Lower my Cholesterol!

Paul in Cannon Beach · July 2003

Recently I found out I have high cholesterol. It may be hereditary or it may be my diet. I am only 33 so I have decided to make a life change. I am done with Mcdonalds, high fatty foods, etc. I want to be around for a while (if only to pester Don D).

So, anyone got any good tips on lowering cholesterol or living more healthily?

1. Stay away from high fat or processed foods
2. Stay away from anything white
3. Flaxseed oil is good
4. Blueberries and almonds are good snacks
5. Drink more water, less coffee
6. Even walking is excercise if you can walk 30 minutes or more

So far, after 3 weeks, I am feeling good and have lost a couple pounds already. It hasn't been too hard but I do miss hotdogs.

Paul in Cannon Beach

sonny · July 2003

Grape seed oil is also rumored to actually lower your colestoral. It has a light, nutty flavor and is great for frying etc. We use it all the time.

Don D · July 2003

Based on the photo you recently posted, you have a much better reason to stay around than to pester Don.

Don't overlook a discussion with your doctor about medicine to lower your cholesterol, if exercise and diet aren't affecting the numbers. Also don't forget that some of the diets that may reduce cholesterol may also tremendously increase your carb intake and cause you to buy a new waist size in the swimming trunks.

Parabeagle · July 2003

And for cryin' out loud, Paul, do NOT relocate to the Southeastern US - They deep fry everything down there and you should be able to just sit and listen to your arteries clog shut.

Margaret Morford · July 2003

It's true. I believe it was the South that recently introduced the "fried Twinkie" as a new taste sensation. There's an artery nightmare.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

tglass · August 2003

When is the last time you were in the Southeast?? I have lived here all my life, and I don't eat fried foods. I also eat out about 4 nights a week. Perhaps you were just looking in the wrong places.

Parabeagle · August 2003

I've spent a lot of time in Mississippi, some in Alabama, most recently last month. The most frustrating thing of all has been trying to find something that wasn't extremely heavy and/or fried. And trying to find any type of vegetarian fare (even in the chain restaurants like Applebee's) is nearly impossible. You ask them to not put bacon bits on your green salad and they look at you like you have two heads! x;-)

judy matt · October 2003

Well, we do not actually fry everything "down here"! Only the wild animals! I really want to stay healthy and it is difficult here (in the New Orleans area) but it is slowly catching on, we're slow, but sure.

Whirlwind · July 2003

I, too, am trying to lower my cholesterol. Let me add one item to your list and elaborate on another one:

1. Red yeast. My otherwise maintstream doctor recommended this and really believes in it. I went to a GNC store and asked for stuff -- turns out it is labeled as Red Yeast Rice and comes in innocuous little white capsules (therefore not as gross as it sounds).

2. Instead of or in addition to flax seed oil, use real ground flax seeds -- you get the benefits of the oil plus the fiber of the seeds. You can buy a product at GNC or Whole Foods Market called FiProFlax -- it has ground flax seed and soy protein. I sprinkle it on cereal or stir it up in juice or a smoothie. If you have a Whole Foods Market in your town, or something similar, they stock a great flax-soy frozen waffle (they're yummy and don't taste like birdseed) and they also have a good cereal called Optimum Power Breakfast which has flax, soy, and blueberries. (In memory of a Saturday Night Live skit, I refer to this as Colon Blow and have all my friends hooked on it.)

I'm getting re-checked in about a month, so I'll let you know how all this healthy stuff is working for me. Good luck to both of us!

Leslie · July 2003

Somehow I have escaped this high cholesteral epidemic, so I say do as I do and drink Miller Lite!

Anyway, more seriously, a male friend who's body used to just produce the stuff was told by his doctor to stay away from crustaceans.

Mentel · July 2003

You are right on with the ground flaxseeds rather than the oil. You can put into yogurt, breads, cereal and it has a nutty flavor. I started using it and after 9 months my cholesterol went from 200 to 174. My HDLs are up and LDLs are down. I highly recommend it!

