Need to lower my Cholesterol....any help??

Tigsteroonie

Pomegranate juice

[Deleted User]

posted on wrong post, sorry!

terra_ferma

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

Pomegranate juice

it's a fad, and clever marketing, lots of other foods are also rich in antioxidants, and there is little evidence of its benefits afaik. Also if it has added sugar in it, this will cancel all potential benefits.

terra_ferma

A.Penny.Saved wrote: »

I would suggest that you look at more natural methods of lowering your cholesterol, in particular do not eat polyunsaturated vegetable oils! They are the worse oils that you can eat and cause/contribute to many health problems including heart disease, cancer and autoimmune illnesses due to their tendency to promote inflammation. Plus most of it is spoilt ie rancid but with added flavourings and odours to hide it.

Where do you get this information? Not saying it's not true but it sounds a bit extreme, no food alone is going to kill you, if eaten as part of a natural, balanced, diet.

lessonlearned

Op - do you need to lose weight. Although tbh even slender people can have high cholesterol levels. However, if you are overweight then that is your first place to start. Even a 10% weight loss will see a significant improvement inn your cholesterol level.

Agree 30 mins exercise per day.

Avoid hydrogenated fats - they are one of the main culprits in clogging up arteries. You will find these in nearly all convenience foods, shop bought cakes, biscuits, pies etc. Hydrogenated fats are used because they are cheap. If you want to eat cakes, pies, biscuits etc make your own so you can use healthy fats and oil such as olive oil and butter. Yes butter. There's nothing wrong with it, far better than nasty margerines.

Try for a "Mediterranean Diet".

The jury is out on red meat, but I tend to think it's fine - say perhaps 2 to 3 times a week should be ok. Eat plenty of oily fish such as salmon, sardines etc. Prawns and eggs are fine, just don't overdo it. Go easy on stuff like sausages and bacon. Poultry and game are good.

I think the trick for diet is to go for balance. Good proteins, plenty of salads, fruit and veg and go easy on the sweet stuff.

I think low fat diets are an absolute con. They are usually loaded with sugars and artificial sweeteners.

Oatmeal is good - as well as porridge you could make flapjacks for a little biscuity treat.

Don't forget to have a glass of good red wine now and then. :rotfl: Seriously it's good for the heart.

Exercise and a well balanced diet are the key.

terra_ferma

lessonlearned wrote: »

Op - do you need to lose weight. Although tbh even slender people can have high cholesterol levels. However, if you are overweight then that is your first place to start. Even a 10% weight loss will see a significant improvement inn your cholesterol level.

Your post is just expressing your opinion, like the rest of us, but you make it sound like you know what is best for the OP.

The problem with that is that evidence shows that in the long term 80-95% of people will get back to the original weight or more, so it may not be a long-term solution. (although the medical profession still won't accept weight loss is of limited benefit for many people)

lessonlearned

Did you actually read my comments or did you just skim them.

My second sentence pointed out that even slender people can have issues with cholesterol - my father is a case in point. A regular bean pole but with high cholesterol levels.

However, it is a proven fact that losing weight can help lower cholesterol levels, partly because the process of losing weight usually involves making better food choices, cutting out rubbish and processed foods etc.

As for people regaining weight they have lost - this is very true. It is also true that if the weight is regained then cholesterol levels may well rise again.

Maintaining a healthy weight and maintaining cholesterol levels are by definition a long term goal - not a quick fix. I would have thought that was self evident.

And whilst I am not a GP I do have qualifications in complimentary medicine and nutrition…...

Nick_C

I've lost nearly 20% of my body weight in the last two years by following the Atkins diet. I've been eating lots of cheese, eggs, and fatty meats. I had my cholesterol checked recently, and its dropped from 6.1 to 5.1 in 4 years. I think weight loss is more important (for your cholesterol level) than what you eat. My BP has also gone from borderline high to optimal.

(I've also recently joined a gym, and do intend eating more conventionally/healthily (?) once I reach my desired weight).

sitcom321

lessonlearned wrote: »

Op - do you need to lose weight. Although tbh even slender people can have high cholesterol levels. However, if you are overweight then that is your first place to start. Even a 10% weight loss will see a significant improvement inn your cholesterol level.

Agree 30 mins exercise per day.

Avoid hydrogenated fats - they are one of the main culprits in clogging up arteries. You will find these in nearly all convenience foods, shop bought cakes, biscuits, pies etc. Hydrogenated fats are used because they are cheap. If you want to eat cakes, pies, biscuits etc make your own so you can use healthy fats and oil such as olive oil and butter. Yes butter. There's nothing wrong with it, far better than nasty margerines.

Try for a "Mediterranean Diet".

The jury is out on red meat, but I tend to think it's fine - say perhaps 2 to 3 times a week should be ok. Eat plenty of oily fish such as salmon, sardines etc. Prawns and eggs are fine, just don't overdo it. Go easy on stuff like sausages and bacon. Poultry and game are good.

I think the trick for diet is to go for balance. Good proteins, plenty of salads, fruit and veg and go easy on the sweet stuff.

I think low fat diets are an absolute con. They are usually loaded with sugars and artificial sweeteners.

Oatmeal is good - as well as porridge you could make flapjacks for a little biscuity treat.

Don't forget to have a glass of good red wine now and then. :rotfl: Seriously it's good for the heart.

Exercise and a well balanced diet are the key.

i am overweight yes, i am hoping that a combination of diet, exercise and good healthy choices will improve my weight and cholesterol. i also suffer from hypothyroid so i am not sure if this will hinder anything but i am determined to get my cholesterol down and hopefully my weight in the bargain

terra_ferma

lessonlearned wrote: »

Did you actually read my comments or did you just skim them.

My second sentence pointed out that even slender people can have issues with cholesterol - my father is a case in point. A regular bean pole but with high cholesterol levels.

However, it is a proven fact that losing weight can help lower cholesterol levels, partly because the process of losing weight usually involves making better food choices, cutting out rubbish and processed foods etc.

As for people regaining weight they have lost - this is very true. It is also true that if the weight is regained then cholesterol levels may well rise again.

Maintaining a healthy weight and maintaining cholesterol levels are by definition a long term goal - not a quick fix. I would have thought that was self evident.

And whilst I am not a GP I do have qualifications in complimentary medicine and nutrition…...

this is the bit I was objecting to:

lessonlearned wrote: »

. However, if you are overweight then that is your first place to start.

A course of action with a very high likelihood of failure is not the best place to start.

No big deal anyway, you acknowledge my point, and I don't dispute that losing weight may lower cholesterol, as I've not looked into it myself.
The last thing I'd want is to turn this into one of those threads where two people start having an argument about a minor point and the OP ends up regretting starting it at all