Cholesterol

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  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,982 Member
    edited January 2023
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    hoodlisa1979 wrote: »
    Many thanks everyone for your replies, I don't know how to reply directly to individual posts, I've hopefully attached my current test results, can anyone clarify what optimal levels are for LDL if possible, I'm already on BP medication which I'm hoping better living will sort, I don't want to take statins as well, I'm female but the familial high cholesterol is in the male side, the doctors have never mentioned it to me despite my dad passing at 42 from heart disease

    Nope, nothing attached.
  • VegjoyP
    VegjoyP Posts: 2,730 Member
    edited January 2023
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    Yes. I went wholefood plant based.bi was a slim ripped carnivore. I was running marathons in between figure competition. My cholesterol and liver were shot.
    I gave up meat, chicken, dairy. I was eating fish. It went down in few weeks. Now I am lower to no saturated fat, no animal and best cholesterol I ever had.
    My boyfriend had same results along with many other WFPB people I know. I have read hundreds of journals on the subject, looked at longevity research and more.
    That's all the science I need
  • VegjoyP
    VegjoyP Posts: 2,730 Member
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    Let me add I had a cardiac CT, that had showed 19 percent calcification. This is what prompted me to change. My cardiologist is all for exercise, lifestyle and supports my plant based life. I do my own research but self observation for us each on our personal level is the best way to figure out what works for you
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,994 Member
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    hoodlisa1979 wrote: »
    Has anyone successfully reduced their cholesterol through diet and exercise? I'm currently at 6 and I'm hoping to improve it within 8 weeks

    Absolutely, with exercise and weight loss, although I can't say it happened in eight weeks, as I didn't re-test that soon.
  • hoodlisa1979
    hoodlisa1979 Posts: 38 Member
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    Just dropping in to update, I did have the repeat tests done at the 8 week mark but it takes forever to get results back, my cholesterol has gone up to 7.4, my HDL has reduced slightly and my LDL has also slightly reduced, I was gutted to say the least, despite following the NHS guides re foods to increase HDL it hasn't improved but worsened, I have lost 18lb now and I've read that levels can raise during weight loss but will have to wait a couple of weeks to speak to the doctor to check if thats the case, I suspect that they may just want me to take the medication, also just a note I'm in the UK and here we have to be practically dead for any referral for anything other than the basics in testing
  • herblovinmom
    herblovinmom Posts: 362 Member
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    hoodlisa1979 wrote: »
    Just dropping in to update, I did have the repeat tests done at the 8 week mark but it takes forever to get results back, my cholesterol has gone up to 7.4, my HDL has reduced slightly and my LDL has also slightly reduced, I was gutted to say the least, despite following the NHS guides re foods to increase HDL it hasn't improved but worsened, I have lost 18lb now and I've read that levels can raise during weight loss but will have to wait a couple of weeks to speak to the doctor to check if thats the case, I suspect that they may just want me to take the medication, also just a note I'm in the UK and here we have to be practically dead for any referral for anything other than the basics in testing

    Just catching up on the subject, I’m curious, what was the NHS recommendation to raise good cholesterol and lower the bad…🤔 my naturopath also gave me a recommended diet to follow to lower my cholesterol. I’d like to compare if possible.

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,991 Member
    edited March 2023
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    hoodlisa1979 wrote: »
    Just dropping in to update, I did have the repeat tests done at the 8 week mark but it takes forever to get results back, my cholesterol has gone up to 7.4, my HDL has reduced slightly and my LDL has also slightly reduced, I was gutted to say the least, despite following the NHS guides re foods to increase HDL it hasn't improved but worsened, I have lost 18lb now and I've read that levels can raise during weight loss but will have to wait a couple of weeks to speak to the doctor to check if thats the case, I suspect that they may just want me to take the medication, also just a note I'm in the UK and here we have to be practically dead for any referral for anything other than the basics in testing

    How did they justify those results considering both your HDL and LDL went down?

