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As I noted in my post about my new Low Carb Diet, my goal was to lower triglycerides and raise HDL cholesterol.

Test results are in: triglycerides fell from 344 mg/dL to an acceptable 106 mg/dL, under the target of “150 or less”. HDL cholesterol had a slight improvement from 20 mg/dL to 29 (the healthy range starts at 40, so I have a way to go here.)

My concern about total cholesterol rising with all the fat-rich foods such as eggs and meat was validated at least in part, with a rise from 136 mg/dL to 160 … but that’s still well within the 125 – 200 mg/dL range considered healthy.

There are two tests for blood sugar, the direct “spot measurement” of blood sugar at the time of the test (“glucose”) and the longer term, 3-month blood sugar level (HA1c). I was surprised that my glucose level rose a bit from 103 to 105 mg/dL (65 – 99 is the target range). But my doctor noted the HA1c number, which he considers more important, fell from 6.2% to 5.5% (under 6% is the goal here for non-diabetics).

The results are encouraging, and I’ll stick to the more stringent portion of the diet for a few more months. It seems to be working. Some caveats are in order for my readers, though … talk to your doctor first. My understanding is the low carb diets can be dangerous for certain heart patients, especially those with cardiac arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation, etc.) or those with reduced liver or kidney function.

Diet, Family

I used to joke that my low-fat diet 10 years ago was very simple to follow: if it tastes good, spit it out. While a low carb diet is full of flavor, it can be hard to adhere to it while in places like Disneyland.

Before our recent trip I did a bit of research. I saw some reference to those huge turkey legs … and then found out they are not low carb. One low carb poster at Low Carb Friends gained 8 pounds after her trip (she ate two). Its hard to find definitive information on the food in amusement parks, but the turkey legs are said to be marinated in a solution full of carbs (sugar, probably), and have over 1100 calories each. Yikes!

But there are places you can find low carb meals. In Disneyland, Red Rocket’s Pizza Port in Tomorrowland has a chicken Ceasar salad that fits the bill. It is “pre-made” with Ceasar dressing, so consider that (I counted the dressing as my 10 carbs per meal, and tossed all the croutons out). Salads are available in several of the other restaurants in the park. Bengal Barbeque in Adventureland has k-bobs with meat and veggie skewered; you can ask for no sauce on them, and they remain pretty tasty.

Downtown Disney has a number of eateries, with some fast food windows. The Mexican tacos can suffice if you are satisfied eating just the chicken or beef filling; its a small meal once you remove the tortillas. But a better bet is the Chef’s Salad or Chicken Ceasar Salad at most of the sit down restaurants.

In Disney’s California Adventure, Wine Country Trattoria in the Golden State area has a wonderful Chicken Bruschetta Salad … skip the tomatoes if you are in “induction” phase, and ask for the dressing on the side. I find if pick up a bit of salad with my fork, and dip the corner of the lettuce into the dressing on the side, I can get the taste of the dressing without consuming all the sugar it contains. This salad is a taste treat, with the cheese and wonderful greens (not to mention the chicken).

A variety of area restaurants have the usual fare, with most serving Chicken Ceasar Salads. Mimi’s Cafe, across Harbor Boulevard and near the Howard Johnsons, is said to have a pretty good salmon meal.

I found it relatively easy to remain on plan during the day, but carried some nuts and beef jerky for those times we stopped at the ubiquitous “outdoor vending carts” festooned with churros, ice cream and other diet killing goodies. Having something to munch on at those times is a big part of not feeling “left out”.

Diet, Family

A persistent health issue has been my triglyceride levels … at 344 mg/dL, they are at least double what they should be. Combined with my age (53 this month), over-weight profile, and low HDL cholesterol (20 mg/dL instead of greater than or equal to 40), I’m an example of what my doctor calls “metabolic syndrome”. And probably headed towards diabetes.

