High cholesterol

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aribel95
aribel95 Posts: 32 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have high cholesterol but according to this app I'm not eating a lot of cholesterol, what else could be causing my high cholesterol levels? Also I'm 22 and taking atorvastatin for my high cholesterol.

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  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    Dietary cholesterol has little to do with your body's cholesterol readings. Does high cholesterol run in your family?
  • aribel95
    aribel95 Posts: 32 Member
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    malibu927 wrote: »
    Dietary cholesterol has little to do with your body's cholesterol readings. Does high cholesterol run in your family?

    Yes
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    It runs in my family too. I was diagnosed when I was about your age. I've been vegetarian for about 12 years, so I don't eat much dietary cholesterol, but I still had high cholesterol until I started working out and losing weight. I'm currently managing it with exercise and maintaining a lower weight--no drugs for the past year or two. My cholesterol still hovers on the higher end of normal.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,619 Member
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    aribel95 wrote: »
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Dietary cholesterol has little to do with your body's cholesterol readings. Does high cholesterol run in your family?

    Yes

    /thread

    :)
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
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    Start getting books on the subject and read. You simply cannot count on this place for info. The medications often have tons of side effects. My parents even take co-q-10 to offset the muscle weakness.
    @willnorton my parents totally changed their diet. Cut down on high saturated fatty foods. Started walking. Started eating more greens and nuts. So yes, a diet can help. My parents learned from books.
  • willnorton
    willnorton Posts: 995 Member
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    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Start getting books on the subject and read. You simply cannot count on this place for info. The medications often have tons of side effects. My parents even take co-q-10 to offset the muscle weakness.
    @willnorton my parents totally changed their diet. Cut down on high saturated fatty foods. Started walking. Started eating more greens and nuts. So yes, a diet can help. My parents learned from books.

    alright now... i still slip from time to time.. but those veggies are dang cool
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    Diet and exercise can lower your cholesterol, as well as lowering your carb/sugar intake.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    Diet and exercise can lower your cholesterol, as well as lowering your carb/sugar intake.

    I agree with this. Eating cholesterol or fat usually has no negative effect on cholesterol levels.
  • joeybrid
    joeybrid Posts: 65 Member
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    Ask the doctor who prescribed you a statin?
  • flipflop4499
    flipflop4499 Posts: 7 Member
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    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Start getting books on the subject and read. You simply cannot count on this place for info. The medications often have tons of side effects. My parents even take co-q-10 to offset the muscle weakness.
    @willnorton my parents totally changed their diet. Cut down on high saturated fatty foods. Started walking. Started eating more greens and nuts. So yes, a diet can help. My parents learned from books.

    Sounds like your parents really turned things around! It's great to hear that they learned from books. Anyone who feels stuck should seek out help from a registered dietitian.

    Good to hear about the CoQ10. Cholesterol-lowering statins have been shown to lower CoQ10 levels by up to 40%.
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8463436
  • ltkasmala
    ltkasmala Posts: 109 Member
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    If the high cholesterol problem runs in your family, there may not be much diet and exercise can do for your numbers. I've been on Zocor myself for almost ten years. About two and a half years ago, my overall cholesterol was about 190 with the medication, though my HDL was around 65 and my LDL was at about 115. My primary doctor took me off the medication for six months and when I went back she had to put me right back on it, as my total cholesterol was 309 and my LDL at 232! :( Most of my family had similar issues and sadly died very young, so I'm not surprised. Take your meds as directed. The exercise and eating better won't be in vain!
  • olyrose
    olyrose Posts: 569 Member
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    I'm in the same position. I am vegetarian, rarely eat anything "unhealthy" (I just eat too much in general). My doctor said it was primarily genetics, although losing weight and aerobic exercise helps. Even when I had dropped about 45 pounds it was still on the high end of ok, though.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
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    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Start getting books on the subject and read. You simply cannot count on this place for info. The medications often have tons of side effects. My parents even take co-q-10 to offset the muscle weakness.
    @willnorton my parents totally changed their diet. Cut down on high saturated fatty foods. Started walking. Started eating more greens and nuts. So yes, a diet can help. My parents learned from books.

    This won't work for everyone.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
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    You haven't mentioned what you do in the way of exercise. Regular exercise can help, the more intense the better.

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