Iv`e jusr had the results of my latest blood test, & my cholesterol is 6.8, after all the things that I`ve done to bring it down! I just can`t understand why it won`t respond to dietary managment. Iv`e tried statins. & i hated them, Iv`e tried ispahgula husk, still no change. Why is my cholesterol so obstinately high?
Cholesterol refuses to budge - Cholesterol Support
Cholesterol refuses to budge
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hairyfairy
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Mine is the same. Take hemp seed oil, omega 3, Magnesium, aged garlic and Soya Lecithin. Just stared l-arginine as well maybe that will work. I also restrict carbs.
None of these budge high blood pressure either.
I'd suggest your diet is at fault.
If you have been eating lots of whole grains, vegetable oils, potatoes, rice, pasta and low fat, then you have very little hope of ever achieving normal, healthy blood markers.
Do some research on LCHF.
Just had my blood results back today - all normal after 4 years of getting most of my calories from saturated fat (roughly 70 - 80%).
If the body produces 2/3 cholesterol and the food intake contribute to 1/3 cholesterol of human body cholesterol may be regular exercise can help to reduce cholesterol if necessary. What about other two numbers, BP and blood glucose.
Everything else is fine, it`s just cholesterol that`s my problem.
Chris Masterjohn reckons that 20% of us ARE affected by dietary cholesterol whilst the other 80% are not. If you are in the 20% then you would be best served by trying vegitairanism for a month and then retest. I would also cut out other cholesterol containing foods for the month and then see if this pushes it down. If you end up down this route be aware of your Vit B12 levels, you may need to supplement with it
Iv`e been a vegetarian for a number of years now, which means that the paleo diet is out of the question for me.
Not recognised by the medical profession but Kyolic garlic tablets (from Health Food stores) have worked for me for twenty-five years - despite my having FH. My total cholesterol reduced by 2 full points in the first 12 months. When the experts told me it could not be the Kyolic, I came off them and my levels went up. Back on - and they came down. No side effects so maybe worth a try.
I am not sure, have a similar issue mine has stayed at 6.5 for the last two years, my doctors put me on tablets recently. First set knocked my off my feet and gave me muscle pains so I stopped taking those, the second set still gave pain not as much but mainly in my back, I have decided that is no way to live. In pain, not being able to exercise is not good for my mental health let alone my physical health
I have gone back to doing my diet and exercise, have started to buy Benecol and test that out (the Benecol site also stated that if you are going through menopause then this has an impact on levels - I have symptom DAH. Pity GPS are not on the ball with this. I have also been told about a product called Lecithin which can be brought from Holland and Barrett (I got from Amazon for £3.00 less) and you can add to food which helps to lower your levels. Waiting for it to arrive, so will let you know how I go.
Hi, I have tried soya lecithin. Dont work for me. Let me know how you get on with them.
I`m thinking of trying niacin, but I can`t find it in the shops. It`s supposed to be very effective for lowering cholesterol.
niacin works wonders get the right type tho i get mine from the nhs now my lipid and cardiac doctors told me to try it i didnt get on with statins
I tried benecol, no use, besides, it was so expensive.
Giving it a go, but won't get crazy with the expensive, and checked out shops own, and they seem just as good, so will give those a try, gong to look into niacin.
Diet changes seem to work for some of us and not for others. Don't worry about it too much - that rarely helps. Besides statins, there are other medicines which could be tried. A genetic test might also give you more information on the possible causes of your high cholesterol, but it might not.
My cholesterol just raised over the magic 7, although 10 years ago it was 6.9 so it hasn't changed much. Had a consultation with GP as she suggested I might have FH but as she said if I wasn't going to take statins, why would I refer you?
I have a neuro muscular disease which statins will probably exacerbate muscle spasms and pain so not even going there.
I am trying the Paleo diet in attempt to reduce my risk factor and lose weight and if I can stabilize my Mg then start exercising but other than that, there are too many other things to stress about so maybe forget about it and enjoy life! My philosophy is do what you can and stop obsessing.
By the way made a lovely chocolate mousse last night - made without any dairy, raw cacao and absolutely no sugar! Coconut oil, cream and milk feature a lot.
Will let you know if it makes any difference.
what `s been puzzling me about the genetic theory is that if my cholesterol is caused by genes, then how come it was always low until a few years ago.
