When a person loses weight, cholesterol usually rises because the body must break down stored fat for energy. Your total cholesterol should drop within two months.
Also, remember to look at your HDL( good cholesterol) levels. A rise in total cholesterol levels could even be a good thing, if it ' s all attributed to HDL cholesterol. Total cholesterol may temporarily go up due to the rise in HDL.
If you ' ve been following the Atkins Nutritional Approach for some time and your cholesterol levels have not come down, something else is going on. Exercise is an important component, as is cutting back on processed meats, such as bacon, sausage and cold cuts, and limiting your intake of hard cheese. You may also need to look at a third component of your blood tests: triglycerides. Cholesterol rises in some people when triglycerides drop significantly. If that drop is greater than the LDL increase, your lipid profile may, again, be improved overall.
High cholesterol that has a genetic component usually responds to changes in diet, but may be difficult to address with diet alone. You may still need to take supplements such as pantethine, essential oils, garlic and fiber. For a detailed discussion of cholesterol-lowering nutrients, see Dr Atkins ' Vita-Nutrient Solution.
TIPS:
• Give your high-carb foods to a soup kitchen or homeless shelter.
• Stock the pantry and refrigerator with your favorite protein goodies.
• Your children may have inherited your blood-sugar imbalances. Eliminating sugar- and white-flour-laden junk food from their diets too may be the greatest gift you ever give them.
• Ask your family and friends for their support.
• Find an Atkins buddy to share your weight loss journey.
CAUTIONS:
• People with severe kidney disease should not do Atkins.
• The weight loss phases of the Atkins Nutritional Approach are not appropriate for pregnant women and nursing mothers.
• If you are currently taking diuretics, insulin or oral diabetes medications, you must undertake Atkins only under the guidance of a physician. Your decreasing reliance on these medications must be monitored and carefully adjusted.
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