Any ideas how to help bring down overall cholesterol and LDL levels

Options
ltkasmala
ltkasmala Posts: 109 Member
edited May 2015 in Food and Nutrition
I come from a family where nearly all my relatives died from some heart related event before age 50. I will be turning 55 in a few weeks and am obviously trying to avoid this...

I was put on Zocor back in 2007 or 2008 when my cholesterol level was 279. The medication helped, but I noticed the biggest difference when 3 years ago I switched to a pescatarian diet. I wanted to eat fish for the Omega-3 but cut out all other forms of meat. Not only did I loose 50 pounds but my cholesterol went down to 145! I have maintained the weight fairly well, but the rest has just taken a turn....

Six months ago while my overall level went up to 190 (I am also post menopausal and I've read this happens around this time to women just because... O_o). My LDL and triglycerides were low and within range. My HDL was actually 61 so my doctor took me off the Zocor. I have continued to eat fish and veggies. Arthritis in my knee keeps me from higher impact exercise but I do still work out at least 3x/week, take an additional Omega 3 supplement, and have a spinach smoothie most mornings.

Sadly, yesterday I had blood work done and my overall cholesterol is now at 309 and my LDL is at 223! Aside from discontinuing the meds, not much else has changed. So I will have to begin the medication again...

My question is, is there anything else nutritional that I can be doing to help this situation? Out of the best foods to consume (oatmeal, salmon, spinach, avacados, nuts, etc) I already eat just about everything on the list. I don't eat much junk food. I am a big coffee drinker but that has been consistent the entire time so not sure if it is a factor or not.

Kind of freaking out... Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks for your support!

Replies

  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    Options
    Mine went from over 200 to 120, just from calorie deficit(eating a lot of veggies, but including meat and some treats) and lots of exercise. Exercise is very important for overall health:)
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    My question is, you lost 50 pounds and your cholesterol went down below 150? What did you then? That seemed to be a marked improvement during this time?

    Here is a link to help you... I googled it. Other than that, I say speak to your doctor about meds and a diet plan.

    https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/heart/chol_tlc.pdf

  • governatorkp
    governatorkp Posts: 89 Member
    Options
    My father used to have a too high cholesterol.

    Along with cutting out more processed fats and meats out of his diet,
    he supplemented with Chia seeds and Goji berries.

    Chia Seeds
    Studies are hinting towards the idea that chia seeds lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and increase HDL cholesterol.
    Goji Berries
    Beta-sitosterol, an anti-inflammatory agent in goji berries, can help lower cholesterol by limiting the amount of cholesterol that can enter the body..

    While I'm certain the biggest deal was cause of lowering the amount of unhealthy fats,
    maybe these additions also had some effect. Worth a try.
  • ltkasmala
    ltkasmala Posts: 109 Member
    Options
    Thank you for the suggestions. I already use Chia seeds in my smoothies. What I did to loose the 50 pounds I continue to do now, that is cut out all meat except fish. There's a "fancy" multi syllable word for the type of diet I use but it boils down to a vegetarian that eats fish, eggs, and dairy, though I don't consume many eggs and dairy is non-fat yogurt and the almond milk in my smoothies! The main difference is that I wasn't taking the Zocor for the past six months. I find it hard to believe my numbers would jump this much but it really is the only main difference... Regardless of my knees, I have to start exercising a couple more days a week and trying to do some weight training (even if light weights as I simply do not have the joints for heavy weights right now). I'll check out the link. Thanks again! :)
  • hgycta
    hgycta Posts: 3,013 Member
    Options
    How much salmon do you eat? I ask this because I know salmon, although healthy in moderation, does contain cholesterol (just about any animal product will).
    Now, there's much controversy over cholesterol and whether or not consuming it directly from certain sources will affect your blood levels or not. But here's what I learned:
    -Having one egg a day will actually help your cholesterol levels (raise the good, lower the bad). More than one egg will put you over on your cholesterol intake, so you can mix it with egg whites to make it more dense if you want to. But I always try to have one egg every day, if you feel more comfortable you could start with one every other day and see what happens.
    -Consuming a lot of fiber will bind to cholesterol and... well... make you poop it out essentially. I've noticed myfitnesspal recommends a substantially lower intake of fiber than what other agencies suggest, but I try to aim for around 28-30 grams a day, if I can help it.
    -You said you drink coffee. Now, coffee unfortunately has been correlated to higher cholesterol levels, especially based on the brewing method used (you can read more of this online, but try to avoid French Press if you can help it).
    -When you lose weight, your cholesterol will naturally go down (as I'm sure you've noticed already).
    -Trans fat wreaks havoc on your cholesterol levels. Some foods may contain trans fats and not legally list it if it's less than a certain amount, even though it can add up and still cause some serious damage (avoid any kind of partially hydrogenated oil!!!)

