Cholesterol a bit high (any tips)

[gildo]

Got my annual physical done, the result was cholesterol was a bit high. Reaching out to friends on CP for tips. Especially around food what to eat more of & less of?

Thanks in advance for the help.

[Caged Great]

More fish, fruit and veg

Less beer, beef and processed food.

Also try to get more exercise and if necessary take omega 3 supplements.

[Old Yeller]

I brought my bad cholesterol down (LDL) by over a full point just by adjusting my diet from "unsupervised 12 year old" to "responsible adult".

More salads and fibre based foods, less candy and ice cream.

[CaptainYooh]

crestor

[Shin Pad]

When I found out that I had high cholesterol, I tried to get it under control with diet (I was already running about 8 miles a day at the time). Anyway, after being very strict with the diet, my cholesterol levels dropped very little. I went on Liptor (5 mg per day). It brought it down to a normal level. That was 20 years ago and I'm still on it - it really works for me.

[gildo]

Originally Posted by Shin Pad

When I found out that I had high cholesterol, I tried to get it under control with diet (I was already running about 8 miles a day at the time). Anyway, after being very strict with the diet, my cholesterol levels dropped very little. I went on Liptor (5 mg per day). It brought it down to a normal level. That was 20 years ago and I'm still on it - it really works for me.

Any side effects to Lipitor or Crestor?

[Caged Great]

Keep in mind, that with some people high cholesterol is genetic as the body produces it naturally and those that have that problem will continue to do so. I'm not sure if I'm in that group myself as mine was slightly high as well. Already losing weight because of the changes I've made. I'm down 30 lbs since the beginning of the year, with about 10-15 more possibly to go (Basically, when the fat on the stomach goes away, I'll be good to go). If that doesn't change things, then I'll probably have to get a prescription also.

Diet + Exercise should always be step 1, step 2 being the meds like what Shin Pad went through.

[Shin Pad]

Originally Posted by gildo

Any side effects to Lipitor or Crestor?

No side effects and I've been on it a long time. But, just because I didn't have any side effects, doesn't mean that you won't have any.

[gildo]

Great tips! As I always say I trust the real life, honest up front tips I get from CP no matter what I have asked through the years. Thanks so much

[blankall]

The whole diet thing is interesting. Recently, we're getting a lot of evidence to show that cholesterol in the diet does not affect cholesterol levels in the blood. The bigger issues are likely genetics and obesity.

Any doctors/health care professionals who can weigh on whether or not this is now accepted science?

[#-3]

I actually spent some time reading up on this recently, my understanding the tests they do are actually pretty unreliable, so if a one off high test is the only indicator then it shouldn't be a big thing to worry about.

It is a good opportunity motivate yourself to live a little healthier, the advise isn't that complicated. Eat a diverse a diet as possible, try to avoid sitting still for periods longer than 30 minutes continuously, take up a sport.

Avoid medicating for small results unless they repeat a few times, medicine is good but you need to make sure it's the right medicine before you start, especially something like Statins.

[pseudoreality]

Originally Posted by blankall

The whole diet thing is interesting. Recently, we're getting a lot of evidence to show that cholesterol in the diet does not affect cholesterol levels in the blood. The bigger issues are likely genetics and obesity.

Any doctors/health care professionals who can weigh on whether or not this is now accepted science?

My understanding that it's been known for a long time that eating cholesterol doesn't affect your cholesterol levels, but rather just eating like crap and not exercising that affects good/bad cholesterol levels.

[InglewoodFan]

One change we made that brought my wife's cholesterol down was, oddly enough, steel cut oats. We have a fancy rice cooker that makes oatmeal on a timer. Load it up before bed, have a bowl of steel cut oats for breakfast a few mornings a week. Boom, everything is back in a good range. I'm sure it's all the fibre, but it rocks having a hot bowl of oatmeal on a cold morning.

[troutman]

Oats. Really.

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by blankall

The whole diet thing is interesting. Recently, we're getting a lot of evidence to show that cholesterol in the diet does not affect cholesterol levels in the blood. The bigger issues are likely genetics and obesity.

Any doctors/health care professionals who can weigh on whether or not this is now accepted science?

Here is about the best you're going to find on the subject (a Cochrane review from 2014, which is due for an update).

Keep in mind this is for familial hypercholesterolemia. Surprisingly low quality research out there.

[Caged Great]

Also do not eat late in the day. At least 3-4 hrs before you go to bed at the earliest.

[rbochan]

Eat a pound of bacon daily. Wash it down with a half gallon of ice cream.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by pseudoreality

My understanding that it's been known for a long time that eating cholesterol doesn't affect your cholesterol levels, but rather just eating like crap and not exercising that affects good/bad cholesterol levels.

So... is the "eat this" to reduce cholesterol thing bunk?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/art-20050980

I was looking into taking Metamucil as part of a cholesterol maintenance sort of thing.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

So... is the "eat this" to reduce cholesterol thing bunk?

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...s/art-20050980

I was looking into taking Metamucil as part of a cholesterol maintenance sort of thing.

Basically, anything that helps move things along in there is a good thing. Fibre, regardless of Bran, Oatmeal, or Metamucil will help in that regard. Basically it prevents other things from being over absorbed as it moves it along through the system.

[Brendone]

Reducing my red meat intake along with regular exercise brought my cholesterol back in line. Nothing drastic, but no more “friends cut” prime rib. Reasonable sized 4-6oz cuts, and not as often.

I do have family history of high cholesterol so I was surprised that’s all it took.