Is anyone trying to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol with diet?

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  • Mrydman
    Mrydman Posts: 2 Member
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    Watch your carbs! Carbs are what make triglycerides high. That's the new research out. It's not about fat.
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
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    Exercise has also been shown to help with balancing cholesterol issues.
    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
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    I'm also trying to lower my cholesterol with diet and exercise. My cholesterol was borderline high and my doctor put me on a statin. Unfortunately, I had the side effect of muscle fatigue and pain. I went off the statin and feel much better! My triglycerides are good and my total cholesterol was 204. Personally, I think doctors push the statins too quickly. There are lots of benefits to eating a healthy diet and lower cholesterol is just one of them!
  • oneLessS
    oneLessS Posts: 44 Member
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    Check into the Mediterranean diet. Uses only Mono-unsaturated fats like from olive oil and nuts. You don't necessarily have to eat only 1500 calories. Get the book by Dr. Angelo Acquista-a cardiologist btw.
  • Fred4point0
    Fred4point0 Posts: 160 Member
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    I have never had problem with my cholesterol. It is currently 140. My diet includes trader joe's almonds. quaker oat milk with almond milk or silk soy milk. I don't believe we need to take meds to reduce cholesterol. Diet and exercise should do the trick.
  • cpiton
    cpiton Posts: 380 Member
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    what do you think about adding flaxseed to things like oatmeal? is that the same as the pill? I just bought a bag of it.

    I've been adding ground flax to oatmeal for over a year now. It really has no taste, so it never bothered me and I never felt I had to "get used to it." I would however, recommend drinking at least two additional glasses of water a day.

    I'm trying to manage my cholesterol too, but my bad cholesterol is OK. It's my good cholesterol that's too low, and my triglycerides that are too high.

    I've been told to exercise more, 45 minutes a day minimum, take the flax, and take Coreomega (from GNC), a superconcentrated fish oil. I tolerate the Coreomega better than other fish oil capsules.

    So far, I've been able to avoid cholesterol meds.

    Good luck. I hope you see results by managing your diet and exercise.

    My HDL is 65. My LDL was 136, but dropped 30 points in 3 months! Yay, me :)
    The things I changed:
    1. Added more flaxseed to my diet (grind it and put it in everything you can get away with--I make pancakes, waffles, and bread with it in addition to adding it to my cereal and smoothies)
    2. Started measuring my oils (I always use olive oil, except when I use canola or coconut oil in baking, but I needed to cut back a bit on the bread dipping, which leads me to my next one...)
    3. Ate less white bread (replacing it with whole grain bread with flaxseed has meant big changes in digestion, too)
    4. Upped the exercise (just a 20 minute walk in the evening added to my regular workout made a difference)
    5. Taking Fish oil pills (I like the Vitamin Shoppe one by Barlean's Organic Oils, the orange one--no yucky fish burps)
    6. Lost 6 lbs.

    Honestly, I think the weight loss alone has been the biggest factor, but it may also have been a combination of all of these. I still have 6 points to go, but I believe it will go back to normal by my next test as I continue to eat better and lose weight. Good luck to you and thanks for posting! I'm enjoying reading everyone's suggestions. :) ~Cheryl
  • Fred4point0
    Fred4point0 Posts: 160 Member
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    Flaxseed is great to eat. You might want to purchase the kind that is grounded. You can add it to your oatmeal or yogurt. Great at reducing cholesterol.
  • love22step
    love22step Posts: 1,103 Member
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    It seems to be working. I was on Lipitor after my total cholesterol went to 230. After 3 months it was down to 210. That's when I started using MFP, eating less, exercising a lot more, and losing weight. I went back after losing 20 lbs and the total cholesterol was 137. The doctor took me off the Lipitor, and I'll go back next week to check my numbers after being off the medication for the last 3 months. In the meantime, I've lost another 13 lbs. I'm hoping the numbers stay down without the medication. I feel pretty confident they will.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,701 Member
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    Dietary cholesterol from foods have almost no impact on your cholesterol levels. But saturated fats do. High cholesterol has more to do with:

    Being overweight
    Being sedentary
    Smoking
    Genetics.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • kat65
    kat65 Posts: 124 Member
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    We're you able to lower it without drugs?
  • kinkyslinky16
    kinkyslinky16 Posts: 1,469 Member
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    My husband and I do a juice fast (see: Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead on Netflix/YouTube) every few months or so for a week since September 2011... Since starting this periodic week long juice fast and of course, watching what we eat... My cholesterol has significantly improved:

    Total cholesterol: 165 (01/2011) down to 135 (01/2012)
    LDL: 97 (09/2010) down to 87 (01/2011) down to 57 (01/2012)
    HDL: 40 (01/2011) up to 51 (01/2012)

    My LDL was almost the same as my HDL!!!!!!!

