Have any of you had a Quest CardioIQ advanced lipid test with the inflammation panel? My "small particle LDL" is through the roof and my LP PLA2 inflammation marker is also elevated (supposedly signifies active plaque and how susceptible it is to rupture).

I am on Rosuvastatin 10mg with greatly improved cholesterol numbers (Total 130, LDL 70), but that is not why I am taking it. From all I have read, it greatly improves the inflammation situation. My current cardiologist just blows off all the small particle LDL and inflammation markers off as "unproven", but I am convinced I need to get mine under control because inflammation is the root cause of my problems. I am planning to order another panel from the walkinlab.com in a few months to see if mine have "cooled off" since my radical diet/exercise changes and starting the statin. I think I was creeping up into the "insulin resistance" category, which is another major contributor of heart disease per the books below. My fasting glucose was 99 back in September (too high, but not flagging as pre-diabetic - threshold is 100).

For anyone dealing with coronary artery disease or even an elevated calcium CT score, I would highly recommend the following books. They mostly agree and compliment each other. Great information that has guided the changes I have made. I certainly have not gotten any guidance from the 4 cardiologists I have seen, with one even telling me "Your problem is 100% genetic. Diet doesn't matter for you". LOL

"Deep Nutrition"
"Beat the Heart Attack Gene"
"The Great Cholesterol Myth"

What kind of eating program do you follow?

In a nutshell, I don't eat anything that couldn't have been eaten 100 years ago. No processed foods of any kind and limit carb intake to brown rice and potatoes and other natural sources (no pasta, no white rice, no bread/tortillas, etc.). We now only use avocado and olive oil (no "hateful 8" seed oils like canola, soybean, etc.). I still eat red meat and things with saturated fat in moderation. I think excess carbs are much more dangerous than saturated fat (contrary to the mainstream belief).

Basically, the "shop the edge of the grocery store" diet. This has been a radical change for me, as I was eating just about everything. I have also cut back my alcohol consumption to a couple of small glasses of red wine per week.

Bonfire97 said:

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In a nutshell, I don't eat anything that couldn't have been eaten 100 years ago. No processed foods of any kind and limit carb intake to brown rice and potatoes and other natural sources (no pasta, no white rice, no bread/tortillas, etc.). We now only use avocado and olive oil (no "hateful 8" seed oils like canola, soybean, etc.). I still eat red meat and things with saturated fat in moderation. I think excess carbs are much more dangerous than saturated fat (contrary to the mainstream belief).

Basically, the "shop the edge of the grocery store" diet. This has been a radical change for me, as I was eating just about everything. I have also cut back my alcohol consumption to a couple of small glasses of red wine per week.

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Sounds awesome! You've got a nice high protein diet with complex carbs plus healthy fats- so all that combined with your low-dose statin seems to be doing the trick

Perfect diet

Bonfire97 said:

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Basically, the "shop the edge of the grocery store" diet. This has been a radical change for me, as I was eating just about everything. I have also cut back my alcohol consumption to a couple of small glasses of red wine per week.

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Its this. Sure you can eat some "processed" food here and there. But if one follows this advice right here, a person is well on their way to being significantly healthier.

(Disagree with the carbs thing though. Carbs are essential if one is exercising and really pushing it regularly. Fat has very little metabolic benefit, but it is satiating. In the end, the basic macro split of 40 percent protein, 40 percent carbs, 20 percent fat, works for alot of people. All while staying at maintenance or lower (or higher) depending on goals.