Cholesterol - What the ........ !

[thequietman]

Went for my first ever blood test 3 days ago. 47 years old, at least 20-25 kilo's over weight and fairly inactive.

 

Result was 225 with low count of 'good' cholesterol, 48. Also sugar high - he says 25 points more and I am diabetic. Wow!

 

Advice from doctor - lose weight, more exercise, less fat, more veggies, more fruit, more fiber. All makes sense.

 

Now, onto the internet to find out more and now I am a little confused.

 

Changing my lifestyle will be fairly easy for me. I won't miss the fatty foods. More or less ate due to boredom or stress.

Grilling/boiling/baking the food all good with me. No pork-only chicken and fish- fine. Less eggs,fine. Only whole wheat bread, good. More fruit, OK, porridge oats are a favorite of mine. I will also stop white rice and move to brown or black/purple.

 

At work there is a gym and pool to use. So exercise routine will be OK to achieve.

 

My confusion lies with how to rid my body of this cholesterol. If I am reading it correctly I should be consuming olive oil, cannola oil to clear the C out of my system. Is that correct? Should I be consuming more of this 'good' fat because it is preferable for me to not use any fat for cooking. 

 

So, should I be consuming certain foods/oils to get my Cholesterol down or just cut out all oils altogether?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Sheryl]

Do not cut out all oils, just use only healthy ones. The body requires essential fatty acids, they are a key nutrient. Also, fat gives a longer lasting sense of fullness and if you eliminate it altogether you'll be hungrier and often end up eating more carbs.  And it is actually carbs - processed carbs - that are usually the biggest culprit.

 

Simply losing weight (easier said than done, I know, but even a small weight loss will make a big difference), reducing your intake of processed carbs, and being more physically active will likely do the trick after a few months.

 

People often feel put off by the idea of losing weight because they imagine it means getting down to ideal weight. While that would be great, even a very small loss will help. There is usually a "tipping point" at which excess weight becomes a problem. I know for myself, for instance, that up to 10 pounds overweight is no problem but even an ounce above that starts to have an effect. Everyone is different is where their "tipping point" is, but the principle holds.

 

Likewise  people are often put off by the idea of more exercise because they associate that with lengthy daily work outs, joining a gym  etc. If you have the motivation to do that and stick with it, fine, but actually anything that gets you more physically active will help. Even simply walking more. Try walking or bicycling places that you would otherwise have driven to. Every time you go up a flight of stairs, come back down and go up again so that you double the amount of start climbing. etc etc. Whatever works, the point is that it doesn't have to be complicated, expensive or even all that time consuming.

 

 

[CharlieH]

Useful article with recommendations here....

 

http://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/11-foods-that-lower-cholesterol

 

Hope this helps.

[impulse]

If that was your first ever (or first in a while) blood work, get it repeated soon.  It's quite possible you ate something the day before your test that skewed your numbers.  The results may be correct, but not indicative, and there's no use worrying or making any huge lifestyle changes based on one day's numbers.  

 

Of course, getting more exercise and eating less junky food is never a bad idea...  And if it takes a scary cholesterol test to make that happen...

 

[tonray]

22 minutes ago, impulse said:

If that was your first ever (or first in a while) blood work, get it repeated soon.  It's quite possible you ate something the day before your test that skewed your numbers.  The results may be correct, but not indicative, and there's no use worrying or making any huge lifestyle changes based on one day's numbers.  

 

Of course, getting more exercise and eating less junky food is never a bad idea...  And if it takes a scary cholesterol test to make that happen...

 

Test should be done with a 12 hour fast to make sure that does not happen. Total 225 is not really that high even though his ratio was bad. Pre-diabetes is a bigger concern which he needs to address.

[impulse]

Just now, tonray said:

Test should be done with a 12 hour fast to make sure that does not happen. Total 225 is not really that high even though his ratio was bad. Pre-diabetes is a bigger concern which he needs to address.

 

I can tell you from personal experience that 12 hours doesn't clear a double cheeseburger lunch with a fried shrimp dinner. 

 

[tonray]

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

I can tell you from personal experience that 12 hours doesn't clear a double cheeseburger lunch with a fried shrimp dinner. 

 

But then it's a more realistic assessment of your lifestyle. It's like the guys who start flossing 2 weeks before their dental checkup...5555

[impulse]

4 minutes ago, tonray said:

But then it's a more realistic assessment of your lifestyle. It's like the guys who start flossing 2 weeks before their dental checkup...5555

 

I agree.  You only fool yourself if you "study up" for a blood test by eating properly for a few days.  But sometimes, coincidence has a few parties and banquets at exactly the wrong time.

