# Starting out slowly to lower my cholesterol



## Bretrick (Nov 7, 2021)

Breakfast was Porridge with raisins, chopped cashews and almonds and a splash of skim milk. Green Tea
Lunch was a slice of wholemeal toast with sardines. Strawberry Smothie with skim milk.
For Dinner I had oven baked chicken breast with a salad of  lettuce, cabbage, carrot, celery, beetroot, apple, cashews, almonds, tomato, white onion, all very finely chopped, avocado and Praise salad dressing. Soda water


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## Brummie (Nov 7, 2021)

i went on a plant based diet and my numbers just plummeted!
Check out DR Esselstyn on You-Tube / he treated President Clinton with success!


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## Maryatrics (Nov 7, 2021)

Sounds like a wonderful start. 
Some good things to add to your diet to help with lowering the LDL cholesterol would be Oats, Barley/Grains, Beans, Eggplant, Use Vegetable Oil insted or Butter & Lard, Apples, Grapes, Strawberries, Nuts, Soy (tofu/soy milk), Fish(not fried breaded fish)


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## dseag2 (Nov 7, 2021)

Maryatrics said:


> Sounds like a wonderful start.
> Some good things to add to your diet to help with lowering the LDL cholesterol would be Oats, Barley/Grains, Beans, Eggplant, Use Vegetable Oil insted or Butter & Lard, Apples, Grapes, Strawberries, Nuts, Soy (tofu/soy milk), Fish(not fried breaded fish)


I love that you are a new member and are already contributing to this forum.  Thank you!


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## Bretrick (Nov 7, 2021)

Maryatrics said:


> Sounds like a wonderful start.
> Some good things to add to your diet to help with lowering the LDL cholesterol would be Oats, Barley/Grains, Beans, Eggplant, Use Vegetable Oil insted or Butter & Lard, Apples, Grapes, Strawberries, Nuts, Soy (tofu/soy milk), Fish(not fried breaded fish)


Thank you for taking an interest.
Welcome to the site.
What I have found beginning this journey is that there is so much conflicting information.
One has to wonder what to believe.
I think for now I will go for those foods that are supposedly known to lower cholesterol
Slowly slowly does it.


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## DaveA (Nov 9, 2021)

High cholesterol showed up when I was around 50.  Doctor (at that time) gave me the usual talk about food intake (types and amounts) and also a daily pill or two (?). 

It did the trick, over the years and although lately (on this site) I've been informed that I'm poisoning myself on a daily basis.  Must be a "weak' poison cause it's been almost 38 years since I started taking it and I've managed to survive.


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## Kaila (Jun 5, 2022)

Brummie said:


> i went on a plant based diet and my numbers just plummeted!
> Check out DR Esselstyn on You-Tube / he treated President Clinton with success!


Just curious if you had been eating lots of meat, before you did this.
Or just a small amount of meat. ?


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## Tommy (Jun 6, 2022)

That sounds like a very well balanced diet, Bretrick.  You're off to a good start.

I cleaned up my diet in a similar manner about three years ago with the intention of losing some weight.  Not only did I lose 70 pounds over the course of about eight months, but also my lipid numbers dropped right back to where they should be.  Without statin drugs.  It's been well worth the effort.


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## CinnamonSugar (Jun 6, 2022)

My cholesterol shot up to a startling level 6 months ago and I was bumfuzzled at first b/c I eat healthy.  Then I realized I’d gotten into the habit of eating the “keto friendly” ice creams… although low in sugar, the fats apparently were another matter.  So six months with no ice cream and cholesterol dropped 50 pts


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## Ruthanne (Jun 6, 2022)

How is your cholesterol now?  I have had too high cholesterol and could not tolerate full strength stations. Now my cholesterol is normal with a non statin and a very low dose statin.


