Strategies for Lowering LDL

[RAE]

Actually, the the idea that LDL cholesterol is "bad" and HDL cholesterol is "good" is somewhat misleading and incomplete, as Chris Kresser explains here:

The most important thing you probably don’t know about cholesterol

The second part of the article talks about how carbohydrates in the diet are directly related to the amount of small-particle LDL in the blood.

 

[FIREd]

Actually, the the idea that LDL cholesterol is "bad" and HDL cholesterol is "good" is somewhat misleading and incomplete, as Chris Kresser explains here:

The most important thing you probably don’t know about cholesterol

The second part of the article talks about how carbohydrates in the diet are directly related to the amount of small-particle LDL in the blood.

Yet some low carb dieters on this thread report having elevated LDL levels. So elevated LDL levels must be related to other factors as well.

 

[ChadR]

My family has had great success with Bran based recipes from the book:

"The 8 Week Cholesterol Cure"

I believe the newer version emphasis a more low carb approach now but the older (original?) version had an emphasis on Bran.

My dad received advise to go on cholesterol medication but held it off for 10 years by eating a modified version of the bran muffins recipe in the book most mornings for breakfast. He already exercised 25+ mins a every single work day morning.

 

[Lsbcal]

You may be onto the most current trend. The Wall Street Journal kicked up a brou-ha-ha with an article citing research showing the extreme endurance exercise (like marathon training) calcifies arteries over a lifetime....

This was an interesting, scary and somewhat eye opening article for me. I'm probably on the borderline doing about 20 to 24 miles/week (4 days a week) at maybe a 8.5 minute pace in hilly terrain at age 64.

So this article encourages me to relax and not push any harder. Maybe even back off a bit. Recently I've been doing brisk walks between run days. So that's a way to moderate the whole exercise routine. BTW, I gave up racing some years ago and never did a marathon.

 

[Lsbcal]

I found this article from the Mayo Clinic on reducing cholesterol through diet: Cholesterol: Top five foods to lower your numbers - MayoClinic.com

I printed it out and shared it with DW. Tomorrow I'll try her oatmeal for breakfast. I already have Whole Foods 365 Raisin Bran and maybe once a week have this with an orange for breakfast.

There are lots of foods that can be introduced slowly in one's diet and made a habit. Kind of pushes out the not so good foods.

 

[FIREd]

I found this article from the Mayo Clinic on reducing cholesterol through diet: Cholesterol: Top five foods to lower your numbers - MayoClinic.com

I printed it out and shared it with DW. Tomorrow I'll try her oatmeal for breakfast.

Maybe I should try DW's morning cereal too. I make hers by blending some rolled oats, nuts, and dried fruits. No added sugar or fat like so many breakfast cereals. Yet still tasty!

 

[Lsbcal]

Maybe I should try DW's morning cereal too. I make hers by blending some rolled oats, nuts, and dried fruits. No added sugar or fat like so many breakfast cereals. Yet still tasty!

Do you just mix in the nuts and dried fruits? My DW puts some fruits on top of her oatmeal too. Sometimes it's dried cranberries or maybe fresh blueberrries, rasberrries or blackberries. Nowadays the stuff is available most of the year around here. I'm also going to try to mix in my skim milk instead of water with the oatmeal to make it (hopefully) a little fuller. Time to experiment.

 

[FIREd]

Do you just mix in the nuts and dried fruits? My DW puts some fruits on top of her oatmeal too. Sometimes it's dried cranberries or maybe fresh blueberrries, rasberrries or blackberries. Nowadays the stuff is available most of the year around here. I'm also going to try to mix in my skim milk instead of water with the oatmeal to make it (hopefully) a little fuller. Time to experiment.

Yes, I buy the rolled oats (12 cups), nuts (1 cup), and dried fruits (3 cups) in bulk at Wholefoods. Then I mix it all together in a large container. The fruits and nuts change with the seasons. For Christmas I do a red/green theme with dried cherries or cranberries and pistachios. Sometimes I use pumpkin seeds in the fall. But DW's year round favorite is raisins and sunflower seeds.

