Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
mikkie1040
Posts: 15 Member
I started "dieting" in January and have lost 21 pounds. I am now at a plateau because my ability to do the same form of exercise has changed. No biggie, I'm adjusting. But, here's my problem. When I was losing weight consistently, I was able to drop my cholesterol significantly - like by over 15 points and I've NEVER had high blood pressure. In two months time, my cholesterol went back up by over 9 points and now my blood pressure is in the Pre-Hypertension range. What's going on? I'm more active and eating better than I have in years...
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Replies
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I couldn't see your diary to see what you eat. I'm interested to see what others think.0
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I couldn't see your diary to see what you eat.
Can what one eats affect Blood Pressure though? I'm interested to know.0 -
I couldn't see your diary to see what you eat.
Can what one eats affect Blood Pressure though? I'm interested to know.
Sodium intake can effect blood pressure.0 -
Sodium can affect high blood pressure; especially if eating "healthier" processed foods.
Cholesterol-I weight 282 lbs. and I have never had an issue with it. I do have high blood pressure (grrr, been on meds for 1.5 years).
Are you on other medications? Have you been to the dr. to get a blood work? I know that thyroid issues can cause higher cholesterol levels. I have hypothyroidism.
I would definitely talk to your doctor. There may be an underlying reason for the higher levels.
**I'm no expert or medical professional--just from my personal experience***0 -
I couldn't see your diary to see what you eat.
Can what one eats affect Blood Pressure though? I'm interested to know.
Sodium intake can effect blood pressure.
Also potassium can lower blood pressure and niacin can increase the HDL which will lower LDL. Eat more fruits, veggies, nuts, fish, etc..0 -
Both cholesterol and blood pressure can vary from time to time. Cholesterol going up 9 points is basically in the range of error for most of the testers. Having BP classified as prehypertension can be very misleading also. Prehypertension can be 121 / 81 which is very good. Just keep up the good work and recheck later and you will be fine.0
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I am now at a plateau because my ability to do the same form of exercise has changed.
I'm willing to bet that your change in exercise has been a part of this change!
Cholesterol is controlled by both exercise and diet. Increasing your physical activity (by 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) and getting your heart rate up into the 65-85% of your max HR zone increases your HDL (good) cholesterol by reducing the triglycerides in your blood. HDL also travels around your blood stream, picking up LDL cholesterol along the way and taking it back to the liver to be metabolized and used to synthesize new HDL cholesterol. Eating foods high in soluble fiber, such as oatmeal, helps lower LDL because they bind to it in the GI tract and take it for a ride to the toilet. Diet alone will not improve your cholesterol; adding in exercise means your body will produce more HDL cholesterol instead of both HDL and LDL. Limiting saturated fats from animal sources is helpful too. Coconut oil and other sources of medium chain fatty acids are healthy saturated fats. Omitting fat altogether or consuming a low-fat diet will not improve cholesterol. Your body needs fat, especially for brain and nervous system function.
Blood pressure can be influenced by diet if you consume more than 2000 mg of sodium a day (according to AHA; some other sources will say 2400 mg). Increased sodium spills over into your blood stream, and water follows it, increasing your blood volume (diluting it, really), which increases your blood pressure. This is not to say that all salt is bad- it's an essential mineral needed for us to function. 1500-2000 mg a day is healthy; over that amount can be problematic for people with hypertension, or for people whose family history includes hypertension.
Cholesterol deposits (left behind by LDL cholesterol) in the arteries, and atherosclerosis caused by smoking (or second hand smoke) and diets high in trans fats and bad saturated fats will increase blood pressure by stiffening the arteries. Cholesterol deposits in the arteries narrow the space in the arteries, which increases the pressure the heart must work against to pump blood through the body. Arteries are lined with smooth muscle that helps them dilate or contract when needed. Atherosclerosis (or hardening of the arteries) stiffens this smooth muscle lining and makes the arteries inflexible, increasing the pressure the heart must overcome in order to pump blood through the body.
