Cholesterol

[Terrilyn]

Hi Everybody,

I have not been here in a while. I was wondering if anyone has had a problem with there cholesterol rising since they were diagnosed with Celiac and starting eating different foods. I am wondering if some of the foods, such as bread as an example, are using more fats than we would get from the normal fair, were we still allowed to eat processed breads and pasta's. Any help would be great.

Thanks

Terrilyn

[Lisa]

Yes, that would be me Anxiously awaiting some replies.

[jerseyangel]

Yep--me too. Mine went up 15 points after I went gluten-free....the test was done about 18 months into the diet. Before that, I had been holding steady. I hope it doesn't continue to rise

Dr. Green addresses this tendency in his book Celiac Disease, A Hidden Epidemic. He talks about how prior to diagnosis, most people with Celiac will have a low cholesterol reading. This is because they are not properly absorbing fat and cholesterol in the small intestine.

As the gut heals, he says, the picture changes and they start eating a standard gluten-free diet that tends to be higher in fat and sugar. It's also typically lower in fiber.

His words--"people with Celiac disease are faced with a diet naturally devoid of fiber, laden with additional fats, and an intestinal tract that is now absorbing it."

[tarnalberry]

another reason to not have too much of the gluten free substitutes, but mostly eat whole, naturally gluten free foods - with good fats and plenty of fiber and not a lot of artificial sugars to drive up triglycerides. also, exercise will help lower cholesterol as well.

[RiceGuy]

another reason to not have too much of the gluten free substitutes, but mostly eat whole, naturally gluten free foods - with good fats and plenty of fiber and not a lot of artificial sugars to drive up triglycerides. also, exercise will help lower cholesterol as well.

Well said, and I agree. Not only is making things from scratch fun, but it can then be made far healthier than what's available on the market. For instance, I use Stevia for a sweetener. I also never liked that white "sandwich bread" stuff anyway, so whole grain bread already appeals to me.

Sugar does cause a rise in cholesterol too, and from what I understand it is due to the oxidative effect it has. So that and low fiber combined isn't particularly healthy. However, it's not just cholesterol. Homocysteine has been shown to erode artery walls, and apparently it is cholesterol which is produced by the liver to actually protect the arteries. Also, methylcobalamin (B12) along with folic acid have been shown to reduce homocysteine, thereby helping the arteries at the same time as relieving the liver of the additional stress. Just google Homocysteine and read up if you're curious.

[Terrilyn]

Thanks for all your replies, this really gives me better insight into what I am going through. I have been trying to limit my fats, butter etc. Eating lots of fresh salads and fruits. Hopefully all this will give me some help. I also realize that I need to loose some weight, which also adds to the cholesterol.

Thanks again.

[lizard00]

I don't have a problem with my cholesterol, although the majority of my weekend has been spent trying to find different ways to naturally lower cholesterol since my DH found out his cholesterol is through the roof. He's 30, is not overweight, and eats pretty well. Neither one of us are big into rx meds, so we have been exploring many options...

But to the topic... I have found that I have really had to pay attention to the fiber contents of things. I eat VERY few processed foods, but I do eat cereal for breakfast. I have really had to look to make sure that my cereals have an acceptable amount of fiber. Before I went gluten-free, I ate stuff like Kashi go Lean, which has something like 8 or 9 g of fiber a serving. It was a bit of an adjustment after I went gluten-free to maintain my fiber intake. So, I would say your theory definitely has some merit. When we replace our high grain breads, or in my case, cereals, with many of the gluten-free low fiber products, it would make sense that cholesterol would rise. But I don't particularly think that any processed food is especially good for us, gluten-free or not.

[RiceGuy]

I don't have a problem with my cholesterol, although the majority of my weekend has been spent trying to find different ways to naturally lower cholesterol since my DH found out his cholesterol is through the roof. He's 30, is not overweight, and eats pretty well. Neither one of us are big into rx meds, so we have been exploring many options...

But to the topic... I have found that I have really had to pay attention to the fiber contents of things. I eat VERY few processed foods, but I do eat cereal for breakfast. I have really had to look to make sure that my cereals have an acceptable amount of fiber. Before I went gluten-free, I ate stuff like Kashi go Lean, which has something like 8 or 9 g of fiber a serving. It was a bit of an adjustment after I went gluten-free to maintain my fiber intake. So, I would say your theory definitely has some merit. When we replace our high grain breads, or in my case, cereals, with many of the gluten-free low fiber products, it would make sense that cholesterol would rise. But I don't particularly think that any processed food is especially good for us, gluten-free or not.

As I understand it (from what I've read), one of the reasons fiber helps lower cholesterol is that it helps carry out bile acids, which are released by the liver to aid in the digestion of dietary fats. And it is interesting that the liver uses cholesterol in the creation of those bile acids. Therefore, rather than the cholesterol building up, it can be lowered by the liver. Seems reasonable to me anyway.

Now, for a natural way to lower cholesterol, try cinnamon! Studies have shown cinnamon to lower cholesterol as much as statin drugs. Incidentally, statin drugs are designed to inhibit the liver's production of cholesterol, which is why prolonged use can cause liver problems.

It's amazing what can be learned at Open Original Shared Link.

[lizard00]

Thanks RiceGuy!

I'll pass it along. He started taking Red Rice Yeast with co-Q10 yesterday. We're hoping that will drop it down pretty quickly, and he's doing a hand full of almonds. Last night, I ground up some flax seed to try to add fiber to our foods. He really is pretty cautious about what he puts into his body, which is why he is so upset about his cholesterol. Then when you add in liver damage, muscle degeneration, arthritis like symptoms, memory loss as side effects...

He has to back in 6 weeks to see if it's come down any, so we'll see if the supplements and other things have worked. If our alternative methods work, I'll definitely post them for all of you who are also fighting cholesterol.

[moldlady]

Thanks RiceGuy!

I'll pass it along. He started taking Red Rice Yeast with co-Q10 yesterday. We're hoping that will drop it down pretty quickly, and he's doing a hand full of almonds. Last night, I ground up some flax seed to try to add fiber to our foods. He really is pretty cautious about what he puts into his body, which is why he is so upset about his cholesterol. Then when you add in liver damage, muscle degeneration, arthritis like symptoms, memory loss as side effects...

He has to back in 6 weeks to see if it's come down any, so we'll see if the supplements and other things have worked. If our alternative methods work, I'll definitely post them for all of you who are also fighting cholesterol.

Hi Lizard,

The red rice yeast used to have the component in it that was derived to make statin drugs like lipitor. Because of this, RRY was taken off the market. Now they have altered it to not have that component. So, by taking RRY you are actually putting fungus in the body. He will soon start getting acid reflux from the yeast as it grows and pushes out good bacteria.

Do the other things you mentioned and go easy on the bad fats but get some good omega 3s going.

Please reconsider.

moldlady

[tarnalberry]

I also realize that I need to loose some weight, which also adds to the cholesterol.

btw, my "exercise" comment wasn't aimed at weight loss, but rather the process the body goes through in performing exercise itself helps to lower cholesterol, improve the immune system, and repair damage throughout the body. the chemical process triggered by exercise is complex, and entirely outside of any weight loss benefits, it can help significantly.