 

[luk AJ]

To reduce cholesterol focus on avoiding intake so no shrimp, squid, meat, eggs (highest cholesterol) fish and chicken are ok. Vegetables eat truck loads, fruit nor vegetables contain any cholesterol. You will be surprised how fast your cholesterol will go down


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[tonray]

17 minutes ago, luk AJ said:

To reduce cholesterol focus on avoiding intake so no shrimp, squid, meat, eggs (highest cholesterol) fish and chicken are ok. Vegetables eat truck loads, fruit nor vegetables contain any cholesterol. You will be surprised how fast your cholesterol will go down


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I believe recent research has shown that dietary intake of cholesterol has little impact on your cholesterol ratio, meaning for example if you eat eggs while your cholesterol may raise slightly, the good also rises. I think the key is saturated fats and sugars which cause your liver to produce excess cholesterol. Eggs which used to be bad are now good ! Also for example some fish, example Salmon is very high in cholesterol.

[moe666]

I eat just about anything I want and my cholestrol is 132 or so last blood test it has been as low as 105 and these figures are way to low needs to be at least 150 but it really is hard to raise cholestrol by eating. Donot cut out meat, eggs, chicken,and fish. Cut out junk food if this is your sin for being over weight and just joking about sin. Get the blood sugar down and your cholesterol will probably come down. More protien and fats cut out the white stuff bread, pastry, rice, sugar,and junk food

[thequietman]

34 minutes ago, tonray said:

I believe recent research has shown that dietary intake of cholesterol has little impact on your cholesterol ratio, meaning for example if you eat eggs while your cholesterol may raise slightly, the good also rises. I think the key is saturated fats and sugars which cause your liver to produce excess cholesterol. Eggs which used to be bad are now good ! Also for example some fish, example Salmon is very high in cholesterol.

http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/nutrition-101/cholesterol-lowering-foods/salmon_3

[tonray]

5 minutes ago, thequietman said:

http://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/nutrition-101/cholesterol-lowering-foods/salmon_3

Does not dispute anything I posted.

[Sheryl]

55 minutes ago, tonray said:

..... I think the key is saturated fats and sugars which cause your liver to produce excess cholesterol.

 

Correct.

 

Processed carbs in particular.

[thequietman]

16 minutes ago, tonray said:

Does not dispute anything I posted.

yes, I read a little more and you are correct. So which is it............... eat fish , don't eat fish, it is getting confusing now!

 

I want to lower my cholesterol - what has to be done?

 

no sugar,OK - is lots of fruit OK? veggies are carbs, too many cards means more sugar - correct ?

no processed food - OK, that's clear.

No saturated fat - fine, I understand that.

No white rice - but is brown OK?

I love boiled Thai pumpkin - is that Ok ?

Thanks.

Edited July 16, 2017 by thequietman

[tonray]

 Complex carbohydrates, those that break down slowly in your system OK to a degree. But balance is key. Fish is Ok, because much of the fat is mono-saturated much like olive oil which is also OK.

 

check this site to get an idea of the way carbs are rated:

 

http://nutritiondata.self.com/

 

Fruit Ok...but fruit along with high fiber content better than say just orange juice.

[kkerry]

Best way I've found diet wise to help reduce cholesterol is by eating rolled oats for breakfast. Quick cooking variety is probably simplest to prepare, a few minutes in a microwave. Add some nuts like slivered almonds and walnuts to help your good cholesterol ratio, add a pinch of dried fruit like raisins for flavor. I'm at LDL 95, HDL 50, Triglycerides 73, Total cholesterol 157 so acceptable. I've greatly reduced cakes, biscuit and ice-ream. I cut out completely crisps, snack food, fried chicken, butter and sausages. 

[Sheryl]

Pumpkin ok, brown rice  Ok, as long as portions not excessive, veggies fine, and as long as you are not diabetic, fruit is OK too.

 

Just avoid all processed foods and refined sugars, and saturated fats.  And take in plenty of fiber. Oatmeal is good for that.

 

These measures plus avoiding overweight and being physically active are pretty much the basics and will work for most people.

 

In addition to helping with lipids,  the above  will also help avoid diabetes and reduces the risk of many, many other chronic diseases

 

There are however some lipid disorders which are genetic and some people even with the best diets will have to take meds, due to genetic predisposition.

[carlyai]

Hope I don't get howled outa the classroom for this, but at the end of this month is the start of another online Blood Sugar Diet (BSD).
Have a look at the BSD or the 5:2 diet, and the various YouTube videos from Michael Moseley.



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[xylophone]

Also stick with Extra Virgin Olive oil as your main source of oil......see https://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/the-inconvenient-truth-about-canola-oil

 

And this is frightening............

 

Canola oil has more detriments than it does benefits.

 

One of the biggest problems with highly processed, industrial oils such as corn oil, soybean oil and Canola oil, is that the polyunsaturated component of the oil is highly unstable under heat, light, and pressure, which heavily oxidize the polyunsaturates, increasing free radicals in your body.

