Reducing bad cholesterol by diet

Turns out that my SIL is on statins so, as a family we can look at our diets and see how we can adapt our diets whilst still eating nice food. Given that it means the grandchildren have high cholesterol from both sides of the family hopefully it will help them in the future health wise. Seems the only thing that everyone can have given that my partner is on blood thinners and can’t eat the sort of food I’m now eating is red wine. Which is unfortunate as I rarely drink alcohol .

4allweknow

Under what circumstances have people actually been tested for cholesterol levels. I've never had a test.

After being on a low level statin for 6months I asked for a blood test. My bad cholesterol had gone down,
I decided then that I would continue to take the tablets. My Dr. hasn’t been in the least bit interested. I think that you have to be responsible for your own health these days.
I didn’t even try reducing my cholesterol by diet because I have a very healthy one. I couldn’t see what I could change really to make a significant difference.
I had these tests when I collapsed on the tennis court!

DrWatson

For Maybee (OP) and others, Statins are taken by a huge subset of the country, and no major ill-effects (as some on here have said).

If you look at the paper inside a packet, yes, it lists possible side-effects -- EVERY pill dished out by the NHS has a similar bit of paper!!

IF you did suffer some bad effect, then go back to the GP. When I first had Statins, (for horribly high Cholesterol), I had nausea, turned out I just needed the lowest dose, since then, no probs (20+ years now). A new GP a few years back swapped me to a different Statin, supposedly better but could just be what this chap had read lately!

Oh, and we eat a broadly sensible diet, decent amount of fruit & veg, no large intake of chips & crisps (etc). Years ago I saw a book about a better diet to combat cholesterol, it suggested more oat-based products (as well as the usual healthy foods), so I baked some oat muffins, and I have Oatibix cereals most mornings. Chlesterol has been OK ever since, but it's the Statins doing the heavy lifting!

Some of us have had serious side effects and people are entitled to consider that. The damage I suffered means my GP won't even consider prescribing another statin. Maybe she will when my bloods are clear but I won't take them so irrelevant. I'm just hoping the muscle damage isn't permanent, it usually isn't but can be.

4allweknow

Under what circumstances have people actually been tested for cholesterol levels. I've never had a test.

I have a yearly health check ( from age 45 at my gp) ....height weight, BP, bloods including vit D and cholesterol

A good diet is sensible to lower cholesterol and so is exercise .
Extra walking or dancing to music at home cost nothing and have huge benefits .

I should be on them but won’t, I have a healthy diet and walk is my exercise, friends came off them for various reasons, one friend swears by them but constantly eats cakes and sweets. I eat Oats every day and an apple and orange, plus broccoli and avocado.Last time I tried to see a doctor it was so difficult and was told to take paracetamol, what a waste of time and effort but I live to tell the tale, my doctor wouldn't know what my cholesterol is.I don't think they are interested when you are 80.

For Maybee (OP) and others, Statins are taken by a huge subset of the country, and no major ill-effects (as some on here have said).

If you look at the paper inside a packet, yes, it lists possible side-effects -- EVERY pill dished out by the NHS has a similar bit of paper!!

IF you did suffer some bad effect, then go back to the GP. When I first had Statins, (for horribly high Cholesterol), I had nausea, turned out I just needed the lowest dose, since then, no probs (20+ years now). A new GP a few years back swapped me to a different Statin, supposedly better but could just be what this chap had read lately!

Oh, and we eat a broadly sensible diet, decent amount of fruit & veg, no large intake of chips & crisps (etc). Years ago I saw a book about a better diet to combat cholesterol, it suggested more oat-based products (as well as the usual healthy foods), so I baked some oat muffins, and I have Oatibix cereals most mornings. Chlesterol has been OK ever since, but it's the Statins doing the heavy lifting!

I should have said of course that this doesn’t apply to familial high cholesterol where statins especially for men are advisable.

There seems to be little awareness that raised cholesterol can be a symptom of hypothyroidism. NICE guidance that doctors are supposed to follow emphasises this and indicates that screening for thyroid dysfunction is crucial when investigating high cholesterol. I happened to have other symptoms of hypothyroidism as well as raised cholesterol but once I started taking levothyroxine my cholesterol came down to an acceptable level. I do wonder how many people are taking statins when in fact they should be having their thyroid investigated.

MayBee70

Nicolenet

Take your statin and leave your children alone. We all have to leave this earth at some stage. Enjoy your banana bread.

Why should I not inform my children that they might have inherited something from me that could be dangerous?

I think that's a perfectly acceptable thing to do - ie telling one's children.

Because I was told what my "genetic inheritance" is then I am well aware of what's what - ie that there's LOADS of heart problems both sides and that is highly likely to be It come the time in my case. The reverse being that I know cancer isn't in there in the mix - ie both my father and erstwhile brother were/are riddled with skin cancer all over - but they're both even paler than me, have been in the armed forces, etc - and those are factors that don't apply to me. But I, nevertheless, don't sunbathe for pleasure just-in-case.

I'm aware that the heart problem probably won't be a big deal unless I make it that way (ie let modern medicine do its worst). I was told that one of the relatives in fact was out dancing and he literally hit the floor dead - and obviously he must have felt okay to go out for that dance. He was lucky in that era - as there were no defibrillators and "have a go would-be heros" around - so he just died and that was that. Problem over - not brought back again to broken ribs and maybe having to die several times before he could stay dead.

There's just one gap in my genetic history - ie my mother told me that her grandmother was her mother and that a woman 17 years older than her was her "elder sister" (yep her mother then). So I have a bit of a gap - where I don't know anything about my mothers father (because of that lie my mother told about her grandfather being her father). All I can do is presume he's English too and that's as far as it goes - and I don't know anything about Mr Mystery Man.

But - because I've been told about this heavy-duty heart problem going on = I've known to start eating as healthy a diet as I could manage financially as soon as I started feeding myself. Now swopped to super-healthy - now that I can finally afford the foods I've chosen to have. I'm told I look very healthy.....apart from needing to get my walking back to normal speed at some point.

I was advised by my GP that my cholesterol was slightly high and maybe statins would be good idea. As I react badly to a lot of medications I was reluctant and he suggested 1 a week of the lowest dose to start. I took the first one and it really upset my stomach. A week later I tried the second with the same results so definitely no statins for me.

I would add that I recently read that a study had been done on cholesterol and the result was that people who had higher cholesterol, bad and good, with no other serious diseases lived longer than people with low cholesterol. I think it was on the BBC website.

I have posted a picture of the sterols I take sterols I take above.

rocketstop

MayBee70

Having refused to take statins for my high cholesterol I’m tweaking my diet to try to reduce it that way. Have bought chia, flaxseeds, brown rice etc etc ( I sometimes think I should take out shares in Holland and Barrett); Benecol instead of Clover and butter. Would be grateful for any tips on how to incorporate these things into my diet. I’m not prepared to give up my daily slice of banana bread but hope that adding flax seeds to the recipe will make it healthier ( I already add sultanas, walnuts and use wholemeal flour and will use Benecol instead of butter; or use shysals recipe which uses sunflower oil). Having read the other thread about cholesterol I’m not as worried about my current level ( which isn’t much worse than the level from 9 years ago but the doctor said they amend the safe level as people get older).

Hi,
I am taking plant sterols , they are said to start bringing down levels within three weeks. I don't want statins either.

You and me both. They wanted me on statins and I'm very suspicious of just how high a proportion of people they try and get on statins coupled with how much profit drug companies make by that. It came over as a pretty high percentage of people that get side effects from them too.

Feels to me like the easy way out - for doctors and for patients - just to do that. It's a harder way to deal with things to try and find one's own (more natural) methods but I tell myself "Come on - you've checked out the IQ level of many doctors - and it isn't higher than your own = get on with it and have a look for yourself". It's not some great "Oh everyone in the street is around 100 and they must be up at 150 or more and understand these things better accordingly"....as the statistics say "Not so".

One of the "plus side" things of getting older is one has seen just how many mistakes/how much carelessness and cost-cutting one there has been from various medical personnel over the years and realised one often knew better than they did and certainly cared more than they did. I learnt my first lesson there at 27 years old - ie they told me my stitches after an operation were "dissolvable". They weren't!!!!! and by that time I'd cut them down...so that they would be less ugly whilst I waited for them to dissolve. I still remember my anger that they'd given me the wrong stitches and the pain when another medic had to remove what was left of them (as I'd cut them right down to the skin). I certainly wouldnt have done that if I knew they'd given me the wrong ones. That taught me then not to automatically trust medics.

What is the name of these plant sterols?

Marmight

My late husband was diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolaemia in his 40s with a level of 18 😱. The consultant said he should be dead, but obviously his body had adapted over the preceding years. Gradually his levels dropped but only thanks to years of statins. (He was a guinea pig for statin research with Prof Shepherd in Glasgow.). His levels eventually hovered around 5. They gave him a longer life than expected. He died aged 70. (Of a heart attack 13 years after bipass surgery). We as a family followed a ‘good’ diet as our 3 daughters inherited the condition, but diet doesn’t lower cholesterol alone. They too have been on statins since childhood, not without some early problems - aching joints etc.
I naively thought I was off the hook. Not so. My levels were average but 2 years ago I was advised, yet again having refused them, that statins might be a good idea. Less than a week later I had a ‘silent’ heart attack. After 3x bipass I am now on statins reduced from 80 to 40 mg. If I’d taken them earlier, I wonder if my story would have been different 🤔.
If you are advised that statins are the way to go, then go that way. Believe me!

