Cholesterol altering success stories thread...

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SingingSingleTracker
SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Just like the thread topic says, I would like to hear of success stories from those who have been able to change their diet to improve their cholesterol numbers (raise the good, lower the bad). Even more impressive to me would be to hear stories of those who were able to get off their prescribed cholesterol lowering medication due to dietary changes.

I've got the two main items nailed: weight, and exercise

I've trimmed down to 168 pounds (6'4"), and do about 8 - 10+ hours of cardio (cycling) per week. I've been on a cholesterol lowering medication for about 6 years due to family history, and my numbers not getting satisfactory during my first attempt at combining diet, weight, exercise. This time I am being more vigilant and wanted to hear how others did it. Last time I tried to get the numbers down on my own without medication, I weighed over 20 pounds more, and was not exercising as many hours per week as I am now. Still, I'm fighting the genetic family history, so I am prepared for my numbers to not be grand in spite of the vigilance.

What I am and have been doing the past few months (and much of it for years)...

Psyllium - check, a tablespoon in my 100% cranberry juice in the am before I eat
Cinnamon - check, a tablespoon in my morning cereal or oatmeal
Red Grapes - check, I eat a few every day
Red Wine - check, a glass or two several times a week
Dark Choclate - check, a square or two every now and then throughout the week
Walnuts - check, nuts in cereal or oatmeal every morning (sometimes almonds instead of walnuts, and my almost daily 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter on my lunch sandwich)
Salmon - check, at least twice a week
Spinach - check, several times a week
Avocado - check, several times a week
Garlic - check, daily
Olive Oil - check, daily
Beans - check, but not so often (need to increase)
Tea - not checked as I hate tea (need to increase my green and black tea consumption)
Eggplant - not checked as I sort of hate the stuff (or at least react to it in a non-pleasant way)
Strawberries - check, several times a week
Apples - check, several times a week
Blueberries - chec, several times a week
Flax seed/oil - need to add this
Chlorella - need to add this

Chime in on what's worked for you and what happened to the numbers. I've been vigilant for the past 5 months (since getting off the cholesterol lowering medication) and have my annual blood work/heart check up next month. I'm hoping to see good numbers. If not, maybe there are things I could still do to improve my levels.

Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,984 Member
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    It's complicated.......and I suspect the pharmaceutical industry won't be enlightening the medical profession any time soon.......it's a cash cow.
  • jrchandler42
    jrchandler42 Posts: 1
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    I have had a cholesterol problem starting when I was about 34, it started to creep up. but unfortunately I have bad reactions to statins, I tried niacin, fish oil and some other natural remedies to no avail. In march my cholesterol was 316, LDL 212 HDL 64. It was about time I dd something, I completely overhauled my diet and exercise, I started eating smaller and more frequent meals, took up hiking. consequenlty I went from 215lbs to now I'm at 180lbs with about 25 left to go. but since last week my cholesterol is 181, LDL117 HDL 51, quite a bit of difference.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    I have had a cholesterol problem starting when I was about 34, it started to creep up. but unfortunately I have bad reactions to statins, I tried niacin, fish oil and some other natural remedies to no avail. In march my cholesterol was 316, LDL 212 HDL 64. It was about time I dd something, I completely overhauled my diet and exercise, I started eating smaller and more frequent meals, took up hiking. consequenlty I went from 215lbs to now I'm at 180lbs with about 25 left to go. but since last week my cholesterol is 181, LDL117 HDL 51, quite a bit of difference.

    Congrats on the improvement!!!

    To Neander.....

    Yes, it is a cash cow and I'm sure my heart doctor is part of the "system" which is why I ignored his counsel and am trying this on my own to see if I can do it.
  • Kate7294
    Kate7294 Posts: 783 Member
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    Bump...
    I know I've taken flax seed religiously for a year, and red yeast rice. Not enough significant lowering.
    My Doctor said to try COQ10 at 200mg a day. So I've been taking this and added Garlic. I'm also avoiding egg yolks. I hope to see a change at my next appointment.
    I've tried 3 different Statins previously all ending with joint pain/discomfort. :(
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,264 Member
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    I exercised more and ate less, causing a loss in weight. My cholesterol also started to decrease.

    I did NOT avoid whole eggs, red meat, or any of that. In fact, I actually eat MORE of that then I did before. The cholesterol in foods has little to no impact on your blood serum levels. The vast, VAST majority of cholesterol is produced by the body alone.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I went from eating junk all the time to losing 80 pounds in 1.5 year (obviously limiting junk) and exercising every day... and my bad cholesterol increased (arguably, the good one did too). At this point I think it's really more about genetics than diet...
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    I went from eating junk all the time to losing 80 pounds in 1.5 year (obviously limiting junk) and exercising every day... and my bad cholesterol increased (arguably, the good one did too). At this point I think it's really more about genetics than diet...

    Congrats on your transformation.

    Yes, genetics plays the majority role for many of us. Still, I'm hopeful that hitting the foods known to help make one's numbers look better can play a bit of role in keeping me off medication.
  • ingasmile2
    ingasmile2 Posts: 43 Member
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    I have had high cholesterol ever since having blood work for the first time in my twenties when I was practically a waif. I have been on statins with little effect. But side effects of joint pain. I average between 230-260. I think when taking Lipitor I got down to 210. I have never been very overweight, now not at all. I exercise every day, I eat a mostly healthy diet.

