Cholesterol

[adcooper]

alisonph said:

At some point, the stress of worrying about cholesterol surpasses the danger of the cholesterol itself.

Oh, darlin', on my list of stresses, this is way down at the bottom!
In fact, I blame the real stress in my life for this change in my health. Actually, fooling around with my diet is a lot less alarming than hanging around hospitals with family members. But I hear ya. In fact, I feel like you're giving me a dose of my own medicine. I've often been the one telling others to just get a little perspective. So, thanks....I needed that!

Luci, yes, that's my "little" brother (6'6"). If you and Michael ever go to Bavaria, I'll give you his number, and he'll drive you around in his cab!

Niacin. I'm reading about it. Seems like it's an easy thing to try.

[erider]

Hi Adcooper,

I too have cholesterol issues. Last year at this time my cholesterol was at an all time high of 274. I don’t remember the HDL(good) LDL(bad) ratio. It runs in my family-mom.

Now, I eat oatmeal, cherrios or a lowfat multi-grain muffin for breakfast, once a month, egg and toast w/Promise Spread. Midmorning I drink a Promise Active Supershot and take a Garlique tablet. Lunch is a salad or Lean Cuisine. Mid-afternoon, I must have cheese, but 2% and raw vegs. w/fatfree ranch. Peanuts and almonds are also helpful snacks.
Dinner is salmon, tuna, chicken , turkey and about once a month, lean red meat or pork tenderloin, plus lots of vegs / fruits and whole grain breads.
I tried Omega-3 for awhile, but it made me bruise too easy, especially the insides of my knees and calves after riding.
Wearing 1.5lb leg weights around the house, when exercising and out walking, really helped me build muscle and lose fat.

As of Jan. this year my cholesterol is down to 217, HDL 64 and LDL 114 and my doctor is pleased. He never suggested niacin, but my HDL has always been pretty high.
Here is a link to the Mayo Clinic and I hope you have success getting your cholesterol under control.

www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-cholesterol/DS00178/DSECTION=6

Cheers,
ERider

[adcooper]

Thanks, erider. I'm really glad to hear how much difference diet and exercise can make. Just had oatmeal for breakfast...again! Must learn to love it.

[sarafina]

maybe you could splurge and buy lovely berries to put in it to make it more exciting? perhaps some plump blackberries or blueberries amid the sea of lumpiness might give it a little thrill?
keepin' some fingers crossed for ya.

[elizabeth_h]

Well, I can't help you much on the cholesterol questions, but I do eat a lot of oatmeal and it is definitely possible to spruce it up! First, I prefer the slow cooking oatmeal to the instant stuff - to me they have more of a grain quality and less of a mush quality. I usually banana and a sprinkle of nuts. The banana will give you sweetness without adding sugar. I cook it in the pot with the oatmeal instead of adding it later and I think it tastes better that way.

I think my favorite thing to add is fresh strawberries. The heat of the oatmeal seems to really bring out their flavor. I also like blueberries, raspberries or pomegranate seeds. You could also cook up some apple bits with cinnamon to mix in, and that would end up something like apple crisp in flavor.

I had a friend who was into body building and she ate her oatmeal with egg whites, though I am not sure how it was prepared.

[adcooper]

Agree. The "real" oatmeal is much better. Even though I've stopped cooking it in whole milk with butter. I've been on a stewed fruit kick lately, too. Making my own, and no sugar added, so I've been adding that. Love fresh berries, though. You can't beat those for happy taste!

[adcooper]

Do hot toddies lower cholesterol? Just wondering...um...because they seem to be my new favorite wintertime beverage. So much tastier than herbal tea.

[MaryAnn]

Coming into this thread really late, but....

I have a really good cholesterol profile. Last time it was checked my total cholesterol was 139; HDLs 84, LDLs 42, and triglycerides were 25. Hubby's total cholesterol before he started statin drugs was 265. HDLs were low, LDLs high, and triglycerides were high too. We eat from the same table; lean meats, fish, poultry, lots of organic veggies and whole grain breads that I bake myself. Yet his was high and mine was low.

Heredity counts for a lot.

I'm not totally convinced that the statin drugs are all that, either. Business Week did a big thing a couple of weeks ago on Lipitor. Apparently it's not really performing as they claim, especially for those with no previous episodes of heart attacks or angina. And a lot of the statins cause muscle weakness and pain. It's important to take CoQ10 with it because statin drugs deplete your natural supply.

I have a friend that's been into bodybuilding and nutrition since before dirt was invented. His feeling is that all the total cholesterol stuff is a bunch of hooey. He instead monitors homocysteine levels.

[FlipFlop]

alisonph said:

Ann,

I've always wondered about the health of WHAT we are eating. Especially meat. If you eat unhealthy meat, the free radicals are sky high, making the free radicals in your body even higher. Free radicals are oxidizers, thus your body is fighting the actual food you just ate, trying to squeeze out some nutrition.

