Have you had high cholesterol – How successful have you been in lowering your numbers .

[backstreet]

 

Ive recently had a health checkup and the test results said that I had high cholesterol numbers.
 

Ive looked online at many suggestions on how to lower my cholesterol numbers , but I wondered if any one here has had high cholesterol numbers and if so , what path did you take to reduce your cholesterol numbers,  relating to diet / exercise / life style .

 

Any advice or suggestions that worked for you , most welcome. 

 

Thanks ????.

 

.

[hotandsticky]

Standard advice:-

 

Apple Cider Vinegar also helped me.

 

Ways to lower your cholesterol

Eat less fatty food

To reduce your cholesterol, try to cut down on fatty food, especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat.

You can still have foods that contain a healthier type of fat called unsaturated fat.

Check labels on food to see what type of fat it has in it.

Try to eat more:

• oily fish, like mackerel and salmon
• brown rice, wholegrain bread and wholewheat pasta
• nuts and seeds
• fruits and vegetables

Try to eat less:

• meat pies, sausages and fatty meat
• butter, lard and ghee
• cream and hard cheese, like cheddar
• cakes and biscuits
• food that contains coconut oil or palm oil

Exercise more

Aim to do at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise a week.

Some good things to try when starting out include:

• walking – try to walk fast enough so your heart starts beating faster
• swimming
• cycling

Try a few different exercises to find something you like doing. You're more likely to keep doing it if you enjoy it.

Stop smoking

Smoking can raise your cholesterol and make you more likely to have serious problems like heart attacks, strokes and cancer.

If you want to stop smoking, you can get help and support from:

• your GP
• the NHS Stop Smoking Service – your GP can refer you or you can ring the helpline on 0300 123 1044 (England only)

They can give you useful tips and advice about ways to stop cravings.

Cut down on alcohol

Try to:

• avoid drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week
• have several drink-free days each week
• avoid drinking lots of alcohol in a short time (binge drinking)

 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol/how-to-lower-your-cholesterol/

[HuskerDo2]

My cholesterol was about what yours is. After 6 months of 40mg of Rosuvastatin it was more than cut in half. The doctor then also started me on 10 mg of Ezetimibe which dropped it even lower. I fell SO much better than before I started the Rosuvastatin.

[nigelforbes]

Did you know that if you can get your LDL below 70, statins effectively suck the LDL out of existing blockages and shrinks them, only marginally but there is a reduction. My cardio told me back in 2007 that there was no such thing as draino for the arteries that would unblock them, time has shown that is not 100% correct any longer.

[MJCM]

I went a couple of months ago for a regular check up and Cholesterol was over 220.

 

Doc got me one Trilipix 135mg a day

 

Went back 6 weeks later and Cholesterol was down to 120, food wise only cut out a lot of unnecessary stuff and started walking a bit more.

[HuskerDo2]

You list recommendations on how to lower your cholesterol. Take that with a grain of salt. For 25 years I didn't eat red meat. Only fish and chicken. I exercised 5 days a week for at least an hour (weights and cardio).  I walked 3 miles 4 times a week and never smoked. I was never overweight.  The only vice I have is I like my beer. 

 

Even tho I was doing everything right I still had high cholesterol. So, I listened to the doctor and took the meds he prescribed. Now I'm ok. Healthy living did nothing for me. My issue was all hereditary.

[Sheryl]

It is now known that glucose and lipid metabolism are closely connected and that avoiding processed carbs is as or more important than reducing fat intake.

 

 

 

[blackshadow]

take 40 mgs of bestatin every night......or zimmex 40 mgs....when you go to bed.....!!!

[phetphet]

I got mine down by virtually going vegetarian for three months.

Had rolled oats with almond or oat milk for breakfast. Only ate apples for fruit.

 

Mainly had salads for both lunch and dinner, with a slice of wholemeal bread and some occasional grilled chicken breast slices added.

 

Added Chia seeds to everything. Only drank water or green tea. I rarely drink alcohol nowadays.

 

Boring as hell, but when I went for my next check up, the numbers had dropped drastically. Unfortunately back up again now as that diet took all the enjoyment out of my food.

 

I exercise five hours a week and still my numbers are high, so diet is the main thing.

 

Planning on starting a new, healthier, more balanced that diet that is more varied in the New Year.

[nigelforbes]

I think people can overboard with the diet thing and forget what the objective is. I strongly suspect that for most people it's a case of making some core changes and that will work, trying to refine it by eating this specialty food or that organic wonder, is really OTT and unnecessary.