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## OneEyedDiva (Jun 7, 2022)

Good for you Bretrick! I'm on a quest to lower my LDL cholesterol...the HDL is fine. One thing I had to let go, at least for awhile, is my favorite food...ice cream. I can't keep it in the house. If I buy the "use to be half gallon" size (now 48 oz), it was gone in 24 to 36 hours. Tried the ice cream novelties which last a bit longer but still wound up eating too much of it.  I eat oatmeal most days of the week and certainly need to eat more vegetables.  I just picked up the new statin my cardiologist switched me to. Simvastatin out...Rosuvastatin in. She said these statins need to be taken on an empty stomach and not with other medications.

Best of blessings with your eating plan. Are you taking any statins?


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## Bretrick (Jun 8, 2022)

Ruthanne said:


> How is your cholesterol now?  I have had too high cholesterol and could not tolerate full strength stations. Now my cholesterol is normal with a non statin and a very low dose statin.


I have not checked since I started.
Will surprise myself, test after 12 months.
Eating plenty of oats for breakfast.
We will see what has happened when I do test. Not overly concerned, Que Sera, Sera


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## Bretrick (Jun 8, 2022)

OneEyedDiva said:


> Good for you Bretrick! I'm on a quest to lower my LDL cholesterol...the HDL is fine. One thing I had to let go, at least for awhile, is my favorite food...ice cream. I can't keep it in the house. If I buy the "use to be half gallon" size (now 48 oz), it was gone in 24 to 36 hours. Tried the ice cream novelties which last a bit longer but still wound up eating too much of it.  I eat oatmeal most days of the week and certainly need to eat more vegetables.  I just picked up the new statin my cardiologist switched me to. Simvastatin out...Rosuvastatin in. She said these statins need to be taken on an empty stomach and not with other medications.
> 
> Best of blessings with your eating plan. Are you taking any statins?


Taking no medications. Try dietary means first. If no improvement after 12 months then I may talk to my doctor


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## Bretrick (Jun 8, 2022)

Maryatrics said:


> Sounds like a wonderful start.
> Some good things to add to your diet to help with lowering the LDL cholesterol would be Oats, Barley/Grains, Beans, Eggplant, Use Vegetable Oil insted or Butter & Lard, Apples, Grapes, Strawberries, Nuts, Soy (tofu/soy milk), Fish(not fried breaded fish)


Somehow I missed you reply.
All good foods to help naturally lower chol...
I love sardines and incorporate them into meals.


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## Ruthanne (Jun 9, 2022)

Bretrick said:


> I have not checked since I started.
> Will surprise myself, test after 12 months.
> Eating plenty of oats for breakfast.
> We will see what has happened when I do test. Not overly concerned, Que Sera, Sera


Good luck with it!


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## dseag2 (Jun 9, 2022)

I just received the results of my annual physical exam today.  All my vitals are good.  My doc did say that my cholesterol is still high, and he recommended Red Yeast Rice capsules.  For what it's worth.


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## Just Jeff (Jun 9, 2022)

Bretrick said:


> Not overly concerned


It looks to me like you will be okay,  at least as long as the government doesn't snag you.

Remembering news from long ago as in the first half of last century,  I did a duckduck go search =not as censored yet as ggl = for the terms 
"fake studies for cholesteral from russia"  /the search engine corrected my spelling too/  fake studies for cholesterol from russia 
and there were several good hits in the first thirty,  just reading the summaries.

This might be the key idea -I did not read the link, just this summary- > 
" New Research Confirms We Got Cholesterol All Wrongreason.com › home › culture › food › food policy › new research confirms we got cholesterol all wrong
September 22, 2018 - The U.S. government has pushed a lot of bad nutrition advice over the years. Maybe it should stop advising us on what to eat."


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## Brummie (Jun 29, 2022)

Kaila said:


> Just curious if you had been eating lots of meat, before you did this.
> Or just a small amount of meat. ?


I was eating meat about 3 -5 times a week.


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## Chet (Jun 29, 2022)

I eat whatever I want but in moderation. I was prescribed Simvastatin and the results were good. The doctor is happy and so am I. Personally I think too  much is made of cholesterol levels.


