High Cholesterol - any tips?

Options
vmrjj
vmrjj Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Dr told me that I have high cholesterol and wants to put me on statins. I don't want to take them. She told me that I need to lose 15 lbs to start, then we will see where we are with my labs. Anyone have tips you would like to share to help me along the way?
«1

Replies

  • mgalsf12
    mgalsf12 Posts: 350 Member
    Options
    Talk to your doctor about fish oil and red rice yeast as an alternative.
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,370 Member
    Options
    mgalsf12 wrote: »
    Talk to your doctor about fish oil and red rice yeast as an alternative.

    Fish oil should help, red rice yeast is a statin (just not produced by the pharmaceutical companies).
  • vmrjj
    vmrjj Posts: 25 Member
    edited December 2017
    Options
    I was taking fish oil daily and the Dr I saw on this occasion (my Dr wasn't available) told me that I should stop taking it and that it may be the cause of my high cholesterol. He said that it's not for everyone. I was a bit confused. When I saw my Dr and told her about it, she didn't have much to say about it. Still confused.
  • mgalsf12
    mgalsf12 Posts: 350 Member
    Options
    ccrdragon wrote: »
    mgalsf12 wrote: »
    Talk to your doctor about fish oil and red rice yeast as an alternative.

    Fish oil should help, red rice yeast is a statin (just not produced by the pharmaceutical companies).

    Synthetic statins caused me to have really bad muscle cramps, I tried several different ones, red rice yeast does not.
  • annadi69
    annadi69 Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    My cholesterol was very high– in the 340 range. I made some important dietary changes: cut out ice cream, reduced milk/cheese/meat by a lot, and added Red Rice Yeast. Last check, it was down to 243, which is still high, but much better! I haven't been able to go vegan, but that would surely bring it down to a normal range. Now we have salmon 1 night/week and chicken or other meat 1 night/week, and the other nights are vegetarian. I told my doctor that I would make dietary changes rather than go on statins. The Red Rice Yeast was a nice alternative.
  • pogiguy05
    pogiguy05 Posts: 1,583 Member
    Options
    I have high cholesterol which is one reason to lose the weight. I searched youtube and seen some thing on increasing your fiber intake to help rid your body of some of it. I have been checking my cholesterol since 2009 and it has been high since then. Last check was August this year and it was 249. Once I get to my goal weight I will request my doctor to have it checked again.

    I bought some ground flax seed at Walmart in a pretty large container and add a serving which is 15 grams to my oatmeal. It will make your oatmeal a bit thicker so add some extra water.

    My goal weight is 170-180lbs and I am at 207 now so a while before I get there.
  • mgalsf12
    mgalsf12 Posts: 350 Member
    Options
    Unfortunately genetics play a part in high cholesterol. I rarely eat red meat, cheese or eggs. I eat plenty of lean protein, nuts, fish, olive oil...all the good cholesterol things that I should, but I still have high cholesterol. Fortunately my HDL count is high and does help off set the LDL count.
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    Options
    My husband just got a physical and his blood work was horrible. Cholesterol & triglycerides through the roof. He will likely take statins because they work and he is genetically predisposed to having high cholesterol & the health issues that come with that.
    We are trying to work on his diet to see if the numbers get better before he goes on statins. I cook healthy, home cooked meals with lean meats, beans and vegetables. But, he was eating a lot of sugar throughout the day at work. Snacking on gummy bears, break room sweets, hot chocolate every afternoon. We’d gotten into an ice cream habit at night. He quit all of that. We switch to lower fat dairy. I got him to take fish oil daily and I’m trying to get more fish into our diet.
    He doesn’t go back to get his check up blood work until January but he has dropped several lbs, already. He commutes 10 miles by bike daily and that is his only exercise.
  • jlouber
    jlouber Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    One of the things that helped me more than anything was exercise. I can't change my diet too much due to a host of digestive issues. But I started walking a ton. I walk or bike everywhere I can and just do some bodyweight exercises. My cholesterol is still in the high range, but that got my ratio of good/bad to the "excellent" category per my doctor. So she isn't concerned about the overall level.
  • KelGen02
    KelGen02 Posts: 668 Member
    Options
    Exactly why my husband and I started on this healthier lifestyle journey a year ago. We both had high cholesterol I was on med but the statins caused joint pain and i ended up with permanent joint damage so they took me off of them and offered other alternative meds but I was like nope so we completely changed our eating habits and got active. We eat a ton of plant based products, lean protein, nuts, seeds, and fish. We were also active at least 30 minutes a day. (a brisk walk does wonders) We both have managed to get our cholesterol in a normal range and we lost a combined total of 140lbs... BONUS B) Now we are taking boxing classes, running on the treadmill and doing zumba (me) on a routine basis each week. I am one of those crazy ANTI-medication ladies (with good reason, just ask my joints) so I am a google searching fool on what foods are good for anything that ails me LOL... Good luck!!
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    Options
    thecharon wrote: »
    About Red Yeast Rice: Red yeast is POSSIBLY SAFE for most people when taken by mouth for up to 4.5 years. Red yeast contains chemicals similar to the prescription drugs called "statins." Therefore, red yeast might also cause side effects similar to statin drugs, such as liver damage and severe muscle pain and muscle damage. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-925-red yeast.aspx?activeingredientid=925&activeingredientname=red yeast

    Yeah, I looked into red yeast rice in case my husband would benefit from it. Sounds like it could be helpful if one knew what was in the bottle and it was administered carefully. But, many red yeast rice supplements were found to have varying amounts of the statin-like ingredient. Sometimes, very little of it. And, other stuff that could do harm. Pass.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
    Options
    I successfully lowered my super high cholesterol 5 years ago. I credit:

    1) Just losing the excess weight
    2) Regular exercise
    3) Change in dietary habits to a more whole foods approach with plenty of veg, fruit, whole grain, legumes and lentils, more fish and other lean cuts of poultry and meat vs the fattier cuts I typically ate.

    In that order.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,990 Member
    Options
    I have been on statins for decades to control my high choesterol levels.

    However, I recently had the absolute best choesterol test results in my life - - all indicators labeled normal or ideal - - that I can only attribute to weight loss and an improved diet (which BTW still includes red meat, seafood and eggs which are supposedly high in cholesterol).

    Haven't discussed or attempted on my own to stop taking the statin med yet because it may have still had a positive effect on the lab result but if next year's test comes in lower or better then I'll be pretty sure that it's mainly the weightloss and diet that's responsible and will stop taking the statin to see what happens the year after.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    edited December 2017
    Options
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I successfully lowered my super high cholesterol 5 years ago. I credit:

    1) Just losing the excess weight
    2) Regular exercise
    3) Change in dietary habits to a more whole foods approach with plenty of veg, fruit, whole grain, legumes and lentils, more fish and other lean cuts of poultry and meat vs the fattier cuts I typically ate.

    In that order.

    Agreed. I'm not sure exactly where you're starting, OP, but it's entirely possible that losing weight and exercising a bit more will do the trick without making huge changes to your diet. It really depends on your current diet and levels of exercise, but if your doctor's first recommendation was weight loss, you might just focus on that rather than get too hung up on the particulars of what you're eating. Plus adding in some exercise, even just 15-30 minutes a day, anything to get your heart pumping faster. It's not necessary for weight loss, but really can make a difference in overall health.

    ETA: I also speak from personal experience on this one.

Categories