    The standard blood test for cholesterol doesn't specifically test for LDL-C. What they look at is HDL-C then whatever is left is considered LDL-C. Sub fractions of LDL are never tested (small dense or large buoyant and large buoyant are considered less atherogenic) but again generally speaking when HDL is higher it's a good bet a persons triglycerides are reduced or reducing which then translates to a better CRP (C-reactive protein) which is an inflammatory marker for inflammation and calcium in arteries that form plaques and why higher HDL and lower trigs are considered less atherogenic, but not always. Cheers
  • hoodlisa1979
    hoodlisa1979 Posts: 38 Member
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    herblovinmom wrote: »
    hoodlisa1979 wrote: »
    Just dropping in to update, I did have the repeat tests done at the 8 week mark but it takes forever to get results back, my cholesterol has gone up to 7.4, my HDL has reduced slightly and my LDL has also slightly reduced, I was gutted to say the least, despite following the NHS guides re foods to increase HDL it hasn't improved but worsened, I have lost 18lb now and I've read that levels can raise during weight loss but will have to wait a couple of weeks to speak to the doctor to check if thats the case, I suspect that they may just want me to take the medication, also just a note I'm in the UK and here we have to be practically dead for any referral for anything other than the basics in testing

    Just catching up on the subject, I’m curious, what was the NHS recommendation to raise good cholesterol and lower the bad…🤔 my naturopath also gave me a recommended diet to follow to lower my cholesterol. I’d like to compare if possible.

    https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/high-cholesterol/how-to-lower-your-cholesterol/
  • hoodlisa1979
    hoodlisa1979 Posts: 38 Member
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    Current levels
  • hoodlisa1979
    hoodlisa1979 Posts: 38 Member
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    Not sure it won't post a screenshot? Any ideas anyone?
  • GloriaBJN
    GloriaBJN Posts: 78 Member
    edited March 2023
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    Yes I went from 9 something to 6.1. I had eliminated most junk food with a fat macro of 30%.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,564 Member
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    hoodlisa1979 wrote: »
    herblovinmom wrote: »
    hoodlisa1979 wrote: »
    Just dropping in to update, I did have the repeat tests done at the 8 week mark but it takes forever to get results back, my cholesterol has gone up to 7.4, my HDL has reduced slightly and my LDL has also slightly reduced, I was gutted to say the least, despite following the NHS guides re foods to increase HDL it hasn't improved but worsened, I have lost 18lb now and I've read that levels can raise during weight loss but will have to wait a couple of weeks to speak to the doctor to check if thats the case, I suspect that they may just want me to take the medication, also just a note I'm in the UK and here we have to be practically dead for any referral for anything other than the basics in testing

    Just catching up on the subject, I’m curious, what was the NHS recommendation to raise good cholesterol and lower the bad…🤔 my naturopath also gave me a recommended diet to follow to lower my cholesterol. I’d like to compare if possible.

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

    I have to say, I tried doing pretty much that for a year or so, trying to eat more in that way, but still not addressing my bodyweight. It had a small positive effect, more on triglycerides than on HDL/LDL if I recall correctly. Very small.

    I reported my fairly fast blood test improvements in detail in a post on page 1 of this thread, so I won't rehash it. But for me, changing details of my eating patterns, while staying very active, but also staying fat . . . had very little positive impact.

    Your situation may differ, especially if you have familial hypercholesterolemia (since I think I don't), if your starting point diet is substantially worse than mine was, if you are not active with exercise, etc. It's just my n=1, for what it's worth: Trying to improve the patterns in what I ate didn't accomplish much.
  • Peachesanddinosaur
    Peachesanddinosaur Posts: 15 Member
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    hoodlisa1979 wrote: »
    Has anyone successfully reduced their cholesterol through diet and exercise? I'm currently at 6 and I'm hoping to improve it within 8 weeks

    Yes. More recently a Whole Food Plant Based diet has been found to reduce "bad" cholesterol.
  • Kiwi2mfp
    Kiwi2mfp Posts: 166 Member
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    I have. I dropped 41 pounds and took my cholesterol from high (230) to normal (188) now. But it took me about 6 months. I didn't get blood work drawn through the process so it was responding quicker than 6 months. I have since lost 16 more pounds. Due to get blood work in a couple weeks. We'll see what happens. My doc told me she would no longer bug me to take cholesterol meds and that I am a good example of what diet and exercise can do. She did say that at some point as we get older sometimes diet and exercise can not always correct cholesterol and meds might be needed in the future but as it is, that is not the case. Diet and exercise most likely can lower your cholesterol. How much of it you can control is based on your family history to some extent though.

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