Lowering cholesterol through diet?

I'm not really sure what mine was on a before so I have an unfinished dataset, but mine was 109 when i got it checked a couple years ago 6 months into changing my poor diet. I am definitely one of the people whose cholestrol is unaffected by dietary cholesterol (as I am over 300mg almost daily, and quite frankly don't even care how much I eat in aday).

My parents and sister are all on meds for high cholesterol, so i have the genetics for it.

I eat a LOT of meat and dairy, and it doesn't seem to matter on mine. Best I can guess is that I eat decent fats and a LOT of fiber, mostly thru veggies and fruits.

The overall number doesn't tell you the whole story, you want to know your other numbers and your ratios (HDL/Total cholesterol and Triglyceride/HDL). Your body does need cholesterol for some functions, that's why your liver produces it. Even if you ate a completely cholesterol-free diet, your body would make the approximately 1,000 mg it needs to function properly. Do some googling. Also look into CoQ10 or Ubiquinol.

Yes. My cholesterol numbers from blood tests were fine (all normal, HDL on the high side). Then I got free bacon for breakfast every weekday for 4 months. Next blood tests were way high. Cut out the bad foods I'd added (bad means eating way over moderation) and my blood numbers came back down.

My doctor is a pill pusher. When he told me I needed statins, I said I wanted to try diet and exercise. Five years later, and he shakes his head at my blood tests, and says......well someday you will need statins, just not right now.

I did well on the diet (food qty and quality) part. Not so well on the exercise part. Though I do exert myself (e.g. yard work, long fast walks, taking stairs instead of elevators, etc.) most days,, not just in "formal" exercises.

Both of my parents have cholesterol numbers over 300. Yet my sister is 110. It's true the body should have the ability to make all of the cholesterol it needs, and hypothetically, should stop making it to compensate for cholesterol consumed through diet. Unfortunately, I did not inherit that healthy trait. Unlike my sister, I am genetically prone to mass produce the stuff regardless of how much I take in through diet.

8 years ago my cholesterol was 257. I was not a vegan at the time and being Texan head to toe, I loved my steak and bacon. I did not stop eating those items, but I did buy that instant oatmeal and would fix one packet Mon-Fri in a little styrofoam cup at the office for breakfast. I dropped it to 183 in 6 months (maybe sooner, but that's when I had it checked next.)

I quit eating oatmeal after it came down, and in January last year discovered it was 356 with over 250 points of that being the bad stuff. I've since gone vegan and dropped it nearly 200 points in 12 months. I eat several tablespoons of flaxseed every day because I like snacking on it the way other people snack on nuts. And I snack on a couple teaspoons a day of Bob's Red Mill crunchy coconut granola. I just pour a little in my palm several times a day and munch on it. I know for a fact I lowered it by adding whole grains, but by eliminating dietary cholesterol, I got an even better result. I'm NOT recommending you become vegan for that reason though! LOL. I'm just saying a combination of the two worked fast and effectively for me.

http://www.cobblescorner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Get-With-The-Guidelines_AHJ-Jan.2009.pdf

Lipid levels in patients hospitalized with coronary artery disease: An analysis of 136,905 hospitalizations
in Get With The Guidelines.

Lipid levels among contemporary patients hospitalized with coronary artery disease (CAD) have not been well studied. This study aimed to analyze admission lipid levels in a broad contemporary population of patients hospitalized with CAD.

Methods
The Get With The Guidelines database was analyzed for CAD hospitalizations from 2000 to 2006 with documented lipid levels in the first 24 hours of admission. Patients were divided into low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and triglyceride categories. Factors associated with LDL and HDL levels were assessed along with temporal trends.

Results
Of 231,986 hospitalizations from 541 hospitals, admission lipid levels were documented in 136,905 (59.0%). Mean lipid levels were LDL 104.9 ± 39.8, HDL 39.7 ± 13.2, and triglyceride 161 ± 128 mg/dL. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol <70 mg/dL was observed in 17.6% and ideal levels (LDL <70 with HDL ≥60 mg/dL) in only 1.4%. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol was <40 mg/dL in 54.6% of patients. Before admission, only 28,944 (21.1%) patients were receiving lipid-lowering medications. Predictors for higher LDL included female gender, no diabetes, history of hyperlipidemia, no prior lipid-lowering medications, and presenting with acute coronary syndrome. Both LDL and HDL levels declined over time (P< .0001).


Conclusions
In a large cohort of patients hospitalized with CAD, almost half have admission LDL levels <100 mg/dL. More than half the patients have admission HDL levels <40 mg/dL, whereas <10% have HDL≥60 mg/dL. These findings may provide further support for recent guideline revisions with even lower LDL goals and for developing effective treatments to raise
HDL.

Apparently LDL is not low enough with the above evidence showing 17% of victims having LDL's lower than 70 and almost half with LDL under 100 and 21% on lipid lowering medication.

According to Get With The Program Guidlines over 75% of heart attach victims had average to low cholesterol levels.........Basically the conclusion the panel came up with is more people need to be on statins and LDL cholesterol levels need to drop further and they also remarked that HDL needs to improve. I find it peculiar that people that had higher overall cholesterol levels had a lower rate of heart attacks.

I had high chol but not as high as yours. I was on medication for several years and tried to lower it by just diet alone. Once I started the combination of diet and exercise, that is when it started to lower. I exercise everyday and watch what I eat and now I have been off the medication for about a year.

