how to lower cholesterol....

[lcg]

mr has been to the dr's and been told he has v. high cholesterol. he was given advice (obviously!)....but what should we be doing as both a family and specifically for him to lower it as fast as possible? what do you guys do? any tips/habits would be gratefully explored! tyvmia x

[Sqad]

\\\\ him to lower it as fast as possible? \\\\

"as fast as possible?"

Only statins can do that.......BUT.

If you think that there is a relationship between high cholesterol and heart attacks and strokes and although you haven't said if his HDL (good cholesterol was high).......then:

Fish, high fibre (oatmael, nuts daily and the use of olive oil.....this is the diet for which you are asking.

[starone]

I have very high cholesterol and am on the full dosage of statins so cannot have any more. In order to lower it as much as possible I avoid as much fat as I can. So when served chicken, which is fairly fat free except for the skin I always remove the skin. Any other meat he must not eat any of the fat, so always trim off the fat. No fried food if possible. In fact, think about fat and try to remove most of it from his diet. However, be careful as the body needs a little bit of fat so adopt the saying, Low fat, not no fat. Butter is out, try and find a substitute with no hard fats. I use Flora Pro-activ, which is a bit expensive, but worth it. I also drink a Flora pro-activ drink, one a day which is also expensive. Since taking up this regime my cholesterol has gone down a few points. I am not sure if it is the pro-activ or not, but it certainly seems to have worked. If you need fat for cooking use olive oil.

[starone]

Sorry, a bit more - don't forget there is fat in other products such as chocolate, cream etc. so always read the labels and if there is a lot of fat in it - forget it.

[Ann]

My friend has recently proved this - a Benecol drink every day. She had cholesterol reading to 7.8 and can't take statins as it causes joint pains so she stopped the tablets, bought these drinks (bit expensive but obviously worth it) and last week her reading had come down to 5.8 she is delighted. My OH did the same using Pro-active Spread.

[starone]

Ought to be free on the NHS didn't it. I was reluctant to praise it too highly in case it didn't work on other people, but it certainly seems to be working on me, ann's friend and her OH.

[grasscarp]

I got mine from 9.9 to 7.6 by starting the day with a bowl of porridge. Nothing else different.

[Ann]

Yes grasscarp - forgot to mention that. I have been having porridge for the past 5 years and my cholesterol now is really low (not too low - but spot on) when I go to the Blood Pressure clinic the nurse always congratulates me and I tell her I have porridge every morning - she says it is the best thing to have as porridge oats mop up all the fatty deposits. I have the Scotts OLD FASHIONED variety (Morrisons or Co-op) they are the coarse sort and I cook them in semi-skimmed milk, dried cranberries and raisins to sweeten. Cook in the microwave for 1min 20 secs (as I like porridge thick enough to stand a spoon up in!)

[pips1]

I can't take statins either as they cause a reaction in me, my doctor tried me on a few brands but they were all the same. She took me off statins altogether to give me a chance to get them out of my system and nothing has happened since. I have been a bit worried if it is still high and should go back really but have had other health issues to contend with and the cholesterol problem has taken a back seat really. Maybe I will try the Benecol and then go and have another test done then.

[pips1]

Ann86 - me too!!! Porridge has to be really thick for me to eat it, will give that a try as well.

[grasscarp]

I often take my breakfast to have when I get into work. Sometimes for variety I put in tupperware container porridge oats and grated apple - just grate the apple skin and all but not the core - and add apple juice. Tastes good.

[Ann]

Do you eat it cold and uncooked grasscarp? It would be like muesli I guess...

[Gromit]

Pistachios Nuts and Raisins everyday.

http://www.telegraph....troy-cholesterol.html

[grasscarp]

Yes completely cold and uncooked Ann. Another thing I read, and it could have been here, was that you can pour boiling water on to porridge oats and seal up with lid and it makes porridge without cooking. Sometimes I do that. My favourite toppings include banana and blueberries and a sprinkle of cinammon. If feeling really indulgent golden syrup.

[Gromit]

raisins

http://www.livestrong...good-for-cholesterol/

[Ann]

I love raisins Gromit but have to eat them in moderation as they are not good for the waistline!
http://www.livestrong...raisins-make-you-fat/

[jno]

very interesting, thanks, Gromit. I can't stand porridge. but a handful of pistachios would do me good.

[Gromit]

Top tip on buying pistachios.

Buy them from the baking section where they are already shelled. Saves a lot of mess.

[dianahoohar]

About 2 years ago my cholesterol results came back very high. The total was 7.3. My LDL was 5.2! which, for those of you who don't know the numbers, is extremely high. My GP prescribed me statins (Simvastatin 40mg) which I was unwilling to take without attempting to reduce it by natural means first. He told me it would not be possible to reduce it significantly by diet and exercise alone. I proved him wrong in 6 weeks.

My diet wasn’t bad before, so I just made a few changes. No red meat for a start. A bowl of porridge every morning, a Benecol drink, plenty of fruit & veg (more than 5 a day). Oily fish (at least 3 times a week), one small square of dark chocolate a day, and soya products now and then and a few seeds with salad or a snack (pumpkin, sunflower, etc). A few herbal teas and a 30 minute walk a day.

My next reading was 5.0 (total) and my LDL was down to 3.4 – with no statins.

My cholesterol is still under control (though I am not as strict as I was at first). I kept a food diary every day for the first 6 weeks which helped me to ensure I was including all the right things. Hope this helps.

I'm not suggesting no-one should take statins, but diet and exercise will help anyway and if it means you don't have to take them, all the better.

[Gromit]

I had a fantastic Cholesterol level of 3.9 the day I had my heart attack!

[Sqad]

Gromit........;-)