Just a quick backstory, I've been on this weight loss journey for a few years. In summer 2010 I hit my goal of 125, but have slowly crept back up to 158 (my current weight).
I'm very active, and I have become a runner. I have my ups and downs with eating (obviously some pounds came back so I'm not always perfect). In general, though, I make healthy choices like whole grains, lean proteins, healthy oils, etc. I'm proud of myself for keeping the weight down (compared to my previous 205 lbs) but at the same time disappointed in my regains. But, I'm not giving up!
Well, yesterday, after having blood work done I found out my cholesterol is above 300. Not good. I am 37 years old. The doc says that I need to continue my weight loss efforts, continue exercising and check-in in about 6 months to determine if medicine is necessary. Let me say, I don't want to be on meds!!! Not at all! I do have a pretty strong family history of heart disease.
So today I feel kind of defeated. In researching, the recommendations are low fat diets, higher fiber, exercise. I do all that. I've been doing all that! I feel like I'm actually not going to make that much of a difference in 6 months because I already do so many of the things they recommend. The only thing I can control is my weight, so I'm utterly determined to get back down to 125. I can do it, I know I can.
So, would anyone have any advice or experiences that you could share. For example, were you able to lower your cholesterol significantly through diet and avoid the meds? Today I've been focused on fiber intake, fresh veggies, etc for heart health. I might start some fish oil supplements, but I'm not sure.
kellost, my mom's side of the family regularly flirts with and over the 300 mark - but we're the opposite. Nobody's died of heart disease for at least 6 generations. It's our "normal." For me, my LDL goes up and HDL drops only when I exercise, and it's not related to weight or diet or anything.
In order to fend off Big Pharm and well-meaning doctors who want to throw pills my way, I've had to learn an awful lot about those drugs and about what actually causes heart disease. The best article on cholesterol, with the most cutting-edge science behind it, is published by the non-profit Life Extension Foundation. It's worth a read, and to copy it and have a frank discussion with your doctor. To truly assess your cardiac risk may take some more tests. Here's the article:
There have been updates to this since then, but this should give you some very good info on things to do BEFORE you start any dangerous drug regimens. Good luck!!!
If you are on any medication at all, look at them and see if one of the side effects can be elevated cholesterol. (For example, antidepressants like Zoloft can cause it)
I am on cholesterol meds but hoping to be taken off at my next check up. For me my choleterol itself was not that high, but the ratio was bad- my bad cholesterol is a little high, and my good cholesterol is low.
However I learned from my mom, when she had a heart attack, that cholesterol level is largely determined by heredity. I remember her doctor telling us that some people just naturally produce more cholesterol. It was surprising that hers was so high because she ate the kind of diet most doctors recommend.
You could try eating vegetarian. I've recently started eating seafood again, but I have been vegetarian for about five years and was vegan for 9 months. I'm currently 212 pounds (2 pounds below my heaviest weight), and I recently had bloodwork done. Not only was my cholesterol great, but my good cholesterol was awesome. Also, one of my coworkers is the same weight as I am, and her cholesterol was a lot higher than mine. :-) I hope it works out for you!
<<Let me say, I don't want to be on meds!!! Not at all! I do have a pretty strong family history of heart disease.>>
I urge you to consider the meds, especially if you have heart disease in your family. My husband felt the same way as you and had a heart attack at age 57. Since then he started taking the meds, which he'll be taking for life. His numbers are way down -- far lower than he was able to achieve through diet even though he eliminated all saturated fats and ate VERY healthily for years. Of course it's only one example, but my point is that the meds really do work. And that's what ultimately counts, even if they're manufactured by "big pharma."
Freelance
Last edited by freelancemomma; 02-29-2012 at 08:50 PM.
Tough break. Heart disease and high cholesterol run in my family too. It hasn't reached me yet, but I expect it will at some point.
My mother has always been normal weight and eats an extremely healthy and moderate diet (and takes all the supplements and vitamins and fish oil you could want) and, without meds, her cholesterol always flies high high high--above 300. She tried to manage through diet and naturopathic remedies but she had, ultimately, to just commit to staying on the meds. It's the only thing that works for her. It sucks, but that's just the reality.
BUT, yours might be different. See what you can do with diet and general health but accept that you might need the drugs anyway.
My cholesterol used to be really high, but it was because of the triglycerides. Wish I had known back then it was a sign of pre-diabetes and that I was eating too many crappy carbs.
It's an interesting subject and I'm curious about it as I have heart disease on my father's side. One of my reasons for finally committing to losing some excess weight was rising cholesterol numbers.
After losing about 20 pounds I was retested and my total cholesterol number had come down by about 50 points and that puts me back in the very normal range. I also take a fish oil supplement so that may have something to do with the lower number.
I'm still not sure how much my genes may factor into whether or not my cholesterol ever increases again but for now it's important to me to stay slender.
What is your break down? There are 3 types. Only one is bad but all three count towards the number. You need to know more than just the number 300.
This. ^^
There are a lot of newer studies out there finding that the culprit of heart disease and the associated issues like high cholesterol are actually NOT due to fat and cholesterol consumption. And that the high fiber, low fat diets docs have been doling out for decades can actually make the issue worse. Summary: chronic inflammation in the body (from sugars, processed foods, etc) causes the artery walls to swell, become irritated, and bleed. This swelling is what the excess lipids get stuck on and gradually build up to form the plaque that causes blockages, high cholesterol levels, etc. Here's a good article that has references and such:
Sadly, you are going to get a lot of conflicting responses about this topic. Since eating healthier, my blood sugar levels, my blood pressure, and my cholesterol have all come down a lot. I am off the BS meds, and haven't had to go on any for the other two.
My BSL's are in the normal range; my blood pressure is the best it has been since my 20's (136/72), but I hope that will continue to get better as I go along; and my last cholesterol was 200.3 (which is considered in the normal range, but 160 is now considered ideal). My doctor was astonished by my numbers and asked me what kind of medicine I was on; and I said "none". He said, "Are you sure?" And I said, "Of course, I'm sure; I've never been on cholesterol meds in my life". Honestly, I was thinking "dahhhh".
So, on we go; I can only imagine that as I continue eating and living in a healthier way, they will continue to get better. Check out Nathan Pritikin's site (Nathan Pritikin.com). He got his cholesterol down from 300+ to 160, then to 120 in about 1.5 years from eating and living healthier.
High Cholesterol experiences?
