Cholesterol high despite healthy diet - what now??

Wonder what the plant stanols do if you take more than the 3g! I probably do.

I have the Light one. Made from rapeseed oil. The non-light is from Olive oil. Plant stanols, of course. Other ingredients sound ok. Don't bother me. Seem quite "natural" derived.

It does say on pack, "more than 3g plant stanols daily not recommended, so in answer to your post about having the yogurt and the drinks daily, you had better read the labels carefully.

What I find the saddest part, is that some of you will not trust your doctor, and are unable to say 'look, I've read some awful stuff on internet re Statins- could you please explain why you feel that, in my particular case, it would be really helpful to take them' - and have a good discussion, in trust.

I don't have any spreads at all unless it's a tiny amount in a baked potato. What's in the Benecol spread? Most artificial spreads seem to be a combo of gunk and crapola but I'm happy to be convinced otherwise!

I have Benecol spread on my bread, and on toast. Love the taste of it anyway. Prefer it to butter.

Allegretto did you have the yogurt as well as the Benecol drink each day?

Gonegirl It's them there cream teas - used to have a terrible weakness for them. No longer. I will have a scone and butter (kidding myself that's healthier) or no butter at all. Or we share one! Occasionally, no scone, just tea. I have reined myself in from choosing the gooiest, richest cake on the menu and no longer have that urge for fat and sugar.
I'm inspired by whichever Gransnetter it was who waggled their finger at me and advised NO snacking (sorry, don't want to lose my post by checking back!). Makes total sense, even when the snack is fruit or nuts. Obvious perhaps, but I thought I was doing well by substituting healthy snacks for my previous 6 walnut whips/3 Creme Eggs/ One Bar of Dairy Milk (I did ring the changes). Yesterday I did well till teatime - had been working in the garden, had no biscuit with coffee, healthy lunch - and then DH offered me a hot cross bun. I weakened, but at least I didn't eat it with butter!
Spending today with MIL so I'll see if I can keep off biscuits for the duration.

My cholesterol was high and I got it down by using oat bran with my porridge, grapefruit before dinner and benecol drinks along with an effort to eat more fruit and nuts. I put on weight but lowered the cholesterol. I was still given a statin but found I should not eat bran and grapefruit with them. I tried them for a few weeks but then decided to go back to the diet plan. I must admit to a weakness for chocolate bars and bread/toast - recently HCB with butter!

I'm starting to get feelings of guilt whenever I press on "Active" on here. Because I'm not.

Rowantree "not by feebly hobbling round Sissinghurst Garden on a spring afternoon."

Sounds alright to me! Cake any good?

When my cholesterol was high I started eating a Benecol yogurt and taking a Benecol drink each day and cholesterol dropped to what my GP said was fine. I also watched my diet. Since then I have lapsed in taking the yogurts and the drinks, but I’ve tried to maintain the diet.

Well I think it’s back to believing those people who have spent years studying the subject, and are therefore experts.

I am quite happy to do just that, in the knowledge that science is a process and will therefore change over time.

Yes Rowantree when doctors are baffled they blame DNA so I will have to believe them knowing I can't do anything else!

Whitewave but how are we to KNOW that it's DNA? Is it because everything else has failed so that is the only explanation left? That, and BIIK?

And before anyone says it, I know, I know. People I've described are made, not born. They've got there by effort and consistent effort at that, not by feebly hobbling round Sissinghurst Garden on a spring afternoon.

I do envy the wiry, elderly, muscly, weather-beaten people we pass sometimes when on a walk or garden saunter. I'm guessing they're well into their eighties and beyond and, in my imagination, stride out with ne'er a care for dodgy bladders, poor balance, arthritic feet and hips, whizzing across the Pennine Way or rocking the cost paths of Britain (pun intended) and never seem to get breathless or puffed out. I, on the other hand.....

blue yes. I am sure that one day genetic scientists will find an answer. But meanwhile we must make the best of it, and certainly not beat ourselves up about something we should or shouldn’t do.

Whitewavemark2 they now say that to me too when I complain that despite lifelong healthy living I'm still borderline on cholesterol and sugar while bp takes 3 pills to keep it reasonable!

Notentirelyallhere That's an interesting article. I will admit to snacking, albeit on fruit and nuts, mainly. Eating early in the evening isn't usual for us: it's more likely to be around 8/8.30 which I know is late for most people though on fast days it's a lot earlier.

I'm going to continue to eat as healthily as I can, despite the disappointing cholesterol results and plateau in weight loss. I'm sure more activity would be beneficial too, but I'm struggling with back pain at the moment and a flare-up of mild osteoarthritis (in my toe joints of all places, as well as hips) which makes walking a little restricted, but the only way is through....

I expect it’s been said, but I’ll admit to not reading the posts, but DH was in theatre having his third stent inserted and talking (well moaning really) to the surgeon about how hard he tries to eat well, keep his aactivity levels up etc.
Her reply

DNA my dear, and age.

He has decided to go with the flow by keeping as healthy as possible and continue with the pills including statins etc.

I stick to 15/9 as I read somewhere that’s better for women (no don’t remember where) but the ideas the same.

Nothing after 7.00pm the breakfast at 10.00 am. Might be worth a try?

Rowantree I've found intermittent fasting good for lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and for losing weight. I found 16/8 or thereabouts easier than 5/2 to stick to. I've seen others post similar. Here's an interesting, fact based article that I found : www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156

As to liver function tests: I started worrying about fatty liver disease a while back when my nephew was diagnosed with it. My liver function is fine (I asked for it to be included in a recent blood test) but I will ask again periodically.

Not had time to read all the posts which look extremely helpful and informative and will give me food for thought . Thanks to all - and I didn't know you have to scoff shedloads of oats to gain the cholesterol-lowering effect. That's an eye opener for sure.
I don't want statins unless I'd be putting myself at risk not taking them (unlikely). I'd rather look into other ways of reducing it. The ratio wasn't too bad: triglycerides 0.6, HDL 2.2 and LDL 3.4. I keep getting muddled as to which of the last two are 'good' (think it's the HDL, so I need to get the LDL down further somehow).

I intend to follow up all the links suggested, and any reading matter. I do like to do research on anything pertaining to my health, so I'm very grateful for any useful websites or literature I might not have otherwise come across.

What does everyone think about intermittent fasting? Does it do what it's meant to do? My OH's cholesterol came down noticeably after a while doing 5/2 and he's stuck to doing 5/2 ever since but his cholesterol seems to be creeping up again. I'm trying to do it too, but I don't find it easy to keep within limits.

And here we totally agree.