High Cholesterol

[VisceralReaction]

My total count was just over 300, my HDL was a bit higher than it should be too so they said
due to that I wasn't at much risk, at freaking 32 years old though.
The Doc said we could probably manage it with just diet and exercise and if that didn't work
we would try the meds. I changed my diet and dropped 60lbs and dropped my total count
to where it should be. I've kept it off too, now at 38, I'm 168lbs and no more constant hearburn
and huffing and puffing up stairs. It's all for the best. I out hike my 25 year old friends when
we backpack. Oh I quite smoking too. But I ain't giving up the booze 

[Speedbag]

I'm 40, and my total was like 238. Trigs were 247. Or maybe I have those numbers reversed....

No way in hell I'm giving up my beer. 

[ducpainter]

my dad is a cardiologist, prob know a bit more than most

excercise, diet and meds is the right way to go

I'm certain he does.

[cyrus buelton]

I'm certain he does.

I do too as I have had extensive conversations with him and even shadowed him a summer.

It really all depends on family history and your numbers, then your doc will determine the proper correction.

[somegirl]

Mmmmm, oatmeal.

Unless you have a specific (and rare) genetic disorder, it is very possible to reverse high cholesterol and other symptoms of cardiovascular disease by diet and exercise.  It just depends on how dedicated you are.  As Jeff said, there won't be one simple single change that you can make.

For some reason most doctors seem to prefer to prescribe pills with varying side effects...somehow this is considered less extreme treatment than a lifestyle change.

[cyrus buelton]

Mmmmm, oatmeal.

Unless you have a specific (and rare) genetic disorder, it is very possible to reverse high cholesterol and other symptoms of cardiovascular disease by diet and exercise.  It just depends on how dedicated you are.  As Jeff said, there won't be one simple single change that you can make.

For some reason most doctors seem to prefer to prescribe pills with varying side effects...somehow this is considered less extreme treatment than a lifestyle change.

Not very accurate at all, but I wont argue.

i.e. my wife has a heart condition which isnt rare and can't be corrected by diet or excersise.

I am done here.

[somegirl]

Not very accurate at all, but I wont argue.

Note I said very possible, not always possible.

Here are a couple of publications of interest from peer-reviewed journals.  I'm happy to post more published references if anyone is interested.

 Ornish D, Scherwitz LW, Billings JH, Brown SE, Gould KL, Merritt TA, Sparler S, Armstrong WT, Ports TA, Kirkeeide RL, Hogeboom C, Brand RJ.  Journal of the American Medical Association. 1998 Dec 16;280(23):2001-7. Erratum in: JAMA 1999 Apr 21;281(15):1380.

  Koertge J, Weidner G, Elliott-Eller M, Scherwitz L, Merritt-Worden TA, Marlin R, Lipsenthal L, Guarneri M, Finkel R, Saunders Jr DE, McCormac P, Scheer JM, Collins RE, Ornish D. American Journal of Cardiology 2003 Jun 1;91(11):1316-22.

[Ddan]

Not very accurate at all, but I wont argue.

i.e. my wife has a heart condition which isnt rare and can't be corrected by diet or excersise.

I am done here.

Most cancers aren't treated by diet and exercise either, but that's not what is being discussed.  We are talking about other well recognized and effective methods of controlling or lowering cholesterol levels by means other than prescription meds.

[muskrat]

and then again plenty of people live with 220+ and high 300's trigs just fine.  I'm no doctor but stress precipitates things so I'd add something like more MOTO TIME.

[somegirl]

Maybe this lifestyle change is more appealing?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/01/07/sex.health.benefits/index.html

[cyrus buelton]

Most cancers aren't treated by diet and exercise either, but that's not what is being discussed.  We are talking about other well recognized and effective methods of controlling or lowering cholesterol levels by means other than prescription meds.

I am aware, but a lot of times that just isn't enough

[ducpainter]

For the longest time my blood pressure was borderline...

not quite high enough for meds.

The docs fixed that.

They changed the freaking numbers.

I'm not playing the cholesterol game.

I have to die from something.

[iDuc]

Nobody's mentioned niacin supplements- maybe that's more a local thing, but a lot of friends take it. Increases HDL apparently, which improves your ratio.

[cyrus buelton]

Nobody's mentioned niacin supplements- maybe that's more a local thing, but a lot of friends take it. Increases HDL apparently, which improves your ratio.

I'll have to ask my Dad about that one.

I think Folic Acid helps too, but maybe that is for blood pressure.

Who knows

Fish Oil is the obvious first choice as I believe it is medically proven to work.


I give it to my Doberman as a treat. She gets about 4-6 a day. She has the shiniest coat because of it. Helps keep her skin moist.

[JEFF_H]

i mentioned niacin.

first time i took it (along with a bunch of other pills for the first time), my entire body broke out in a rash, my face turned BRIGHT red, and i was burning and itchy and felt sick.
i thought, oh shit this is a really bad allergic reaction to one of those
rushed to the urgent care where the doc on duty took one look at me and gave me a benadril shot
then my doc heard i was there and said it was a normal reaction to niacin in some people.
thanks for making me sleepy all day 
(im fine with a half niacin pill)

i've pmed a couple people about my situation but i might as well post it.
i found out last month my cholesterol is 330, with bp (no, not that one, the hypertension kind) of 170/100 thrown in for good measure.
a couple vitamins and some oatmeal aint gonna cut it.

i had no symptoms, very rarely even get a cold, and hadnt been to the dr in years.

i am also making lifestyle changes as mentioned above...but those numbers are nowhere close to borderline and this needs meds to get it handled immediately
we're all going to die from something...but i was going to die from THAT, and sooner rather than later.
(im a ripe old 41 btw)

worse part (besides being freaked the hell out im gonna keel over and have a heart attack now)
i have been advised to eliminate my favorite cocktail from my diet
bacon infused bourbon
brown sugar simple syrup
dash bitters
twisted bacon swizzle
omfg that thing is good