    Just continue to try and consume a healthful and varied diet low in added sugar and unhealthy fats. Maybe cut back a little bit on the salmon and switch to fish lower in cholesterol, and definitely consume more plant based foods high in fiber. Also make sure you give yourself some time in the day to exercise!
  • allyphoe
    allyphoe Posts: 618 Member
    Options
    Eating a whole avocado every day improved my LDL by 50 points. But if you're already eating one, you might need to stick with the medicine.
  • cblue315
    cblue315 Posts: 3,836 Member
    Options
    My nurse practitioner explained it to me like this. There is fat in your blood and when you exercise it gets more the consistency of olive oil. Your body can process it easier. When you do not exercise enough it stays more the consistency of lard and your body cannot process it. It stays stored in your body.
    My total cholesterol dropped over 120 points in less than a year. The biggest change is I do some form of exercise almost every day.
  • azure7
    azure7 Posts: 136 Member
    Options
    You might consider looking into a very high quality krill oil supplement. This is the one I've been taking and I've seen a marked improvement (as has my sister): http://www.getprograde.com/essential-fatty-acid.html
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Options
    You seem to have the right idea already OP. To improve your cholesterol:
    -exercise
    -improve your good body composition (i.e lose weight if you have any to lose)
    -eat plenty of veggies and fruits
    -try to eat more whole foods and less highly processed foods
    -eat plenty of healthy fats like fish, nuts, olive oil
    -don't be afraid of meat, but minimize highly processed meats like hot dogs

    -understand that most studies show that processed/refined carbs are worse for your cholesterol than saturated fat. So if you're going to decrease sat fat to improve cholesterol it won't help to replace it with crackers.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    Options
    How's your trans fat intake? Do you eat stuff like pastries? Peanut butter (the kind with no oil on the top like skippy)? Cake? Doughnuts? Fried foods?

    Artificial trans fats should be avoided completely. Even small amounts. A lot of food like the peanut butter I mentioned will say 0% trans fats, but they still contain them. The FDA allows them to round down, so if there's a small enough amount they can put 0% on the package.
  • sixxpoint
    sixxpoint Posts: 3,529 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    No specific foods or supplements will fix the issue. It is best to follow a healthier lifestyle.

    -Predominate your diet with a variety of whole and minimally processed foods.
    -Consume a bare minimum of 0.40-0.45 g dietary fat per 1 lb. bodyweight.
    -Consume at least a range of 0.60-0.82 g protein per 1 lb. bodyweight.
    -Shoot for at least 25 g fiber per day.
    -Avoid industrial trans fats.
    -Take 2-3 g combined EPA+DHA via Fish Oil per day. Look into Controlled Labs Oximega.
    -Exercise. You have to work hard and sweat. Be consistent and follow a proven program.
    -Drink plenty of water.
    -Avoid or limit alcohol.
    -Ignore rules of fad diets and stick with foods that fit your personal preference & tolerance.
    -Leave a minority of your diet (10-20% range) open for indulgences.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    sixxpoint wrote: »
    No specific foods or supplements will fix the issue. It is best to follow a healthier lifestyle.

    -Predominate your diet with a variety of whole and minimally processed foods.
    -Consume a bare minimum of 0.40-0.45 g dietary fat per 1 lb. bodyweight.
    -Consume at least a range of 0.60-0.82 g protein per 1 lb. bodyweight.
    -Shoot for at least 25 g fiber per day.
    -Avoid industrial trans fats.
    -Take 2-3 g combined EPA+DHA via Fish Oil per day. Look into Controlled Labs Oximega.
    -Exercise. You have to work hard and sweat. Be consistent and follow a proven program.
    -Drink plenty of water.
    -Avoid or limit alcohol.
    -Ignore rules of fad diets and stick with foods that fit your personal preference & tolerance.
    -Leave a minority of your diet (10-20% range) open for indulgences.

    I agree with everything except the alcohol part. As long as the OP is hitting her calorie and macro targets, then there is little reason to avoid consuming alcohol in moderation:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21343206
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15100619
  • sixxpoint
    sixxpoint Posts: 3,529 Member
    Options
    See "limit" included in the description.
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
    Options
    Thank you sixxpoint... very helpful to me.
    (on the side line getting info)
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    Options
    sixxpoint wrote: »
    No specific foods or supplements will fix the issue. It is best to follow a healthier lifestyle.

    -Predominate your diet with a variety of whole and minimally processed foods.
    -Consume a bare minimum of 0.40-0.45 g dietary fat per 1 lb. bodyweight.
    -Consume at least a range of 0.60-0.82 g protein per 1 lb. bodyweight.
    -Shoot for at least 25 g fiber per day.
    -Avoid industrial trans fats.
    -Take 2-3 g combined EPA+DHA via Fish Oil per day. Look into Controlled Labs Oximega.
    -Exercise. You have to work hard and sweat. Be consistent and follow a proven program.
    -Drink plenty of water.
    -Avoid or limit alcohol.
    -Ignore rules of fad diets and stick with foods that fit your personal preference & tolerance.
    -Leave a minority of your diet (10-20% range) open for indulgences.

    Killed it. great advice for everyone.
  • sixxpoint
    sixxpoint Posts: 3,529 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    ^ I brought my Triglycerides (fat in the blood) down from 281 to 102 in the span of a year with that very simple advice. Most of it was from being a homebrewer who is constantly drinking. In my periods of absolutely no exercise, it made my lipids look even worse.

Categories