cholesterol

[essexgirl58]

I was told I have a cholesterol reading of 5.8. I was shocked because I thought I ate healthy. I do not drink fizzy drinks or alcohol. I mainly drink water. I eat a lot of salads but I do like ice cream. When i had the blood test done I id not ast but I am going to get it done again by fasting to see if it gives a lower reading. Someone said it could be genetic and nothing to do with poor diet. I would hate to cut out ice cream or cake but I do not have much of that anyway. I just do not understand why my reading was 5,8. I will know more once I have chatted to the GP

I am introucing more fibre into my diet, but I already eat a lot of porridge. Very strange

Keep a food log, and research how healthy each food type is, rather than e.g. Automatically presuming something is healthy.

In our families experience, high cholesterol caused by the genetic condition, results in sky high levels rather than just slightly elevated, I think mine was around 10.

If its 5.8 just making a few diet changes and exercise might be enough to bring it down to normal.

thanks, I am going to have another test upon fasting. Its no good having the test after you have eaten scrambled eggs and two rounds of toast with butter.

I had the general blood test and cholesterol was not on the list and it did not say fasting so thats why I never fasted because I had no idea cholesterol would be checked. Oh well

My diet is great. Cholesterol is 8.3, GP says genetic, been high regardless of diet quality for 20+ years.

This has made me very conscious about what people eat. When I went round the supermarket earlier and saw what people were putting into their trolleys like pizza and ice cream and cheesecake, I thought woah I wonder what their colesterol levels are lol

But why should we be denied these things. I like cheescake, Maybe if I eat it only once a month as a treat

I eat one hell of a lot of lentils and other worthy foods (cos I like them, am not vegan or anything) and my cholesterol remains high. I won't take statins (many reasons) but am on a daily yoghurt with plant sterols on the advice of my doc. I don't smoke, I rarely drink (maybe a bottle of wine once every 2 or 3 weeks?) - but I'm adopted, so have no idea if there's a genetic link or not. I don't worry about it - the stress of worrying would probably do me more harm than the cholesterol, in the long run!

@Inextremis

I eat one hell of a lot of lentils and other worthy foods (cos I like them, am not vegan or anything) and my cholesterol remains high. I won't take statins (many reasons) but am on a daily yoghurt with plant sterols on the advice of my doc. I don't smoke, I rarely drink (maybe a bottle of wine once every 2 or 3 weeks?) - but I'm adopted, so have no idea if there's a genetic link or not. I don't worry about it - the stress of worrying would probably do me more harm than the cholesterol, in the long run!

what are your cholesterol level

The total cholesterol number is pretty meaningless. It's the breakdown and ratio of good to bad that's key.
HDL good cholesterol, LDL (made in the liver, high can be her dietary) bad, triglycerides (lifestyle) bad.
5.8 could be completely fine if your HDL levels and ratio is good.

*hereditary (LDL) that should say
DH diet is great, non smoker etc. His LDL was really high. Hereditary. On statins.

This has made me very conscious about what people eat. When I went round the supermarket earlier and saw what people were putting into their trolleys like pizza and ice cream and cheesecake, I thought woah I wonder what their colesterol levels are lol

It's very dependent though, my dad lives off cheese & cake & has low cholesterol. I eat a lot of bad stuff but have low cholesterol & despite eating tons of sweets have never had a filling.

@NannyR

In our families experience, high cholesterol caused by the genetic condition, results in sky high levels rather than just slightly elevated, I think mine was around 10.

If its 5.8 just making a few diet changes and exercise might be enough to bring it down to normal.

Hi you are right that it may not take much to reduce, but genetic can be relatively 'low' high levels too. I say this with confirmed experience. I thought the familial route was say 13, but my family have it with numbers in the 6-7 range

Oh I didn't know that, we were all 10++ when diagnosed and the consultant said that it was the high results that indicate familial hypercholesterolaemia.

@NannyR

Oh I didn't know that, we were all 10++ when diagnosed and the consultant said that it was the high results that indicate familial hypercholesterolaemia.

I think that is is more usual. though maybe there is a difference between genetic and the familial one?

Either way its rubbish!

@essexgirl58 My cholesterol was 10, it's now down to 8.5. Told you it was high!

[quote Inextremis]@essexgirl58 My cholesterol was 10, it's now down to 8.5. Told you it was high![/quote]
:)

I've lost 3 stone over the past year. Blood tests no longer highlighted an on-going issue with my liver (phew) but the dr did say my cholesterol was high. Not high enough to medicate but please give up cheese and fatty meat (on top of the sugar and alcohol I gave up last year).

My cholesterol’s ok but having read a bit about it because I’m on Diabetes forums, food has little impact on cholesterol. Your body makes the cholesterol and if you eat food that increases cholesterol levels, your body makes less to compensate for it. Unless you’re a super-responder or something like that.

I saw a GP for something or other and I mentioned I was eating low carb high fat for my Diabetes and he had a bit of a panic until he saw my cholesterol levels had actually gone down since eating this way. I also read something somewhere about older women in particular should have higher cholesterol levels than the norm, but I can’t remember why so that’s not very helpful!!