I read Sweet Poison in the Christmas-New Year period, and am looking forward to changes.  I am overweight and so is my husband, but the blood tests (routine, annual check) on 14 Jan really surprised me - Cholesterol 6, with LDL reading 3.8.  I went to my doctor today, and I will get blood tests done again in a month or so of being fructose free.  I can't really understand why I have high cholesterol, except that I have been low-fat according to WeightWatchers more or less since I went in 2004 and lost 20 kg, most of which I have put back on.  I don't drink sugar, and certainly don't eat chocolates! (I get migraine) or even much ice-cream.  Dried fruit will have to go, and date loaf etc, but I don't have that often.  I am fortunate she let me try diet before giving me pills - which as she said I would have to be on forever.  I am 64.  Weight loss and exercise might help .

Any tips?

Noelle Frazer wrote:Have just had blood tests - Cholesterol has gone down from 6 to 5.6, and LDL from 3 to 2.8or 2.6.  So that is a start - maybe I will need to look at using Proactive instead of butter, and sterol enriched milk and yoghurt?  Any other tips?  I have lost a couple of kilos, so it is going to be a slow process. I use low-fat cheese.

Noelle,

That's excellent progress with the blood tests! ... Don't be in too much of hurry.  You didn't get to where you were when you started overnight and you wont change it overnight.  The point about eliminating sugar is that it is something you can do for the rest of your life knowing you are going in the right direction (without feeling like you're on a diet).

Don't worry about eggs.  And don't eat low fat foods (see this blog post for why: http://www.raisin-hell.com/2008/10/low-fat-diet-heart-disease.html )

And for the same reasons I don't worry about the butter either.

Cheers

David.