Worth it for you doesn't mean it is for everyone.

4allweknow

Under what circumstances have people actually been tested for cholesterol levels. I've never had a test.

Part of the annual routine health check at GP's in NHS Scotland .... for the last 20 years since age 60.

MayBee70

Having refused to take statins for my high cholesterol I’m tweaking my diet to try to reduce it that way. Have bought chia, flaxseeds, brown rice etc etc ( I sometimes think I should take out shares in Holland and Barrett); Benecol instead of Clover and butter. Would be grateful for any tips on how to incorporate these things into my diet. I’m not prepared to give up my daily slice of banana bread but hope that adding flax seeds to the recipe will make it healthier ( I already add sultanas, walnuts and use wholemeal flour and will use Benecol instead of butter; or use shysals recipe which uses sunflower oil). Having read the other thread about cholesterol I’m not as worried about my current level ( which isn’t much worse than the level from 9 years ago but the doctor said they amend the safe level as people get older).

Hi,
I am taking plant sterols , they are said to start bringing down levels within three weeks. I don't want statins either.

Nicolenet

Take your statin and leave your children alone. We all have to leave this earth at some stage. Enjoy your banana bread.

Why should I not inform my children that they might have inherited something from me that could be dangerous?

Familial hyoerlipidaemia needs medical treatment. It’s a serious issue which can’t be managed by diet.

Take your statin and leave your children alone. We all have to leave this earth at some stage. Enjoy your banana bread.

My GP wanted me to go on statins as my triglyceride levels was too high and my cholesterol was 5.2
Declined and thought would give diet a go.
Tried benecol yoghurt and spread. Reduced biscuit in take.
Six months on, triglyceride levels halved and cholesterol reduced.
I also increased exercise. Sadly didn't loose much weight.
I hope it works for you. X

My late husband was diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolaemia in his 40s with a level of 18 😱. The consultant said he should be dead, but obviously his body had adapted over the preceding years. Gradually his levels dropped but only thanks to years of statins. (He was a guinea pig for statin research with Prof Shepherd in Glasgow.). His levels eventually hovered around 5. They gave him a longer life than expected. He died aged 70. (Of a heart attack 13 years after bipass surgery). We as a family followed a ‘good’ diet as our 3 daughters inherited the condition, but diet doesn’t lower cholesterol alone. They too have been on statins since childhood, not without some early problems - aching joints etc.
I naively thought I was off the hook. Not so. My levels were average but 2 years ago I was advised, yet again having refused them, that statins might be a good idea. Less than a week later I had a ‘silent’ heart attack. After 3x bipass I am now on statins reduced from 80 to 40 mg. If I’d taken them earlier, I wonder if my story would have been different 🤔.
If you are advised that statins are the way to go, then go that way. Believe me!

Taking statins whilst eating an unhealthy diet can't possibly be the answer.

Most people will have to take statins as they get older, because they are effective but for me it is a matter of when...

I was only recommended to take statins as a result of a BP test and I knew this wasn't right. My cholestoral levels were over a year old when I went to see my GP and were borderline.
I refused the statins and have since worked on eating more healthily as the first line of attack, so to speak, and getting more exercise.

Maybe my next cholesteral test will show a change, but I have not been asked to take another one and so will carry on as I am.

My cholesterol has always been on the high side, last year it was 6.9. Always had a fairly healthy diet but didn’t eat enough fibre. I now have a fruit smoothie every morning including whey powder and psyllium husks and have more lentils/pulses etc. rather than carbs.

Last test was 5.9 so it’s on its way down. Doctor not concerned as QRisk is very low. I’m 61.

Advice I had to really make an impact was to eat a vegetarian diet for 3 months to see if that brought it down sufficiently. I haven't, but have significantly reduced saturated fat and moved to a generally much healthier diet. I have lost weight doing this without that being a goal at all. The British Heart Foundation has some useful information.

My husband is older than me and was told that he needed statins and diet wouldn't bring his levels down sufficiently. This was a shame as I would rather he had been told to do both as it would have been better for him. The statins have worked for him.

Cholesterol crops up time and time again on Gransnet and reading these posts indicates how advice varies from doctor to doctor. Very recently there was a thread here on 'How long will you live?'. This had a link to some research (Sweden I think) about the very elderly and centenarians, many of whom had high cholesterol so it seems it's not necessarily a precursor of early death.