There are diseases that can cause hypertension as well, but I won't go into those since you only asked about cholesterol and BP (and I'm going to assume you have no other health issues than what you mentioned).0 -
Thank you for a really informative reply IWillGetCrowsSomeday :flowerforyou:
I have familial hypercholesterolaemia. Are you able to explain to me how that works, or doesn't? I understand that in my family the mechanism for clearing cholesterol out of the blood doesn't work properly so our levels go very high if untreated. Can you shed any light on how that (doesn't) work?
Sorry I this is highjacking the OP's thread.0 -
Thank you for a really informative reply IWillGetCrowsSomeday :flowerforyou:
I have familial hypercholesterolaemia. Are you able to explain to me how that works, or doesn't? I understand that in my family the mechanism for clearing cholesterol out of the blood doesn't work properly so our levels go very high if untreated. Can you shed any light on how that (doesn't) work?
Sorry I this is highjacking the OP's thread.
Hi! You're welcome! Some people's livers produce higher amounts of LDL than others, and produce lower amounts of HDL, for unknown reasons, or due to a genetic defect of a specific chromosome. I've been blessed with the same family history! I'm trying to fight it as best as I can and for as long as I can with exercise and a diet free of saturated animal fats (besides fish, which have omega-3s). Adding in short- and medium-chain fatty acids can help raise HDL. Sources include fatty fish (no shellfish), flaxseed and its oil, hemp and its oil, and eggs. Yes, eggs. I'd chat with your doctor before making any major changes though. Eggs were thought to have higher amounts of saturated fats for a long time, and recently it's been found that the medium-chain fatty acids/omega-3s (in saturated fats) found in eggs is beneficial and could possibly lower LDL.0 -
I couldn't see your diary to see what you eat.
Can what one eats affect Blood Pressure though? I'm interested to know.
Sodium intake can effect blood pressure.
Also potassium can lower blood pressure and niacin can increase the HDL which will lower LDL. Eat more fruits, veggies, nuts, fish, etc..
All of this...I've completely reversed all of my bad blood work, including soaring LDL levels and plummeting HDL levels with the above formula. Alas, it would appear that diet isn't going to do anything for my blood pressure.0 -
Having very low levels of Vit D3 is another cause of high blood pressure.
get a blood work done at your primary doc office and see what micro and macro nutrients you are lacking. they all play a role in your health and unhealth.0 -
Thank you for a really informative reply IWillGetCrowsSomeday :flowerforyou:
I have familial hypercholesterolaemia. Are you able to explain to me how that works, or doesn't? I understand that in my family the mechanism for clearing cholesterol out of the blood doesn't work properly so our levels go very high if untreated. Can you shed any light on how that (doesn't) work?
Sorry I this is highjacking the OP's thread.
Hi! You're welcome! Some people's livers produce higher amounts of LDL than others, and produce lower amounts of HDL, for unknown reasons, or due to a genetic defect of a specific chromosome. I've been blessed with the same family history! I'm trying to fight it as best as I can and for as long as I can with exercise and a diet free of saturated animal fats (besides fish, which have omega-3s). Adding in short- and medium-chain fatty acids can help raise HDL. Sources include fatty fish (no shellfish), flaxseed and its oil, hemp and its oil, and eggs. Yes, eggs. I'd chat with your doctor before making any major changes though. Eggs were thought to have higher amounts of saturated fats for a long time, and recently it's been found that the medium-chain fatty acids/omega-3s (in saturated fats) found in eggs is beneficial and could possibly lower LDL.
Thank you for that. I experimented with a vegan diet with added oatbran (for soluble fibre) a couple of decades ago - kept it up for a couple of months and in that time my cholesterol went up, so I'm unconvinced about the efficacy of avoiding animal products, though I track saturated fat and aim to keep it low-ish. I wondered if you knew exactly HOW the cholesterol fails to get picked out of our bloodstream. I'd guessed at a lack of "cholesterol-receptors" on cell walls, or something like that, due to a genetic fault.