 

The end result of all of this refining and processing are oils that are highly inflammatory in your body when you ingest them, potentially contributing to heart disease, cancer, weight gain, and other degenerative diseases.

 

Related: The Skinny on Fat, Part 1: Dangers of Polyunsaturated Oils 

The reason that extra virgin olive oil is good for you is that it is usually cold pressed without the use of heat and solvents to aid extraction. Canola oil, on the other hand, is typically extracted and refined using high heat, pressure, and toxic petroleum solvents such as hexane, which is known to cause nerve damage in humans. Almost all Canola oil undergoes a process of caustic refining, degumming, bleaching, and deodorization, all using high heat and questionable chemicals.

(If your food requires hexane, degumming solvents, bleaching and chemical deodorization, should you be eating it?)

 

Even worse, all of the high-heat, high-pressure processing with solvents actually forces some of the omega-3 content of Canola oil to be transformed into trans fats! According to Dr. Mary Enig, Nutritional Biochemist, “Although the Canadian government lists the trans fat content of Canola at a minimal 0.2 percent, research at the University of Florida at Gainesville, found trans fat levels as high as 4.6 percent in commercial liquid Canola oil.”

 

 

 

[impulse]

26 minutes ago, kkerry said:

Best way I've found diet wise to help reduce cholesterol is by eating rolled oats for breakfast. Quick cooking variety is probably simplest to prepare, a few minutes in a microwave. Add some nuts like slivered almonds and walnuts to help your good cholesterol ratio, add a pinch of dried fruit like raisins for flavor. I'm at LDL 95, HDL 50, Triglycerides 73, Total cholesterol 157 so acceptable. I've greatly reduced cakes, biscuit and ice-ream. I cut out completely crisps, snack food, fried chicken, butter and sausages. 

 

I can drop mine with rolled oats or (better yet) psyllium husks.  But nobody in my family has ever succeeded in getting within the recommended guidelines on diet alone.  I've gone completely low carb vegetarian (heavy on the juicing) for several months at a time -in the summer, meaning lots of exercise- and still didn't get within the recommended guidelines.  Seemed like a lot to give up for such a small benefit.  A lot of it is hereditary.

 

BTW, after bypass surgery, I'm on statins that get me down to crazy low levels recommended by my cardiac guy.  But I feel like crap all the time.  My siblings have all tried the statins and most of them would rather feel better and risk the heart problems.  So they quit taking them.  I'm still on the fence, but understand their decision completely.

 

Edited July 16, 2017 by impulse

[Sheryl]

Suggest you discuss with your doctor a possible switch to alternative drugs such as Niaspan.

[luk AJ]

 
I can drop mine with rolled oats or (better yet) psyllium husks.  But nobody in my family has ever succeeded in getting within the recommended guidelines on diet alone.  I've gone completely low carb vegetarian (heavy on the juicing) for several months at a time -in the summer, meaning lots of exercise- and still didn't get within the recommended guidelines.  Seemed like a lot to give up for such a small benefit.  A lot of it is hereditary.
 
BTW, after bypass surgery, I'm on statins that get me down to crazy low levels recommended by my cardiac guy.  But I feel like crap all the time.  My siblings have all tried the statins and most of them would rather feel better and risk the heart problems.  So they quit taking them.  I'm still on the fence, but understand their decision completely.
 

Same for me tripple bypass and on Lipitor. I have to keep bad cholesterol under 70.
As one poster mentioned that in fact eggs are no problem at all, is really dangerous advice for people at eisk for cardivascular disease (CAD).
Some people can have high cholestorol without ever being at risk to develop CAD. Indeed "Impulse", a lot is hereditary but in my case I am a stand-alone in the family, probably very bad habits from young age onwards.. smoking, drinking and eating like a pig. I was in shock after I found out my heart calcium score was 1300! After surgery I adapted to a new life style with indeed a lot of sport ( cross training) is one of them.
I have absolutely no negative effects from lipitor although I take the high dose of 40mg every day.



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[xylophone]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

But nobody in my family has ever succeeded in getting within the recommended guidelines on diet alone.  I've gone completely low carb vegetarian (heavy on the juicing) for several months at a time -in the summer, meaning lots of exercise- and still didn't get within the recommended guidelines.  Seemed like a lot to give up for such a small benefit.  A lot of it is hereditary

For some people it certainly seems to be that way "impulse" and my Dr/Surgeon told me the same.

 

I have always had high cholesterol with HDL mid normal range and LDL of 151, with Total cholesterol of 239 and triglycerides through the roof at  280, although this was one of the higher scores, I have never to my knowledge been anywhere near the "norm".

