Cholesterol Management Community

Guess what, I'm 45, diagnosed high cholesterol last year 7.2 (NZ), run 8kms a week, and are you ready ........became a Vegan, that means for a year I ate nothing that contributed to cholesterol in any form. went for a check last week, and my Cholesterol went up to 7.5. Doc says it's hereditary, which means it doesn't matter what I eat it will turn in to bad Cholesterol, now I have a life of popping pills, I might as well go back to eating meat and fast food four times a week because my levels were lower then.

I to have high cholesterol, due to hereditary means. I am a 47 year old female and before going on statins was at 253. I had my first heart attack at 45 and had angioplasty and a stent put in. I was also told before that to eat the "healthy way", and ate just like you even cutting out the cheese and ice cream. I am a swimmer, and swim several days a week along with a daily walk with my husband. On vytorin at the present time and am still around 200. I keep a daily log of my cholesterol intake and I would say I average around 100 a day and still have a problem. I feel your frustration, as I too am doing everything possible and this for sure has taken the fun out of eating. My one piece of advice to you is to watch out for the chicken and turkey. As an example, in a chicken leg and thigh baked there is 120 mg of cholesterol. Turkey breast 3.5 oz's is 90 mg cholesterol. You think your eating low cholesterol and not. Good luck to you1

I was just diagnosed with borderline high (212) cholesterol just over a month ago. I was stunned because my husband ~ though he works outside the home ~ eats far worse than myself and he fared well with the test.

However, in just 30days I was able to lower my cholesterol to 135. All I did was reduce my red meat, dairy and sugar/processed food intake and increased my oat/flax seed intake. I eat from 10 -20gr of fiber a day. The flax seed has 2600 mg of Omega-3.

I was actually stunned to see such a drastic change - but unfortunately its always effected my HDL level that has fallen quite low. So though my BMI is only 24.5 I have decided to add 30 min brisk walk, fortified Orange juice and red wine to my diet.

Unfortunately sometimes our bodies are just not able to flush out the cholesterol and we must help our bodies alone. Stick with your current routine and just add those few things in, I am sure you will get better results.

How should I lower mine? doc says its 550, I'm on the pill but does it really work fast enough? I'm only 39 family history of heart and diabetes. I have been battling this since I was 15. They tell me not to walk to much cause I can have a heart attack so I walk like crazy around the house. My tris are 1500, Any one with some info it will help. Oh I do not eat red meat at all nor do I drink.

Yep very frustrating. It seems that it is very much a blanket set of numbers that are based on the sedentary population and you get no credit for being healthy, and being very fit. Just because there is a high LDL number does that mean that your plumbing is clogging up? Doesn't there have to be some type of inflammation of your arteries for the clogging to start to occur. I don't know that answer but I'd like to find out. I for one don't want to take a statin that does have side effects. I have a hard enough time keeping the muscles/tendons/joints all working when pushed without aiding them in breaking down with a statin.

I'm with you! I also eat similarly to you and exercise and am not overweight. I actually eat oats for breakfast every day with added oat bran and have a healthy weight. I'm confused and don't know what else to do! I have high blood pressure and wonder if stress is the cause of the cholesterol problems. My sister also has it but not our parents, so genetic tendencies don't seem to fit, but my sister eats even more healthy than me. Got me stumped!

Me, too. I know exactly how you feel. Here's what I did. In addition to following a low-fat diet (with the addition of good fats like salmon, almonds, olive oil, etc.), I added red yeast rice and a supplement called policosanol to my diet. I also 'gave up' dairy, including skim milk and non-fat yogurt. It wasn't difficult and it made a huge difference in my cholesterol. I wasn't a huge milk drinker but I did love cheese. The first few weeks were difficult, but now it's just habit. Anyway, I got the red yeast rice and policosanol at Whole Foods. Hope this helps. Rose

I'm 56 and just had a cholesterol profile done. I'm 5'7 and 135 lbs. My doctor gets concerned over my total cholesterol 230. LDL 40 HDL 190. The good far outweighs the bad and it's all the fat fluffy particles...even the LDL. I eat very healthfully and get regular exercise. I did have a stroke 3 years ago after a severe upset and have fully recovered now. My BP was 190/140 and I take Diovan to keep it down. My total cholesterol has always been between 225 and 238 since I was in my 20's. Why with a profile like mine would my doctor still offer me statins? I tried them once and they made my legs cramp. I take red yeast rice and fish liver oil instead. I don't understand the concern when my ratios are so good. Can anyone shed some light on this? I'm beginning to think conspiratorial things too. Thank you.