Paul in Cannon Beach · July 2003

Thanks for all the good tips. I am realizing that it isn't going to be easy to stay away from the bad foods. Eating out can be tough. I still have the appetite for the bad food. Old habits die hard. I drove by our local Chinese buffet with a sad, longing look.

I know I can indulge every once in awhile but sometimes it seems like there is a reason EVERY day to make an exception to my new diet plans.

Paul

P.s. Right on Don. I have three wonderful reasons to stick around: My wife and my two beautiful girls.

E Wart · August 2003

My sister had the same results with fax seed. However, I think she just crunches on the seed, not ground. I have gotten addicted to them. I just eat them like nuts or put them on cereals, etc. I think they are actually very good.

E Wart

sonny · November 2003

Whirlwind.. did the red yeast work?

Whirlwind2 · November 2003

Gulp, I must confess I haven't had my cholesterol re-checked yet, but I haven't keeled over with a heart attack so I guess that's a good sign.

I'm due for a lab appointment in early December, so I'll let you know then.

Rockie · August 2003

Paul: Believe it or not, just staying away from fast foods will make a tremendous different in your cholesterol.

Being a vegetarian in the South is like being from another planet, but I manage to survive. We have several good mid-eastern restaurants in our area that make excellent vegetarian dishes and also fresh fruit smoothies, protein drinks and health drinks if you don't want a heavy meal. Usually, if there are salads around, I am fine. I also am a big fan of veggie wraps.

After you stay away from the heavy food for a while, you will find that you lose your taste for it and it doesn't even appeal any more.

Good luck - you have a lot of stick around for!

System · August 2003

Whirlwind and Mentel....

How much ground flax seed and how often during the day to get results like that?

Whirlwind · August 2003

The product I use (FiProFlax) considers a "serving" to be two tablespoons, and the label recommends two servings per day.

Cindy Hanna · August 2003

Green Tea is also good for lowering cholesterol. There is decafe green tea if caffine bothers you.

Safety Witch · August 2003

The trick to flaxseeds is to grind them right before you eat them. This releases the Omega-3 and Omega-6 oils. They are also very good for anyone who has diverticulitis, since it keeps the colon cleaned out. Start out slowly, 1 tablespoon per day for the first week, then you can go to 2 tablespoons per day. Great on salads, soy-buttered whole wheat toast, mixed in juice. Be creative!

Research Vitamin B Complex. These vitamins are very good for a variety of health conditions. Vitamin B's are lacking in most diets. They work together, so don't get caught by a salesperson recomending a specific Vitamin B for a specific ailment (like I did).

Another good tip is to buy a steamer. The double-decker kind allows one to steam veggies and skinned chicken breast or salmon steaks at the same time. We always steam a variety of veggies from our garden. Try veggies you may not have tried before, for a taste variation. We also bought a rotisserie for whole chickens. We were buying whole cooked chickens from Costco at $5 a pop, and figure we've saved the cost of the machine through watching for whole chickens on sale (our best buy was $0.28/pound. They are much bigger than the Costco chickens anyway. Watch all the grease go into the lard jar, rather than in your body!

Whirlwind · April 2004

I almost forgot I promised to give a progress report on my attempts to lower my cholesterol by eating flax seed and taking red yeast rice capsules. The results are in (finally, after putting off my lab work several times) and I lowered it 41 points, from 240 to 199. Also, my triglycerides and "good" cholesterol were great. My doctor said that red yeast rice is a natural precursor to the Rx med Lipitor, so it was probably more that than the flax. Plus, I was more diligent about the red yeast rice than the flax just because it was easier to swallow a capsule twice a day than to eat flax seeds.

sonny · April 2004

Thanks for the update.

lharper · April 2004

Go on the South Beach diet - my husband dropped his cholesterol 90 points in a month.

Also, I just read an article in Prevention magazine that said to use ground flaxseed, not the oil - can't remember why - it was the May issue I think. Great little magazine.

Good luck.

Lower my Cholesterol!

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