Just diagnosed with high cholesterol:(

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cryptogirl
cryptogirl Posts: 35 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi all, I have been lurking but just for diagnosed with high cholesterol and really need some friends to stay focused. I want to be able to see your healthy eating diaries and get some inspiration because I'm not sure where I'm going wrong:(

Please add me if you can help

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  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    Step 1: Read this...

    http://www.motherfitness.com/what-dietary-fat-did-for-my-cholesterol-my-lipid-panel-results/
  • aliencheesecake
    aliencheesecake Posts: 570 Member
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    Me too. Despite all my "diet" and exercise, I just had to start taking Lopid. Now I am really contemplating becoming pescotarian, or at the very least REALLY limit my meat consumption. My heredity is winning here, and I'm only 32! Friend me if you like!
  • BigSnicka
    BigSnicka Posts: 151 Member
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    I just sent a friend request because I beat my high cholesterol and am no longer on medications.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    Me too. Despite all my "diet" and exercise, I just had to start taking Lopid. Now I am really contemplating becoming pescotarian, or at the very least REALLY limit my meat consumption. My heredity is winning here, and I'm only 32! Friend me if you like!

    See the link I posted in my previous post ^^^
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,659 Member
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    I have been struggling on and off with high cholesterol over the past few years. I was on meds (bile sequestrants, not statins) a few years back when I was a bit heavier, but was able to get off them by losing 20 lbs. and exercising more. Now, my cholesterol is back up (238 total, with LDL of 170) and my doctor is telling me that I'll be on a statin if I don't shape up. I'm not overweight -- 5 1.5" and around 122-125 lbs. most of the time, but I have high cholesterol in my family (no heart disease, though -- we all live to be over 90), and my system is sensitive to high cholesterol and high fat foods. So, I joined a program at my workplace that involves MFP, and I am trying to lose 10% of my body weight to see if that brings it down. I've also set my MFP settings to show how much cholesterol and fat I'm eating every day, and most of the time I stay under those limits. I'm trying to change the balance of what I'm eating so that I'm eating more fruits, vegetables, and complex carbs, and less animal products. I also take 2 1000 mg fish oil capsules every day and a B-complex vitamin that has niacin, which is supposed to help lower cholesterol. My hope is that this will bring it down in 3-4 months when my next blood test comes up. Exercise also helps. I have high good cholesterol (HDL 67) which is supposed to help protect against the bad cholesterol, which is the LDL. I made my diary pubic so you can see it.
  • Sunbrooke
    Sunbrooke Posts: 632 Member
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    You can add me. My husband's dad has five stints and my husband was recently diagnosed borderline high, so most of the foods in my home are supposed be helpful. I have an open food diary and I try to adapt recipes to make them heart healthy.
  • bluntlysally
    bluntlysally Posts: 150 Member
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    i have to carefully watch my numbers for similar reasons. talk to your pcp or cardiologist about getting access to a nutritionist that can read/understand your test results.

    i was prescribed a higher fat diet - gasp!!! fat doesn't make you fat OR give you bad cholesterol. <<shocking news for some.

    you do have to concentrate on good fats. add both fats and saturated fats to the things you can track in your diary. fat is a goal you want to REACH while sat fat is a goal you want to stay UNDER. be sure to look at the weekly nutrition info to check your fat% (day to day is to hard/anal to get right).

    fat tastes good!! oh yummy olive oil, almond butter, avocados, sesame oil, 2% greek yogurt, peanut butter, coffee creamer... :)

    if you want to see my diary, add me and let me know! i highly suggest a food scale to anyone, but specifically for measuring fats bc they are calorie dense and being off will have a larger impact. and really, who wants to clean a measuring spoon/cup all the time??!!
  • katierrt
    katierrt Posts: 113 Member
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    I'm not on meds yet, but I need to have my cholesterol checked this year still. My numbers have been off and I'm only 44. I'm afraid I do have heart disease tho. I have xanthelasmas under my eyes. My grandfather had them above his eyes on his eyelids. He died of a massive heart attack at 65. that's 21 years from now for me and I'm not wanting to go that direction with my life. Maybe we can figure this out together. Feel free to add me! :)
  • cookieanzac
    cookieanzac Posts: 10
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    I am 35 with a xanthalasma,no one in my family has one.But I am upset,I understand how you feel.
  • dpdora13
    dpdora13 Posts: 14 Member
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    Welcome to the club :):)
    Be careful with statins, they destroyed my muscles and after 5 years still not walking well and have pains to hands and feet, although I stopped them. They sent me to the hospital with rhabdomyolysis and kidney failure. Thank God my kidneys worked after 2 months, but till today I have many problems with muscles. If you have any thyroid issue be very careful with the use of statins.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    Do a bit of research as we are all different and for anyone to give you definitive advice over an internet forum is nearly impossible.

    Personally to help reduce triglycerides, increase HDL and increase the particle size of LDL's I would eat a diet low in Carbs (particularly grain and processed foods) and high in fats (and yes saturated fat - but not man made trans fats and limit my polyunsaturated fat).

    Before you choose a path to follow - read up on it and make sure it's suitable for you.

    Good luck.
  • booktobe
    booktobe Posts: 1 Member
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    Me too I'm 45 overweight and have high cholesterol and tryglicerites . I just started on here and it feels as if I'm a million miles away from my goal of losing 40 lbs. I was told to watch my fat and sugar intake so I'll be trying. This is tough
  • Serqita
    Serqita Posts: 34 Member
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    Me too. Despite all my "diet" and exercise, I just had to start taking Lopid. Now I am really contemplating becoming pescotarian, or at the very least REALLY limit my meat consumption. My heredity is winning here, and I'm only 25! Friend me if you like!
  • BowHunter1967
    BowHunter1967 Posts: 56 Member
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    I had sky-high cholesterol. I hated the side effects of statin meds so I eventually stopped taking them, against the advice of my doctor. It was a frustrating time- I have a bad family history of diabetes and heart disease.

    Two years later, I made the conscious decision to lose weight and exercise more. Not for everybody, but I dumped ALL junk food, McDonalds, sodas, sugars, candy, pizzas, breads, and gave up most processed foods. I severely limited carbs and went to a modified Paleo: basically low fat natural meat (venison), raw veggies, fruits, some grains (rice), fish. I've recently gone back to some dairy ( 2% milk and yogurt) and limited carbs.

    At my last lab test the cholesterol numbers have been the lowest/best since I started monitoring.
    I'm stronger than I've been in 25 years and feel great. Still have weight to lose but it is important to know that dropping cholesterol CAN be done drug-free through committed diet and exercise. Drug companies don't wan't you all to know.

    Good luck. You can do it!

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