We tried a drug (tricor) but I developed a rash after taking it for a few weeks. The next step was 1500mg of niacin daily and, my doctor strongly advised, a low carb diet.

I started the niacin three months ago, and found that taking Slo-Niacin Controlled Release Niacin helped with the flushing. Taking an aspirin 30 minutes before the niacin eliminated the uncomfortable flush entirely.

On March 11th I started following the diet prescribed in the book Protein Power: The High-Protein/Low-Carbohydrate Way to Lose Weight, Feel Fit, and Boost Your Health–in Just Weeks!. I know I’ve lost weight already, but that’s not really the goal (but hey, I’ll take it as an extra benefit!) I take another blood test next week, and will get the results by May 1, so I’ll know if all of this has helped on the triglycerides front.

Protein Power includes some recommendations to accompany the low carb diet, including vitamin supplements and fish oil. Because your body changes gears to adjust to the low carb diet, they recommend a “mega vitamin” such as TwinLab Dual Tabs and a potassium supplement providing at least 90 mg of potassium.

I started with Costco fish oil tablets, but they are limited to 300mg of the “good stuff” … EPA and DHA. In order to affect triglycerides, I’ve read that you really need about 1600 – 3200 mg … or up to 11 capsules. A friend recommended Carlson Laboratories – The Very Finest Fish Oil Lemon Flavor … with 1600mg per teaspoon. I was prepared for a castor-oil like taste, but it isn’t bad at all; there’s no fishy taste and its very easy to take one or two teaspoons at a time. There is a slight lemon flavor, and since I take it with breakfast and dinner, I don’t get any kind of “fishy burp”.

What I didn’t count on was that I’m not hungry on this diet. When you calculate how much protein you need from the book you realize that you’ll never go hungry. For my “lean body mass” I need at least 80 to 90 grams of protein, or 25 to 30 grams with each meal. 5 ounces of meat does it, but for breakfast it means a meal like this: 2 eggs (12 grams), 3 slices of bacon (9 grams) and 1 ounce of cheddar cheese (7 grams). I love these foods, and my past experiences with dieting always left me hungry. So from that aspect, at least, I’m sold on the low carb diet plan. I have substituted Egg Beaters liquid eggs (made from egg whites) to limit myself to two whole eggs a day (I sometimes take hard boiled eggs for lunch, along with hard salami, sharp cheddar and pistachio nuts).

On the down side, my carbs are limited to just 30 grams per day in this initial phase. I’ll be able to increase it later after I reach my goals, but for now, foods like bananas are out (40 grams of carbs in a whole banana), apples (20 grams per apple), etc. Bread has from 6 to 10 grams per slice, but I’ve just avoided it in favor of the carbs I find in green beans, etc. I have also switched to just water or, in the morning, coffee and eliminated all diet colas (and any other artificial sweeteners).

Some unexpected benefits. I have had acid reflux (GURD) for the past 10 years, and have been taking Prilosec since before it was over the counter. I have also had persistent bleeding from hemorrhoids, even with a high fiber (and high carb) diet. The bleeding stopped first, and now I’ve been off the Prilosec for three weeks. I’m sleeping much better, and lately … 4 weeks after starting the program … feeling less tired (almost energetic, but I won’t admit to that yet).

A couple of caveats are in order, I think. I’m doing this under a doctor’s care, and I’m being careful to follow the recommendations in Protein Power as closely as possible. The people I have talked to who have had bad experiences on low carb diets with symptoms including leg cramps, constipation, fatigue, etc. didn’t follow all the recommendations. Omit the potassium and you could get leg cramps. Without enough fiber, you get constipated, so pay attention to getting enough through broccoli (I like it raw in salads), and other high-fiber, low carb foods. And get enough protein so you lose only fat, not muscle (the book has an easy way to calculate your body fat percentage, your corresponding lean body mass, and the amount of protein you need).

I’ll continue to blog on this subject as I progress, and will post the results of my blood tests. Stay tuned.

Diet, Family