many forums I've been involved with over the years. Thank you to both of you and everyone else on StrongFirst for making such a great home away from home for all of us.
 
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