 

[FIREd]

I talked to my family doctor in Europe about the results of my cholesterol screening and he said "meh". Turns out the acceptable LDL range is wider there and I am near the upper limit. And it seems that even my mom would be considered at risk here with a LDL level around 150. So I am not going to make any drastic changes. Maybe bike a little in addition to the walking, and maybe cut back on the carbs a bit (I eat too much bread anyways).

 

[Chuckanut]

I am curious. Is there any proof that lowering LDL actually results in better health or a longer life?

 

[Lsbcal]

I am curious. Is there any proof that lowering LDL actually results in better health or a longer life?

I've wondered about this sort of thing too.

What if people towards the border line areas of cholesterol have an exemplary set of health habits but just happen to have a genetic predisposition to higher numbers? Are they to be lumped in with all the people with the same numbers? It may be that if you have very good habits, exercise a lot, but have a 200 total cholesterol number then perhaps you are a lot better off then a person with the same numbers but who is a total couch potato who slurps beer all day.

With apologies to the beer drinkers out there.

 

[imoldernu]

Re: medication... After years of fighting it, gave in to my doctor, and take the recommended medications... From triglycerides of over 1000, and super high cholesterol, am now a little high, but near normal on both. From BP 135/85 to 120/70.

Re: Niacin and Red Rice... tried both about 10 years ago, and turned red... face and chest. YMMV. Lipitor caused muscle problems... dropped it and the pains disappeared.

This is rank heresy, but I believe that there are many factors that get into cholesterol levels, that can't be related to "average" or "acceptable"...Body type, age, genes, blood pressure, and general physical condition...

Some healthcare plans allow diagnostic tests, and if not, many hospitals and clinics have periodic diagnostic testing packages for PSA, diabetes, EKG, ECG and ultra sound etc.... as a package deal for under $200. Some work places require this. Great for peace of mind.

Most important IMO, is having a doctor that you respect and trust.

 

[Chuckanut]

For years I dutifully age margarine because it did not have the saturated fat contained in butter. I also used vegetable shorening for the same reason. Now I find out that the trans-fat in margarine and vegetable shortening is not better than saturated fats and may, indeed, be worse. So, please understand why I am skeptical of making major changes to my diet or taking new drugs such as statins based upon studies done or funded by people who have something to sell me.

 

[haha]

For years I dutifully age margarine because it did not have the saturated fat contained in butter. I also used vegetable shorening for the same reason. Now I find out that the trans-fat in margarine and vegetable shortening is not better than saturated fats and may, indeed, be worse. So, please understand why I am skeptical of making major changes to my diet or taking new drugs such as statins based upon studies done or funded by people who have something to sell me.

Given your feelings, the only reasonable course to follow is to not change your diet or take meds. Very simple, and no one has to agree with you.

Ha

 

[Lsbcal]

Given your feelings, the only reasonable course to follow is to not change your diet or take meds. Very simple, and no one has to agree with you.

Ha

About the last sentence, I'm not sure I agree with you.

If our Doc doesn't entirely agree with us and maybe some or all of the forum don't agree with us, then many of us are going to be somewhat uncomfortable with our choice. That balance might be tipped if the Doc sort of agrees with us and a few on the forum really agree with us.

I think for many people the balance is the thing whereas a few of us are fearless and make up our minds completely independently.

Personally I'm one who likes a little confirmation, in other words, not always confident in my analysis.

 

[Chuckanut]

I would have more confidence in taking a drug like a statin if the big Pharma companies did not advertise so much on TV. I see ad's for depression, asthma, high blood pressure, ED, dry eyes, foot pain, twitchy legs, bad breath, meddling mother-in-laws, etc, all pushing some new drug. For some reason that makes me suspicious about their objectivity and motives. I wonder why?

 

[smr91481]

Has anyone watched the fathead documentary? It made a world of sense and since I just had a physical last week and was told my LDL is too high I'm going to give it a whirl. I guess I will find out in three months if the low carb/high fat diet helps. I will also be exercising more.

