Cholesterol 8

I was very tired and asked my doctor for a blood test. It came back with a cholesterol 8 reading. My mum had a stroke and my father had phlebitis and heart issues do my doctor said it could be genetic. I eat healthy but because of lack of time did not exercise regularly for the last 12 months. I took up smoking 2 months ago because I was very stressed. I don't drink alcohol. Since being told I started walking for 1.30 hrs a day and stopped smoking. BTW I also started my annual on the day I received the news. I will return to work next week. I woild appreciate your comments. Thank you.

[Hidden]

Thank you. You may be correct. I have downloaded the material that you kindly recommended and will follow your advice. Thanjs again.

[Andyman]

Stopping smoking is the best thing you have done followed by the walking. Keep it going. Some fixes to your diet and your there.

[Hidden in reply to Andyman]

Thanks a lot for your concern, Andyman. I have talked to a nutritionist very good friend of mine. She explained that my diet in the past was lacking nutritional value so my body reacted in defensive mode and that by adding good fats to my diet my cholesterol level will be reduced. So today I started having one avocado a day and taking fish oil capsules. I have also starting swimming on a daily basis at the rockpool, walking 1hr / 2 hrs a day, and quit smoking for good. I will keep you posted. BTW happy New Year from Sydney.

[Paul12]

Firstly, well done so far!

Stroke causes can be genetic too so you need to aggressively change your lifestyle far more than it seems.

Potassium rich diet - there is disagreement over diets... Check out LCHF but also check vegan and Mediterranean .

Educate yourself about strokes. Go to the stroke association website and read and read and read...

Stress. Immediately take steps to reduce this or it will kill you. Yoga, more walking than you have done so far - join a walking club. Swimming too if possible.

Avoid statins and definitely never return to smoking.

Get a lot more vitamin D

Monitor your health - VAP test ( google it) and PLAC .

Get to know your blood pressure - buy a monitor with the money you saved by dropping tobacco

Regulate your life to get high quality sleep

[sos007 Ambassador]

I suggest you read this: pritikin.com/healthiest-die...

Secondly, total cholesterol levels are not important. ApoB is the most important blood lipid measurement to determine risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). Of secondary importance, LDL-C levels. You should also know your 'good' cholesterol levels of HDL and the ApoA-1.

[paul1958]

I have tried Simvastatin and then Avorstatin for about 2 years. Although they reduce Chol very well I was getting muscle pains etc. So I stopped taking them for 4 months and my chol had gone to 8.

My doctor then put me on Bezafibrate 400mg (not a Statin). I then went to Gran Canaria, "All inclusive" for 2 weeks. (It was ALREADY booked). I took full advantage and then came home and went on "The New High Protein Diet" by Dr Charles Clark. Basically it is similar to the Atkins diet, but a bit easier. I have about 10 grams of carb a day.No alcohol. No bread, pots, pasta, rice or anything "low fat" as it is full of carbs, no coffee as it produces insulin which stores fat etc, but normally 5 or 6 hard boiled eggs for brunch and for dinner i have meat with mushrooms onion, a little bit of mayo etc., or often with boiled leeks and carrots. If not working I have "full" English. No beans, no bread, no black pudding and only saus if very low in carbs (the expensive ones normally are). I have lost 1 stone 4lbs in 5 weeks and my chol has gone down to 6.5 in 7 weeks. Got another 2 1/2 stones to go. Dr Clark recommends 40 grams max of carbs to start with and then very gradually to up it to 60 ish g. I fully expect my chol to be 3 something by April. (I hope anyway, but I am sure it will be at a safe level.)

You may have trouble getting Bezafibrate, at first, as my chemist told me that the cost price to the NHS is about £12 per packet, from memory. Statins are about 30p a box. I saw my Dr write on my records that he was prescribing Beza because of my previous problems with statins, so obviously there are cost controls in place.

[Cassiejo]

You are very brave Paul with your diet! I can remember a relative being restricted to three eggs a week because of cholesterol issues. Thankfully we have moved on from that but the difference in diets on this page is confusing. They all seem to work so perhaps the common denominator is exercise (though you don't mention that) low sugar/carbs and taking responsibility for ones health and well being. Good luck

[sandylo]

I was granny reared and she used to say no more than three eggs a week eat plenty of apples at least one a day she suffered from high cholestral and died 83 of cerebal haemorrhage and hypertension as I was an orphan age 1 my parents died in their mid twenties so can't refer to their health mum died of tb dad in the war