Just thought I’d share the good news.  My MD was pleased.  

July 2010

Total Cholesterol 220
HDL 68
LDL 127
Tri 126

August 2011

Total Cholesterol 210
HDL 83
LDL 111
Tri 81

I started BTD around September 2010, so it’s been almost a year.  I haven not been 100% compliant, though I am the most careful about avoiding wheat and other non-compliant grains.  And beans (carby) are an occasional treat, not a staple.  I consume ghee, olive oil, grapeseed oil, oils in nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts), whole eggs, plus animal fats in beef, lamb, and fish/seafood.  And YET…my cholesterol numbers have improved.  So there you go.  O non-secretors really do fine on fewer grains/carbs.  Or so it would appear.

I also got my Lewis blood test results, and it came out a+ b- which confirms my non-secretor status.  I was worried that I'd done the NAP secretor test kit incorrectly.

WOW.....great results.  You must be doing most everything right...

Thanks for sharing your great success!

Quoted from Chloe

WOW.....great results.  You must be doing most everything right...

Um...not quite everything!     But I am on a much better path than I was a year ago, that's for sure.  

It's amazing how, even when not being 100% compliant, the diet/lifestyle proves itself in the numbers! Congratulations!

Well done!  Did you change your exercise habits from July to August?  How did you get a Lewis blood test?  Did your doctor request it along with the lipid profile?

Excellent, Virginia.  That is so cool!

Congratulations, OinV!!!  Excellent!  

Funny, I am only 1 1/2 months behind you on the diet.  I get mine checked again in September.  I'll let you know how it goes.

I am curious, too!  Are you exercising and if so, what are you doing?

Thanks everybody.  

Quoted from SquarePeg

Did you change your exercise habits from July to August?

No.  

Quoted from SquarePeg

How did you get a Lewis blood test?  Did your doctor request it along with the lipid profile?

Yes, he requested it with the lipid profile (and hormone levels).  My MD is my gynecologist, and apparently he orders that test all the time for his patients who want to have children.  They test the mother and the father, apparently, for Lewis type.  So he was very familiar with that.

Quoted from Patty H

Funny, I am only 1 1/2 months behind you on the diet.  I get mine checked again in September.  I'll let you know how it goes.

I'll be very interested to read your stats!  I didn't have any expectations, but I was thrilled to see that my compliance HAS actually made the difference.  I can't attribute it to anything else but diet.

Quoted from Patty H

I am curious, too!  Are you exercising and if so, what are you doing?

Not exercising, no.  I certainly need to, but I am challenged that way.  All I'm doing is following my swami.  I do cheat a little with dairy and potatoes.  Every now and then I treat myself to an avoid like french fries or ice cream or cheese.  But it has to be a "treat" not something that creeps up until it becomes a dietary staple.  Sugar is still a problem for me (monster sweet tooth), but I have a feeling that once I get my hormones in better balance (I've just started bio-identical progesterone cream with my MD's blessing) that the sugar cravings will subside.  I don't consume nearly the amount of sugar I used to, however.  Oh, and my blood sugar is just fine.

Quoted from Drea

It's amazing how, even when not being 100% compliant, the diet/lifestyle proves itself in the numbers! Congratulations!

I know!!  It really just motivates me to be even more compliant.  Imagine what my stats could be if I exercised and was even more compliant!

Marvellous! A remedy to improve cholesterol numbers. Up with the HDL, & low in LDL and triglicerides. Well done Dr. D and O on Virginia.

When I regularly checked my blood I got to 95 in HDL; 110 LDL & 39 trigs. It tops the figures so much I sometimes wonder if I'm overdoing it the other way round lol! There is room for improvement and you are on the right track. Lucky!!!

Well done,

I had mine tested July 15, 2011

Total Cholesterol 192
HDL 78
LDL 101
Tri 63
Glucose 85 mg/dL
BMI 21.4 kg/m2

The longer you are on this lifestyle, the easier it gets.

Thank you, Susanna!  

RedLilac, that is terrific!  

I wanted to share my recent numbers, too.  They are not as stellar as yours O in V, but they are pretty good for me, particularly when you consider my previous numbers.  

8/25/2011

Total = 254
HDL = 70
LDL = 168
Tri = 78
CRP = 4.7
Homocysteine = 8

10/28/11

Total = 222
HDL =68
LDL = 139
Tri = 75
CRP = 1.2
Homocysteine = 7.2

I also had my APO B and APO A1 tested.  Both indicate I have large particle LDL, not the small particle LDL which is harmful.

All in all, my results are going in the right direction and my ratios are all considered better than ideal, so my cardiologist and I are happy!!!

I plan to incorporate carob into my daily regimen to see if I can bring down my total and LDL even more, since they like to have LDL below 130.

I'm so glad to hear of your improvement Patty! I remember you agonizing over "this isn't working! Should I try a completely different approach to help my heart?" and I'm very glad that things are finally moving in the right direction for you. Was it in August that you were freaking out about the numbers "not improving" since the time before?

I, too, have been following your progress, Patty.  I'm glad that you're seeing positive results!

Just looked mine up from physical in July.....
Total Cholesterol 224
HDL                     81
LDL                    128
Triglycerides        76
My doctor was OK with them, especially the high HDL.

That's fantastic... so are you camera shy?

Happy for both of you!  I need to check my numbers eventually also.

Thanks, guys!  I appreciate your support.

Yes, Ruthie, it was in August that I had my last cholesterol test.  I had to rush off to an appointment, so what I did not post was that I was able to come off the hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) about a month or so ago due to my exercise regimen bringing down my blood pressure.  It seems that the HTCZ may have interferred with my cholesterol metabolism, as my numbers went up when on the HTCZ and remained similar while on it and now that I am off my numbers are more similar, but lower than before I was on it.

Eric, I have tried several times to get my picture to show up, but for some reason it does not work.  I would love to post it, so if you have advice, I am all ears  

Patty H, that's great!    My numbers are hardly "stellar", but there was an improvement with diet alone.  You've had quite a dramatic improvement in your numbers.  Congratulations!

Quoted from Susana

Marvellous! A remedy to improve cholesterol numbers. Up with the HDL, & low in LDL and triglicerides. Well done Dr. D and O on Virginia.

When I regularly checked my blood I got to 95 in HDL; 110 LDL & 39 trigs. It tops the figures so much I sometimes wonder if I'm overdoing it the other way round lol! There is room for improvement and you are on the right track. Lucky!!!

Well done,

Susana - mine are the same - very high HDL and very low LDL (135 and 85 respectively.) It's a good thing. ;o)

Melissa