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## win231 (Jun 29, 2022)

Just Jeff said:


> It looks to me like you will be okay,  at least as long as the government doesn't snag you.
> 
> Remembering news from long ago as in the first half of last century,  I did a duckduck go search =not as censored yet as ggl = for the terms
> "fake studies for cholesteral from russia"  /the search engine corrected my spelling too/  fake studies for cholesterol from russia
> ...


Yes.  16 years ago, at my diabetes diagnosis, my doctor wanted me to immediately start taking blood thinners, blood pressure drugs, daily aspirin & a Statin to "Reduce my risk."  I did several hours of research - not just reading material from the AMA.
Interesting - _"Non Sponsored"_ studies showed the highest levels of heart disease in areas with the lowest cholesterol & vice versa.

_The issue is NOT whether Statins lower cholesterol, the issue is whether or not cholesterol level has anything to do with risk factors for heart attacks or strokes.  After years & years of Statins, heart disease & stroke is still the #1 killer.  Doesn't seem like Statins are doing much good._

Even more interesting:  At my diabetes support group meeting, I brought material that showed the risk of Statins, since doctors automatically push them on everyone - "You're diabetic.....you're over 50.....your parents had heart attacks......".  The guy sitting next to me got very angry - he was a retired pharmacist & (of course) didn't like such info; he considered it an insult to his career.  He said he had been taking Statins & they "Saved his life."
After he missed the next several meetings, he showed up - in a wheelchair with a nurse.
He explained what happened.  He was relaxing at home, watching TV.  When he tried to get up, his legs wouldn't hold him & he fell onto the floor.  He couldn't get up or even drag himself to the bathroom.  Since he lived alone, he spend _4 days on the floor - no water, no food, no bathroom _- until his son came to check on him.  After another 3 months in a convalescent hospital, he realized his situation was permanent.  He couldn't bear to go from an active, tennis-playing 68 year old to life in a wheelchair & he committed suicide.

An 85 year old friend of mine started taking Statins on the advice of her doctor & she experienced leg pain.  She stopped them on her own.

A well-known possible side effect of Statins is muscle pain & weakness.  I'm not convinced it's worth the risk.  To each his own.


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## Chet (Jun 29, 2022)

win231 said:


> Yes.  16 years ago, at my diabetes diagnosis, my doctor wanted me to immediately start taking blood thinners, blood pressure drugs, daily aspirin & a Statin to "Reduce my risk."  I did several hours of research - not just reading material from the AMA.
> Interesting - _"Non Sponsored"_ studies showed the highest levels of heart disease in areas with the lowest cholesterol & vice versa.
> 
> _The issue is NOT whether Statins lower cholesterol, the issue is whether or not cholesterol level has anything to do with risk factors for heart attacks or strokes.  After years & years of Statins, heart disease & stroke is still the #1 killer.  Doesn't seem like Statins are doing much good._
> ...


 * "Since he lived alone, he spend 4 days on the floor - no water, no food, no bathroom"*
That's a real risk. A neighbor was found dead by our mailman after he found her mail box wasn't emptied for several days.


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## RadishRose (Jun 29, 2022)

dseag2 said:


> he recommended Red Yeast Rice capsules


Yes, I used to take those when first discovering high cholesterol. They do contain statins, but prescription statins are probably cheaper.


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## win231 (Jun 29, 2022)

Something else I learned:  We already have an internal system for regulating cholesterol, hormones, & anything that needs regulating.
But it requires something that's insufficient in most Americans' diets:  Soluble Fiber.
A processed-food diet doesn't allow excess cholesterol to escape.
Personally, I'd rather eat more Fruits & Vegetables than take a drug that may or may not cause harm.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fiber-and-cholesterol

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog...er-health-and-lower-cholesterol-2019062416819
​


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## Just Jeff (Jun 30, 2022)

win231 said:


> Doesn't seem like Statins are doing much good.


I don't think they are supposed to do much good, except for the bottom line/ profits.    Only one in sixtyfour people who get statins for heart troubles is helped.  That's the known and published NNT - number needed to treat,  to help one person.   
Besides that,  most people who take statins are harmed in other areas.


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