I am 48 years old, and I too have a history of high cholesterol. My doctor advised me a few years ago to start taking Lipitor. I hated the way I felt. So then I began taking Lopid (generic) for awhile,and I still felt like crap. At that time my cholesterol #'s were 249 and my triglycerides were over 700. I asked to be taking off the statins, and was told only if I was willing to try a natural product call Anutra. It's been a life saver for me. With the help of a diabetic dietician, Anutra, 1000 MG Niacin, and a plant sterol (Cholester-off), my last cholesterol #'s were @ 196 and my triglcerides were 165. I exercise 3-4 times a week mixing treadmill and weight trainging class. I still enjoy ice cream, but only 1/2 a cup. You can find Anutra online. It's relatively an unknown, and it comes in a seed form or ground. It runs about $16.00 a bottole. It'll last about a month. I have taking 3 TBS a day. I put it on salads, smoothies, soups, and even ice-cream. Ask your doctor.

www.anutra.com

I was 22 when I was advised by family members to get my cholesterol checked. It turned out that it was 8.4! This also came as a shock as I've always been pretty active and healthy (don't smoke or drink), of course I'm not saying that I don't have an occasional KFC now and then. Nevertheless, 7 years on my cholesterol has been between 7.5- 8.4 even though I have tried to eat healthy and exercise. The fact is seven members of my family (Grandfather-Grandmother- Mum- Uncle & cousins) all have high cholesterol myself having the lowest!

My suggestion to you would suggest that out find out if you have any family members with high cholesterol as it may be hereditary like mine. If that is the case you will be relieved to know that it's not down to how much running you do or how little red meat you eat it's simply down to the way our bodies work and us having to maintain it. There are good diet plans to help do that too.

I have seen alot about hereditary cholesterol and about eating less fat and taking your meds. I have hereditary High cholesteral and once again my annual physical indicated that I still do with my normal diet and exercise. I eat a lot of Salmon and lean meats, no pork or hamburgers. But last year I had an interesting thing happen. I had been on the Adkins diet(Low carb/ High protein) for a month before I had my annual physical. The results last year were totally different than the norm. My normally 215 ~ 230 cholesterol was 173 and my HDL which is around 38~42 was 73.
Does anyone know a correlation between eating a low carb diet and Cholesterol?
I do know that we need carbs for good health and when you eat only protein you body goes into ketosis and starts eating only proteins for fuel. Since fat is a protein that is why it is such a successful weight loss plan. But in the process it seems to lower the cholesterol too. Does anyone have anymore info on this, and if there is a happy medium to diets for those with hereditary high cholesterol?

Hi :

I was in the same situation last year and have had high cholestrol for long time. It was in 240 range in my 20's but last year(I am 35 now) it shot up to 270...maybe because of age or stress. I am vegetarian and run regularly (did two half marathons last year). My doctor gave me a year to fix it or go on statins. My first 6 months(Feb - July 2010) period of trying failed and actually my numbers got even worse. I made changes (July - Jan 2011) and got tested again and to my doctor's amazement I finally have a combination that works. I feel obligated to let people know how I fixed it w/o Statins.

Here are my numbers:
Old numbers --> New Numbers
Total Chol: 272 --> 213
HDL : 48-->63 (31% improvment)
LDL 195--> 138 (29% reduction)
Triglycerides : 144-->61 (57% reduction)
CHOL/HDL ratio : 5.7 --> 3.4

Here are the big hitter changes to try:

- Old fashion Oatmeal or Steel cut oats with 10 almonds, 1 walnut. (1 bowl daily in Morn)
- Fish oil. (I used carlson labs liquid fish oil - 1tsp Morn/Eve)
- Niacin - Instant Release only (I used 3 pills a day of Nialor (non prescription)
- 6 days a week Cardio.(atleast 30 min)
- Eat your fruits and a lot of vegetables and whole grains.

If I have to send one message....please do anything but don't take Statins. All of this delicate balance is Orchestrated by Liver and Statins Damage Liver and Muscles in general. Heart is a muscle too and anything that weakens muscles can't be good for heart, which is what we are trying to solve by controlling cholestrol.

Good luck

Good advice, I'm a seafood lover main part of my diet fish, shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops. Taking a statin HDL/LDL around 200, thing is certain food will drive your numbers of the chart doesn't mean your in bad health ! Have been eating 50yrs continually and will still ! Learn what it is u crave and find out if its healthy or unhealthy. PS LOVE GREEN OLIVES!!! Good Luck

RESEARCH PANTETHINE AND SEE IF THAT HELPS. I HAVE INHERITED MY HIGH CHOLESTEROL...THATS WHAT THE DOC SAYS.... SO I STARTED TAKING CHOLESTOFF COMPLETE..IT HAS PANTETHINE IN IT ALONG WITH PLANT STEROLS AND STANOLS.. BUT IT DIDNT HELP ME ENOUGH SO I JUST STARTED TAKING THE PANTETHINE 300 MG TWICE DAILY ALONG WITH A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE LIKE YOU HAVE, AND MY CHOLESTEROL IS COMING DOWN, FINALLY. I DO EAT OAT BRAN AND I GRIND FLAXSEED AND SPRINKLE IT ON THE OATBRAN..FOR BREAKFAST...EVEN MAKE MUFFINS FOR EXTRA SOLUBLE FIBER... YOU NEED TO RESEARCH IT TO MAKE SURE IT DOESNT HAVE ANY AFFECT ON ANYTHING ELSE YOU ARE TAKING. ALSO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR....