Lowering cholesterol

I had a long history of high cholesterol levels which were unaffacted by statins.

Losing weight and regular exercise are the only apparent reasons that my cholesterol levels dropped from "at risk" to normal and "ideal" on the past 2 yrs.

erickirb wrote: »

Genetics, lifestyle, and body fat have much more impact on blood cholesterol than any individual foods you eat.

You will best be served by being active and eat in a deficit to lose some weight than anything else. the genetics part you cannon change.

This^ With the exception of hypercholesterolemia, which is hereditary, dietary cholesterol has minimal impact on serum cholesterol. Fat Loss and vigorous exercise can have substantial impact.

nvmomketo wrote: »

TBH, your cholesterol looks pretty good. Your triglycerides are a bit high but that's it, IMO.

Lowering dietary fats, especially those that are omega 3, saturated an monounsaturated, will usually lower hdl and tends to raise triglycerides. Triglycerides are very linked to refined and processed carbs. More processed carbs = higher triglycerides for most people.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jZu52duIqno

Ironically, i did everything you suggest not to.. i cut fats, i increased carbs and my HDLs doubles, my triglycerides went from 220 to 40 and all my numbers are perfect.

Op, weight loss and exercise are the bigfest drivers. Plenty of MUFA (omega 3 fatty acids), plus fiber and whole grains will provide the best bang for your buck.

Leslierussell4134 wrote: »

A lot of research points to a low fat diet for cutting cholesterol, especially in people who are predisposed to having high familial cholesterol levels.
The only tips I have, that I've seen in a lot I'd people in your shoes, is lower or eliminate alcohol if you drink, as alcohol, especially beer can increase total cholesterol and triglycerides. I believe it's cases the liver to make more of the stuff.
The second suggestion, and this tip may or may not spark any interest for you. I eat a plant based diet, and while I didn't have issues with cholesterol levels before, my total went from 171 to 129 in about 3 months. HDL remained about the same.
Good luck and it sounds like you are already making good transitions for better health.

for those with familial cholesterol your liver signals to make more cholesterol even without alcohol,I have it. alcohol isnt processed as well by the liver though which is why I cant drink. I have to follow a low fat,low cholesterol and a high fiber diet. but I also have to take something called livalo. my cholesterol was normal for the first time in 15 years. Im waiting on results from my latest test(has to be done every 3 months).

for us exercise is also important as for those with FA if you dont get it under control you can end up having a heart attack,stroke,TIA by the time youre 50(for women). with one parent passing the gene on you have a 50/50 shot of having FA,but two parents who pass it on that means a child can have high cholesterol and it can be deadly for them and heart attack and other risks can happen at a much earlier age.

apullum wrote: »

belindak5 wrote: »

Thanks everyone. My numbers are total 232, hdl 75, trig 106, ldl 136, ratio 3.1. i am 4'11, weigh 119, and bmi is 24. I am cutting down on meat and adding more veg, fruit and fish. Cutting calories and saturated fat, but adding the good fats. Hoping to see a difference in 3 months. Cut out sodas and limiting alcohol. Already feeling more energy.

Soda and alcohol don’t have anything to do with cholesterol. For most people, dietary cholestrol has very little to do with blood cholesterol. Your weight is in an ideal range, so I would strongly recommend increasing your exercise.

I was on a combination of Crestor (a statin), Lipitor (for high triglycerides), and metformin (for PCOS + borderline insulin resistance that was keeping my lipids high). I started that in my early 20s. High cholesterol and diabetes both run in my family. Going vegetarian and eating very little dairy/eggs did nothing whatsoever for my numbers—because dietary cholesterol generally has little effect on blood cholesterol.

What worked for me was exercise and weight loss. I stopped all the medication about halfway through my 100 pound weight loss. I’m about your height (just under 5 feet) and maintaining around 113 pounds.

In your case, of course, weight is probably not the issue. But exercise typically does have a good effect on cholesterol. The usual recommendation is to increase your exercise gradually until you’re getting about 30 minutes per day, and that’s where I would recommend focusing your efforts.

I exercise and lost weight and that didnt help my cholesterol which is hereditary. I have FH(familial hypercholesterolemia) alcohol and dietary fat and cholesterol does play a part in higher numbers. our pcos and insulin resistance could have had something to do with the high triglycerides. my daughter has a thyroid issue and her triglycerides are a little high(nothing dangerous) and yet her HDL and LDL are great. I have had high cholesterol for over 15 years I was diagnosed before I got fat. I was at a healthy weight. exercise and diet alone for me was not enough.I took crestor,zocor and several others while thing and nothing helped not even a low fat,low cholesterol diet. I was active back then too. its better now thankfully

belindak5 wrote: »

Thanks everyone. My numbers are total 232, hdl 75, trig 106, ldl 136, ratio 3.1. i am 4'11, weigh 119, and bmi is 24. I am cutting down on meat and adding more veg, fruit and fish. Cutting calories and saturated fat, but adding the good fats. Hoping to see a difference in 3 months. Cut out sodas and limiting alcohol. Already feeling more energy.

they want you to lower your cholesterol? why? those arent bad numbers.

CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

psuLemon wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

TBH, your cholesterol looks pretty good. Your triglycerides are a bit high but that's it, IMO.

Lowering dietary fats, especially those that are omega 3, saturated an monounsaturated, will usually lower hdl and tends to raise triglycerides. Triglycerides are very linked to refined and processed carbs. More processed carbs = higher triglycerides for most people.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jZu52duIqno

Ironically, i did everything you suggest not to.. i cut fats, i increased carbs and my HDLs doubles, my triglycerides went from 220 to 40 and all my numbers are perfect.

Op, weight loss and exercise are the bigfest drivers. Plenty of MUFA (omega 3 fatty acids), plus fiber and whole grains will provide the best bang for your buck.

So you increased refined and highly processed carbs and improved your cholesterol? That's unusual.

Increasing veggies and fruits is not increasing refined and highly processed carbs.

I cut fat and increased my carbs too. not soo much refinedprocessed carbs(there are some in my diet and some days its worse lol) but carbs none the less and mine lowered but the meds lowered it even more.where meds before made NO difference. for people like me with FH exercise is also a big help.

Understandable, but as someone with familial hypercholesterolemia, what works for you will not work for others.

Exercise is definitely a great help to those who can and do use it.

Avidkeo wrote: »

Anecdote:

I have familial high LDL, my HDL and Triglycerides were always fine so never really worried about it. Also apart from chocolate I never ate the "bad cholesterol" foods. But then I lost weight through mostly exercise, and I little change to my diet (I ate less junk but still eat chocolate every day). After 9 months of regular exercise and about 12kg weight loss I had a blood test for something else and randomly threw in lipids. And low and behold LDL was down!

So I second the exercise side of things. And give it time!

nvmomketo wrote: »

CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

psuLemon wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

TBH, your cholesterol looks pretty good. Your triglycerides are a bit high but that's it, IMO.

Lowering dietary fats, especially those that are omega 3, saturated an monounsaturated, will usually lower hdl and tends to raise triglycerides. Triglycerides are very linked to refined and processed carbs. More processed carbs = higher triglycerides for most people.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jZu52duIqno

Ironically, i did everything you suggest not to.. i cut fats, i increased carbs and my HDLs doubles, my triglycerides went from 220 to 40 and all my numbers are perfect.

Op, weight loss and exercise are the bigfest drivers. Plenty of MUFA (omega 3 fatty acids), plus fiber and whole grains will provide the best bang for your buck.

So you increased refined and highly processed carbs and improved your cholesterol? That's unusual.

Increasing veggies and fruits is not increasing refined and highly processed carbs.

I cut fat and increased my carbs too. not soo much refinedprocessed carbs(there are some in my diet and some days its worse lol) but carbs none the less and mine lowered but the meds lowered it even more.where meds before made NO difference. for people like me with FH exercise is also a big help.

Understandable, but as someone with familial hypercholesterolemia, what works for you will not work for others.

Exercise is definitely a great help to those who can and do use it.

I have FH and even with diet and exercise it didnt help,I was diagnosed when I was at a healthy weight.wasnt overweight at all,and was active. I was put on meds 6 months later and those meds didnt work well at all it lowered it some but not enough. the protcol for those with FH(according to many many sites on the subject) is a low fat,low cholesterol(says nothing about carbs) diet,exercise, losing weight if obese,no smoking,no alcohol and for many meds. there is also LDL apheresis that is needed in many people who have this.

I have atherosclerosis now because it was left untreated for so long. they told me I had just high cholesterol. even though I told them I had a grandma with high cholesterol(nto sure if either parent had it as the rarely went to the dr). it wasnt until I started having the xanthelasmas and xanthomas along with the fat pads that they realized I had FH. I tried doing keto and Im pretty sure it was slowly deteriorating my health and thats no joke.

my cholesterol went up(twice what it was the last time I had blood work,and I had lost no weight in that time frame) and I started going downhill fast health wise.no energy,lethargic,moody,couldnt think, could barely function,was in a lot of pain,headaches,fever ,sweats(an no it was not keto flu 2 months in). I was really close to going to the ER. I saw my dr and told her my experience and was told that all that fat was not good for me since people with FH cannot process fats and cholesterol properly,and it gets stored. once I stopped doing keto I started feeling better and have felt even better eating my carbs and doing the low fat,low cholesterol,high fiber diet along with my medication I have to take. so far its normal for the first time like I said since being diagnosed.

r3488 wrote: »

Regarding the exercise recommendations, do you mean cardio, strength training, or both to help lower cholesterol?

not sure but diet plays a big part in reducing it.both would help but those with FH the site states cardio is better. but strength training helps retain lean mass and changes how your body looks for the better.I do both.. will one be better for reducing cholesterol? probably not alone,but with diet its a possibility. also its possible some may need meds. like me diet and exercise alone isnt enough sadly. wish I didnt have to take meds but I do.