It is natural for it to increase with age. When you say it has increased - by how much?
in reply to CDreamer
7 is not high enough to be familial hypercholesterolaemia. I'm probably flogging a dead horse here, but there really is no evidence that cholesterol kills you. We need it, our brains especially (have you noticed the purported rise in dementia?). There is even some evidence that people with high cholesterol live longer (not with FH although, even with that, it's not proven that it's the cholesterol in itself that's the problem). Years ago, doctors laughed at the idea that high cholesterol mattered at all - until Big Bucks came onto the scene and changed their opinions. Most doctors do not take statins - and it is NOT because they have low serum cholesterol levels.
Mine was on 9 a month ago, I was horrified, I'm now taking Atorvastatin for a few months. I've been very good for the last few weeks as well. No cake, chocolate, biscuits whatsoever. I've had a very thin spread of benecol on my toast in the mornings with honey. I've been eating fish, lots of salad with a low fat honey and mustard dressing. Porridge made with water and a sprinkling of sugar. I've also been nibbling on walnuts, almonds and those little packets of cranberries with sultanas and dried grapes. I tried avocado....yuck...I didn't like that. lol Chicken is the only meat I eat and I have vegetables too. The hardest thing I've found is eating a baked potato without lashings of butter. That was my downfall..but I'm getting used to it. I'm 5' 6" tall and I weigh 9st. 1lb. I'm skinny...so I just hope I don't lose too much weight. Hopefully I can get my cholesterol down to an acceptable level, then I intend to get off the statins and go for a herbal make.
in reply to Jolyn
Stress raises cholesterol more than butter. In fact, the new thinking is that butter's fine and that the medical establishment were wrong about saturated fat. Dieting does not lower cholesteral because most of it is produced within our livers.
Jolyn in reply to
Well I went on a low fat diet...came off the statins and cut out butter and my cholesterol is now down to 5.7 I'm a happy camper 
in reply to Jolyn
That sounds rather startling. Did you measure your serum cholesterol when you stopped the statin and before you started the diet?
j--9 in reply to
Cutting out the fat may not reduce cholesterol but cutting out the deadly sugar will. The liver spits fructose out as fat because it doesn't know how to process it. I'm starting a sugar free way of eating soon and hoping it will improve my health and waistline
No, I had very healthy levels of cholesterol until I was about 50.
niacin b3 google it good luck
Cholesterol levels do go up post menopause, if you have no other problems like high BP, weight, Family history, does your level matter? If your general health is good, perhaps there is no need to worry about it.
If your cholesterol level is not genetic, one possibility may be that it is a reaction to inflammation in your body. Arthritis? Possible reaction to any foods or additives?
I do have a scary family history on my mother`s side. She developed angina in her early 40`s, & a half brother of her`s died of a heart attack under the age of 50. With a family history like that, I can`t help but wonder if I`m doomed whatever I do.
Please don't think of yourself as doomed.
There are familial causes of high cholesterol (not FH) where levels rise with age and to be honest, I'm not convinced that any type of diet will help to lower your levels, although others may disagree.
I think the problem with niacin is that you have to take it in much higher doses than available over the counter and it can cause flushing.
I sympathise about your family history and if it's making you so anxious maybe taking something will help. My levels are about 9, but having taken a variety of medication all with side effects, I have called it a day. I get overwhelmed with doubt sometimes (usually walking to work in the morning) when I think "is this day my last" but usually I am able to keep everything in perspective and enjoy life. I hope you will too.
in reply to Aliwally
I totally agree that dieting makes no difference - to cholesterol, that is. Evidence is emerging that people with high cholesterol (leaving out FH) live longer. Don't worry about dropping dead with a cholesterol of 9. You may well have a high HDL anyway. Have you checked it? (although I'm not sure it matters much anyway). I also sympathise with Hairyfairy's family history because she is anxious about it, but if she eats lots of raspberries, blueberries, blackcurrants etc, maybe this would offset her anxiety as much as medication.
Hello hairyfairy. Have you had your thyroid function checked? Your thyroid can cause high cholesterol. This is more likely to occur over 50.
Also cholesterol levels will naturally rise as you age, particularly if you're a woman who has gone through menopause.
I have a slightly underactive thyroid for which I`m on 50mg of levothyroxine daily.
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