I'll have a look for flax seed or hemp seed oils - just bought a new bottle of olive oil today, though I don't use much of it.0 -
Also potassium can lower blood pressure and niacin can increase the HDL which will lower LDL. Eat more fruits, veggies, nuts, fish, etc..
Careful with potassium. It's not good to substitute potassium chloride (a salt substitute) for sodium chloride (table salt) in all people with hypertension, and it's dangerous for people with kidney disease because their kidneys can't filter it out into the urine. Before adding a potassium supplement or using potassium chloride salt substitutions, check with your doctor to make sure your kidneys are functioning properly and if it is ok for you to use potassium chloride. High potassium (which can happen when the kidneys don't filter it out) is dangerous to the heart. (sorry for sounding like the end of a pharma commercial!)0 -
Having very low levels of Vit D3 is another cause of high blood pressure.
get a blood work done at your primary doc office and see what micro and macro nutrients you are lacking. they all play a role in your health and unhealth.
And D3 helps with cholesterol synthesis!0 -
I couldn't see your diary to see what you eat.
Can what one eats affect Blood Pressure though? I'm interested to know.
Sodium intake can effect blood pressure.
Also potassium can lower blood pressure and niacin can increase the HDL which will lower LDL. Eat more fruits, veggies, nuts, fish, etc..
I've lowered my blood pressure by decreasing my sodium, increasing my potassium and water intake. I was on 3 different medications last fall...now I'm on none
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Thank you for that. I experimented with a vegan diet with added oatbran (for soluble fibre) a couple of decades ago - kept it up for a couple of months and in that time my cholesterol went up, so I'm unconvinced about the efficacy of avoiding animal products, though I track saturated fat and aim to keep it low-ish. I wondered if you knew exactly HOW the cholesterol fails to get picked out of our bloodstream. I'd guessed at a lack of "cholesterol-receptors" on cell walls, or something like that, due to a genetic fault.
I'll have a look for flax seed or hemp seed oils - just bought a new bottle of olive oil today, though I don't use much of it.
Your total cholesterol could have gone up if your HDL increased but your LDL stayed the same. The total cholesterol isn't nearly as important as the individual HDL and LDL numbers.
If you have the genetic mutation causing your liver to produce excess LDL and deficient HLD, then that is how your body ineffectively removes LDL from your blood stream. HDL is what is supposed to pick up LDL and bring it back to the liver for re-synthesis or use, so if your liver produces low amounts of HDL, your LDL will be higher. Like totalsham said, get some blood work done with your PCP and have him or her discuss your HDL and LDL, triglycerides (which are a major component of cholesterol and help determine whether a cholesterol molecule is high or low-density), and vitamin D3. Some people will have to be on cholesterol-lowering medication for life, and some work better than others dependent on your personal needs.0 -
Also potassium can lower blood pressure and niacin can increase the HDL which will lower LDL. Eat more fruits, veggies, nuts, fish, etc..
Careful with potassium. It's not good to substitute potassium chloride (a salt substitute) for sodium chloride (table salt) in all people with hypertension, and it's dangerous for people with kidney disease because their kidneys can't filter it out into the urine. Before adding a potassium supplement or using potassium chloride salt substitutions, check with your doctor to make sure your kidneys are functioning properly and if it is ok for you to use potassium chloride. High potassium (which can happen when the kidneys don't filter it out) is dangerous to the heart. (sorry for sounding like the end of a pharma commercial!)
I'm assuming the poster is referring to getting adequate potassium through diet. Many people do not because they don't eat enough fruits and vegetables and other foods high in potassium and their ratio of sodium to potassium is off. I don't think the poster was pushing for supplements.
