Well my numbers are: My bad cholesterol was 0.1 over 6 weeks ago and will likely now have fallen below target. The minimum time between tests allowed is 2 months -so its impossible to be certain but.... I eat lots more fruit, no white bread, wholemeal everything, very little processed foods of any type, nothing fried except for eggs (in a drop of olive oil) and avoid salt like the plague since the end of June. No sugar unless its in something else already, plus no sweets, chocolate or crisps etc. That together with the statin seems to have worked well in my case. AFAIK the "Target numbers" in the diagram above are those the NHS nationally recommends.
Interesting... like you I'm pretty good wrt plenty of fruit & veg & wholemeal but unlike yourself I still have a couple of chunks of dark chocolate squares of an evening and crisps most days. Plus it has been known for a belly pork slice to pass my lips.... ahem. Those target number are much lower than the ones quoted in my test results i.e. total is <5 & not 4, LDL is <3 & not 1.8 and Non HDL is <4 & not 2.5. I wonder if these values vary dependant on health authority or perhaps on a per patient basis?
Eating healthily doesn’t mean, no sugar, nothing fried, no fat. Eating healthily is a balanced diet that fits your biome. You will find your body reacts differently to many foods, some of which will increase your insulin production some of which will boost your body function. There is a lot of bollocks spouted by self interested ‘experts’. If you have to avoid anything, UPF, genetically modified, hydrogenated, stabilisers, emulsifiers and anything artificial that ‘improves the texture in the mouth’ should be at the top of your list. If an ingredient isn’t in my store cupboard, the product gets left on the shelf. And yes, I’ve been taking Statins and blood pressure medication for 20 years. My annual medical mostly comes back with every metric in the green and I drink beer and enjoy an omnivorous diet. Andy
Its totally possible that the targets are varied I guess. I will ask at the review (which is a week on Monday) and report back. I'm not too sure regular pork is a big deal, and in fact I don't think eating anything occasionally including "belly pork" is an issue. Its how occasionally that becomes! All clinicians I've spoken to frown heavily about processed food, fried food, sweets and crisps. Odd to find salt and sugar are a mortal enemy, but its not hard for me to cut them so no big deal. They have instilled a reduced or minimal bacon regime into my consciousness too, which is a drag. But heart failure and all that crap is a bigger drag, so nearly never bacon sarnies is the lesser of two evils to me. Whatever works!
Agreed, though there is so much salt, sugar and fat in things we eat, that maybe some of us will benefit from limiting any more slipping down our throats. But we're all adults and can make these decisions by ourselves, for ourselves. Whats good for one is not necessarily good for another. I'm hoping for green blood too! LOL
today I confirmed my sanity status : – I've spent the last six weeks looking on and off online etc for a new pair of motorcycle boots as my only regular used pair are nearly worn out. Even this came as a massive surprise to me as didn't think they were that old. I just happened to be searching for some quick release connectors in the spares boxes here, and stumbled on these.. Have no idea when or where i'd bought them.