Ok Alison, I'm going to disagree (respectfully though!) with what you said here. You can't ingest free radicals you can only ingest things that increase the production within your own body. Free radicals are highly unstable molecules and thus are broken down very quickly. The really problem with them is when your body produces them and you don't have sufficient levels of both dietary (vitamins and minerals like vit e and selenium) and endogenous (enzymes and proteins that scavenge and repair).

Now, you were right on oxidative stress (when your body cant deal with high free radical production) playing a role in cholesterol and other cardiovascular problems. There is a lot of evidence that free radicals play a huge role in the formation of plaques in the arteries.

Ad-There is a huge genetic/familial contribution to high cholesterol. But that doesn't mean you can't affect it by diet, since part of it is dietary. I'd suggest a few things:
-a daily multivitamin
-taking an omega-3 fatty acid supplement (most supplements are a mix of EPA and DHA)
-daily variety of fruits and veggies (you probally already do that if you are a vegaterian)
-whole grains.

If you dont really like oatmeal, try the quaker simple harvest. I like the maple pecan. Also, oat bran is higher in protein and fiber than quick oats, and it doesnt have as grainy as a texture. And finally, if you cook oatmeal (or oatbran or mixed grain cereal) on the stove, mix in a cut up banana. It will make it creamy and sweet. Or PB! Thats good too. I love oatmeal, I eat it all the time (or 10 grain or oat bran or any of that stuff!). If you can't regulate your cholesterol with a diet change you may eventally have to go on a statin to prevent problems.

[adcooper]

You are all so good! I really appreciate the thoughtful responses on this thread, even though I've been a little silly about the topic at times. I've been considering a lot of things as I've been making changes in the past few weeks. I think I can only do what I will realistically be able to sustain over time. So my plan is this:

Oatmeal almost every day for breakfast. I really do like it, and I'm cooking the "slow" stuff and stirring in various fruits, nuts, etc. Other days I have homemade granola or fruit and whole wheat toast. This is not hard at all, and I really like it.

Taking a multivitamin, calcium and a B-complex.

Making bread at home, or buying whole grain breads with no high fructose corn syrup or other yucky stuff in it.

Eating lots of fruits and veggies. Fresh as much as possible.

Still eating dairy, but using it more sparingly. Mixing olive oil and butter to make a nice spread for bread. Cooking with olive oil or canola oil.

I like meat, and I'll still eat it, but I don't need much, and I've always preferred lean meats. Bacon, being the exception. I love it, but I can live without it! And I shall.

Sprinkling ground flax seed on whatever I think of.

Avoiding processed foods as much as possible.

Still stirring whole milk into my coffee!

Exercising three times a week at Curves. I like this much more than I thought I would, and it really does feel good.

These are significant, but not radical, changes for me. They will be easy to stick with. I really hope they make some difference.

[Lis]

You could try turkey bacon in place of the real. It actually tastes pretty good.

[TeachU2Ride]

maryann said:

Coming into this thread really late, but....

I have a really good cholesterol profile. Last time it was checked my total cholesterol was 139; HDLs 84, LDLs 42, and triglycerides were 25. Hubby's total cholesterol before he started statin drugs was 265. HDLs were low, LDLs high, and triglycerides were high too. We eat from the same table; lean meats, fish, poultry, lots of organic veggies and whole grain breads that I bake myself. Yet his was high and mine was low.

Heredity counts for a lot.

I'm not totally convinced that the statin drugs are all that, either. Business Week did a big thing a couple of weeks ago on Lipitor. Apparently it's not really performing as they claim, especially for those with no previous episodes of heart attacks or angina. And a lot of the statins cause muscle weakness and pain. It's important to take CoQ10 with it because statin drugs deplete your natural supply.

I have a friend that's been into bodybuilding and nutrition since before dirt was invented. His feeling is that all the total cholesterol stuff is a bunch of hooey. He instead monitors homocysteine levels.

Heredity does count a lot and statins do work for people who have familial hypercholesterolemia (body makes too much and doesn't get rid of it efficiently).

Hold onto your seats, girls... my total cholesterol is in the high 600s without Lipitor, and just under 200 with. That's proof in the pudding. My mom's family has been decimated by FH: her father at 52 (stroke), older sister at 51 (heart attack), older brother at 42 (heart attack), younger brother at 18 (stroke), and she survived a heart attack in her 50s. We've been involved in the statin trials since they came on the market (and other drugs before them - one was like mixing sand with your orange juice... mmmmm!) and they literally save lives. But they are powerful drugs and shouldn't be taken without clear need. And if you do take them, blood tests are important to monitor liver function.

My mom developed fibromyalgia about 15 years ago and it's fairly crippling. I've wondered a lot lately whether the statins had something to do with it. But heart attack and stroke are such a real risk for us, the risk of muscle trouble seems worth it. Not a happy choice to make though, I can tell you.

