High Cholestrol 8.9

[Jacqui1963]

I am new to the group. My doctor informed me yesterday that my Cholesterol is 8.9 which is very high. I need to change my diet, get fit and loss weight. I am extremely happy to have found your group for help and support. thank you for adding me.

[Jacqui1963]

Thank so much good luck on your journey

[Marz]

Having been a member on Thyroid UK I have learnt a great deal about various conditions. Raised cholesterol often accompanies LOW Thyroid - so before I go into detail - I would like to ask if you have been correctly tested for your thyroid and do you have the results with ranges ?

My cholesterol reduced once my thyroid was well treated and I now no longer have it tested. Cholesterol is produced naturally in our bodies and for good reason. It seems that since 12 million people in the UK now take a Statin it has not been realised that the brain needs cholesterol - so why block it Hence Alzheimers/Dementia is out of control.

[Bazza1234 in reply to Marz]

Certainly the brain needs cholesterol as does the blood stream - but the point is , not TOO MUCH cholesterol. It is possible to eat too much , and for our livers to produce too much and for too much to be absorbed by the small intestine.

[Cpatti]

Mediterranean diet is good for cholesterol.

[sandybrown in reply to Cpatti]

Is it to reduce or produce cholesterol?

[NiceAndSerene]

My cholesterol is 8.2, I'm 28 and waiting for the latest lab results. Which reminds me, I must make an appointment.

[Andyman]

Good luck. Eat well balanced diet. Not to much of any one thing and lots of green stuff and a few nuts. And walk everyday to get your weight down. Walk faster as you get fitter. Oh and enjoy your walks.

[misschrissie]

I foolishly stopped taking statins a few months ago as I'd experienced painful legs,cramps etc.

Have to say that side of things did improve but my Cholesterol levels have shot right back up to 8.6.Was told that as I have confirmed heart disease I must keep taking them.A small price to pay I guess.I was so convinced that I could control things with diet alone.

[sandybrown in reply to misschrissie]

The message "I can or have confirmed..................".

I am afraid it is very wrong! I was told by practice nurse that she can confirm that I am diabetic and I need medication for the rest of my life!!!!.

I went on life style change, I have bold test once a year. Only time will tell.

Please ask you GP or practice nurse to do a risk analysis on all your blood test results and to give you the number. Also the GP need to explain to you on life style change. There are a number of research going on, on how to help people, there is no need for expensive research as a GP have the necessary tool to help an individual.

[sos007 Ambassador in reply to misschrissie]

Statins treat the symptoms of elevated cholesterol, they don't eliminate the cause. It is not foolish to try natural remedies before taking pharmaceuticals. You should strictly adhere to the Mediterranean Diet (most people keep making exceptions) - especially by avoiding ALL sugars (whole fruits are fine - berries are best, along with apples and oranges).

You should also eliminate all simple carbohydrates - white flour products which includes white bread, white pasta, and white pizza dough; as well as eliminating white potatoes and white rice.

The second component of natural cholesterol reduction is exercise - a minimum of 30 minutes and ideally up to 60 minutes of an exercise that elevates your heart rate over 120 bpm. Walking is a great way to start.

Finally supplementation with vitamins can also support your objectives. All the B vitamins, Vitamin C (at least 3,000 mg per day), Vitamin D, Vitamin E as well as high quality curcumin and fish oil.

I have done all of these things and my cholesterol levels are normal. You can read about my journey and see my most recent blood work results here:

healthunlocked.com/user/sos007

[Teresat472]

It sounds like you have the right idea by working on your diet and exercise. I too have high cholesterol and I try to have plenty of fruit and vegetables, different colours. These

need to be the highest portion on your dinner plate. If you go onto the eatwell plate website, this gives you a good idea of portions. You could try some oat milk. I take a small amount of diluted apple cider vinegar before my main meal of the day. It must be diluted, as you could burn your throat otherwise. You can take up to 30 ml a day, but i'm trying 10 ml. It's best to have raw organic cider vinegar (with the Mother). You can find out alot about the Health benefits of apple cider vinegar on the Internet. Make sure to get your lab tests regularly, so you can keep an eye on how you are doing.

[sos007 Ambassador]

Congratulations on your decision.

I have already successfully completed the journey you are about to embark upon.

You can read all of my posts here or pick and choose the ones you like best:

healthunlocked.com/user/sos007

To kick-start your journey, watch this video:

youtu.be/aIc6iF5k9v4(Not working as expected?)

Good luck.

[Bazza1234]

For some people, lifestyle changes including diet and exercise will reduce cholesterol levels - for others (like me) it will not. I am a runner so get more exercise than 99.9% of the general population, not overweight , non-smoker, no high blood pressure, no diabetes, etc, etc --- but could not reduce my cholesterol level below 8.8 mmol/L ( with corresponding high LDL number and low HDL number. I have now managed with medication to get my total down to below 4mmol/l and my LDL down to below 2mmol/l , low number for triglycerides and high number for HDL. My BP is also down from 150/90 to 125/75 ( and I am 72yo) . HOWEVER - my slowness in realising that I needed medication and my refusal to accept it over a period of 30 years when I first learnt that I had VERY high levels of cholesterol ( 10.5 mmol/L at that time and reduced to 8.5mmol/L with diet change) has left me with a blocked retinal vein and blindness in one eye - plus of course a high level of calcification of my heart arteries and some calcification of my carotid arteries ( which feed my retinal arteries) . But we all have to die of something eventually, I just would like to avoid getting another blockage of my other eyes retinal vein and losing all of my sight. Be very careful of the ideas being peddled in this forum by some.

