New with Questions - High Cholesterol Message Board

jujuju50 · 04-11-2009, 07:26 PM

Hi Everyone:

First: "Happy Easter"!!!

Second: My name is Julie and I have HIGH Cholesterol. It also runs in our family, mom, and one sister, Dad and other sister OK...

I have other health issues like; High Blood Pressure 140-85, lyme, protein in my urine, the list can go on and on...

After having my cholestereol check twice a year, it has gone up so the Dr. wants to start me on meds. But I'm scared to take them after reading so much about them. Here are my results from last week.

Total Chol: 244
Trig: 170
HD 44
LDL 166
Chol.HDL 5.5

So, what do you all think about this?? And what are the meds like?? I am allergic to so much I'm scared to take any kind of med, but know I have to start this. I also don't have a gallbladder. he did say he would do blood work every 3 months to check the liver.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Julie

tjlhb · 04-11-2009, 08:28 PM

Blood cholesterol levels are affected by your diet, exercise habits, and whether you have excess body fat. You may want to try to optimize all of these factors first:

Lower LDL:

Avoid trans-fats from hydrogenated oils.
Avoid saturated fats from red meat fat, dairy fat, and coconut / palm oil.
Replace with unsaturated fats from fish and vegetable sources (non-hydrogenated, not coconut / palm oil).
Lose excess body fat.

Lower triglycerides / VLDL:

Avoid sugar and alcohol.
Lose excess body fat.
Eat omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA from fatty cold water fish (if vegetarian, you can get the omega-3 fatty acid ALA from flaxseed and a few other sources like walnuts, but conversion to DHA and EPA in the human body is not very efficient; also, be aware of mercury and other contaminants in some types of fish).

Raise HDL:

Increase exercise.
Avoid trans-fats from hydrogenated oils.

jujuju50 · 04-12-2009, 05:36 AM

Hi:
Thank you so much for the email.

Funny I have been eating a lot of coconut the past few months..hummmmm....Guess that is out for a while....

I do take a omega-3 everyday...Will print out what you wrote and try it.

Again, thank you
J

jenj770 · 04-14-2009, 05:59 AM

You can also try Red yeast Rice to lower LDL, Flush Niacin to raise HDL, Fish oil to lower Triglycerides.

journ · 04-14-2009, 06:52 PM

Hi,
I use flush niacin 4000mg a day. Divided into 3 doses. I also take 20mg lipitor, will not take a higher dose cause it makes me feel drained. I find the niacin raises my HDL better then excercise does, by far. And also it lowers my trigs,very well also.
Here's my numbers,
total chol. 109
HDL 50 and rising slowly the longer I take it.
LDL 49
trigs 48
ratio 2.2