My cholesterol was 7.4 a few years ago and the doctor didn't seem worried and I wasn't given any meds either and I am fine.
I was given advice to change from white bread to wholemeal and cut down on hard cheese which I did and it went down to 6.2. I was also told to stop eating butter and change to fortified marge but didn't.
You need to tackle your diet and eat more fruit and veg too. There is lots of advice online.
Please do what they ask and change your diet to healthy eating and at the least walking a few miles a day!! If you “don’t stop smoking”, cholesterol level will be the least of your problems!!
See the link for a healthy diet. Basically you should eat 3 times a day (breakfast very important so never skip it). Each meal should have protein, meat, fish, eggs, cheese etc. Also carbohydrates such as potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, and so on. You also need to include lots of veg especially green veg and fruit. Make your diet as varied as possible.
Keep junk food like biscuits, cakes, crisps, chocolate, etc. to a minimum though there is no harm in having a bit. There is lots of info online about healthy eating.
If you eat healthier the numbers will be down. That's the whole purpose of a good diet. Follow the doctors advice and ours. I think your main issue could be health anxiety!
I am not talking about medical help for your cholesterol but your health anxiety! Ad's should help so not sure why you are stopping them. Hopefully the CBT will be of benefit to you.
Hi mine is 7.4 but that’s not high enough to be put on meds as Statins are not good for you. Ask your GP if you can see a dietitian to guide you on healthy eating. Please don’t worry about your results as they are not very high at all xx
Most folk have advised to make changes in your lifestyle, diet, exercise smoking etc. I'd say the same. Best to try make lifestyle change before consuming unnecessary medication. I've managed to reduce my cholesterol levels, which is probably down to planted based (vegan) eating, but I also eat oatbran every morning. Oats are very good at reducing cholesterol levels. Easy to make, a couple of spoonfuls in water brought to boil, ready in a minute or so, when it starts to thicken. I put mashed banana and fruit - apricots or nectarine, in bottom of plate before pouring on oatbran. Just makes it more palatable, too. I don't eat animal (dairy) products, but reducing any fat in diet is good. Lots of advice on internet. You can make a massive difference to your health stats, by making change. Taking control and making better choices will help alleviate anxiety levels, too.
Actually by making some small gradual healthier lifestyle changes, you will probably find that your reading will be lower next time. I would say maybe try to clean up your diet? Do this gradually and make changes to your unhealthy treats. Even if you can start with 15 minutes a day exercise then build it up? I’m not suggesting anything as horrifying as joining a gym (!! ) I like getting outside in the fresh air for a nice walk. Try not to over complicate this. I know that a reading of 6 can quite easlily be lowered 👍
Yeah I am trying slowly
Eating more fruit today and had oats for brekkie and vegs for dinner
I will stop the crisps and doughnuts But atm it’s hard to eat because of my anxiety
It’s been bad last few days as I stopped my anti depressants two weeks ago and feel it’s all coming back and to top it off I get that news
Xxx
Eating bananas and apples today but not much else xx
• in reply to
Please don’t limit yourself either, going cold turkey will actually make the cravings come back with a vengeance, there’s plenty of yummy healthy things you can eat or even semi healthy stuff, I’d start of with chicken breast over brown rice, spinach and kimchi (: pretty yummy meal, if spinach is too gross for you add some red grapes to it!
Fruit with some Greek yogurt for breakfast or oatmeal, if you have the money there’s a company called OatsOvernight that makes GREAT oatmeal!
Try some walks and low cardio workouts, there’s plenty you can follow on YouTube right in your home (: it’s a lifestyle change that won’t come overnight, a doctor told me no food is BAD food, it’s actually all about MODERATION. You can enjoy your crisps and donuts without having to completely give them up, moderation is key, maybe once a week? Maybe Once every two weeks, make it like a little reward (: I truly wish you the best, this is NOT a death sentence 🥰❤️
I got my cholesterol down from 5.6 to 4.2 in three weeks just with diet, just don't eat rubbish, lots of salad, veg lean meat. Doesn't mean you can't have bad things sometimes.