[Marz in reply to Bazza1234]

VitK2-MK7 directs calcium away from the arteries and into the bones and teeth. A Statin blocks the priduction of K2 as it uses the same pathway along with CoQ10. Atherosclerosis can actually be caused by Statins ...

Cholesterol deposits in the arteries are part of a healing process when there is damage/inflammation. VitD is also anti-inflammatory and according to Dr Myhill better than taking a statin. Statins also block VitD production in the skin. Vit D needs to be around 100+ in the UK to prevent serious illness including cancers.

I appreciate my reply is not helpful to you - but it may help others reading this thread !

drmyhill.co.uk

[Bazza1234 in reply to Marz]

Hmm - you quote one source only for your assertions. A very quick Google search tells me that your Dr Myhill is a specialist in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome who was suspended from practicing for a while and also appears to be an anti-vaxxer?? BTW - I live in Australia and have the recommended levels of VitD - lots of sun here.

[Marz in reply to Bazza1234]

Living in the sun does not always mean you have optimal levels of VitD - the skin needs cholesterol in order to convert the suns rays into VitD ... I too live in the sun and tested insufficient after 4 years of being in Crete. I am older than you - but as we age even the synthesizing of nutrients is slowed. So are your D levels over 60 if measured in ng/L or over 100 if the unit is nmol/L ?.

Am not sure which assertion to which you are referring - but if you had taken the time to check me out you would see that over the 7 years I have been on HU I have posted endless links regarding cholesterol/statins.

What a pity you didn't check out the website Dr Myhill - yes you are right she does treat CFS and has written books. In the UK several Doctors have been hounded by the GMC for getting people well. People left with a CFS diagnosis have every other symptom blamed on the condition as GP's do not have the time to find the root cause. When treating these people she is dealing with the whole body - and not reaching for the prescription pad for every single symptom.

Dr Myhill is not alone - other UK docs have also been treated badly - Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield - Dr Gordon Skinner - who have all had excellent results in treating people outside the box ignoring the protestations of Big Pharma. Many of the Medical governing bodies in the UK are staffed by many who are also on the payroll of Big Pharma - it is the same the world over.

bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/9...

drive.google.com/file/d/0B3...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/256...

drmalcolmkendrick.org/

healthimpactnews.com/2015/s...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

anh-usa.org/the-grave-dange...

articles.mercola.com/sites/...

drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Cholest...

Books : VitK2 and The Calcium Paradox by Kate Rheaume-Bleue

The Great Cholesterol Con - by Dr Malcolm Kendrick

The Vitamin D Solution - by Michael Holick

Sustainable Medicine - by Dr Sarah Myhill

Your Thyroid and How to Keep it Healthy - by Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield

[sos007 Ambassador in reply to Bazza1234]

I too exercise a great deal and on a daily basis. Exercise induces sheer stress on the arteries and veins which necessitates a response to this inflammatory condition. In the absence of collagen, the body increases its synthesis of cholesterol and other antibodies to repair the site of the inflammation, and thus generates an atheroma.

This is why you sometimes hear of athletes dying of a heart attack or stroke which seems counterintuitive.

In order to produce more collagen you need higher levels of vitamin C. There is clear evidence that vitamin C reduces the body's synthesis of cholesterol. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

As an active and athletic person your body craves more collagen and therefore needs more vitamin C than the average person.

You can safely take 6,000 mg of vitamin C daily with minimal side effects (more frequent urination). It is best to spread it out throughout the day to keep vitamin C levels elevated in the body's cells. A good strategy is to take 2 x 1,000 mg tablets after each meal.

There are other more efficient delivery mechanisms for vitamin c such as liposomal vitamin C available here:

amazon.co.uk/LivOn-Laborato...

This delivery mechanism bypasses the metabolism and delivers the vitamin directly to the body's cells, thus eliminating potential stomach upset or excessive urination.

Vitamin C helps the body retain more iron which can be bad for order people, however if you're on the Mediterranean Diet, it is unlikely your iron levels (measured by ferritin in a blood test) are problematic.

For those wishing to take more than 15,000 mg of vitamin C, a blood test for G6PD deficiency is warranted. However, most people don't get to that level unless they get IV vitamin C infusions (my wife is doing this as she has a form of lymphoma).

If you aren't already doing so, you may wish to give the vitamin C strategy a try.

You may also consider the Linus Pauling Therapy by adding lysine and proline to your supplement regimen.

practicingmedicinewithoutal...

Best of luck.

