# Lowering cholesterol



## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Hi all - sorry if this has been covered but it is all new to us.

Following Chris having a very unexpected heart attack while we were away in the van I had a cholesterol check done.
It has come back as slightly high, 5.8, and the docs are recommending that I eat a low fat diet. Now I think that I eat fairly healthily so what do I do?
We eat the usual meat and two veg type of diet with chicken or fish rather than red meats. Breakfast is prunes and yoghurt followed by porridge made with semi-skimmed milk (now changed to skimmed).

Lunch is something like a sandwich of chicken or tuna, or canned soup. We were using butter but, since Chris's heart attack, have changed to olive spread.

We have the odd ready meal or a Linda McCartney pasty.

We walk for miles every day when the dog is fit :roll: 

I am considering consulting a qualified dietician as I am a bit of a perfectionist, and like to follow scientific principles, and then thought I might ask the very wise folk on here first


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

My consultant told me that if I cut out ALL cholesterol and fat from my diet it would only reduce my cholesterol by about 5%. He said dietary change alone was insufficient but was useful.

Some cholesterol is essential for a healthy body - it is used to produce many important chemicals such as cell membranes, enzymes, hormones and even the pigment for skin colour and tanning as well as Vitamin D.........

So expert advice, from a trusted professional is the best option - if you have been advised by your Doctor to consider such things ask him to refer you to an appropriate specialist.

It may be that you need some other form of support - only a professional medic can give you that advice.

A healthy, high fibre, low salt, low fat diet should be the starting point - but such a diet does NOT mean living like a hermit eating only boiled lettuce leaf.

There are such important considerations as eating oily fish, reducing red meat consumption and so on - hence consult an expert if the Doctor thinks you need to make a reduction.

Bear in mind that cholesterol results can also vary from day to day - so a repeat (fasting) sample needs to be taken and then evaluated along with the triglyceride level of your blood. Hence, check with your Doctor - you trust them, they will not be giving you unqualified advice and they know you and your medical history.

The Wikipedia explanation of cholesterol is accurate IMO (as an A level biology teacher) and may help understand some of it's roles;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cholesterol

Dave


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## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

The other thing to try is the 5:2 diet which is a whole new way of eating. 5 days of normal eating and 2 days of eating just 500 calories. In order to do this you will have to eat a very low fat diet and this will help to lower cholesterol. It will also help to reduce your overall weight which most people can do with! I have been eating this way since the week after Easter and have lost 3/4 stone in that time. It also has been shown to reduce the risks of diabetes, stroke, Alzheimers Disease and others. 

However, as Dave says, we make cholesterol even if we eat none so you may be unable to lower it without medication!


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

Hi Pat

My wife works for the British Dietitic association.

You would have to be referred by a doctor to get detailed advice from a dietician. you can pay for a consultation (approx £60) but this would be general advice such as you probally know already.

If i were you i would visit the missus,s web site

www.bda.uk.com where theres lots of fact sheets written by dieticians.

http://www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/cholesterol.pdf

Cholestrol is produced by the liver. the main reason is to provide a sort of lubricant for the insides of the veins and arteries to save the blood cells wearing them out. So some is needed but not too much.

Hope this info is useful

Phill


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I eat a healthy diet and always have done but I am overweight by about a stone.
weight gain seemed to follow taking Lansoprazole. iIdo take simvastatin.
My BP is 120/76 and cholesterol 3.2.
i usually have the blood checks and BP checked every 6 months and attend at the sameish time of day each time.
I do not eat crisps, buscuits, fancy cakes,chocolate or much red meat.
I drink two glasses of tomato juice a day and eat plenty of fruit and veg.
My dinner plate is a size smaller than it used to be and i am more active. That helps. As Mavis (Locovan)tells us Eat less Move more.


Dave p


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Please do not think I am being rude but the next option is exercise. I am not one to advise on this when I look into the mirror but watching the tv (too much) I am made aware that a build-up of cholesterol is associated with a lack of sustained exercise.
...'want to borrow my skipping rope?

Alan


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

> Cholestrol is produced by the liver. *the main reason is to provide a sort of lubricant for the insides of the veins and arteries to save the blood cells wearing them out*. So some is needed but not too much.


with the greatest respect that is the biggest pile of tosh that I've read in a long while

cholesterol's primary purpose is in cellular membrane function - it's an important part of the membrane structure and is involved in intracellular transport, cell signalling and nerve conduction. it's also an important precursor of a range of other chemicals like steroid hormones and bile acids.

it causes problems in arteries when you have too high a level as it deposits as plaques in the artery and this can lead to vessel constriction and possibly a heart attack when a blocked vessel no loner delivers blood to the cardiac muscle.

other advice given is generally good but one other thing is that females are slightly more protected from the downsides of cholesterol than males are even into later years - it's thought that female hormones provide a greater protective effect. that's why generally cardiac arrests due to elevated cholesterol is found much more in males than females. for that reason alone, a level of 5.8 in a 62 year old female isn't too bad - but sure, reducing it will still help. and you also need to look at the HDL/LDL ratios. best bet is to consult your GP not a dietician (initially)

EDIT: I should also say that I'm a graduate biochemist who in later life was heavily involved with the business development of a new method of cholesterol measurement that allowed this to be done in 3 minutes next to the patient which opened up the way for some major screening programmes that ultimately led to statins being introduced to the market.


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Afternoon all,


My Missus has high cholesterrol but the doc said this is ballanced out by good cholesterol. which as you you is found in oily fish.


norm


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

goldi said:


> snipped.... high cholesterrol but the doc said this is ballanced out by good cholesterol. which as you you is found in oily fish. norm


Two forms of lipoproteins (fats linked to proteins High density lipoproteins and Low density lipoproteins (HDL & LDL)

*HDL's do NOT cause the problems LDL's DO*

For more information try this;

http://health.howstuffworks.com/dis...ifference-between-ldl-and-hdl-cholesterol.htm

sorry if it seems a bit technical......

from page 2 of that link;

_The problem is that LDLs are like low-quality spackle. Eventually some of that spackle might break loose, and when that happens, your body is going to try to heal the nick that has developed in the plaque itself. This clotting can totally block your arteries, resulting in heart attack or stroke. The HDLs can prevent this from happening since they remove wayward LDLs from these trouble areas and back to the liver. This is why HDLs are "good" -- they lower the risk of heart attack by trying to rid your blood vessels of excess LDLs._

but if you read through that I think it is a good explanation of the differences and why such comments may seem confusing...... they are not, simply accurate reflections of the truth,

Dave


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

fatbuddha said:


> > Cholestrol is produced by the liver. *the main reason is to provide a sort of lubricant for the insides of the veins and arteries to save the blood cells wearing them out*. So some is needed but not too much.
> 
> 
> with the greatest respect that is the biggest pile of tosh that I've read in a long while
> ...


Thats fine i was trying to give an explantion that the less scientific person could understand.

Phill


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

drcotts said:


> fatbuddha said:
> 
> 
> > > Cholestrol is produced by the liver. *the main reason is to provide a sort of lubricant for the insides of the veins and arteries to save the blood cells wearing them out*. So some is needed but not too much.
> ...


but if you are going to try to give an explanation, do try and provide a factually correct one, or if you are unsure do not provide one at all - not something that is completely wrong. cholesterol is NOT "a sort of lubricant", nor do blood cells "wear veins and arteries out".


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Thanks everyone.

I do exercise mainly by walking the dog. We live in the country and walk the lanes and tracks for about an hour and quarter each morning and 3/4 hour in the afternoon. Sometimes we head off to the coast and walk for longer.

I know oily fish is the thing being recommended the most, now, for lowering cholesterol so I will up our intake of that. Hopefully I will be able to keep a hold on it.

Is wine, in moderation, good or bad?


