cholesterol was 6.8 so in January 2014 new year I changed my life style , joined a gym having built up to jogging 8 miles twice a week now and also exercising with weights. My diet is really healthy now and have lost 26lb down to 13st 7lb. I had a retest last week and my level has only come down to 6.6 I don't understand, the doctor has suggested statins.
Any experience or suggestion would be most welcome
Would I be correct in assuming you've followed the current dietary guidelines?
Interested to know what is classed as a healthy diet.Certainly not the nhs food plate that's for sure.
Hello Beckettrab, welcome. Your figures are not unlike mine! You don't give us your breakdown figures, LDL, HDL, Triglicirides. These are more revealing than the total. Despite changes with my diet and exercise my figures have hardly changed in years, but there have been changes in my HDL and LDL figures. My HDL has gone up and my LDL down. There is now an easier mathematical formula to calculate your risks. Divide your HDL figure into your total Cholesterol figure and if it is below 4 you are within parameters. You also do not say what age you are. If you are older than 60 say, it is likely that your Cholesterol is busy working to keep you fit and healthy. Cholesterol is NOT an enemy it is a friend! It helps to heal the body. After all, it is naturally produced by the body to aid the healing process. If you have some underlying chronic condition such as arthritis your body will have higher levels to compensate and these higher levels are now seen as the norm in the older person.
You say you exercise and have lost a substantial amount of weight and good for you! Excellent. I would just keep watching the weight, eating healthily and exercise as you have been doing. If you feel that you do not want to take the statin route then discuss this with your GP.
Many thanks I am 44 with no health issues other than 10grm of blood pressure tablets daily. What do you think about flora proactive spread or milk shake ?
Firstly well done for trying, even if your cholesterol hasn't come down to the level that you expected you can at least enjoy the feeling of being healthier and benefiting your heart and joints. Despite many years of constant exercise and healthy eating my cholesterol hovers between 5.7-7.0. My cardiologist prescribed a low dose statin (20mg) and told me not to worry too much as I am doing the best I can compared to many people who smoke and drink heavily with very little exercise. As he says we don't have all the answers as to why some peoples cholesterol levels come down and others stay the same. After years obsessing about it I have made a conscious decision not to worry about it anymore and enjoy my life knowing that I am doing everything else I can to stay fit and healthy. If it ever goes up to a very high level of course I'll think again but for now I'm fine. By the way I don't have any side effects from the statins either.
Hi Beckettrab
During our life time our cholesterol levels change, sometimes high and others lower. Can I just clarify a point regarding diet and cholesterol levels.
The majority of cholesterol in our blood comes from our own bodies making it, people mistakenly think they get most of their cholesterol from their food and that's not true. If we eat cholesterol our bodies make less of it. The amount of cholesterol foods you eat isn't going to have a big impact on your blood cholesterol levels.
Cholesterol is a major line of defence when your body immune system comes under attack. LDL ( so called bad cholesterol) serves as your bodies scouts in detecting foreign threats like germs. That's why high levels of oxidized LDL are associated with health problems, it means you have a lot of foreign things that shouldn't be inside you stimulating your immune system.
Inflammation causes higher cholesterol readings so I'd ask your doctor for a blood test to check your inflammation levels.
Hello again, I have not tried the Flora proactive or other "cholesterol lowering" spreads or milks as I am dairy intolerant and they have milk in them. I have learned that just having an apple a day can have similar effects! Also a handful of nuts (not salted or roasted) can also have beneficial effects. You say your blood pressure is up and at 44 that is unusual. I would ask your Dr if your lifestyle is to blame. Do you have a very stressful job? If so, perhaps something like yoga or pilates could help you to relax and take control of your stress levels. 
It has come down, but I see your point. Maybe give it a month and ask for a retest. perhaps these things take time. You have done so well changing your lifestyle and losing 26lbs.
I have a heart condition and have been on statins for 14 years. They do keep my cholesterol down and I try to keep to a healthy diet.
Totally in the dark with these readings :-(
my blood pressure reading taken by a nurse is 165 /78 i have diabetes take ramiprill for b p
37year old taking statins, advice please!