[parafareno]

go vegan and that will solve your cholesterol....google it....but i know you people want to eat meat...so you will take your meds for the the rest of your life or have a bypass soon....very painful

[pomchop]

1 hour ago, HuskerDo2 said:

My cholesterol was about what yours is. After 6 months of 40mg of Rosuvastatin it was more than cut in half. The doctor then also started me on 10 mg of Ezetimibe which dropped it even lower. I fell SO much better than before I started the Rosuvastatin.

..lot of people have statin side effects....for me it was a lot of twitching muscles in my calves....doc cut the statin from 20 mg to 10 and then also gave me 10 mg of Ezetimibe..said Ezetimibe is not a statin but somehow keeps cholesterol from being absorbed in blood stream....the combo of the two brought mine way down with no noticeable side effects....walk 5 miles or so a day and with the combo of statin and Ezetimibe my numbers are looking great

[KhunLA]

2 hours ago, HuskerDo2 said:

My cholesterol was about what yours is. After 6 months of 40mg of Rosuvastatin it was more than cut in half. The doctor then also started me on 10 mg of Ezetimibe which dropped it even lower. I fell SO much better than before I started the Rosuvastatin.

Good to know, as I was prescribe both of those ... THANKS

 

Only been 6 weeks since.  Also adjusted my diet considerably ... mainly red meat & pastries.

 

Freakin' skim milk vs whole ... Holy Buddha, but do need for my morning cereal, which is still Nestle' corn flakes & raisins, now with oats, almonds & blueberries added, as all suppose to be good options.  Only use for milk now, 1 bowl, instead of liter a day.

 

Tried soy milk ... no thanks, I'll die first, just vile stuff.  Couldn't taste anything in the bowl except the blueberries, barely.

 

Other dairy, cut out cheddar & American cheese, and going easy on the parm & mozzarella. 

 

Lots more greens also, and more salmon than usual.  More olive & peanut oil, less to almost no butter.

 

Actually hasn't been that bad of an adjustment, very surprisingly.   Still do 2 scoops of Swensen's Tuesday, and 1 treat/pastry a few days later.   Down from 1 a day.

 

Frozen fruit, blueberries mixed with yoghurt for another sweet tooth moment.

 

More chicken & eggs for protein source.  Easy on the crustaceans.  Less pork and leaner cuts.  No processed foods, though very few anyway prior.

 

Didn't adjust my Dark Chocolate intake, that much anyway.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-foods-that-lower-cholesterol-levels#TOC_TITLE_HDR_15

 

 

Edited December 16, 2022 by KhunLA

[MRToMRT]

More exercise, watch how much you eat, watch what you eat, limit the booze (although your triglycerides are low so I would guess you don't drink to excess)

 

Statins will reduce LDL but if your are interested in your Cholesterol as part of your cardivascular system working properly you also need to increase HDL (only way to raise HDL is regular exercise to my knowledge).

 

Many of us have been in your shoes. Some get away with it some get strokes and heart attacks in their mail.

Edited December 16, 2022 by MRToMRT

[bkk6060]

I believe some of it is hereditary.

I have tried perfect diets and it did nothing to change it.  10mg of Lipitor keeps it around 175.

[scubascuba3]

My bad cholesterol is low, good cholesterol at a good level, i exercise a fair amount but this is secondary importance to the diet, i eat high carb low fat.

 

I eat junk food sometimes, i restrict it to once a week, in fact you go off fatty food after a while, body doesn't like it anymore, for me that includes chocolate, also best avoided

[BigStar]

19 minutes ago, parafareno said:

vegans dont take meds for cholesterol...because there is no cholesterol in our food....

Thinks cholesterol in food causes the problem.???? What year is it?

 

Oh, my fave healthy vegan:

 

[cdemundo]

1 hour ago, HuskerDo2 said:

You list recommendations on how to lower your cholesterol. Take that with a grain of salt. For 25 years I didn't eat red meat. Only fish and chicken. I exercised 5 days a week for at least an hour (weights and cardio).  I walked 3 miles 4 times a week and never smoked. I was never overweight.  The only vice I have is I like my beer. 

 

Even tho I was doing everything right I still had high cholesterol. So, I listened to the doctor and took the meds he prescribed. Now I'm ok. Healthy living did nothing for me. My issue was all hereditary.

Yes, Rosuvastatin (Crestor®) worked for me as well.

