Letters from our readers

Better Nutrition, June, 2004 by Patricia Niego, Jason Drossel

I was questioning the information on p. 51 of the March 2004 According to the box titled "By the Numbers," if you HDL is above 60 mg/dL, it in considered high. I thought the higher your HDL, the better, and that a ratio is used between HDL and total cholesterol to find your risk factor for heart disease. Please explain why the chart saw that over 60 mg/dL is high

Patricia Niego * Via email

Thanks to everyone who wrote in about this. Here's a little more information. You're right in that HDL levels should always be high as a component of total cholesterol. Generally speaking, higher HDL levels are healthier. And if your HDL is in the "high" range, that doesn't mean the same as the "at risk" range when HDL is too low. High HDL is okay, even good, as long as total cholesterol is low. But as with any, reading, there is an optimal range. Think of it this way: What would happen it your HDL levels were extremely elevated--much higher than 60? Naturally, it would raise your total cholesterol level, and high total cholesterol is a key risk factor for heart disease. The lower one's total cholesterol, the better.

As we mentioned in the article, however, heart-disease risk is about more than just numbers. Other factors including fasting insulin, microinfection, inflammation and genetics come into play, (High blood pressure is another risk factor that we will address more completely in the July 2004 issue. The overall cardio picture is more complex than simply the cholesterol numbers, and it is best assessed by a health care practitioner who knows you and your history,

In "Low-Carb Continuum" (April 2004, p. 37), you state that sugar and simple carbohydrates are the causes of diabetes and obesity. So add more protein to your diet, and you'll cure the sugar blues. What about flesh fruits and whole grains? The emphasis should be on quality carbs and sugars.

Jason Drossel * Via email

Many health-conscious people are asking the same questions: Shouldn't the emphasis be on good carbs rather than no carbs? One such person is registered dietitian Sandra Woodruff, author of the latest installment of our "Low-Carb Continuum" series (p. 37). This month, she talks about a healthful approach to counting carbs, and she offers a host of great-tasting low-carb recipes. We hope you enjoy her take on the low-carb lifestyle.

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