DH & cholesterol - signing up to a fat-free life

[AngeChica]

DH has stunningly high cholesterol levels (12 - 16 discovered over the last year or so, caused by a hereditary thing where his liver cannot process lipids or something. Finally, he got a fab appointment this week with a dietitian and a consultant endocrinologist - each spent loads of time with him and managed to sell the idea of a saturated fat-free diet to him. They want to see if modification to diet makes a difference before putting him on statins. I thought our diet wasn't too bad but we do cut corners with bought sauces etc. I'm happy to sign up all of this along with DH - obviously it'll do me good too! (I was never overweight prior to 11 lb baby and a CS - but to my shame DS is about to turn 3 and I still look permanently pregnant).

DH has a very active job & is not overweight, but is also a stresshead. We're slightly older parents so we want to make sure we're around in good health for DS growng up!

I just wonder if there's anyone else out there on a low-cholesterol diet and has any tips for replacing the usual nasties? I'm totoally not bothered about no red meat or processed meat - but lordy, I will miss cheese, cakes, baked products etc. My mum gave me a couple of Weight watchers cook books and we can adapt things from these. In particular I will really miss the home baking we both do, and would love to find alternative recipes without solid fats, sugar etc.

Wow that is high!! My Dr advised that I should change my diet to lower my cholesterol (which was 5) She recommended 7-9 a day instead of the usual 5, Oily fish, soya milk or skimmed milk, flora marg rather than butter. I found it hard going and expensive and my cholesterol didn't lower so now I am on statins. I would be interested to find out how it goes for your husband. Good luck

I have a brilliant book it is full of fat free cakes it is; Red velvet Chocolate heartache by Harry Eastwood. I got my copy from Amazon. The fat is replaced with vegtables such as courgette or butternut squash, sound weird but they turn out moist and taste really good.

heya, I have FH (Familial Hypercholesteroleamia) which sounds like what your DH has been diagnosed with. It's really important you get some proper advice about diet, but also - and I hate to be the bearer of bad news - not many people realise that if you have FH, it almost certainly will not respond to diet and exercise treatment like most normal people. You still have to treat diet and exercise seriously, but don't expect his levels to reduce significantly without further treatment, I'm afraid it's really not likely to change more than 1point - and a healthy level is 4 or below. My mum has an untreated level of 12, I have 9+ and my sisters are 8-9... we all have permanent statin treatment. But it's not the end of the world! The best thing you can do is talk to some experts and encourage DH to do the same. There is a fab charity dedicated to us FH peeps. Their website has a whole section called 'just been diagnosed with FH?' and they have a helpline, as well as heaps of recipes online (and a recipe book you can buy to support them).

Hope he gets it all evened out :) BTW if it is FH don't worry about your LO, there is no need to test before age 10 at the earliest really, and LO will be protected by an active lifestyle as well as good diet.

Look at www.heartuk.org.uk/index.php?/been_diagnosed/

As above, this sounds like familial problem and it would be worth getting other members of your DH's family screened.
Diet might help a wee bit but I too suspect the benefit will be marginal (you could improve the benefit by cutting out all sugar and refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white pasta, cakes, etc. and check out labels for corn starch, fructose syrup, etc. and avoid them too). Cutting out salt also helps. Alcohol is another factor in increasing blood fats.
But I suspect a statin may be likely - they don't reduce overall mortality but do seem to reduce risks of strokes, heart attacks, etc. They can occasionally have side effects (e.g. muscle inflammation, liver irritation) but these go away if stopped and most folks don't get them.
Have a good discussion with your doc about statins and make sure it's DH's informed choice to have them or not. We can only say they reduce risk for the population as a whole but that doesn't necessarily mean they reduce your risk as an individual so I guess it's a bit of a gamble. But I'd probably have them if it was me!

ps that is a good point hoomach - I am teetotal because of FH and I quit smoking when I was diagnosed because smoking is 10x more harmful if you have FH. If DH smokes its def worth taking up with him... I saw a cardiac surgeon who told me to continue would be 'absolute madness'. My mum/sisters aren't teetotal, but drink only very moderately.

Just checking back to say thank you all for advice. Recipe book sounds fab! Consultant does confirm a rare kind of HC & it's hereditary. His late father may have had same but did not develop heart disease. Dietitian did give lots of ideas - making up healthy snack bags etc. I work with doctors and was relieved to be told most people do tolerate statins quite well. We have a dog so plenty of fresh air and exercise is the norm. DH has gone a bit grumpy after being quite positive.