 

Having said all of that, four years ago I had a coronary CT angiography report which showed no plaque in the arteries and no disease of any sort and everything working normally in fact excellent was the word used. Just 18 months ago I had a treadmill and heart monitoring test and according to the results my arteries are as flexible as those of a 55-year-old, when I was 68 at the time.

 

I guess I am lucky in some respects and that seems to be the general consensus of opinion, inasmuch as there are many folk out there who cannot do much about their cholesterol levels, however as others have said, sensible diet, plenty of oatmeal, vegetables and similar, exercise and so on can help, but I did see a report somewhere a while ago that suggested that diet alone could only lower your cholesterol readings by about 10%  or something around that figure.............

                                                                                                                                                        

[impulse]

1 minute ago, xylophone said:

 

Having said all of that, four years ago I had a coronary CT angiography report which showed no plaque in the arteries and no disease of any sort and everything working normally in fact excellent was the word used. Just 18 months ago I had a treadmill and heart monitoring test and according to the results my arteries are as flexible as those of a 55-year-old, when I was 68 at the time.

 

Not meaning to keep dragging up this fiasco in my history, but I had the same result on an annual treadmill test on a Friday, insisted they go on to the next level of testing (CAT then angiogram?) and they found one of my arteries blocked 100% and another blocked 95%.  On Monday, I had an unsuccessful angioplasty, and then bypass surgery (went in for triple, got a quadruple according to follow up imaging at a different hospital) on Tuesday.  The break between Friday and Monday was waiting for insurance to approve the procedure(s).

 

That made me a believer in getting a second opinion in Thailand even if the results look good.  And to not believe a treadmill test until it's verified by the next level of imaging.

 

But I digress...

 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

Suggest you discuss with your doctor a possible switch to alternative drugs such as Niaspan.

 

That's a big difference between doctors here and back home.  The first remark I always make on my quarterly visits to my BKK cardio guy is that I still feel like crap.  As far as he's concerned, if my blood numbers are good, he's done his job.

 

If I made the same remark to my doc back home, he'd be the one suggesting alternatives.  I wouldn't have to.

 

Thanks for the input.

 

[simon43]

... insisted they go on to the next level of testing (CAT then angiogram?) ...

 

Out of interest, why did you insist on this next level of testing?  Did you have some reason (symptoms?) to think that something was amiss?

[xylophone]

35 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Not meaning to keep dragging up this fiasco in my history, but I had the same result on an annual treadmill test on a Friday, insisted they go on to the next level of testing (CAT then angiogram?) and they found one of my arteries blocked 100% and another blocked 95%.  On Monday, I had an unsuccessful angioplasty, and then bypass surgery (went in for triple, got a quadruple according to follow up imaging at a different hospital) on Tuesday.  The break between Friday and Monday was waiting for insurance to approve the procedure(s).

 

That made me a believer in getting a second opinion in Thailand even if the results look good.  And to not believe a treadmill test until it's verified by the next level of imaging.

 

But I digress...

 

Jeez, you have certainly been through it (I was going to say "the mill" but realised the unintentional pun might have not been appropriate) and I certainly hope you are okay now, and no I haven't been following your history.

 

I hear what you say with regards to having second opinions and I think that's sometimes a good thing here in Thailand because there seem to be many doctors who "just go through the motions", so finding a good one is a bonus.

 

Hopefully I'm not going to pop my clogs tonight having said all that I have said, however over the years I've had a few "heart checks" ranging from the treadmill to the overnight monitor and even as long ago as the late 1990s in NZ I was fortunate enough to be able to avail myself of the "new technology" introduced by a corporate health company and become a bit of a guinea pig for their CT/calcium score machine and technology and all was well with an almost zero calcium score.

 

So I'm not overly worried about the condition of my heart at the moment and I have booked a health check for next month, this after having gone through six months of near hell with an E. coli ESBL hospital-acquired infection, so a general checkup seems to be on the cards.

 

All the best with your recovery.

 

 

 

[simon43]

I have a treadmill stress test booked for next Friday at BNH in BKK.  I'm not expecting any surprises, because I'm happily running 10 Km in 55 minutes and I monitor my HR throughout and after my run.

 

That's why I asked about Impulse's reason for insisting on additional tests after his treadmill test was clean.

[impulse]

44 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Out of interest, why did you insist on this next level of testing?  Did you have some reason (symptoms?) to think that something was amiss?

 

Short answer is that I had been experiencing shortness of breath through three years of quarterly EKG's and annual treadmill tests.  The cardiologist shrugged it off as being out of shape and the BKK heat.  He was wrong.  For 3 straight years.  Had we caught it 3 years sooner with a correct diagnosis, I would probably have stents instead of 4 CABG's.

 

Edit: Recalling simon43's previous thread, if you're not symptomatic, I wouldn't worry so much.  I was symptomatic, but accepted the doctor's diagnosis.  Big mistake.

 

 

 

Edited July 16, 2017 by impulse