    I just tell my doctor no. Heart disease does not run in our family, I feel like my overall other health is okay so I will avoid statins for now possibly forever.
  • inneedofanap
    inneedofanap Posts: 63 Member
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    I HAD Metabolic Syndrome. Just had my yearly labs drawn and with diet and exercise (walking) In just 5 months, I dropped 15 pounds, lowered my blood sugar, lowered my blood pressure and dropped my triglyceride level by 200 points! I still can't seem to raise my HDL past 31 but I'm hoping it turns around soon.
  • bimmerjt9
    bimmerjt9 Posts: 20
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    The whole "System" thing is a bunch of bs.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,984 Member
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    I have had a cholesterol problem starting when I was about 34, it started to creep up. but unfortunately I have bad reactions to statins, I tried niacin, fish oil and some other natural remedies to no avail. In march my cholesterol was 316, LDL 212 HDL 64. It was about time I dd something, I completely overhauled my diet and exercise, I started eating smaller and more frequent meals, took up hiking. consequenlty I went from 215lbs to now I'm at 180lbs with about 25 left to go. but since last week my cholesterol is 181, LDL117 HDL 51, quite a bit of difference.

    Congrats on the improvement!!!

    To Neander.....

    Yes, it is a cash cow and I'm sure my heart doctor is part of the "system" which is why I ignored his counsel and am trying this on my own to see if I can do it.
    Well, unless your HDL is in the basement <40 and your triglycerides are elevated >250 then the number of particles that make up the density of your LDL reading may not be worrying........unfortunately the simple office blood test isn't much good for particle density readings.......which is what we all should focus on. Ask for a VAP test which will separate all the sub fractions of LDL and get an opinion from a Dr. that understands it as well......most GP's won't. Increasing HDL, decreasing small dense LDL and Triglycerides is the path to consider and not simply medicate if an overall cholesterol threshold is breached.......that's sheep territory and slaughter is inevitable. lol.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    Well, unless your HDL is in the basement <40 and your triglycerides are elevated >250 then the number of particles that make up the density of your LDL reading may not be worrying........unfortunately the simple office blood test isn't much good for particle density readings.......which is what we all should focus on. Ask for a VAP test which will separate all the sub fractions of LDL and get an opinion from a Dr. that understands it as well......most GP's won't. Increasing HDL, decreasing small dense LDL and Triglycerides is the path to consider and not simply medicate if an overall cholesterol threshold is breached.......that's sheep territory and slaughter is inevitable. lol.

    Will do. Sounds like the VAP test is the way to go. I think that is the one I have had in the last year or two, but will request it this time to make sure.

    In the meantime, you can read as many pro vs. con arguments about the entire subject.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/lower-cholesterol-naturally_b_815393.html

    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/08/10/making-sense-of-your-cholesterol-numbers.aspx

    http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/cardiovascular/cholesterol/foods-that-lower-cholesterol2.htm

    http://www.forksoverknives.com/who-should-take-cholesterol-lowering-statins-everyone-or-no-one/

    http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/resources/heart/heart-cholesterol-hbc-what-html.htm

    And on, and on, and on it goes....
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    I HAD Metabolic Syndrome. Just had my yearly labs drawn and with diet and exercise (walking) In just 5 months, I dropped 15 pounds, lowered my blood sugar, lowered my blood pressure and dropped my triglyceride level by 200 points! I still can't seem to raise my HDL past 31 but I'm hoping it turns around soon.

    Great to hear of your weight loss and all the best at turning around the dangers of Metabolic Syndrome by taking control. Pretty sure that is what led my biological father to getting Type II Diabetes, and his subsequent heart disease. My biological mother was/is a chain smoker, and had a lifestyle that did not include exercise. I don't know about diet though, but she has heart disease as a result of everything else. Seems to have not hit other relatives, so who knows how coded I am or am not.

    I don't suffer from either of their main culprits, but family history is what it is. It seems this year is the year I have really turned it up a notch in an effort to take more control than I already had. The skinny fat syndrome plagued me the past 10 years, and removing the visceral fat to get back to where I was the previous 42 years of my life hopefully, combined with my exercise and cholesterol lowering diet will all result in a better outlook for me (without meds!!!).
  • lilianhill
    lilianhill Posts: 20 Member
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    My doctor suggested taking Coromega fish oil (you can find it on Amazon). My problem has been high triglycerides and the Coromega alone brought them into a healthy range. Then I lost 20 pounds using MFP and my total cholesterol was 148 (it has been over 250) at last measure with low triglycerides and low LDL (still taking Coromega). My doctor was very pleased.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    Options
    My doctor suggested taking Coromega fish oil (you can find it on Amazon). My problem has been high triglycerides and the Coromega alone brought them into a healthy range. Then I lost 20 pounds using MFP and my total cholesterol was 148 (it has been over 250) at last measure with low triglycerides and low LDL (still taking Coromega). My doctor was very pleased.

    Thanks for the tip! Which of their products are you taking? With vitamin D, or just the base Omega 3? Gummies or the Big Squeeze?
  • jknops2
    jknops2 Posts: 171 Member
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    I am on 20mg Lipitor. My last numbers are total cholesterol 154, HDL 90, LDL 48, Triglyceride 79.

    In my experience Lipitor lowers my LDL from about 150 to 50, diet and exercise have doubled my HDL and lowering carbs in my diet have lowered triglycerides by 2/3. Diet and exercise have had no impact on LDL for me.
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
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    I improved my numbers to non-med levels simply by lowering my carb intake.
    It's tricky since your body makes most of your cholesterol anyway and everyone is unique genetically.

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