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lowering cholesterol without drugs

CathyN

CathyN

Well-Known Member
Messages
248
Location
dorset
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
prejudice, racism, complacency, ignorance
Hi
Just had a set of very good results, 3 months in. However, my LDL needs to come down. (HDL is really healthy). I don't want to take statins but am advised that I may have to if I can't get the figure down within 3 months.

I did some research and realise that I need to up further my aerobic exercise.

I also read that caffeine is noted as raising cholesterol - and I do have several cups of strong filter coffee per day. So, I'm swapping a few of those for decaffeinated.

I am also taking plant sterols ( in a drink at breakfast ).

I am carb controlled but not excessively low carbing - so I have less than 100g per day ( often less than 80g ).

Does anyone have any other tips?? I'd be grateful.

Cheers x
 
CathyN said:
Hi
Just had a set of very good results, 3 months in. However, my LDL needs to come down. (HDL is really healthy). I don't want to take statins but am advised that I may have to if I can't get the figure down within 3 months.

I did some research and realise that I need to up further my aerobic exercise.

I also read that caffeine is noted as raising cholesterol - and I do have several cups of strong filter coffee per day. So, I'm swapping a few of those for decaffeinated.

I am also taking plant sterols ( in a drink at breakfast ).

I am carb controlled but not excessively low carbing - so I have less than 100g per day ( often less than 80g ).

Does anyone have any other tips?? I'd be grateful.

Cheers x
Click to expand...

I had some success with what you are attempting in the past, and the only additional thing I did apart from what's already been mentioned was to add ground flaxseeds (linseeds) to my breakfast. Of course when you try all the measures, as I did (obviously because I want to make sure it goes down), you don't know which has done the trick if it works, so you have to stick at them all! I suspect exercise and maintaining good glucose levels were the main factors as those are the things which I slipped up on at my last review, when cholesterol was creeping up again. Mind you they don't do a full breakdown so it might be the HDL that's doing it!
 
My very low carb high fat diet (35g carbs) reduced m cholesterol frm 4.5 to 3.5 without drugs and i drink full coffee...
 
I don't know if you can accommodate it in your 100g a day or avoid a postprandial spike, however oats are a super-food when it comes to lowering cholesterol.
 
Hi might be worth having a look at cocnut products, in particular cocnut flour and cocnut oil. try having a look at www.thecoconutresearchcenter.com.
I use both products , together with cocnut nectar for treats only , and get very good cholesterol level. I can't prove how much effect it has, especially when mixed in with my low carb diet. Cocnut oil is reputed to lower ldl and increase hdl . Have a read of the info on the web.
For info my last two chesterol test have come back with 2.8 and 2.6 total cholesterol, with very good ratios.

Sorry not a very scientific approach, just my own gut feeling that it helps
 
Read a very interesting article that it's not the high cholesterol which initially causes the problem. It's the damage done to the arteries from high sugar levels in most foods hidden and otherwise which first damages the arteries . Then and only then does the bad cholesterol start to stick to it over the years.
 
CathyN wrote
my LDL needs to come down. (HDL is really healthy). I don't want to take statins but am advised that I may have to if I can't get the figure down within 3 months.
Click to expand...

Do you know your triglycerides ?

My position is that total cholesterol is meaningless, and that LDL can also be.
If HDL and trigs are both good (high enough and low enough respectively) then LDL is meaningless UNLESS the particle size is known. If your LDL particles are large and fluffy, then no worry. If small and dense, then it's okay to be concerned.
Some doctors reckon your triglycerides figure is a good indication of LDL particle size i.e. trigs too high = small LDL particles.

You say "I may have to (take statins)"
Only if you agree your LDL figure is worrying. It's your body, your consequences, your choice.

Geoff

ps if you want links about cholesterol, I can send them.
 
Geoff, I'd actually quite like to see them. My numbers continue to be a bit off (well they aren't, but they're not too good either.) I still have a bit of trouble agreeing with myself what I think that means.

-M
 
Thank you all for such informative replies.

I am unaware of my triglycerides - so that is something I can ask the GP about.

My HDL is really high - my overall cholesterol is 5 - LDL 2.8 which is on the 'RED" borderline.

Luckily I am already eating almond porridge for breakfast which includes almond/coconut/linseeds so that may have helped build my HDL.

Geoff thanks for the links.

Thanks everyone xxx
 
Very simply, yes. Just eat a wholefood plant based diet and your Cholesterol has nowhere to go but down.

Plant foods contain no cholesterol whilst containing high amounts of vitamins and minerals. Go for brightly coloured and dark green leafy vegatiables for the best results.

My Cholesterol is the "same as a Chinese peasant" according to my doctor so i can personally testify it works.

Check out the China Study to find out more. http://www.amazon.co.uk/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/1932100660/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346679600&sr=1-1

I firmly believe that anyone who thinks any other diet works is just tryign to have their cake and eat it! How can high meat and high fat be good for cholesterol, afterall cholesterol is ONLY found in animal products!
 
There ya go, where did you get that idea from Klang?
The body needs cholesterol, without it we would die.

Cholesterol and food

One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that food's packed with cholesterol. In fact, very little cholesterol is found in foods. The main culprits are eggs, offal and shellfish.
 
Klang180 wrote
How can high meat and high fat be good for cholesterol, afterall cholesterol is ONLY found in animal products!
Click to expand...

Yeah, it's a wonder our primal ancestors survived. That was a close one - their cholesterol-raising diet must have had some of them dropping like flies.
Such a shame they didn't have anyone around to tell them they should be vegetarian :crazy:

Or perhaps meat and fat are good for you. Discuss (no more than 1,000 words.)

Geoff

Klang (k lang ?) we love to discuss on this forum, but trotting out dogma because it's been trotted out for decades doesn't help anyone. Dietary cholesterol has little impact on body cholesterol. Just google that.

Welcome to the forum. Great to have you aboard !
 
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