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

walking the dog is fine but the generally accepted measure of getting fitter to stave off the ravages of diseases and illness is at least 20 minutes of aerobic exercise at least 3x a week as a MINIMUM.

and aerobic exercise in this context is raising the heart rate to a level where you are starting to become breathless and you feel the harder work and are likely to get sweaty. this can be done in all sorts of ways like swimming, jogging, biking, using cross-exercise machines etc etc. 

sadly for many walking just doesn't do enough to raise the heart rate to a level that would be classed as being aerobic.

for older, or more sedate, people who do not have this as part of their lifestyle should work towards it but slowly.


there are many dietary changes that anyone can make that will help and eating more fish (oily or not, but oily ones like mackerel or herring are better) is one. upping the veg intake, reducing the meat intake is also good.

wine in moderation is fine - many experts reckon that it can help reduce heart disease and cancers; likewise others will say it won't.

getting the balance between exercise and diet right is crucial for a healthier lifestyle as you get older as you tend to get lazier, lose motivation, feel as if you can't do these things etc. but frankly most people's problems with changing their lifestyle to a more healthy one is in their head not their physical ability.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

If we could incorporate hills (difficult as we live in Norfolk :roll: ) into our dog walk then I know I could get breathless. As we have walked dogs for over forty years I am doubtful that any flat level walking will be any good. 
I love cycling but fitting it in with the dog walking duties can be difficult. If only it were legal to cycle with a dog! She's a Whippet so I could go as fast as I like :lol: 

Will give some thought to finding some hills (ish) to use. There is a cycle bridge we have to use to cross the A11. It nearly kills me to get over it so I could try that!


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Sex three times a day, preferably between meals. That should be aerobic enough for anyone and you can do it in the comfort of your own home. :wink: 
Dave p


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## stepps110 (Jan 20, 2008)

Sex 3 x a day, still leaves 10 mins to fill! :lol:


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Oh no! Better cut down then :lol:


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Hi

I've been slowly reading "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman. 

Following that, I've had some meat but not much, pretty much no white grains, just wholemeal, brown rice etc and stuffed myself with veg. 3 apples, a few carrots, cherry toms, maybe a banana every day as well as breakfast muesili (added nuts, fruit etc), lunch time sarnies and a mainly veggy dinner and lost half a stone in three weeks. No additional exercise. Cravings for biscuits, crisps, ice cream or any other snack have stopped, I'm really full but lighter  I will need a steak soon though 

In the same way as the 5:2 regime, theres more in his book than eat salad-lose weight. Things that make sense but go against what most would say is normal. I'd be interested in others opinions who have read it


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

Avoid salt. Use olive oil for all cooking, salad dressings etc. Olive oil remains stable when heated, while so called "polyunsaturated" oils break down when heated, producing harmful fats.

The same goes for all margarines, even if they have olive oil in them or they are made with "polyunsaturated" oils. The process that produces semi solid margerine also produces harmful fats. You're better off using butter, but sparingly. 

Eat plenty of fish, especially oily fish such as mackerel, sardines and salmon. If you don't like fish, take fish oil capsules every day. Don't eat tuna more than once a week, because of heavy metals.

Lots and lots of vegetables, pulses such as lentils and beans are good. Don't eat too much bread, but if you go for decent crusty bread, you don't need butter.

Eat as many eggs as you like. The scare stories about the cholesterol in eggs are nonsense - as pointed out by others, the body makes its own cholesterol. 

Take a 75 microgram aspirin every day, it helps to prevent blood clots.

Walking briskly, swimming, and indeed sex are all good exercise. So is climbing stairs.

Exercise and the correct diet can help to raise your good cholesterol and/or lower your bad cholesterol, but some people just produce more cholesterol than others, just as some people have higher blood pressure than others. So see what your GP advises. Good luck!