I know this was a huge issue for me...getting my sodium and potassium in balance.0 -
Thank you for that. I experimented with a vegan diet with added oatbran (for soluble fibre) a couple of decades ago - kept it up for a couple of months and in that time my cholesterol went up, so I'm unconvinced about the efficacy of avoiding animal products, though I track saturated fat and aim to keep it low-ish. I wondered if you knew exactly HOW the cholesterol fails to get picked out of our bloodstream. I'd guessed at a lack of "cholesterol-receptors" on cell walls, or something like that, due to a genetic fault.
I'll have a look for flax seed or hemp seed oils - just bought a new bottle of olive oil today, though I don't use much of it.
Your total cholesterol could have gone up if your HDL increased but your LDL stayed the same. The total cholesterol isn't nearly as important as the individual HDL and LDL numbers.
If you have the genetic mutation causing your liver to produce excess LDL and deficient HLD, then that is how your body ineffectively removes LDL from your blood stream. HDL is what is supposed to pick up LDL and bring it back to the liver for re-synthesis or use, so if your liver produces low amounts of HDL, your LDL will be higher. Like totalsham said, get some blood work done with your PCP and have him or her discuss your HDL and LDL, triglycerides (which are a major component of cholesterol and help determine whether a cholesterol molecule is high or low-density), and vitamin D3. Some people will have to be on cholesterol-lowering medication for life, and some work better than others dependent on your personal needs.
Thanks for the explanation above. I now have blood tests annually and they've improved since I lost weight (levels had been creeping up in spite of statin use & my dosage had had to be increased). Now my total cholesterol has gone down and the ratio of LDL : HDL has improved, so my statin dose was lowered again but I know I'll be taking it for the rest of my life.
There is SOME good news - we have normal triglycerides :-)
Next time I go I'll have to ask about D3 - I wasn't aware of that having an effect on cholesterol / fat metabolism.0 -
Also potassium can lower blood pressure and niacin can increase the HDL which will lower LDL. Eat more fruits, veggies, nuts, fish, etc..
Careful with potassium. It's not good to substitute potassium chloride (a salt substitute) for sodium chloride (table salt) in all people with hypertension, and it's dangerous for people with kidney disease because their kidneys can't filter it out into the urine. Before adding a potassium supplement or using potassium chloride salt substitutions, check with your doctor to make sure your kidneys are functioning properly and if it is ok for you to use potassium chloride. High potassium (which can happen when the kidneys don't filter it out) is dangerous to the heart. (sorry for sounding like the end of a pharma commercial!)
I'm assuming the poster is referring to getting adequate potassium through diet. Many people do not because they don't eat enough fruits and vegetables and other foods high in potassium and their ratio of sodium to potassium is off. I don't think the poster was pushing for supplements.
I know this was a huge issue for me...getting my sodium and potassium in balance.
I was not advocating supplements. I try to get my dietary needs through food....sweet potatoes, raisins, low sodium V8 juice, bananas, nuts, etc. I am per doctor's recommendation supplementing with 500mg of niacin as I refuse to take statins.0 -
My cholesterol has always been high. I tried Krill oil, which was working, but I was allergic to it. Luckily with healthy eating my HDL is very high so my ratio between LDL and HDL is excellent. That being said, I still would like to lower my LDL. I watch the cholesterol levels in everything I eat and try to keep myself at under 300 most days.
On another note, I saw you are female and your age. Cholesterol levels go up for women during or around that dreaded time of menopause.0 -
My cholesterol has always been high. I tried Krill oil, which was working, but I was allergic to it. Luckily with healthy eating my HDL is very high so my ratio between LDL and HDL is excellent. That being said, I still would like to lower my LDL. I watch the cholesterol levels in everything I eat and try to keep myself at under 300 most days.
On another note, I saw you are female and your age. Cholesterol levels go up for women during or around that dreaded time of menopause.
everyone here should know that LDL isnt bad..... there are 2 different ldl's (type A and type
and most testing is lumping them all together to give you, in a way, a false reading. Ask your doc for a test that breaks them both down into values.
type-B LDL particles are the ones that cause problems.
