High LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides

Exercise and calorie deficit are good starting points assuming you need to lose weight and you aren't doing either at this point. Do you drink alcohol? If so cut back/eliminate. If you tend to consume foods higher in sugar/prepackaged foods you should cut back on these as well.

Triglycerides are influenced extensively by dietary carbohydrates. LDL and total Cholesterol is frequently impacted by saturated fat intake. However, HDL to Trig. ratio is a better marker, and that's impacted by increased saturated fat in the diet and exercises (both raise HDL). Research shows LDL is a pretty useless marker unless it's north of 300, but the trig. to HDL ratio is valuable. So, in a nutshell, if you want to move numbers:

1. Lose weight (that change in metabolic state usually helps all metrics) if it's needed
2. Decrease carbohydrates while increasing dietary fat (though Saturated fat may increase your LDL, so for many monosaturates are a better choice)
3. You can lower LDL with polyunsaturated fats, but I would avoid any vegetable oils like canola, corn, or soybean as they have their own evils.

I'd also ask my doctor about ratios. Trigs to HDL and HDL to Total. If they are stuck on the "LDL is bad" bandwagon, they are being educated by the drug companies. However, if they understand you are representing a poor pattern (Pattern B versus Pattern A), with small, dense LDL, they are likely better educated about the matter.

I was extremely successful- by using MFP! I exercised (light to moderate: walking, mainly at first) at least 3 days a week (so nothing tragic here except that I HATED it at first!). It takes time, but when I had my next phyical 12 months later, my doc said I was TEXT BOOK (LDL, HDL, ratio, and liver enzymes all were perfect. No meds used at all!! I ate whatever I wanted but stayed at my calorie limit, and naturally began to eat healthier (that also took me awhile!). Ate lots of high quality eggs (bc we got chickens!) WITH the yolks, lol!! Also ate some junky food, but significantly less than I did @ 227lbs
Still have weight to lose now, but the staff were SO impressed that I did this on my own they needed to know what I did so they can help other patients (and themselves!)... but diet & exercise takes time

My biggest dietary changes where adding more veg and some fruit...I wasn't getting anywhere close to the recommendations for fruits and veg. I also started eating more legumes and oats and other high fiber foods. I started introducing more fish and chicken...I pretty much ate red meat or sausage for most of my meals...I also started choosing leaner cuts of red meat and pork.

At the same time I started cutting my weight and started getting in regular exercise so I don't know if it was my food choices or losing 40 Lbs and regular exercise that were the most beneficial in getting my numbers into the optimal range...though I'd say my food choices really helped me lose weight because they were lower calorie than what I was eating before.

JoanJanis wrote: »

Last November my total cholesterol was 240. Triglycerides were 205. HDL was 46. LDL was 157. I found Dr. Greger, of "How Not To Die" and have tried whole-food, plant based diet for a month. Got new blood test today. Hoping for better numbers, as I'm unwilling to go on Lipitor, Zocor, or any other statin. Been using daily regimen of flaxseeds, amla powder, beans.

That’s what I’ve been doing. Best change I ever made. I feel great!!!!

Just lose weight and exercise regularly.

That's how my "bad" cholesterol levels dropped from "at risk" to "ideal" and my BP level drop from pre-hypertensive at 130/90+ to low normal at or below 110/70 over the past 2 years.

Britevylet wrote: »

Switch to a plant based diet. You'll see a huge change in those results next time you have blood work done if you cut out animal products.

No, a plant based diet does not necessarily improve cholesterol and/or triglycerides on its own, because diet has much less impact on lipid levels than weight and exercise do. I am a lactose intolerant vegetarian who doesn't like eggs. I was diagnosed with high cholesterol and triglycerides in my early 20s, before adopting that diet. Those conditions run in my family. Changing my diet did not help. I was on medication for many years, until I chose to lose weight and begin a regular exercise routine, which enabled me to control my condition without medicine.