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I Ditched The Paleo Diet And Lowered My Cholesterol 35 Points

When you see the same ideas repeated over and over, they can start to sink in. Without ever fully connecting the dots, I started avoiding hummus and stocking up on coconut oil[1]. My thinking (and eating habits) also got Paleo-washed in other ways. These are some examples of the ways the Paleo trend—which emphasizes eating what our cavemen ancestors did—influenced my perspective on nutrition:

  • I believed that a dinner of whole-wheat pasta with veggies should be more of a once-in-while treat than a once-a-week staple.
  • I believed that beans and legumes should be eaten in moderation or not at all—certainly not every day.
  • I believed that grass-fed organic ghee (or butter) was just as healthy as olive oil.
  • I believed organic eggs with vegetables was the ideal breakfast. (If you're buying eggs, make sure the carton says these 3 things[2].)
  • I believed tofu and other soy foods, which are verboten in Paleo circles, should be eaten sparingly, if at all.
  • I believed I should limit whole grains to one small portion a day, at most.
  • I believed that saturated fat was not something I needed to avoid.

These shifts snuck up on me gradually, though, and I rarely considered the drawbacks of these beliefs. If anything, I thought I was simply staying current with the latest and greatest nutritional wisdom. Even as I increased the number of skin-on chicken thighs and raw milk cheeses in my fridge, I was sure that my diet was far healthier than what most Americans were eating: I shunned fast food and highly-processed fare, and I lived by food activist and author Michael Pollan’s edict that you shouldn’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize. I ate a lot of farmers’ market vegetables cooked in plenty of butter. (Here are 7 things you should be buying at the farmers' market but aren't[3].)

But all the while, unbeknownst to me, my cholesterol was creeping up. Way up.

MORE: 12 Foods That Lower Cholesterol Naturally[4]

I was shocked in May when my doctor brought up cholesterol-lowering medication after a blood test that showed my LDL—the “bad” cholesterol—had reached 187. She gave me six months to get my number down; if it hit 190, she'd put me on prescription medication.

This was right around the time the American Health Association issued a strongly-worded advisory[5] about saturated fat, based on a review of the best and most up-to-date research. The gist was that saturated fat[6], in spite of recent media reports to the contrary, is still terrible for heart health.

After several years of headlines claiming that butter was back and that beef is a wholesome whole food, this warning was confusing, to say the least. Arguments discrediting the report cropped up all over the internet[7]. (Buying 100% grass fed beef can be tricky. Here's your ultimate guide to avoiding the fake stuff[8].)

But with my own heart health on the line, I decided to fully embrace conventional wisdom and follow the AHA's advice. It seemed like the safest bet. I bid bye-bye to my stash of virgin coconut oil and grass-fed ghee and started following the tried, true, and unsexy advice about how to reduce cholesterol and improve heart health.

MORE: Surprise! These 6 Foods Are Great For Your Heart[9]

Back to basics
Overnight, my diet went from vaguely Paleo-ish to mostly vegan[10]. Though the AHA doesn't specifically recommend a vegan diet, I wanted to go as far as possible to cut saturated fat and cholesterol (translation: meat and dairy) from my diet.

For the next two months, I ate as many cholesterol-lowering foods as possible, including the very things—like oats, whole grains, beans, fruit, and soy—that have been sworn off by much of the low-carb crowd. (Here are 6 slow cooker oatmeal recipes that will make your mornings a breeze[11].)

I gave up eggs for breakfast, favoring almond butter or avocado on sprouted wheat toast, oatmeal, or tofu scrambles. I quit cheese, milk, cream, and yogurt cold turkey. And I have eaten virtually no meat—only the occasional piece of wild salmon. (That's less than the twice-a-week the AHA suggests we eat fish, but as much of the good stuff as my budget allows.)

Here's how to know if the fish you eat is sustainable:

This approach to eating might sound dreary to some, but I actually love this food. I grew up vegetarian, so I’ve never had hang-ups about needing meat to be satisfied with a meal. I’ve reunited with some of my all-time favorite staples—hummus, tofu, pasta. (Make crispy pan fried tofu with these easy directions[12].) Before my cholesterol diagnosis, in the sway of the low-carb cult, my relationship with these ingredients had grown complicated. Now I felt free to love them again.

MORE:  The Beginner’s Guide To Going Vegetarian Without Getting Sick[13]

Within a few weeks, I was feeling better. I had more energy, for one thing. During stricter stints on a Paleo-style plan, I would wonder why my arms seemed so heavy during yoga classes or why I didn’t want to walk anywhere. Without enough carbs, I felt weak and drained. It was only when toast came back into my life that I made the connection.

The most surprising part of the whole experience for me was that I lost weight[14] while eating a substantial amount of pasta, bread, and beans. I had come to believe that this was impossible; that carbs are the enemy of weight management. Within a week, my stomach wasn’t bloated for the first time in ages and my skin looked bright and clear. I thought the infernal Whole30 cleanse had a monopoly on these kinds of results?

I’m not a patient person, so I wasn't willing to wait six months for a new round of blood work to confirm what I was already feeling. I scheduled new tests after only 8 weeks, not expecting too much. I just thought a little movement in the right direction would be the encouragement I needed to stick with my new plan. (If you're over 50, make sure you schedule these 5 blood tests[15].)

When the results came in and I saw I had dropped my LDL by a shocking 35 points, I was as proud of anything as I’d ever been in my life. After being told repeatedly by my doctor and others that the high cholesterol was likely genetic, I felt like I had some agency over my own health again.

MORE: Exactly What One Woman Ate To Get Off Her Cholesterol Meds[16]

My HDL—that’s the good cholesterol—was up 11 points as well. At 152, my LDL remains in the “borderline high” range. I’d like to get it under 129 so I can move into the “near optimal” territory. And at this point, I have the information and tools I need to do just that.

I know there are many paths to well being and many ways to put together a healthy diet. Certainly, we’ve all heard testimonials from the Paleo camp about positive health outcomes, and I have no reason to doubt these stories. But for me, it's clear that a plant-based diet is the foundation for good health.

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