 

[BigStar]

1 minute ago, parafareno said:

damn you are stupid....he invested in beyond meat, he is not vegan....go eat your meat and eat meds

In addition to being an investor and proponent of vegan meat, Gates also confirmed that he likes to eat plant-based food himself.

     --https://www.livekindly.com/bill-gates-says-eat-vegan/https://www.livekindly.com/bill-gates-says-eat-vegan/

 

And pushes it on the planet.

 

Oh, I've never needed any meds, all my markers are normal or exceptional, and I keep w/ the checkups.????

[parafareno]

1 minute ago, BigStar said:

In addition to being an investor and proponent of vegan meat, Gates also confirmed that he likes to eat plant-based food himself.

     --https://www.livekindly.com/bill-gates-says-eat-vegan/https://www.livekindly.com/bill-gates-says-eat-vegan/

 

And pushes it on the planet.

 

Oh, I've never needed any meds, all my markers are normal or exceptional, and I keep w/ the checkups.????

next time you munch on meat go in a slaughterhouse and enjoy there....that is where you meat come from...buy you shut your eyes on that topic I guess....ok you must be exception....but most of the meat eaters are on meds after 45 yo....or even before

[parafareno]

Just now, parafareno said:

next time you munch on meat go in a slaughterhouse and enjoy there....that is where you meat come from...buy you shut your eyes on that topic I guess....ok you must be exception....but most of the meat eaters are on meds after 45 yo....or even before

also beyond meat is a replica of meat...it is not healthy....and I never tried it....so you think vegans only eat beyond meat and chips?

 

[BigStar]

Just now, parafareno said:

.but most of the meat eaters are on meds after 45 yo....or even before

But not from eating meat. You have much to learn. And no, I'm not bothering to discuss it further. You'll bicker on and on for pages, no point.

[scubascuba3]

23 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Thinks cholesterol in food causes the problem.???? What year is it?

 

Oh, my fave healthy vegan:

 

Too much fat no doubt, vegans aren't renowned for their fatness

[BigStar]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

Too much fat no doubt, vegans aren't renowned for their fatness

No. Think.

[KhunLA]

14 minutes ago, BigStar said:

But not from eating meat. You have much to learn. And no, I'm not bothering to discuss it further. You'll bicker on and on for pages, no point.

Easily agree with that, especially depending on the 'cut', which for me, beef was usually the worst, ground beef/burgers (80/20).  Rare to eat a beef steak, more than couple times a month, as good ones, hard to find, or pricey. 

 

Not so much the steak, the meat being unhealthy, but any sauce & butter I cooked it in.  Especially a sauce, as usually half/half and or butter in that ????  

 

Though not really a sauce person with beef steak, but will finish off the final charring with butter.  Along with the taters & veggies topped with butter ????

 

Probably just cutting out, whole milk, butter and pastries would give me a few more years.

Edited December 16, 2022 by KhunLA

[scubascuba3]

10 minutes ago, BigStar said:

No. Think.

You seem to know a lot about her, what exactly is her diet? plenty of doughnuts and the like probably

Edited December 16, 2022 by scubascuba3

[parafareno]

6 minutes ago, parafareno said:

where you think cholesterol come from?  from plants? Or from animal products?

it is so funny people are still so stupid and the info is out there with proven studies....

 

lets do a blood test, you and me...I am 47 yo...lets compare....you are probably on several meds and all in pain

[BigStar]

9 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Probably just cutting out, whole milk, butter and pastries would give me a few more years.

Taters and pastries, of those you mentioned. And, earlier, the Nestle' corn flakes & raisins, now with oats. Get off the statins, or the imagined need for them, naturally.????

 

Losing weight, if you need to, is always good. Exercise is great. Some diets are better for the lipids than others, however.

[Sheryl]

Please keep it civil.

 

All posts with insults/name calling have been removed. 

 

Meat-eating, vegetarian and vegan diets can all be healthy or unhealthy depending on how you do them.

 

 

 

[KhunLA]

5 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Taters and pastries, of those you mentioned. And, earlier, the Nestle' corn flakes & raisins, now with oats. Get off the statins, or the imagined need for them, naturally.????

 

Losing weight, if you need to, is always good. Exercise is great. Some diets are better for the lipids than others, however.

Thankfully weight is not a problem, though I did lose a couple kgs in those 6 ish weeks.  Intermittent fasting has helped me maintain a decent weight.  Only fluctuates a couple kgs through out the year.  

 

Get my daily walks in with the dog, nothing too long or strenuous though, so will start using the pedal bike more often.