I'm a 49 non smoker non alcohol drinker female with cholesterol 6.7 and LDL 4.9 I'm overweight I weigh 94 kilos and am170 cam tall. Doctor has said the levels will go down if I lose weight and exercise but also think so might need statins ... Not keen on any medication as he said the cholesterol is within normal ranger but upper level it the LDL is high... Currently on a low fat diet eating oats , fish veg and fruits and a oidng high fat dairy .. Also started walking every day ... Any options or suggestions ? Thanks
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BAUS
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Cutting out fat and having carbohydrate as your main fuel source means you will have permanently elevated insulin. Your body keeps blood sugar to a very narrow parameter, and excess is quickly shunted to fat, leaving levels of insulin still high and leaving you permanently hungry. You are almost guaranteed to fail to loose weight.
If you are afaid of fat, especially saturated fat and believe the cholesterol nonsense we've been sold for 40 years, then good luck - you'll need it!
I am 57, over weight, with fatty liver, gallstones, and had cholesterol of 8+ 12 month ago.
I am losing weight but mainly inches, from low carb eating, cut out all sugar (use stevia if sweetness needed) pasta,bread,rice,potatoes, even the brown varieties.
It hard but I get by with lots of low carbs, cauli,brocolli,cabbage,kale, lots of spinach, salads galore, fruit galore, ground nuts (done in my nutribullet) get one.
I have a mix of greens ( kale,spinach,broc,lettuce(not iceberg no nutrients in it) with 1/2 a advocado, a little fruit (berries) with ground nuts made into a nutribullet for my breakfast, so I have my five a day all in one first thing.
Drink filtered water with freshly squeezed lemon juice in it instead of cordials full if sugar. This is also said to be good for softening gallstones.
Eat a portion of protien with each meal, chicken,fish,cottage cheese(fat free) ostrich steak lovely and very low fat (only red meat I eat).
Avoid shop salad dressing create your own shop one full of salt sugar, and fat.
I am from 12st 5 to 11st 4 in 8 weeks, best lose slowly fast is not good, I have lost inches all over down from 16/18 to a 14, cholesterol down to 5.5, oh and I fast walk for 2 or 3 miles a day on tread mill time allowing.
No alcohol, or just alcohol free wine on occasions.
If I can do it any one can, I have drank to much for years, and eaten all the rubbish foods, hardly exercised. Do not eat any processed foods, and I am now going grain free where I can. 💛
Yes don't eat the carbs and walk every day. Go on a low carb diet. They would like you also to eat fat as well and you will get this from nuts and avocados etc. personally I don't like the taste of fat like butter and fat on meat so I don't eat this. But low carb works.
Walking more than 30 mins at a pace that you can talk but breathing is faster therefore faster heart rate. It works believe me I lost 80 pounds. I did it by counting calories. I ate about 1200 a day. I used the app/ website myfitnesspal which really helped with the counting.
Hi.. You're doing all the right things. DO NOT go on STATINS as they will cause you all sorts of pains and are bad for your Liver. If you keep up the diet and exercise your cholesterol will slowly go down naturally. b.t.y....Its not all that high.
After liver surgery late last yr & suffering steroid induced surgery my cholesterol was 5.6 & they wanted to put me on statins, like you I refused, saying know know what chance to do self. Went low carb, started swimming, only do 4 lengths (as disabled n takes me an hr) after 6 mths down to 4.6 also lost 35kg. Good luck, if I can do it you can to
With all you have told us BAUS, I would listen to your doctor and lose weight by eating your healthy diet (oily fish, onions, garlic also helps to reduce cholesterol levels) and doing more, regular exercise. If you do not have a family history of raised cholesterol levels then your past life-style has probably elevated them, over several years, so your new life-style should have the reverse effect. Good luck and let us know how you get on.
My dad has always had high cholesterol butthats alss because he loves his cheese lol other than that I think its basically what Ive eaten every day for years ... I remember doing a blood test almost 9 years ago and my LDL was above normal back then but the dr wasnt concerned ..and I also remember losing weight 5 years ago and my cholesterol went down to 4.5 (it was 6.2) so yes, im sure diet and exercise will help ...
There is hope and some of the posts tell me I'm not the only one to take control of ones own health. 43 non smoker, low alcohol and keep fit fanatic. Diagnosed with CVD last Jan and cardiologists could only,point finger at genetics. Father and grandad died young of heart related. So....I did lots of research and stumbled across dresselstyn.com/site/
Now I'm not saying this is the panacea of all health related issues but there is something in it. My chol. Was at 6.1 & Drs aid that wasn't high for me (I'd like to have been told mind). I initially said no to all mess and through a whole food plant based lifestyle (it's not a diet) my chol. Went from 6.1 to 3.1 in 9 weeks. GP was stunned. Following angiogram I am now recovering from Cabg x 5 as the argument for surgery was overwhelming in my case but I remain convinced that the food I eat will ultimately dictate how long I'm on the planet. Hippocrates was right....food is our medicine. The range of other benefits I have seen since giving up on meat and dairy (and almost all oil) are too many to mention. I would never preach but anyone with CVD or related,should do some research and Esselstyn is a good starting point. good luck
That is wonderful ! Yes diet can be our medicine or our poison ... I have not eaten meat or dairy for weeks I am eating a plant sterol cheese and spread and some skim milk instead ... What do u normal eat in a day if you don't mind ? Thanks
Typically day is healthy oats with flaxseed and fruit - normally berries. While meal toast (nothing on it...) and a portion of kale or spinach.
Mid morning another handful of greens (I've got used to make throughout the day and i cool enough in the morning to last) and fruit.
Lunch might be home made soup, greens and whole meal bread and evening meal really could be anything plant based such as a veggie chilli or chick pea curry and brown rice. Snacks are generally fruit now and my only cheat is occasional white fish. I'm not in the selling business but there are a number of related cook books which set me on my way.
thats great ... for me breakfast is usually a very low fat cheese like cottage or extra light philly or the kraft cholesterol lowering cheese and wholemeal toast, lunch is a red kidney bean salad with olive oil and lemon juice, dinner is mixed veg cooked in curry powder and a tiney amount of oil or a peice of grilled salmon and salad and in between 2 peices of fruit and thats it... sometimes I will have rolled oats and oat bran for dinner (with skim milk and cinammon) so Im hoping by sticking to this diet I will reduce my cholesterol levels significantly in two months time.
I'm sure you will and I genuinely think for most people who do not have heart disease - that's a really healthy diet. Esselstyn's theory of no oil is at odd with even the BHF but his case is scientifically compelling. I also think there is a good case for cutting out ALL dairy....again read what Esselstyn has to say about it and make your own mind up. I loved milk and cheese but I know use Almond milk and I'm not really missing the cheese if honest. Like I said, I've seen lots of other benefits in terms of IBS type symptoms disappearing, better sleep, healthier skin etc. I've since questioned whether we were designed to eat other animals and although my motivations were primarily health...it's been quite thought provoking in terms of the moral and environmental side of things. So I figure if I can keepy arteries clean AND save some animal suffering AND the planet ....it's a win win! (Yeah I know the fish need saving too but small steps). Best of luck.
Well I had another blood test 3 days ago and the results are not good ... My cholesterol is 7.4 LDL is 5.3 and I'm so upset ... I'm definitely on a weight loss program now and exercising ... Dr wants to check me in 2 months if the numbers are still up he said statins ... I saw my previous test results and my cholesterol was 5.3 in 2012 ... Back then I was eating well and not overweight so I'm being positive that that is the case and I'm being very strict with my diet to the point I don't want to eat at all ! I'd rather starve than take medication but let's see what happens in 2 months time
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