If you haven't seen the fathead documentary it is on Netflix, it's free on Hulu, and I believe it's on YouTube.

 

[Lsbcal]

I would have more confidence in taking a drug like a statin if the big Pharma companies did not advertise so much on TV. I see ad's for depression, asthma, high blood pressure, ED, dry eyes, foot pain, twitchy legs, bad breath, meddling mother-in-laws, etc, all pushing some new drug. For some reason that makes me suspicious about their objectivity and motives. I wonder why?

I would agree with your observation.

On a side note, we rarely see these adds because we watch the news on PBS and very rarely watch TV with ads. If recorded I zip through them. Might help ones blood pressure to avoid this stuff.

 

[haha]

I would have more confidence in taking a drug like a statin if the big Pharma companies did not advertise so much on TV. I see ad's for depression, asthma, high blood pressure, ED, dry eyes, foot pain, twitchy legs, bad breath, meddling mother-in-laws, etc, all pushing some new drug. For some reason that makes me suspicious about their objectivity and motives. I wonder why?

Good luck finding things that are not marketed, and thus to a greater or lesser degree polluted. For example, this board is brought to you by a capitalist, and if you notice, you are being tracked, you are getting ads, ads, ads .

All of life is marketed today, including ER.

Ha

 

[Lsbcal]

To remove some ads, consider using Firefox with Adblock.

 

[grasshopper]

Ads, Ads, I don't see no stinkin Ads.

 

[RAE]

I would have more confidence in taking a drug like a statin if the big Pharma companies did not advertise so much on TV. I see ad's for depression, asthma, high blood pressure, ED, dry eyes, foot pain, twitchy legs, bad breath, meddling mother-in-laws, etc, all pushing some new drug. For some reason that makes me suspicious about their objectivity and motives. I wonder why?

After reading more about statins (and their side-effects), I cannot imagine ever taking them. Sure, statins lower cholesterol, but cholesterol is NOT the problem in heart disease (inflammation is). So, you can take a statin, lower your cholesterol, and you will still have at least as great a chance of getting heart disease as without the statin. Plus, you have a much greater chance of becoming diabetic, getting cancer, having your muscle tissue break down, and having a host of other serious problems.

No thanks. I will stick to eating real foods and forget about heavily-marketed drugs like statins. You won't see a big marketing campaign for eating real foods (vegetables, grass-fed meat, etc), because there isn't much money to be made from it (compared to most Rx drugs, anyway).

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

I have been lurking for some time, but I want to speak up on this. I am 56 now, and 10 years ago my PCP wanted to put me on Lipitor, because of high triglycerides and ldl. I read up and asked for advice, and instead of statins, I added fish oil (3000 mg daily), switched to oatmeal (steel cut), avoided transfat, and improved moderate exercise. I noticed a large drop in triglycerides & ldl. My lipids have been in the normal range since. I told my PCP, but she said I was just deferring the problem- that I would still need statins before long. It's been 10 years and I am still in the normal range. I think many people have an omega3 deficiency- think that was the main thing that helped me. This may not be the solution for everyone, but it was for me.

 

[haha]

I noticed a large drop in triglycerides & ldl. My lipids have been in the normal range since. I told my PCP, but she said I was just deferring the problem- that I would still need statins before long. It's been 10 years and I am still in the normal range. I think many people have an omega3 deficiency- think that was the main thing that helped me. This may not be the solution for everyone, but it was for me.

Has she ever apologized for that stupid and almost maliciously negative comment 10 years ago?

Doctors should sometimes record what they say to us unfortunate patients. Clearly there was no way that she could know anything about whether you might want to start later or not. Try to design the that study!

And isn't medicine the art of deferring the inevitable? Or do they now claim to be able to give immortality with their magic pills?

Ha

 

[Lsbcal]

Hi Tfudtuckerpucker, nice first post. I wonder why your PCP was not more positive? Hopefully she now will come around to believing you can continue to do this assuming your blood work is still showing good numbers.