hello everyone... i'm new at this. i got my cholesterol checked for the first time a couple of weeks ago and my results came back as 267. i'm only 20 years old. i don't know how this could be considering i exercise regularly and eat sensibely. i was told that my "good" cholesterol was high but i'm not sure what that means. what can i do to actively bring my cholesterol down? any specific foods i should eat/avoid? i would really appreciate some feedback... i'm sort of at a loss. thanks.

Katkarimi:

You said that your HDL was high. I wish I knew just how high, since that is important in determining your TC/HDL ratio, and therefore your overall risk factor. Ideally, it should be less than 4.0. Depending on what your HDL is, it is entirely possible that you may not have to worry all that much about your total cholesterol reading. For example, assuming that you have a total cholesterol level of 267 and your HDL is 70, your ratio would be 3.8, which isn't bad. Now, let's say someone else you know is jumping with joy over that fact that their total cholesterol is only 175, but it turns out their HDL is only 35. Their ratio would be 5.0, actually placing them at higher risk. You made no mention of what your triglycerides level is, so I am assuming that is okay. Also, I don't know what your eating habits are like or whether you are currently taking any nutritional supplements. Based on the limited amount of information that you have provided, I cannot comment or make any further suggestion at this time. Also, try to keep in mind the fact that many people often experience high fluctuations in total cholesterol readings. I for one, have gotten readings anywhere from 196 to as high as 250 without ever doing anything differently. So, I wouldn't be so quick to panick over this one single reading. In the meantime, it would help if you revealed your actual HDL value, what your current diet consists of, any whether or not you are taking any nutritional supplements.

arizona ....i thought the same as you about the cholesterol ratio, but when i went to the internist last month he said they rely more on ldl.my ratio is 4.3, but my ldl is 176.anyone here of this?

Phja:

Yes, you are correct in that LDL is considered a factor in the overall lipid profile. However, even on my most recent Clinical Laboratory Report from this past January, the relative risk is still listed as being based on the TC/HDL ratio. So it must still be used as the marker for overall risk. LDL probably becomes more of a concern if your HDL is not falling into the higher range.

thanks for replying back to me... my HDL was 76 so i guess my ratio is about 3.5 which isn't bad, right? as far as my diet goes, i try to eat at least one salad a day, usually lunch. breakfasts are small, usually a bowl of oatmeal or cereal, or just fruit. and dinners tend to contain some sort of protein, usually chicken or tofu. i'm trying to incorporate more fish but i'm not really a great cook http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif i rarely eat fried food but i am a sucker for chocolate, yet i try to keep my chocolate intake to a minimum. also, i am currently taking iron suppliments because i am anemic. i hope that this gives you the information needed to make some useful suggestions. i appreciate your help.

Katkarimi:

You seem to be doing quite well with your diet, and I'm sure some chocolate every now and then shouldn't hurt. Try to avoid all of those junk foods out there as much as possible, such as cakes, pastries, cookies, donuts, candies, and all the rest of those junk food snacks. Like myself, you are fortunate to have a high HDL. I would encourage you to keep on continuing to do all that you can to keep that level high, and even try to kick it up higher. You can do that and at the same time afford yourself significant protection from developing problems down the road by taking in a high level of antioxidants. Ample quantities of antioxidants are crucial in keeping LDL cholesterol from becoming oxidized. It is oxidized cholesterol which ends up being deposited in people's arteries. And antioxidants can boost HDL. I should know. I have experienced this effect myself. Although my total cholesterol has always been over 200, I have been able to raise up my HDL from 68 in 1991 to a level of 107 today! My ratio in 1991 was 3.66. Today it is 2.2! I generally don't allow myself to become overly concerned about total cholesterol. There are really only two things that I pay particular attention to on a Clinical Lab Report: TC/HDL ratio and triglycerides. By the way, I have also brought my triglycerides down to 65. So my philosophy is to try to keep it simple and don't worry so much about total cholesterol.

Keep up with the fiet and exercise.Also,try not to go too deep on the "vitamins" and "natural" stuff that is supposed to be good for you.I know that it works for some people and others it does not work so well.Another thing to consider is what kind of life are you going to have by cutting out all of the stuff you like to eat.Use moderation.Enjoy life.

I am curious what your diet consists of,and how much does that stuff cost you a month? How much of that do you ingest in a day?

I do not strictly adhere to any particular diet, although I tend to favor one which is consistent with a reduced intake of carbohydrates. What I am strict about is my exclusion of sugary junk foods and unhealthy snacks, such as desserts, cookies, cakes, pastries, donuts, etc. If I do have dessert, it will be in the form of some fruit. If I feel like eating a snack at night, it will usually consist of lightly salted mixed nuts. For breakfast I usually eat either oatmeal or eggs, and only occasionally will I drink milk. For the most part I brown-bag my lunches, which often includes sardines in olive oil twice a week, and always one or two pieces of fruit. Dinners usually consist of having fish two or three times a week, pasta maybe once, and either beef or chicken the rest of the time. For exercise, I'll generally just walk three times a week for a minimum of 2 miles. I also enjoy having a couple of drinks each day.

As for the supplements, I have never sat down and figured out exactly how much they are costing me each month, but I don't by any means consider them to be prohibitively expensive. I order the majority of them from a reputable supplier and am able to obtain them at a reasonable price.

Please understand that I am taking these supplements as part of my own preventative maintenance program because I believe in their value in maintaining optimum health, strengthening the immune system, and improving cardiovascular health. The fact that my HDL climbed to over 100 and the ratio improved considerably was an added benefit which left me pleasantly surprised. In any case, I must be doing something right.

These are the supplements which I currently take on a daily basis:

1000 units vitamin E
2000 mg vitamin C (as Ester C)*
B-100 complex (time release)
25,000 units beta carotene
4 mg folic acid *
1000 mcg vitamin B-12
750 mg niacin *
200 mcg selenium
50 mg zinc
100 mg hydrosoluble alpha lipoic acid
60 mg hydrosoluble coenzyme Q-10
3 essential oils capsules
One enteric coated garlic tablet standardized for 6000 mcg allicin

* Taken in divided doses over the course of the day.

Good advice here. From the reseach I've done Simple Carbohydrate restriction is the key. Your 3.5 ratio is desireable, low hdl/trig, under 2.0 also desireable. Ratios are more important than total number, remember when your good numbers go up you total also goes up. I started a low carb diet because of my high cholesterol and now all my numbers are below desirable. HDL went from 54 to 73, trigs went from 170 to 69, LDL droped 100 points. Good Luck.

Just another tidbit of info. Remember high cholesterol is only a secondary risk factor for heart disease. Primary risk factors are Obesity, Type II Diabetes and Smoking.