Cholesterol

whasara1
whasara1 Posts: 1 Member
edited December 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I was just at the doctor and she said my cholesterol is too high (248) and my LDL is 176 which is the bad kind that should be lower.....anyone in a similar situation that has been able to lower it with diet and exercise alone? HINTS? TIPS? I already eat very little red meat.

Replies

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    My numbers weren't quite that bad, but under the standards in place at the time I was looking at medical (pharma) intervention if I didn't do something. I mainly ate to lose weight (i.e., tracked and controlled my calorie intake) and increased exercise (initially just more walking) and brought my numbers down. I did pay a little more attention to getting fiber, especially soluble fiber, and increasing omega-3 EFAs, but since I ate a plant-heavy diet before but don't have logs of my diet before I was paying attention, I can't really quantify whether and how much I actually changed in those areas.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,759 Member
    I lost weight and started eating egg yolks instead of just the whites.

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    whasara1 wrote: »
    I was just at the doctor and she said my cholesterol is too high (248) and my LDL is 176 which is the bad kind that should be lower.....anyone in a similar situation that has been able to lower it with diet and exercise alone? HINTS? TIPS? I already eat very little red meat.

    Yes...losing some weight and getting in regular exercise were a big part of it. I also started eating a more nutritionally sound diet to include quite a bit more fiber than I used to get from things like oats, beans, lentils, etc. More veg and fruit, more fish, and leaner cuts of meat in general.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,617 Member
    Mine dropped dramatically when I got to a healthy weight (lost 50 pounds). Cholesterol went from 230 to 176 in a year, LDL from 146 to 95.

    I didn't increase exercise because I was already very active, had been for a decade plus, even while obese.

    I had tried lowering cholesterol just by eating different things (more oatmeal and that sort of thing), but with minimal success. Weight loss brought success.
  • OooohToast
    OooohToast Posts: 257 Member
    Lowering my carb intake did a lot to put mine in the right range (actuall Excellent as per the Dr - shame about the weight !).
  • liz0269
    liz0269 Posts: 139 Member
    Mine used to be in the 210-220 range. My doctor wanted to put me on statins because I am at high risk for heart disease.
    I eliminated butter and eggs. I cut way back on red meat and switched to a high carb low fat diet.
    I just had my annual a few weeks ago. My total cholesterol is down to 132. My fasting glucose is down from the prediabetic stage to well within a healthy range.
    I have only lost about five pounds so I don't think it's the weight loss.
    I also exercise regularly but I have done that all along.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Exercise and weight loss had the biggest impact on my cholesterol levels. Also, increasing foods like fish, fibrous veggies and fruits, and oats can all improve markers. Limiting saturated fats, added sugars and ultra processed foods can also be beneficial as it will allow you to incorporate more whole foods.
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