When I started this journey, my focus was pretty simple:
Lower my LDL.
That was the number that caught my attention. It was the number that scared me a little. And naturally, it became the number I wanted to fix.
So I started making changes.
I became more intentional about what I was eating. More protein. More fruits and vegetables. More beans, salads, nuts, and fiber. Less fried food. Fewer highly processed choices. I started paying more attention to saturated fat without convincing myself that I could never eat a cheeseburger or pizza again.
Then I took my second Rythm test.
And my LDL went up.
Yep.
After spending a month making healthier choices, my LDL-C went from around 165 mg/dL to 191 mg/dL.
At first glance, that sounds pretty discouraging.
But there was another number sitting right next to it that completely changed the way I’m looking at this journey:
My ApoB was 130 mg/dL on my first test.
And on my second test?
130 mg/dL.
It didn’t move.
So…what exactly is ApoB?
This is something I’m still learning about myself.
LDL-C tells us approximately how much cholesterol is being carried inside LDL particles.
ApoB gives us information about the number of atherogenic—or potentially artery-clogging—particles circulating in the bloodstream.
An easy way I’ve started thinking about it is cars on a highway.
LDL-C is more like measuring how much cargo is inside the cars.
ApoB helps tell us how many cars are actually on the road.
Both pieces of information matter.
But if I’m trying to understand my long-term cardiovascular risk, I don’t just want to know how much cholesterol those particles are carrying. I want to know how many potentially harmful particles are circulating in the first place.
And that’s why ApoB has officially become my new focus.
My goal isn’t just “lower cholesterol” anymore
This journey has already taught me something important:
Health isn’t one number.
My LDL increased between tests, but my ApoB stayed exactly the same. My triglycerides remain low. Other parts of my metabolic picture have looked encouraging.
That doesn’t mean I’m ignoring an LDL of 191.
I’m definitely not.
It means I’m looking at the whole picture instead of panicking over one result.
Now I want to see whether the habits I’m building can start moving my ApoB.
Instead of asking:
“Did my LDL go down?”
I’m going to start asking:
“Did my ApoB go down?”
130 → 125.
125 → 115.
115 → 105.
Whatever the progression looks like, I’m interested in the trend, not perfection from one test to the next.
What am I changing?
Interestingly…not much.
I’m not throwing away everything I’ve been doing because one number went in the wrong direction.
I’m going to keep eating foods I actually enjoy.
I’m going to keep choosing protein.
I’m going to keep adding vegetables and fruit.
I’m going to keep eating beans, nuts, salads, and other fiber-rich foods.
I’m going to continue taking my psyllium fiber.
I’m going to be more aware of saturated fat.
I’m going to stay active.
And yes, I’m still going to occasionally eat pizza, burgers, steak, and other foods I love.
Because I’m not trying to create a diet I can survive for three months.
I’m trying to create a lifestyle I can live with for decades.
There’s another test on my radar, too
One thing I’ve learned through all of this is that cholesterol can have a strong genetic component.
So another marker I want to discuss with my healthcare provider is Lp(a), or lipoprotein(a).
Lp(a) is largely determined by genetics and can independently affect cardiovascular risk. It’s generally considered something worth measuring at least once in adulthood.
If mine is elevated, that’s useful information.
If it isn’t, that’s useful information too.
Either way, I’d rather know my numbers and understand them than be afraid of them.
This is exactly why I’m testing more than once
This might be my favorite lesson from this experiment so far.
If I had taken one cholesterol test, seen a high LDL and stopped there, I would have had one snapshot.
Instead, I’m creating a timeline.
I’m learning what changes.
I’m learning what doesn’t.
I’m learning which markers may deserve more of my attention.
And I’m learning enough to eventually sit down with my healthcare provider and have a much more informed conversation about my cardiovascular health.
My next Rythm test isn’t going to be about hoping every number magically turns green.
I’m watching one number especially closely now:
ApoB: 130 mg/dL
That’s my new starting line.
Let’s see where it goes.
This blog documents my personal health journey and what I’m learning along the way. It isn’t medical advice, and individual cardiovascular risk and treatment targets should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.