[coyote]

teachu2ride said:

maryann said:

Coming into this thread really late, but....

I have a really good cholesterol profile. Last time it was checked my total cholesterol was 139; HDLs 84, LDLs 42, and triglycerides were 25. Hubby's total cholesterol before he started statin drugs was 265. HDLs were low, LDLs high, and triglycerides were high too. We eat from the same table; lean meats, fish, poultry, lots of organic veggies and whole grain breads that I bake myself. Yet his was high and mine was low.

Heredity counts for a lot.

I'm not totally convinced that the statin drugs are all that, either. Business Week did a big thing a couple of weeks ago on Lipitor. Apparently it's not really performing as they claim, especially for those with no previous episodes of heart attacks or angina. And a lot of the statins cause muscle weakness and pain. It's important to take CoQ10 with it because statin drugs deplete your natural supply.

I have a friend that's been into bodybuilding and nutrition since before dirt was invented. His feeling is that all the total cholesterol stuff is a bunch of hooey. He instead monitors homocysteine levels.

Heredity does count a lot and statins do work for people who have familial hypercholesterolemia (body makes too much and doesn't get rid of it efficiently).

Hold onto your seats, girls... my total cholesterol is in the high 600s without Lipitor, and just under 200 with. That's proof in the pudding. My mom's family has been decimated by FH: her father at 52 (stroke), older sister at 51 (heart attack), older brother at 42 (heart attack), younger brother at 18 (stroke), and she survived a heart attack in her 50s. We've been involved in the statin trials since they came on the market (and other drugs before them - one was like mixing sand with your orange juice... mmmmm!) and they literally save lives. But they are powerful drugs and shouldn't be taken without clear need. And if you do take them, blood tests are important to monitor liver function.

My mom developed fibromyalgia about 15 years ago and it's fairly crippling. I've wondered a lot lately whether the statins had something to do with it. But heart attack and stroke are such a real risk for us, the risk of muscle trouble seems worth it. Not a happy choice to make though, I can tell you.

That is just incredible. Did the people you list survive their strokes and heart attacks? Oh my!

Do you take supplements for your liver such as SamE and Milk Thistle. I've just been told that they are good and I don't really know anything except for with animals.

As Mary Anne said, using the CoQ-10 is supposed to help the muscle problems that can be related to Lipitor so that may be something to look at if you haven't already.

I hope the statins continue to be a miracle drug for your family!

[bellasonya]

Adcooper,
I see that alot of good advice has been given here. Let me say I have seen my share of people with cholesterol problems. I have worked as a tech for many years in doctors offices and hospitals. I know if I had the choice I would first try the natural route too. I do believe that dairy is a contributing factor to high cholesterol because they tend to have alot of saturated fats which is associated with high cholesterol. Butter is 81% saturated fat and cheese is 75% fat (just as an example) Just as a side note I hope you or anyone here are not fans of margarine b/c it contains trans fatty acids that are associated with heart disease. Not all dairy is bad. I would say the best dairy product would be low-fat organic yogurt. So many benefits are in this like good bacteria which help with the GI tract (lactobacillus, and acidophilus for example) These good bacteria are also good for reducing the production of cancer causing chemicals.Oh and I hope you all like dark chocolate!!! A study was done British medical journal that dark chocolate is linked to reducing bad cholesterol LDL (not sure how much though). Skim dairy products don't have saturated fat so you could try those. Watch the oils that you cook with also extra-virgin olive oil is a good one to use.
I would also increase or start with Omega 3's. They also have alot of added benefitsin addition to helping cholesterol. Such as being good for the skin, and the joints, and inflammation. I take mine in the source of organic flax oil.
Garlic (if you decide to use it in capsule form get the odorless one)is also good for cholesterol and CO Q-10 is beneficial too. Niacin (the no flush kind) is good also it raises your HDL (the good cholesterol. I think but can't remember off hand that it helps with the triglycerides too
Heredity can play a part in this too so keep that in mind. You may have stated previously but do you know the numbers of your cholesterol, not just the total? There is alot to cholesterol so I tried to keep it to a minimum.

[adcooper]

Bellasonya, my total cholesterol is 238, LDL is 173, and HDL is 46. Triglycerides and blood sugar are good. The comprehensive metabolic stuff was all good. So since I'm high in total and LDL, and could be a little higher in HDL, I think I've got a little work to do to improve things. I suspect heredity is a problem. Both my birth parents are deceased, but my brother has high cholesterol, despite his phenomenal physical condition and active lifestyle.

Teach, you give me perspective! WOW. I think with numbers in your range the drugs are a no brainer. Of course you'd have to make this choice. I have no criticism for anyone else's choices, by the way! I just feel strongly that, for me, looking for a non-RX solution first is the way to go.

I don't know what CQ 10 is?

I hate margarine!