Despite being responsible for sustaining a multi-billion dollar drug franchise, LDL cholesterol is a crude, outdated, unreliable, nearly useless marker for cardiovascular risk.
You can obtain superior results without drugs but will need to know a little something about this thing called LDL cholesterol, as well as advanced lipoprotein analysis to obtain REAL insight into cardiovascular risk.
Had my physical today. I have been on Wheat Belly for a year. My total cholesterol was 290 with my LDL 191. I have never had what the doc calls high cholesterol before. When she saw that ldl number she immediately started talking about taking a statin. I refused her every suggestion and finally got her calmed down when I said that I would use essential oils to help lower it. Oh, and one of her food suggestions was Cheerios. I told her I didn’t consume any grains and that I was doing Wheat Belly. She didn’t have a clue. I have lost 50 pounds which she never acknowledged. But I was very glad to see you talking about this very issue today. Thank you.
Lois Walton wrote: «I have been on Wheat Belly for a year.»
Based on which reference information? (just in case it’s not current)
re: «My total cholesterol was 290 with my LDL 191.»
Was the test done fasting? Had you been losing weight at any time during the prior 30 days? What were the two numbers from the lipid panel that are actually interesting: TG and HDL?
Further, was there no discussion of getting an advanced lipoprotein panel to see what the LDL subfractions actually are?
re: «…and finally got her calmed down when I said that I would use essential oils to help lower it.»
Essential oils are not part of the core Wheat Belly program, which is why I asked my opening question.
Here are some other labs we mind (plus CBC, not on that page yet).
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Bob,
I have been using essential oils for quite some time, I use Doterra oils and their guide for use. I have a friend who has used lemongrass and marjoram to lower her cholesterol quite successfully. I am working from the original Wheat Belly book, keeping up to date with Wheat Belly Facebook page. The blood test was not fasting and I have been losing weight. I use all the other suggested supplements except theL.reuteri yogurt because I am HR positive with breast cancer. Thank you for your response.
Lois Walton wrote: «I am working from the original Wheat Belly book, keeping up to date with Wheat Belly Facebook page.»
As you’ve probably noticed, the 2011 book is not the 2019 program. It omitted the gut flora cultivation topic entirely, and was insufficiently blunt about net carb targets (and excess net carbs drive the TG number I asked about, and that Dr. Davis just blogged about today).
re: «The blood test was not fasting and I have been losing weight.»
You can go for a more reliable test after weight has been stable for 30 days. And despite hand waving by consensus sickcare, get the lipid panel drawn fasting, otherwise the TG number can be off by 20%. If there’s any real concern about your lipoprotein status, get an NMR advanced lipoprotein panel.
re: «I have been using essential oils for quite some time…»
Essential oils are being explored within Undoctored Inner Circle developments, but for temporary use in eradicating SIBO and fungal overgrowth. I’ve so far seen no indication that EOs will have an indication for lipid situations that don’t respond to the core Undoctored or 2014+WB program.
re: «I have a friend who has used lemongrass and marjoram to lower her cholesterol quite successfully.»
Lowered what cholesterol? TC, one of the {usually fictional} LDL-C’s, or least likely, an actually measured Small LDL-P?
I might add that even if an EO is effective for that, a variety of agents shove LDL-C around (statins, PCSK9 inhibitors, the upcoming bempedoic acid, and the abandoned CETP inhibitors). The problem is that they don’t necessarily shove outcomes (all-cause mortality) in the desired direction.
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Bob,
I read Lois Walton comments above and because of your opening questions I thought I would ask about my stats.. My total Cholesterol was 257. My HDL was 81mg, Triglycerides were 74 mg and my LDL was 161 mg. It was a fasting blood draw. I had lost 3 to 4 pounds in the last week or two before the blood draw. I’ve been on Wheat Belly since July of 2015. Is this something I should do extra testing on? I am considering getting a Heart CT done to see what my arteries look like. Any suggestions or concerns that you see I should be considering?
Susy OConnell wrote: «My HDL was 81mg…»
Again, due to the weight loss in progress during the last 30 days, even the two interesting numbers on the standard lipid panel are suspect. Otherwise, 81 mg/dL would be comfortably above program floor.
re: «…Triglycerides were 74 mg…»
That’s a bit above program cap, but again possibly confounded by the weight loss. Even when it remains above target range, it further needs to be framed by other metabolic measures such as HbA1c, and fasting BG.
re: «I’ve been on Wheat Belly since July of 2015.»
Is that based on the original 2011 book, or the 2014 Wheat Belly Total Health? The 2014 program brought in gut flora cultivation, which is a hot topic still growing in importance.
re: «Is this something I should do extra testing on?»
That would depend on any other markers (plus CBC) for which you have data, age, personal health history and familial factors. All that aside, once weight has been stable for a month, you might consider getting an NMR.
re: «I am considering getting a Heart CT done to see what my arteries look like.»
That you can do at any time, by the way. If you get a zero Agatston score, further cardiovascular testing is statistically a lot less urgent.
re: «Any suggestions or concerns that you see I should be considering?»
Impossible to say (and I’m not a doctor, anyway). What to look at next can often be informed by a review of whatever healthcare records you have, and any symptoms. For example, most people get a TSH from time to time, and if it’s out of program range, some real thyroid testing would be worthwhile, in light of how pandemic hypothyroid is.
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Thank you Bob for your reply. I joined the program with the Wheat Belly Total Health book. I also have the Undoctored book and have joined the Innercircle Group.
I appreciate your input. This life style takes a lot of research along with trial and error. It is so helpful to have you and Dr Davis available to give insight and to add some common sense to our caring for our health.