    Just had my labs done, and... Needless to say, I was so impressed!!! Also, my liver enzyme was slightly elevated in 2011 also (most likely due to fatty liver) and is now back down to normal!

    Good luck!!

    Oh.. Forgot to mention... We do the juice fast JUST because we feel so much better afterwards!
  • MinaAriel
    MinaAriel Posts: 138 Member
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    I went from 239 to 191 with only diet and exercise. I lost 17 lbs in 3 months. I tried to limit saturated fat and anything hydrogenated. I upped the good fats using olive oil or canola only, eating more nuts, eating more fiber, and watching the sugar. My triglycerides were the biggest factor for me.
  • slambiase
    slambiase Posts: 23
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    I'm also trying to lower my cholesterol with diet and exercise. My cholesterol was borderline high and my doctor put me on a statin. Unfortunately, I had the side effect of muscle fatigue and pain. I went off the statin and feel much better! My triglycerides are good and my total cholesterol was 204. Personally, I think doctors push the statins too quickly. There are lots of benefits to eating a healthy diet and lower cholesterol is just one of them!

    Glad you got off the drugs. I am avoiding it unless there is some solid proof that it will keep me from heart disease or stroke. I am now awaiting the result of the carotid artery ultrasound to see if my arteries are pushing enough blood through (my non-scientific explanation).
  • slambiase
    slambiase Posts: 23
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    I went from 239 to 191 with only diet and exercise. I lost 17 lbs in 3 months. I tried to limit saturated fat and anything hydrogenated. I upped the good fats using olive oil or canola only, eating more nuts, eating more fiber, and watching the sugar. My triglycerides were the biggest factor for me.

    That is great! I am still struggling to keep sat fat down. I didn't realize how much I was eating. I guess awareness is the first step. I need to build a list of good things to eat. I am getting there!
  • slambiase
    slambiase Posts: 23
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    Watch your carbs! Carbs are what make triglycerides high. That's the new research out. It's not about fat.

    too much to count and track! Ahh! :)
  • slambiase
    slambiase Posts: 23
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    Dietary cholesterol from foods have almost no impact on your cholesterol levels. But saturated fats do. High cholesterol has more to do with:

    Being overweight
    Being sedentary
    Smoking
    Genetics.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    well it must be genetic for me because I have never smoked, I have always been athletic and I am not overweight (not much any way... ). I still don't think it is a reason to take meds yet. I will see what the next test results say. Thanks!
  • ak_in_ak
    ak_in_ak Posts: 657 Member
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    mine greatly improved after i cut out almost all bread and other carb type products.
  • bevsdietfor2011
    bevsdietfor2011 Posts: 361 Member
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    I have a lot of health problems and yes my LDL is very high and my doctor said that I had to watch my diet but I am also on cholesterol meds too. It can be done. I am also pre diabetic so I also have to watch fat intake for that too.

    Bev
  • AZDizzy
    AZDizzy Posts: 434 Member
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    One of the main reasons I'm on this getting healthy thing is to get the heck off these statins. I'm on the lowest dose of this drug that rhymes with schripitor. I was able to lower it enough to get off it last year, but then I fell off the diet and exercise wagon and she put me back on it (both my parents have been on statins since they were my age).

    So, I go back in 2 months and I'm going to say it's lower because of diet and exercise, she's going to say it's the statin, and we're going to be at a standstill. I'm considering cutting the pill in half (because I have some muscle pain and fatigue, but I don't know if it's the drug or my working out hard). I guess I will make that decision in two months, but I don't want to be on these ANYMORE!

    I track my saturated fat and cholesterol on MFP and exercise daily. I just hope it's enough!
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
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    I succeeded. Results from most recent blood test:

    LDL - 58
    HDL - 71
    Triglycerides - 35
    Total Chol - 157

    Some things I've incorporated into my diet that researchers have said may correct cholesterol levels:

    Raw unsalted nuts - mostly walnuts but almonds and pecans too
    Milled/ground flax seed. Don't use the whole seed - it needs to be ground.
    Avocado
    Salmon and Tuna (stay away from high sodium prepackaged stuff though)
    Chicken or turkey breast - stay away from the fatty thigh meat
    Oatmeal
    Veggies
    Berries

    I don't eat much red meat eat or eggs, and can't have cowmilk or wheat due to problems with my digestive system. (Just figured this out within the past few months.)

    Raising HDL is supposed to help lower LDL, too. Exercise is known to raise HDL.

    I got a lot of tips on how to control cholesterol from my doctor and from www.realage.com. <-- if you sign up for their email tips they'll send you links to short articles daily with info on topics you select (like cholesterol, weight loss, exercise, etc)

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