How did you lower cholesterol naturally?

[gdlyig]

I am trying to avoid statins. Was on steroids for years and finally tapering. Hoping this will make a real difference.

Will lose a few kg to put me in the middle of the normal BMI range (losing the steroid puff). Peri, which doesn't help.

Exercise - frustratingly gently after severe illness.

Oats for two days in a row every few weeks - see the recent study.

Roast tomatoes - used to eat them raw, but apparently cooked is much better.

Kimchi,

I am vegetarian and don't eat many UPFs, so not many cholesterol heavy foods to ditch.

Any magic tricks?

This is very timely. The GP messaged DH yesterday asking if he would consider statins.

Best thing I did for my cholesterol was to increase protein and dietary fat and lower carbs. It was highest when I ate a vegetarian diet, lowest when I ate a high (healthy) fat, high protein paleo ish diet. As a vegetarian (for 20 years) I was eating a lot of white carbs and processed foods, eating whole foods (lots of fruit and veg) and protein helped.

And losing weight and cutting out alcohol (cholesterol is made in the liver and a stressed liver will give you higher cholesterol).

It’s not filter coffee that’s the problem, it’s unfiltered coffee.

Filter coffee filters out the oils (in the filter!).

Unfiltered coffee, like in a cafetière, does not.

I use a coffee machine with a filter basket.

Though unfiltered coffee is so much nicer.

If it’s genetic there is nothing you can do. Cutting saturated fat can bring it down so much but only to a level. I’ve just had to give up and go on statins. Managed to get it as low as I could - but also got a test for LP(a) - I paid privately - and that showed I was at genetic risk so I decided on balance to take statins.

just fyi there is a school of thought now that says HRT might be better for women than statins but not enough research yet

I’d love them to do the research on HRT.

If you think about it the problem with cholesterol is the argument (is this proven?) that high cholesterol causes heart disease.

However I do think it’s important not to stress too much if you are doing everything right. If you eat a healthy diet and exercise then is slightly high cholesterol going to cause heart disease? I’d love to see more research on this too.

I think if it’s genetic you can do everything right and it still won’t budge.

I think people use red yeast rice supplements as an alternative to statins. Back in the further reaches of my mind, there's a vague memory of reading something about cholesterol being protective as we age, something about women with higher cholesterol actually living longer.

I did a low fat diet and lost weight. You could also try red rice yeast or lecithin. I have friends and family who’ve lowered their cholesterol with those supplements. Due to other medical issues I couldn’t take either. So make sure they’re right for you before you try them.

Oats everyday for breakfast. Low fat milk and had to give up butter and cheese which I love and reduce chocolate/cakes etc. Broccoli every night with dinner, no alcohol, oily fish twice a week, walk around the block most days for 30 minutes. I read package labels to check how much saturated fat is in the product and opt for one with lower levels or choose something else.

This reduced my cholesterol levels from 6.8 to 5.5 in 5 months. I’ve also lost some weight I needed to lose. I’m sticking to this as it seems to be working for me and I’m aiming for level 5.

Also no white rice, pasta. Red rice and wholemeal pasta instead.

I had this test, which led to an echocardiogram, which led to a cardiac catheterization test, which led to coronary artery bypass surgery three days before Christmas. Be careful what you ask for.

😒

Gosh. Hope you're okay now. Did you have any symptoms of anything before you had the test or were you thinking it was something you needed to check?

I lowered mine from 6.5 to 4.8.

I lost weight to put me into the normal BMI range.

Porridge made with oat milk plus berries and nuts for breakfast every day, along with a Benecol drink (well, the Lidl equivalent.)

I also upped my fibre in general and took garlic and omega 3 supplements.

I’m doing quite well, apart from a sore sternum and some edema where they harvested an artery from my leg.

i was completely asymptomatic, and the screening was recommended by my internist as a routine precaution. It all happened very quickly. I had the echocardiogram on a Tuesday, the cardiac cath on Thursday and the surgery the following Monday, so six days from start to finish.

Glad to hear you're on the mend. So, I suppose, they can be worth having but just don't assume the results will all be fine.

Cholesterol goes up with age so try not to worry and remember your body needs Cholesterol.

Correct. My cardiologist told me that due to my arterial blockage, I never would have survived a heart attack. So the test paid off in my case.

My cholesterol was towards the top end of the normal range. My GP (in Spain) recommended I try Red Yeast Rice tablets. Started taking them three months ago so will know if they’re doing any good when I get my next blood test. Apparently they mimic a statin. 🤷🏼‍♀️

there is evidence that psyllium husk can lower cholesterol

Depends on the cause. DH has an underlying condition which causes high cholesterol and nothing makes a difference. He absolutely hates taking statins due to the side effects he experiences (which are extremely rare) but he has to.

Hi
I don’t want to go on statins either. I brought my cholesterol down from 7+
to 5+ in 6 months and the GP has given me another 6 months to get it down even more.
Ive cut out meat and anything made with animal fat and am eating lots of fish, pulses, oats, nuts and seeds, and fresh veg.
I’ve lost over a stone.

Oh, and I have the Benecol type drinks every day, And Benecol spread
instead of butter, oat milk

went from 7.8 to 4.9 by:
reducing total fat in my diet
no cheese, butter or red meat
lots of fibre (60g + a day)
lots of exercise (30 mins running a day)
no alcohol, not much sugar, not much upf

i lost weight and cholesterol dropped. I started eating cheese again after I read it might not be such a bad guy and stopped monitoring fat intake so closely. Gained weight. Recent test = 5.9 so am back on the straight and narrow.

For what it’s worth I eat a lot of cheese, full fat milk and butter and my cholesterol is good. I think there is growing evidence that sugar/UPFs are worse.

I also wonder if lots of exercise offsets the cheese etc.

You say that as though you have to do what your GP says. Please get the GP to do a Q3 risk assessment with you before you do what they tell you to. They may ask, providing they have given you all relevant information fkr you to make your own decision.

I’m not sure I understand what you mean.
My GP wants me to go on statins but I have refused and am trying to reduce my cholesterol myself.
Whats a Q3 test?