Thanx guys
I am defo eating better
Cutting down on butter and white bread
Eating lots more fruit
Bannna oatmeal porridge
Red grapes and apples also almonds
Just not sure on meal wise
Yest I had a roast
But I cut out the roast potatoes
Well saying that I had two on plate and lots of veg
Carrots sweet corn
Sprouts
Peas
And chicken
O and I had one Yorkshire pudding
Thing is with me
Any pain I get them that’s it panic kicks in
I have lost weight due to anxiety in the last two yrs and wasn’t eating much
Is there any protein shakes or anything to build me up and good chorlestral ????
Are ensure drinks ok or actimol?
As wanna build myself up without causing high cholesterol xxxx
Any ideas xxx
• in reply to
Also I am peri menopausal
Was wondering if this was effecting my levels too
As my bloods always been perfect
But last two yrs my anxiety has been soo bad
Came off citapram 2 wks ago
Too
Wake up most mornings
Heart palps panic and butterflies in stomach awful xxx
• in reply to
Dr offered me fluoxetine 10 mg
But just so scared of everything so I take Diaz to help x
You could consider nutritional therapy. There is a lot you can do yourself to lower your cholesterol levels even at the stage of progressive atherosclerosis. Plant-based diet is THE most powerful measure you can take for reversal of this condition. Or at least more towards mediterranean diet.
But I think it is best to work with a nutritional professional rather than trying to figure it out yourself. 6 is quite high but not at the life-threatening end yet.
Is 6 your total cholesterol or your LDL or your non-LDL?
EDIT: you don't have to be obese to have elevated choelsterol levels. Obesity is a risk factor but not a cause. The cause is a combination of environmental factors, lifestyle/activity levels, diet, stress , genetics.
Umm I did a full blood count and she just said my chorlestral was 6. Sumthing that’s all she said and told me to do another blood test in a year and to eat more fruit and veg that’s all she said
I asked for a fbc because I have anxiety and peri menopause so wanted to know if my irons levels were ok and b12
Didn’t hear anything for two weeks
So I called up few days ago and gp called me to tell me
She said everything else was fine in blood test apart from that
If she said than you don't. It should be in your interest NOT to have to take statins, they help but they mess up with your energetic levels by depleting CoQ10.
Anyways, diet will be at the top of your recovery, here are some tips you can already start doing:
* reduce your intake of all animal foods especially fattyy meats, cheese, butter and fried eggs.
* dump all takewaways, process sugar, crackers, biscuits, fizy drinks, cola, milkshakes and all the typical crap. Frenchfries, fried potatoes. Cakes, muffins etc all of that needs to be drastically reduced.
* eat more oily fish such as salmon, mackrel, sardines and anchovies, these are full of essential fatty acids that help reduce cholesterol and protect vascular lining.
* lot of fruits and vegetables. Focus on berries and dark fruit and darker vegetables, you want to load yourself with as much antioxidants as possible.
* Increase intake of lentils, beans, chickpeas and edamame beans - these are superior protectors of heart and choelsterol reducers
* fibre intake should ideally be around 50g per day. Most people get around 10. The more veg and fruit and legumes you get the better.
* replace all rice and white pasta and white bread whole their wholegrain alternatives. So focus on wholegrain pastas, brown rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, oats. Dump all breakfast cereals filled with sugar and go for oatmeal with plant based milk and berries.
* raw nuts every day (up to 40 grams) ideally walnuts or almonds.
* up to 2 litres of water per day
Second cruical factor is exercise: you absolutely have to get your body moving. At least 45 minutes a day of walking and at least 30 minutes 3 times a week of high intensity exercise. There are now classes in gyms such as HIIT, bodypump etc. You can ofcourse do other things such as swimming, dancing, colelctive sports. Just make sure to move every single day. If you have any heart condittion, always obtain approval from your doctor first.
And finally, stress should be regulated. So something like meditation every day for 15 minutes to reduce stress levels could help a lot. Headspace app is very practical or there are guided meditations on youtube.
You are on good way then, give time for recovery to happen. Cholesterol reduction takes months even a year so be patient and most of all don't drive yourself crazy.
You could look more into plant based diet, the book "How Not To Die" is a good start to that, this has been a lifechanger for tens of thousands of people
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Feeling scared 😭
Blood Tests
Can someone give me advice... I need guidence. And I'm scared to go to the doctor.
