High Cholesterol

Went to my MD today for results. Dropped 19 ponts since last year (before I started the vegan lifestyle), but still at 217. She wants to put me on meds, but I still have about 60 lbs to loose. Plus, my mom only weighs 115 and has a 300! So, MD thinks it's genetic and there is nothing to be done about it. I think this sucks. Any ideas about how to combat high cholesterol??

Wed. May 23, 3:18pm

High cholesterol

Hello,

If you haven't already, I would do all the reading (library, internet, etc.) and information gathering (traditional & naturopathic medicine) I could about "cholesterol!" There are soooo many opinions on how high or low it should be.

Some studies have shown that high "homocystein" level is more of an indicator of who may end up with heart trouble than cholest. level.

All of the cholest. lowering drugs have side effects of their own and I would definitely do a lot of fact finding before I would commit to taking these powerful drugs for "the rest of my life."

Wednesday, May 23, 2007, 5:48 PM

It's very possible your high cholesterol is genetic since your mother has it, however you don't mention what her diet or yours is like. That can make a huge difference. Even if it is genetic, there are still things you can do to raise your good cholesterol and possibly lower your bad cholesterol. It is a good sign that your cholesterol dropped since the last time you saw your doctor. How old are you? Most doctors are hesitant to put younger people on cholesterol meds right away, especially since lifestyle factors can play a really important role

My boyfriend's family has a long history of high cholesterol and while his mother's side is due to genetics, his father's side is do to diet/lifestyle factors. His father lowered his cholesterol and avoided medication because his doctor recommended he read "The New 8 Week Cholesterol Cure" by Robert E. Kowalski and follow the tips. He did and it worked. (Not spamming here!! I promise!) My boyfriend's cholesterol is borderline high and he is now reading the book to see if he can change that. You can probably check the book out from the library or buy it used somewhere. It is easy to read and the things he suggests are pretty doable!

One suggestion in the book is to have a serving of metamucil with each meal. It sounds unpleasant but psyllium, the type of fiber in metamucil (other fiber supplements are made with other types of fiber) physically pushes the bad cholesterol from each meal through your intestines before it can be absorbed.

Call your doctor's office and mention the book and see what they think. It's a pretty well known book in medical circles and your doc may be thrilled that you are taking steps to a healthier life anyhow!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007, 10:19 PM

Thanks for the feedback! I seem to have left out necessary info: I'm 25, weigh 210 (down from 244) and am a strict vegan since Jan. 07. I'm absolutely going to get the book you mentioned. My Dr. is very supportive of 'alternatives', so I'm sure she will be happy about it!!

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 12:50 AM

My husband's doctor recommended Niacin which you can buy over the counter. Niacin will cause flushing if you don't get the flush free type. Also cod liver oil is recommended.

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 8:13 AM

What about your HDL and LDL? Total cholesterol is only part of the picture.

I have lowered my cholesterol from 239 to 219 through diet (see below) and accupuncture. That is still high but since I don't have other risk factors for heart disease I decided to stay off of meds. My cholestreol is also genetic.

I found that I had an additional drop in points by going on South Beach. I can't expalin the science to you but simple carbohydrates raise cholesterol. When I was at 239 I was also vegan.

Another poster mentioned homocystine levels. Another level to look at is CRP (caridac reactive protein) which indicates inflammation in the body. Inflammation of the vessels seems to be more of an indicator for heart disease than cholesterol.

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 8:22 AM

Yes, Niacin can absolutely help lower cholesterol but be careful, too much and it can harm your liver. I would recommend asking your doctor's recommendation for a dose of Niacin and having him/her monitor you on it as it can build to toxic levels in your body.

Thursday, May 24, 2007, 12:20 PM

I suffer from high cholesterol and have since I was 18. Partially it is part of the genetic make-up for my family,what they taught me to eat and what I currently eat. My doctor suggested meds as well but I asked him to hold off and see if I coudln't find an alternative way to lower the cholesterol. The prescription cholesterol meds tend to do a number on your liver. What I am currently using is omega 3 fish oil gel caps. co-q10 and red yeast tablets.

I go for a check in a month and hopefully things will be lowered. What sort of fats are you getting in your vegan diet?

Also I agree do alot of research online,in the library and see what you can find,discuss it with your md and go from there.

Good Luck~

Tuesday, May 29, 2007, 8:48 PM

My cholesterol level is quite high, but now I’m more careful about what I eat, I cut back a lot on junk food/fast food, consume cholesterol lowering products and drinks such as peanuts, rice, avocado, olive oil, coconut oil - see the article, walnuts, aloe vera juice, dark chocolate, almonds, garlic, green tea etc, cut out wheat and stopped smoking.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013, 9:03 AM

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