Tips on lowering cholesterol naturally

[CountrySnail]

Just had a cholesterol test at doctors and my readings were high. Need to get it repeated as i didn’t fast but suspect it will be the same as I only ate a banana beforehand.

I really don’t want to go on statins if I can help it so was looking for some tips to lower the readings by a more natural method with healthy eating and maybe supplements? Anyone done this?

I am very motivated to try different things.
I am a bit overweight so I will do something about that with my diet. No more chocolate and crisps and unhealthy snacks and I will try and up my exercise. Have to admit I haven’t done much apart from walking since Christmas. Don’t smoke and drink alcohol occasionally but not to excess and my blood pressure is ok. I am 62.

I must admit I am quite anxious about this and overthinking and have been under a lot of stress which doesn’t help and this is stressing me out even more.
Thanks.

I got mine down by eating oats, adding ground flax seeds to oat cereal / porridge every morning, eating red grapefruit and berries, cutting down cheese, alcohol and other crap. And generally trying to clean up my diet.

But I was borderline.

When you say your calcium score is 0, is that from one of those private calcium checks? Not from the routine blood tests your GP does?

I'm curious about those calcium tests as siblings (older and male) have taken them as reassurance following high cholesterol results. But I'm wondering if they give false reassurance.

Only 20-30% of your total cholesterol is linked to diet and lifestyle. The rest is that which the body makes in the liver, and only statins will reduce that. Cholesterol is only one part of CVD risk. What is your blood pressure, BMI, Hba1c, family history, age etc? If your Qrisk is elevated, risk v benefit it’s a no brainer to start the statins.

The most common non invasive test for levels of calcium in the arteries is a calcium cardiac CT scan. I had one and also had a zero score. It is used to assess people for coronary artery disease who have certain other risk factors like high cholesterol, BP, etc. and can be used to decide on statins. It is not a blood test. It doesn't identify soft plaque, but is a very good overall measure just the same.

https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/ct_calscoring

That's totally wrong.

The brain makes its own cholesterol. So statins don't starve it of the cholesterol it needs.

And if anything, statins have been found to protect against dementia. Some people find that they have a kind of brain fog on statins, but it's not dementia and it resolve when they do taking them.

Your problem seems to be that your your research is via social media, and not researching the actual scientific research that's been carried out.

There are some totally batshit anti-statins sites out there that are talking absolute rubbish 'big pharma' paranoia.

I am another vote for oats.... Not just porridge but in Derbyshire oatcakes and added oat flour in bread. Having a DH with toddler levels of food fussiness sliding them into his diet while he is not noticing is the aim of it.

Ideally he would eat more plant based foods ... But that is unlikely.

I haven't been on the anti statin sites. But I am anti statin for as long as possible for myself.
My father had sever muscle pains and wastage as well as depression from statins his cardiologist has now changed his medication as he was in a terrible state but no amount of diet change will help him. His cholesterol is inherited and was 13 pre statins. The change of medication has helped massively with the side effects.
My Mum as on statins, suffered hair loss and was showing signs of liver damage which her cardiologist put down to side effects from the statins. She has now changed medication and both have been reversed.