Hi All! My cholesterol has been high the last 3-4 years. I have a very high risk for heart diease/ attacks/ etc in my family. I have kind of ignored my high numbers the last few years since I know Lyme can cause high cholesterol.
Well a few months ago another one of my aunts died from a heart attack (40 years old), and I'm feeling like i really need to get my numbers down, but i don't want to get on a statin...
My diet is impeccable (low fat, low carb, no sugar) and I work out 5-7 days a week, so lifestyle is not a contributor. I'm also 28 year old female. Any suggestions or thoughts?
Posted by kidsgotlyme (Member # 23691) on :
Since going on a diet that is high fat/mocerate protein/low carb, my cholesterol is totally normal. Previously my trigyclerides were through the roof!! Blood glucose is a better indicator of cardiovascular disease than cholesterol.
I recommend watching the documentary "Fat Head." It explains about the whole cholesterol myth in an easy to understand way. Gary Taubes has several books out that are really good also. Just google him and his books should come up. Stephen Phinney and Jeff Voleck have a couple of really good reads too.
Posted by philly78 (Member # 31069) on :
How high are your numbers? My numbers are on the higher side of normal but my HDL (good cholesterol) is pretty high so it looks worse than it really is.
Posted by WhitneyS (Member # 25666) on :
The bad cholesterol is out of range-- high. Total cholesterol is high, with the good cholesterol being normal. i dont have the numbers in front of me.
Kids-- yea I have tried different diets before and it was high when i was on a high fat diet as well. I know there are different theories on cholesterol and how it effects you-- but considering my family history I dont feel comfortable taking chances.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
Try red yeast rice. Red q10'is a Good one
Posted by poppy (Member # 5355) on :
Is your thyroid working OK?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Yes, how high is "high?"
What is your HDL and LDL??
Red Yeast Rice works great. Our Dr just switched my hubby to Policosanol instead of the RYR. We'll see how this does. Dr says it's even better than RYR.
Get on Omega 3's for sure!!
PS .. Do NOT be afraid of HEALTHY fats such as fats from nuts, avocados, coconut oil, etc. Low fat is not the answer.
Posted by WhitneyS (Member # 25666) on :
my thyroid is messy-- its been low but I've been in the upper ranges, with low TSH for a few years now (with meds).
I'll check out the red rice yeast-- what would the dose be for that? Havent heard of Policosanal-- i'll look it up too
Again-- i dont have my results with me, but i know it wasnt like a borderline, one bad test type of thing
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Swanson's and Vitacost have the policosanol.
Posted by cozynana (Member # 34270) on :
Oneway to reduce chlesterol is to go on a vegan diet for a month. No cheating. Then after the month eat very small amount of meat or dairy. monitor your chloresterol levels frquently and find a balance of meat and dairy you can eat that keeps the levels you desire. Have talked to people that do this because they were desperate to keep it down.
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
Niacin (not niacinamide) is shown to reduce cholesterol. Takes large doses for a few months to bring the cholesterol level down, and don't do this without being monitored by a doctor familiar with the use of Niacin for cholesterol reduction...
High fiber diet also helps, because fiber absorbs cholesterol and helps eliminate it from the body.
Also, there are cholesterol binders that can sometimes help... I think Questran is one such medication, & I think there are others...
Posted by kidsgotlyme (Member # 23691) on :
Whatever you decide to take, whether it be RYR or a statin, please make sure that you take CoQ10 with it. It depletes your stores and you need it for good heart health. A lot of doctors will tell you to take it now when they prescribe a statin to you, but most people don't realize that red yeast rice acts in the same manner as a statin.
Personally, I would never take a statin. Your body needs cholesterol. The better way to find out if you have the kind of cholesterol that will make you sick is to get a more details test that will show actually what kind of cholesterol you have in your body.
The documentary that I suggested explains all of that and I think it would be very educational for you. I understand your concerns because we have a lot of bad family history too. I feel now like I am doing everything I can possibly do to prevent heart problems for myself now and in the future.
Posted by sillia (Member # 23994) on :
A strict vegan diet is scientifically proven to lower cholesterol and reverse heart disease. My husband reduced his total cholesterol from 241 to 150 (the heart attack-free zone) in a few months following Dr. John McDougall's plan. The information about how to do this is free on his website.
Watch the film "Forks over Knives" free on Netflix streaming. Check out Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn's book, "Preventing and Reversing Heart Disease".
By the way, this is the diet that former President Bill Clinton is following. Notice he looks slim, trim and healthy? His doctors told him his artery problem was coming back and that surgery might not save him this time, so he finally took the plunge. He could have prevented his surgery if he'd been willing to change to this diet before.
If you are determined enough to stick to this, it will work. Me & hubby have been following this for 10 years and we are happy with it.
Posted by poppy (Member # 5355) on :
TSH is not a good measure of thyroid function. Please look into this. Do an archive search for thyroid, it has been discussed a lot.
Posted by girl (Member # 18022) on :
Are any of the Lyme folks taking Cholestyramine anymore?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by kidsgotlyme: Whatever you decide to take, whether it be RYR or a statin, please make sure that you take CoQ10 with it. It depletes your stores and you need it for good heart health. A lot of doctors will tell you to take it now when they prescribe a statin to you, but most people don't realize that red yeast rice acts in the same manner as a statin.
Personally, I would never take a statin. Your body needs cholesterol. The better way to find out if you have the kind of cholesterol that will make you sick is to get a more details test that will show actually what kind of cholesterol you have in your body.
- Agree!!!
"girl"... yes, quite a few here use CSM. I can't stand that &^%$!!!!
Posted by girl (Member # 18022) on :
haha, I know! I think I'm about to get a "round" of Cholestyramine and I was hoping my cholesterol was high before I started it (but it's not...) kind of sick isn't it? Posted by girl (Member # 18022) on :
But it's good to know the Lyme folks still take it. Like I said before, I'm out of the loop!
Posted by WhitneyS (Member # 25666) on :
...Poppy-- I'm in the upper ranges for T3/ 4 - I'm a thyroid veteran...so all my numbers are in optimal ranges (TSH, T3 and T4)
I actually used to be vegan-- the trouble is #1 I have Celiac #2, can't have: soy, beans, or raw vegetables. So that would leave me with virtually no protein source...That wouldnt be ok...right? I should add that as it is, I only really have a small piece of chicken at night, so thats my only animal intake..
I was going to ask about cholestrymin...that might be a good fix.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
WHITNEY .. and if you have candida, going vegan will not help things .. it could make it worse
Posted by WhitneyS (Member # 25666) on :
lymetpo-- no real candida problems...but i'd like to keep it that way :-)
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
exactly ..
Posted by fatherguido (Member # 25266) on :
EXERCISE!!!!
It is not the intensity but the length that helps. At least 20-30 minutes of mild such as walking helps.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
I take ubiquinol and that seems to be enough
Posted by WhitneyS (Member # 25666) on :
I do exercise-- every day for 30-60 minutes...pretty vigorously.
Thanks RandiBear-- I'll look at that too!
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
Oh just a thought policosanol is a blood thinner. I don't know if Lyme patients need to be concerned or not
Posted by WhitneyS (Member # 25666) on :
Randi-- that is actually good for most, since we have coagulation problems (Boluke and bioflm busters thin out the blood).
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