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## stephenpug (Sep 18, 2008)

I was 21stone last May at age 52 i had an MOT and was told i was diabetic (borderline) and had cholesterol at 6.9 so i went on a diet today i am 17stone with cholesterol at 3.2 
But i think that i have read that tinned tuna contains no omega oil so is no use in helping reducing cholesterol :roll:


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

stephenpug said:


> I was 21stone last May at age 52 i had an MOT and was told i was diabetic (borderline) and had cholesterol at 6.9 so i went on a diet today i am 17stone with cholesterol at 3.2
> But i think that i have read that tinned tuna contains no omega oil so is no use in helping reducing cholesterol :roll:


well done on the weight loss and cholesterol reduction - have you been taking statins to get it down that far??

but to correct you, omega fatty acids do not help reduce cholesterol - they have no impact on cholesterol at all. they are essential fatty acids (essential meaning that you do not make them yourself so have to come from dietary sources) which have benefits through various metabolic pathways in reducing inflammation, strokes and possibly heart disease by helping increase LDL values

but the juries are out on all the various claimed benefits of omega FAs but data seems to support their use over not having them - and the best sources are either oily fish (tuna isn't an oily fish btw) or capsules


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Easyriders said:


> Take a 75 microgram aspirin every day, it helps to prevent blood clots.


Is that advisable without medical advise? What is the current thinking on the benefits outweighing the risks? Has there been any trials on the effects of taking it over say 25 years?

These are two articles advising against it - I am sure there will be others that recommends it just a strongly.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...-regular-dose-WONT-cut-heart-attack-risk.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17445676


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

rayc said:


> Easyriders said:
> 
> 
> > Take a 75 microgram aspirin every day, it helps to prevent blood clots.
> ...


I think the generally accepted wisdom these days with aspirin is NOT to take it on a daily basis unless the person has an underlying condition where it's benefits may outweigh it's risks - patients who have had coronary problems or those with mild strokes.

my mother had a couple of minor strokes in later life and she was prescribed daily aspirin but I'm not sure whether it helped stop her developing a major stroke or not as she had other issues to contend with like bladder cancer and ultimately died as a result of an abdominal aneurysm. she was a lifelong smoker which is probably what caused a lot of her illnesses and contributed to her death at 82.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

fatbuddha said:


> rayc said:
> 
> 
> > Easyriders said:
> ...


From the web:
Americans consume 15 tons of aspirin a day, 19 billion tablets per 
year. Although thought to be harmless, a single aspirin will… 
…Be responsible for 1500-2000 deaths, 
…be the leading cause of kidney disease, 
…Cause ulcers, toxic headaches and children's Reye's 
Syndrome. 
http://www.enlightenamerica.com/files/Over-Prescribed.pdf


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

The realisation about Reye's Syndrome is the reason why "Junior Aspirin" which I am sure we can all remember from our childhood the little pink pills that were REALLY tasty........

no longer permitted for children under 12 y.o.

I remember them well...... :lol: 

Mind you, have a guess what the aspirin content of each tablet was......

yup, 75mg - exactly the same as is recommended now for people with a cardiac history to take on a daily basis - it stops the red blood cells sticking together quite so easily so means the blood is less likely to clot (it also means a minor nick will bleed a tad more  )

There was a time a few years ago when they wanted every adult over about 40 to take one daily, I believe the evidence is now against giving them out routinely UNLESS the person has a cardiac history.

Dave


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## jakejob (May 21, 2013)

Its a no brainer. 

A fibre suppliment not only prevents colon cancer and keeps you regular, it also lowers LDL, keeps blood sugar levels and insulin levels low and gets rid of toxins in the body. ( insulin is directly responsible for converting carbs into fat for storage in the body )
Get your fibre from fruit , 5 a day as recomended ? Brilliant , all that fruit sugar will stimulate insulin release and we know what that does!

As for low fat diet, some fats are good for you, essential if you like, so your medical advice seems useless enless you ve had it explained to you and you know which are which.

Fish sounds great as does olive oil, but if its farmed fish it wont have the omega 3 like a wild one as its been fed fish food and nor will olive oil if its been used to cook with. So the message is eat wild fish and cook with macadamia oil that holds its higher than olive oil omega 3 and 6 when cooked with.

But just to throw a spanner in the works its worth mentioning fat supresses insulin release.

Confused ? of course, and you need to really look into this subject of diet and weight gain, lowering LDL to really get to grips with it as so much lousy information is bantered around.

good luck !


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