[Bazza1234]

As I said - beware the people pushing their own theories here !!!! - well, actually , not their own theories, but those they have found on the internet!!!

[Marz in reply to Bazza1234]

From your comment above it is obvious you have not studied the links I posted - they contain Research Papers so NOT a question of pushing a theory found on the Internet. I was hoping they would produce reasonable and intelligent discussion without hurling abuse. Please be more respectful of my integrity and intelligence and yes my ability to read and learn from others. Your mind seems closed - yes it can happen when being myopic to what is happening in the world around us. The education I received taught me to reason/discuss and seek a conclusion - not just shout from the sidelines ...

[Marz]

So many people are comfortable in their medical security blankets - not realising that Big Pharma has taken over the Medical Schools and dictate the syllabus. Docs are rewarded for prescribing certain drugs - and various Bodies responsible for the health of the Nations are tying the hands of those at the coal face treating patients by telling them what they can and cannot prescribe. We must remain alert - keep on reading and learning and moving with the times. WIGO - should be our mantra - What Is Going On

[Bazza1234]

I have no theories - just personal experience. That is that having high cholesterol for a long time and refusing to take statins has led me to where I am today. But now I have been able to reduce both my cholesterol and BP to levels below that recommended for me by taking the medication. I also add that I have had no personal problems taking the medication with no side effects that I am aware of. Whether this helps me or hinders me in the future, I don't know. But that also applies to the conspiracy theorists - papers are full of the words "may" and "could" or "there is an association" . I am well aware that the Medical Profession has become an industry in itself and there are vested interests in everything.

[Marz in reply to Bazza1234]

Again it would seem you have not read any of my links posted earlier - full of scientific detail - and still you talk nonesense about - may - could - an association. So take some time out and read - read and read ... otherwise people reading this thread will NOT take you seriously ...

[sandybrown in reply to Bazza1234]

Hi, I always read your post and contribution with interest. Eye problem due to cholesterol is new to me and you have given all your experience, I have learned a lot from your input. Once I was told after my eye test there is cholesterol marking, that was that. There are many doctors out there, all they want is to make money. One example is a GP/TV, doctor now making a killing on books. Last night there was a TV programme on "Can food reduce BP?" an interesting programme, now much to talk about.

The lady who put the post, only once gave a response, have not commented so far.

Look after your eye.

[Bazza1234 in reply to sandybrown]

The bottom line is that NOBODY really knows. There are "published" risk factors for the eye problem that I now have - one of which is high cholesterol. The other risk factors I do not have - but the cholesterol I have had in a BIG way for 30 years. But the medical profession simply do not know what causes some people to get retinal vein blockages. They also do not know why some people get diabetes while others don't , etc, etc. I regret having ignored "big Pharma" and advice of people like the heart Foundation for so long . I understand and realise that the medical industry is an "industry" in the fullest sense of the word - but I also understand that there are and always have been "quacks" . I had a friend pushing some "quackery" to me the other day - he has locked onto some "product" from a lake in darkest Africa that allegedly increases adult stem cells in people and apparently helps to reinvigorate people with all kinds of disease . He himself has benefited from his 3 months taking these pills after his recent triple heart artery bypass. He is now reaching out to quackery AFTER he has utilised the services of the medical industry and big Pharma to put 3 stents into his arteries.

[Bazza1234 in reply to Bazza1234]

BTW - fairly good "nutshell" here mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.o... I think the important thing to take away from all this is that high cholesterol is "allegedly" responsible for some serious but not often thought about health problems.

[Marz in reply to Bazza1234]

Once more I will ask - have you read the links I posted for YOU above ? Your reasoned opinion would be appreciated !

[Andyman]

Well as you can see Jacqui1963 it's not possible to discuss easily on here. The heavy hitters will shout you down with Google references and confusion. Safe to say read between the lines. Don't be afraid and get scared off. Others are more gentle and open. Just ignore the roars.

[Marz in reply to Andyman]

Before making somewhat sad remarks about other members - I would suggest you research them first - their posts and replies - thus gaining an overall impression - before completely losing your credibility. I have checked you and your two posts .... 😎

[Andyman in reply to Andyman]

Proved my pont.

[Tibblington]

I have answered this question a number of times but briefly I would say that your doctor doesn't know what your cholesterol level should be he is simply trotting out the standard reply given to him by the pharmaceutical industry.

You need to know what is causing it to be high, if it is, and the first thing to understand is that is not saturated fat. Don't be tempted to go down the polyunsaturated route that is corn oil, sunflower oil etc and non of them are good for you. Olive oil is O.K. because that's a flesh oil not a seed oil.

The cause is often artery and vein inflammation caused by too much sugar and sugar related food like honey and white flour products. Cholesterol rushes to the site of inflammation to carry out repair. Have a look at an article written by a heart surgeon who explains things far better than I can: healthscams.org.uk/heart-su...

I will expand further if you wish but read the article first and another recommended at the bottom of the article.

[sandybrown in reply to Tibblington]

Thank you for your explanation and the link. The data in the link has excellent explanation.