Also, you should know your Triglycerides levels.... these two, Triglycerides and Type B LDL, are what cause CVD0 -
My cholesterol has always been high. I tried Krill oil, which was working, but I was allergic to it. Luckily with healthy eating my HDL is very high so my ratio between LDL and HDL is excellent. That being said, I still would like to lower my LDL. I watch the cholesterol levels in everything I eat and try to keep myself at under 300 most days.
On another note, I saw you are female and your age. Cholesterol levels go up for women during or around that dreaded time of menopause.
everyone here should know that LDL isnt bad..... there are 2 different ldl's (type A and type and most testing is lumping them all together to give you, in a way, a false reading. Ask your doc for a test that breaks them both down into values.
type-B LDL particles are the ones that cause problems.
Also, you should know your Triglycerides levels.... these two, Triglycerides and Type B LDL, are what cause CVD
My triglycerides are thankfully normal. Occasionally they are slightly high (they tested high about five years ago), but mostly they are within normal levels. Glucose too. I did not know about the two types of LDL. Thank you for this info as I am due next month for another blood test to check my numbers.0 -
My cholesterol has always been high. I tried Krill oil, which was working, but I was allergic to it. Luckily with healthy eating my HDL is very high so my ratio between LDL and HDL is excellent. That being said, I still would like to lower my LDL. I watch the cholesterol levels in everything I eat and try to keep myself at under 300 most days.
On another note, I saw you are female and your age. Cholesterol levels go up for women during or around that dreaded time of menopause.
everyone here should know that LDL isnt bad..... there are 2 different ldl's (type A and type and most testing is lumping them all together to give you, in a way, a false reading. Ask your doc for a test that breaks them both down into values.
type-B LDL particles are the ones that cause problems.
Also, you should know your Triglycerides levels.... these two, Triglycerides and Type B LDL, are what cause CVD
My triglycerides are thankfully normal. Occasionally they are slightly high (they tested high about five years ago), but mostly they are within normal levels. Glucose too. I did not know about the two types of LDL. Thank you for this info as I am due next month for another blood test to check my numbers.
no prob, on the info, its my job!
um, as for glucose, thats a joke of an exam. get Insulin resistance exams. Thats more important as it shows the production and viability of the isle of Langerhans in the pancreas. i would never do a glucose exam, only will add a1c to check last 120 days and for sure, watch my insulin resistance levels.0 -
High blood pressure should be taken serious. I would talk to your doctor about it so that there isn't perm. damage done to your heart ect. There are several factors that play with high blood pressure, hereditary, age, obesity, salt and the big one....stress. All of these can cause it. Don't take it lightly because I did and now I am paying dearly for it.0
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My cholesterol has always been high. I tried Krill oil, which was working, but I was allergic to it. Luckily with healthy eating my HDL is very high so my ratio between LDL and HDL is excellent. That being said, I still would like to lower my LDL. I watch the cholesterol levels in everything I eat and try to keep myself at under 300 most days.
On another note, I saw you are female and your age. Cholesterol levels go up for women during or around that dreaded time of menopause.
everyone here should know that LDL isnt bad..... there are 2 different ldl's (type A and type and most testing is lumping them all together to give you, in a way, a false reading. Ask your doc for a test that breaks them both down into values.
type-B LDL particles are the ones that cause problems.
Also, you should know your Triglycerides levels.... these two, Triglycerides and Type B LDL, are what cause CVD
My triglycerides are thankfully normal. Occasionally they are slightly high (they tested high about five years ago), but mostly they are within normal levels. Glucose too. I did not know about the two types of LDL. Thank you for this info as I am due next month for another blood test to check my numbers.
no prob, on the info, its my job!
um, as for glucose, thats a joke of an exam. get Insulin resistance exams. Thats more important as it shows the production and viability of the isle of Langerhans in the pancreas. i would never do a glucose exam, only will add a1c to check last 120 days and for sure, watch my insulin resistance levels.
Thanks from me too - I'll have to remember to ask about Type A & B LDL next time I'm tested.0 -
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