DH won't follow low-cholesterol diet

[grumiosmum]

DH has slightly elevated levels of cholesterol. The GP wanted hmi to go on statins, but he said he didn't want to be on drugs the rest of his life, and would treat it with diet.

Except he isn't. I am endeavouring to produce healthy meals for the family, but when I am not around DH shows no regard for his diet.

For lunch today he had a huge ham, hard cheese & avocado sandwich and some leftover prawns.

I was away for a couple of days this week & he bought beef-en-croute and oven chips for dinner for one meal, and crispy chilli beef for dinner another night. Followed by cheesecake.

Tonight he wants sausages.

What can I do? I feel as if there's no point me cooking healthy meals just some of the time, and I may as well just not bother.

Unfortunately your DH is responsible for his own choices. If he’s not willing to change his diet there’s not much you can do

Has he had any advice about a cholesterol-lowering diet (which is not the same as a low-cholesterol diet)?

No, Lark, he hasn't. None was offered. Telephone consult with GP. And what is the difference please?

Every time I mention it to him I am accused of nagging.

The difference is that when you say "low-cholesterol diet" it sounds as though you mean "eat less cholesterol". But dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol are not the same thing.

NHS advice to reduce blood cholesterol is to reduce saturated fat, rather than focusing on dietary cholesterol:

www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/lower-your-cholesterol/

Ah yes, Thanks Lark. I have already seen that link, and sent DH a link to it a while ago. He doesn't seem to have taken any notice of it though.

I am talking about a low-fat diet, apologies for getting the terminology wrong. We do have coconut oil & milk quite a lot as I thought that was a healthy fat, but will be stopping that.

DH thinks that having an oat-based breakfast is just going to be enough.

eating cholesterol makes no difference to blood cholesterol, it's saturated fat that is the bugger

I have familial high cholesterol and it's very hard to get it down but I have switched to rapeseed oil for everything, increased eating of oats by having porridge with oatly oat milk (makes it SO creamy obviously minus any cream!) increased almonds, mackerel and salmon in my diet. The good fats (monounsaturated) help get rid of the bad. Lentils, pulses and peas are also good.

If he refuses then well he's an adult and can do what he wants

but you do say you cook sometimes, so when you do try and include the good stuff. It can all be delicious.

I resisted change for a while but I wouldn't go back to crap now

and they do say everything in moderation. I still allow myself the odd thing here and there. I have an 'I don't care' day once a month after seeing the dietician.

oh and I also have 4g of benecol products per day

lubeybooby you cook & eat exactly the same way as I do. Including porridge made with Oatly. And fortunately I do all the cooking when I'm at home.

I'm just concerned about how DH eats when he's left to his own devices. As you say though, he's an adult and can do what he wants.

But it does have an impact on the rest of us, e.g. his life insurance premium is much higher than mine, and that affects the family finances.

I think tonight I'll make the sausages into a casserole with beans & brown rice, just to mitigate the effect a bit.

My post title should have read: "DH won't follow cholesterol-lowering diet".

He needs to take more hard intensive exercise - not just eat lower fat foods.
Oats, pulses, masses of veg, wholegrains, brown rice, quinaoi, brown pasta, there are lots of small changes.

1 avocado a day has been shown to be as effective as statins for high cholesterol.

Good news about the avocados, I didn't know that.

Well I guess I can't stop him having the bad stuff, but can make sure he gets a lot of the good stuff.

Exercise is confined to long dog walks at the weekend. Could be worse.

He needs to join a gym or go walking /jogging 3-4 times a week not just weekends :)

OP I do agree with other posters who advise its up to your DH what he chooses to eat. And unless he has other risk factors its unlikely the higher cholesterol alone will cause major cardiovascular issues. Skso bear in mind even a strict low saturated fat diet can only bring levels down by a modest degree, a lot if it is how the body makes and ‘handles’ cholesterol. Weight loss exercise and yes statins are likely to be much more impactful.

good luck then I hope he wakes up - one day I just realised I didn't want to have a diet that is harming me and I possibly went a bit OTT devising an entire diet full of good fat, under 1600 cals per day and incorporating all the recommended stuff + benecol. But it's doing me good and it shows in blood results and my appearance and energy levels. No going back for me, I hope he reaches that point too

Tonight he wants sausages.
Does he always get what he wants?

Why can't you say no, we're having cod fillets with roast vegetables, or salmon with jacket spuds.

I agree that ultimately it's his choice, that having 'slightly elevated' cholesterol is only one part of his cardiac health, and that diet is only a part of the problem. If he won't hear it from you ('nagging') then gradually he will hear it over and over again from his GP, what's in the media, someone close having a heart problem etc etc and he will find his own route if he wants to (exercise, losing weight, statins, whatever).

The sausages are in the fridge & need eating up. I bought them earlier in the week for DS when DH was going to be out, but our plans changed.

Tomorrow we are having chicken. And we do have salmon or other fish once a week. We also have veggie/vegan meals a couple of times a week. I know how to feed my family healthily.

I can't force him to exercise either. A close relative had a stroke recently at a young age, and while DH was shocked by it, he doesn't seem to have related it to his own lifestyle.

I've had high cholesterol for years, and have recently brought it down to the normal range by eating a low carb, moderate protein diet. Would that be any more appealing to him?

You might find this interesting, it gives the view of one of our most highly esteemed cardiologist, who has a rather controversial view of cholesterol: doctoraseem.com/the-truth-about-fat-and-sugar/. He believes that high carbs and sugar do far more harm to the cardiovascular system than healthy fats, and this is supported by anecdotal reports from diabetics on the Diabetes.co.UK forum.
Statins do have far more side effects than reported, as the big pharm companies have a vested interest, and play down those side effects.
But make up your own mind (or your husband's).

I agree that diet is better than drugs.

But DH won't follow the diet either. Low fat, low carb, low sugar, whatever. He wants what he likes and likes what he wants.

The whole cholesterol= heart disease issue is contentious anyway- there are plenty of very good cardiologists who do not believe there is a connection (or between animal fat and heart disease.) They think the arteries get clogged up through inflammation and that's caused by refined carbs = sugar and not enough physical activity.

If you do believe it though, your DH has already had a wake up call. I think- were it me- I'd forget about measuring cholesterol- and change to a permanent healthy lifestyle of mediterranean diet and exercise.
Healthy eating does not have to be nasty!

And if he doesn'tknow already, some of the worst sources of fat are in cakes, biscuits and ready meals.

The odd sausage won't harm him- but years and years of not eating the right stuff and not exercising (heart rate raised for 30 mins x 5x a week) will.

Sadly he seems to be the sort who will only listen when he's had a heart attack or stroke.

@Nanthewiser- xd posts- hadn't read then I posted.

he seems to be the sort who will only listen when he's had a heart attack or stroke

This is what worries me.

I'm eschewing statins, and am slowly lowering my cholesterol by eating more oily fish and drinking pomegranate juice. My GP was pleasantly surprised by the downward trend after just three months of this diet .and is happy to let me continue ... (Though to be honest, I'm probably eating fewer crisps too!)