Reducing bad cholesterol by diet

I wish you good luck, I tried for 5 months, no difference, I take a statin.

I think that’s the vibe I got from my doctor too!

I think if it worked more people would be shouting about it.

I got mine down from 7 to 5.6 with Benecol drinks and spread and plant sterols. I was chuffed but 5.6 wasn't good enough for my GP. I'm on statins now (a low dose) but I'm ok on them so far.

My cholesterol was extremely high at 9 and I couldn't understand why because I have Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency which means I can't digest fats, so I eat a dairy-free and low fat diet anyway.

I didn't want to take statins and managed to get my level down to 7.2 with Plant Sterols but then it plateaued. My GP didn't believe me when I explained my very restricted diet, but anyway she reluctantly referred me to the Lipid Clinic, and tests there showed that I have Familial Hypercholesterolaemia, so I never would have managed to get my level down without statins.

I was prescribed a low dose of Rosuvastatin, and have had no problems with it, and my last blood test was down to 5.2 so I'm heading in the right direction.

As I have Atrial Fib and Supraventricular Tachycardia, I do need to be careful.

Add a couple of Brazil Nuts to your day. Also low carbing can help.

People here never fail to amaze me. You refuse the advice of doctors in favour of that from unqualified lay people.

Stains not only lower cholesterol levels they stabilise existing plaque in the arteries. There is a lot of misinformation and nonsense spread about statins. It’s bizarre how gullible people can be.

*statins
Even the autocorrect doesn’t like them

I am on statins now… suggested by cardio consultant but my cholesterol has always been low. Always commented on by my clinicians. I don’t know if it is coincidence but I was vegetarian for a long time and now only eat chicken perhaps once a week, similarly fish.

I've been on statins for years without any side effects.

Maelil

People here never fail to amaze me. You refuse the advice of doctors in favour of that from unqualified lay people.

Stains not only lower cholesterol levels they stabilise existing plaque in the arteries. There is a lot of misinformation and nonsense spread about statins. It’s bizarre how gullible people can be.

I worked at a medical centre for a long time. Doctors sometimes get it wrong. I remember when statins were first discovered and they were going to be sold over the counter at chemists. Thankfully that didn’t happen.Imo people in this country would be a lot healthier if they tried to eat as healthy a diet as possible and it would save the NHS a lot of money.

There are benefits and risks - like most medication.

Research monitoring shows

There are some fairly common side effects like nausea, upset digestion , head and muscle aches.

Good for heart/vascular related problems, a moderate risk that you’ll get Type 2 diabetes or liver damage.

A small risk of severe liver or muscle damage.

Personally, if I could deal with a cholesterol by changing my eating habits I would. If after that it didn’t work then I’d weigh up the benefits against the risks for my body -my liver function weighed against my heart function say.

I think it can also be gullible to simply take a drug without researching the pros and cons applied personally.

I wouldn’t take a drug if I could do make the necessary changes in a risk free way.

Psyllium husk has been shown to reduce cholesterol

Research Beta glucans and red rice bran. My partner got his cholesterol down with diet to an acceptable level but started eating rubbish again & up it went and he couldn't get it down after that so is on a statin now.

Even if I do take statins ( which I probably will end up doing) it isn’t a case of taking them and eating anything I like so I need to tweak my diet now.

Have you considered plant sterols MayBee?

I got mine into normal range just from using Benecol instead of butter. So it's possible

Kate1949

Have you considered plant sterols MayBee?

I’m taking the Vitabiotics ones. They’re not cheap, though. I bought 4 boxes and only just realised one box only lasts for a couple of weeks. And looking at my diet, the things I ‘m adding to my diet ( garlic, flaxseed) can’t be added to my partners food as he’s on Apixaban (sp). Switched to Benecol, too. Made banana bread with it yesterday. I’m not giving up my banana bread as it’s the only sweet treat I now have!

I take these. They're not cheap. £18 for 60 tablets. Boots usually have 3 for 2. I take a Benecol drink every day and use the spread and occasionally the yoghurts. As I said, mine has come down from 7 to 5.6 which I was pleased with but GP wants it below 5. I've got nothing against statins but the first lot I tried gave me severe nosebleeds so I tried the natural route.

I take 2 a day but you can take up to 3.

ReadyMeals

I got mine into normal range just from using Benecol instead of butter. So it's possible

Not if it’s familial.

I have a good friend who is a GP and she advised me that taking a low dose of a statin to reduce my slightly raised cholesterol level is preferable to using ultra-processed dairy substitutes.

I had a blood test for cholesterol recently, the practice nurse contacted me to say my levels were high so I needed to make an appointment with the doctor. I filled in the online request and received a call back from the doctor who told me my levels were 5.9 which was within normal range. After reading people's levels on here I am a bit worried, I am in my 70s.

I tried to lower my cholesterol with diet and counted all of my saturated fat. I did manage to reduce mine but not enough. As my raised cholesterol is familial I would not have been able to reduce it enough anyway. When I queried with the lipid clinic that a range in the 5's was once considered ok I was told that times change and to prevent damage to the heart or risk of a stroke I needed Statins. So now I take them.