Mine has been in the high range for over 10 years, since my early 30's. I did lower it by taking natural supplements like Guggulipid, Flush-Free Niacin and a product called VegaPure. I was told I wouldn't be able to lower it enough without medication but I do NOT want to go that route. I saw a cardiologist for a stress test and he said my heart is in great shape and not to worry about my cholesterol since I don't have immediate family history of heart disease. I try to eat healthy and exercise and don't take any meds at all. Good luck!

Mine did. It was 211 and I dropped it in 3 months to 160 or something like that. I researched heart healthy diets and limited my red meat to once a week. I ate salmon, chicken and turkey mostly..lots of veggies. I ate primarily oatmeal for breakfast, but I ate eggs and turkey bacon sometimes. Switched to whole grains and limited processed foods. Limited my fat to 40 g with saturated fat not going over 10 g. I also started walking every day. Besides dropping my number, I dropped 30 lbs in that 3 months also.

Wow you did amazing work!! Glad to see it can be done!

It can and it really wasn't that hard for me to do. The only problem is that my good cholesterol didn't come up even though I was briskly walking/jogging 5 miles a day, 6 days a week. The nurse said it was probably just genetics with that part of it. It actually dropped 2 points during that time, but overall, the numbers are good.

Regardless of what studies show re the relationship between cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease, I have no desire to argue with my doctor about being put on statins at every visit. My cholesterol levels have never been low, but my blood results tend to correlate with how much saturated fat I consume. My doctor has suggested a lower fat diet (20%) with saturated fat <8% of total calories. At these fat levels, my cholesterol at least drops into the normal range and he quits with the statin talk. I don't know if that's how things are supposed to work or whether that's just what happens to me, or if it's pure coincidence and my cholesterol levels are actually controlled by the phases of the moon. Idk, but I don't want to take pills I don't need. So if I can control the # through diet and not have to listen to him yammer about pills, I'm all about that.

That's the thing, cholesterol, the actual sterol itself as nothing to do with heart disease, it's basically the size and number of total particles called lipoprotein (capsules that carry cholesterol) and a persons lifestyle and genetics that dictates how the body then decides which type is produced. Small dense LDL lipoproteins are universally considered atherogenic while the larger phenotype less so and many in the field put a protective status on larger ones.

In October of last year, 2013, I was informed by my doctor that my numbers were critically high (cholesterol was 339 and triglycerides were at 273, with the other numbers similarly bad). I was given the option of going on medication immediately, or taking 3 months to try to make SOME sort of positive change in my health after which, she'd decide. I chose to try to change my lifestyle since I DO NOT want to be put on medication.

The day after that appointment, my best friend showed me MFP. I decided to pull up my big-girl pants and get myself and my health under control. I started exercising (walking and elliptical) and watching what I eat (both quality AND quantity). I didn't cut out foods, I improved and portioned them. I didn't jump on any 'diet' plan... I understood from the moment I left my doctor's office that I have to keep this lifestyle for as long as I live. That meant moderation, NOT restriction.

By lurking in the forums here, I've seen what people have to say about various paths that have worked for them, and I've used my brain to filter through what will or will not work for ME.

I had another appointment with my doctor on January 6, earlier this month. From making simple changes (get up and MOVE, damnit!!! and food? LOG LOG LOG!!!), my cholesterol had dropped 74 points (it's still high, but I'm a work in progress). My triglycerides dropped 152 points to a normal range 121 (shocked the tar out of me!). My LDL's dropped by 30 points. My HDL's increased by 9 points. Best of all, NO MEDICATION FOR ME!!! :drinker:

That said, yes, just making small changes has VASTLY improved my health. I feel better. I have more energy. I've LOVING the side effect of having lost over 30 lbs in this process. Making those small changes can DEFINITELY improve one's cholesterol levels (and without medication - but listen to your doctor). I still eat red meat. I still have dairy. I still have wine. I just do so... smarter.

editted because I can't spell... :grumble:
wow... I REALLY can't spell.

I dropped mine 60 points by cutting out most meat (all cow). I have no desire to live life with out cheese. I ate mainly processed fake meat products such as Quorn and Morning Star Farms, but had to cut those out of my diet due to an auto immune disease, they seem to cause inflammation and give me a great deal of pain.

Sugar is a big contributor to cholesterol as well.

Exercise and fish oil are also a big help.

Good luck!

Regardless of what studies show re the relationship between cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease, I have no desire to argue with my doctor about being put on statins at every visit. My cholesterol levels have never been low, but my blood results tend to correlate with how much saturated fat I consume. My doctor has suggested a lower fat diet (20%) with saturated fat <8% of total calories. At these fat levels, my cholesterol at least drops into the normal range and he quits with the statin talk. I don't know if that's how things are supposed to work or whether that's just what happens to me, or if it's pure coincidence and my cholesterol levels are actually controlled by the phases of the moon. Idk, but I don't want to take pills I don't need. So if I can control the # through diet and not have to listen to him yammer about pills, I'm all about that.

That's the thing, cholesterol, the actual sterol itself as nothing to do with heart disease, it's basically the size and number of total particles called lipoprotein (capsules that carry cholesterol) and a persons lifestyle and genetics that dictates how the body then decides which type is produced. Small dense LDL lipoproteins are universally considered atherogenic while the larger phenotype less so and many in the field put a protective status on larger ones.

No doubt. I just would prefer to not argue with him about being put on medication. And I am able to get my numbers into normal ranges through low-fat diet and exercise. And that's enough to keep him from pushing the pills.

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My Dr told me to try diet and exercise and I have but my results didnt show much difference 4 months later. Now they are having me take Fish Oil everyday and see if that will help. Its a cheap way I buy the Burpless ones at Target and take with my dinner and havent had any issue with them.