Familial Hypercholesterolemia? - Maybe, but probably not

[sos007]

I was told I had familial hypercholesterolemia - a genetic pre-disposition to excess production of cholesterol. I had bypass surgery in March 2015 and was given a cocktail of pills post-surgery, including 40 mg of Crestor. After limited success by eliminating red meat and reducing simple carbohydrates, in January of 2016 I decided it was time to make a bold move to get off the drugs.

I became a vegetarian, although I still consume dairy (goat dairy) and fish. I do not eat any red meat, chicken, turkey, lamb, pork or goat.

I also eat no-fat greek yogurt from cow's milk after my intense workouts.

I have completely eliminated simple carbohydrates (they become sugar in your body) such as white bread, white rice, white pasta, white potatoes. I allow myself 4 teaspoons of Greek honey per day as a sweetener for tea or yogurt. I have 2 slices of whole grain bread daily, and once every couple of weeks I'll have brown rice or whole wheat pasta.

I eat mostly vegetables (including arugula salad daily), fruits, beans, chickpeas, lentils, egg whites and ensure I drink 4 cups of green tea per day. Everything tastes great as long as you get some good recipes. I'm also full and don't ever feel hungry.

The nature of my work requires me to eat out often. I choose salmon, trout or a white fish and usually have sauteed spinach cooked with olive oil (extremely healthy), or lentils on the side, along with a salad. The only fat in my diet is olive oil, no creams or butters.

The other half of getting off of pills and eliminating heart disease is exercise. I do a hard workout 4 days per week and on off days I walk for an hour. There's a big difference between being active and exercising. Playing golf is is an activity, running sprints during a high intensity interval training program - is exercise.

Read this:

athleteinme.com/ArticleView...

and this:

pritikin.com/healthiest-die...

P.S. I no longer take any medication, have dropped 35 pounds, do not have high blood pressure or any other symptom of heart disease. My blood work is excellent although my LDL is slightly elevated however my ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio is 0.64% which is optimal. Without exercise the dietary changes can only get you so far - exercise is the fountain of youth and protector from most diseases.

[Bazza1234]

My understanding is that Familial Hypercholesterolemia is basically a genetic thing - and manifests itself by our bodies producing excessive Choleterol in the liver. This overproduction happens for some of us regardless of diet or exercise - and is reduced by the use of statins. My Doctor recommended the use of only a low dose 5mg per day of Crestor (rosustatin) combined with exercise ( which I was already getting) and an improved diet. This seems to be working for me and I will continue this regimen for another few months to see if there is any additional improvement/lowering of cholesterol levels . If not, then he recomends that I remain on 5 mg of Crestor but combine it with 10mg of Ezitinebe goo.gl/AZujdq which is used in addition to the statins to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine. Hence both creation of excessive cholesterol and absorption of it is tackled together. I should have done this 20+ years ago!!!!!

[Floozie]

Your regime seems to have benefited you, but what a ghastly diet. Surely eating should be pleasurable, not just a means of staying alive. I, too, have familial hypercholesterolaemia & take Crestor 40 mg. plus Ezetrol 10 mg. daily, but I couldn't eat the things you do. I prefer to pop the pills (they don't give me any side effects) and eat what I enjoy, which I know is everything we are told is not good for us such as red meat, white bread, cheese, butter, cream, potatoes, puddings, etc. My cholesterol & LDL are within normal limits. I don't exercise & am not overweight. I started cholesterol-lowering drugs at the age of 28 & am now 71.

[sos007 Ambassador in reply to Floozie]

One of the benefits of being Greek is we know how to cook. So we can make anything taste great.

[Floozie in reply to sos007]

Sorry, but I can't agree, unless you can make cardboard, for instance, taste nice. It's the ingredients themselves which horrify me, but good luck to you if you can eat it. Green tea, lentils, chickpeas, brown rice, whole grain bread, ugh!

[sos007 Ambassador]

Ask your doctor if taking statins (crestor) and other medications to reduce your cholesterol gives you a green light to consume a high fat, high carb diet.

Side effects of statins include, diabetes, dementia and Alzheimer's. Roll the dice...

[sos007 Ambassador]

There is no 'one size fits all' diet. Read the post below. It depends on your genotype.

healthunlocked.com/choleste...