dagblog - Comments for "Doubt Cast on the ‘Good’ in ‘Good Cholesterol'"

I subscribe to Pollan's

artappraiser — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:39:45 +0000

I subscribe to Pollan's simple mantra, "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."

Myself, I question even that for all, though I think it's probably best for most. The spouse is one of those people--often male--who seems to feel better and be healthier when skewing towards large doses of animal protein, caveman style. He seems to eat more and gain weight, get sluggish and grumpy, catch bugs, have digestive complications, when he tries to cut animal protein down.

I am encouraged, though, by what I have seen and heard from the youngest docs in training right now. They really do finally seem to have been taught to diagnose and treat "wholistically" for each individual, at least as best as they can with the current knowledge of the human bod.

As someone with low HDL

Verified Atheist — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:24:09 +0000

In reply to Doubt Cast on the ‘Good’ in ‘Good Cholesterol'

As someone with low HDL levels (and low LDL levels, as well), I find this to be good news. I'm not surprised by it, since longevity also runs in my family. That said, increasing one's exercise and improving* one's diet is surely a good thing.

On my blood tests, my total cholesterol level is actually below the "healthy" range. My doctor said not to worry about it, since I'm otherwise healthy. He said that there is a correlation between people with very low cholesterol and poor health, but that he believes the causation is in the opposite direction. I.e., some people in poor health don't eat much and their cholesterol levels drop.

*What it means to improve one's diet is obviously a matter of debate. I subscribe to Pollan's simple mantra, "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."