Just curious if anyone here has had success lowering their cholesterol (or raising their HDL) without the use of drugs?

Suggestions?

south beach diet worked for me.

We all eat 3 Tablespoons of flax seed daily. We just sprinkle it over cereal.

Exercise raises HDL levels.

A side effect of my weight loss - my LDL dropped 30 points. I am on Weight Watchers.

D'OH! Just can't seem to get away from the big E... ;)

* I drink a big glass of soy milk, Silk Vanilla, in the morning.
* I rarely drink milk, and I've cut way back on cheese and other dairy products (which, incidentally, seems to be helping with my allergies and eczema).
* Nuts are always at hand for snacking.
* I don't eat meat, so that part was easy.

Thanks LfJ, that got me thinking: Anyone get Soy Lattes or Soy Mochas from SBucks? Do they taste a lot different?

I eat lots of pizza. :confused: Seriously, I'm genetically gifted as far as cholesterol is concerned. All my cholesterol tests have come out normal, despite my sometimes questionable diet. (I'm sure this isn't what you want to hear.)

Don't ask me about my blood pressure, though... :eek:

I'm curious about the Starbucks too! I'm sure it would taste different, but perhaps there's a Starbucks soy option that is super yummy!

And that reminds me of another tip I should have included. Coffee and soda are rare indulgences rather than daily options any more. I drink water water water. I carry a nalgene bottle with 'good' water everywhere that I go. It has to be convenient for me to stick with it.

You are the third person who has specifically recommended a "nalgene" bottle... I ordered one the other day, but it is not here yet. Why the preference for "nalgene"?

Nalgenes are very good quality plastic and wont give your water a strange taste. They're also extremely durable. You can even leave it atop your car and drive away without damaging it... multiple times... don't ask me how I know this! :rolleyes:

don't ask me how I know this! :rolleyes:

LMHO!

Nalgenes are very good quality plastic and wont give your water a strange taste. They're also extremely durable. You can even leave it atop your car and drive away without damaging it... multiple times... don't ask me how I know this! :rolleyes:

You want to get bottles made from "Lexan", which is very tough and imparts no taste to your water/beverage. Nalgene makes very high quality stuff, but I think they also make bottles from some non-Lexan materials that do affect the taste of the contents. Nalgene + Lexan: you can't go wrong.

1. Stay away from Trans-Fats! They will raise your LDL faster than any other fat.
2. Try to use only olive oil.
3. Eat less high fat foods. Eat more soluble fiber.
4. Exercise! Raises HDL - lowers LDL
5. Take an Omega-3 supplement. A high quality fish oil capsule (>2000mg daily) works best for me but I have also taken fresh flax oil in the past.

I take this one (http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11064980&whse=&topnav=&browse=&s=1).

Is fish oil really FISH oil? Like do they juice the fish bodies or something?

Is fish oil really FISH oil? Like do they juice the fish bodies or something?Yes. (http://www.nutritional-supplement-info.com/fish-oil-capsules.html) But baby oil is not from babies. :D

Yes. (http://www.nutritional-supplement-info.com/fish-oil-capsules.html) But baby oil is not from babies. :D
LOL!
Thanks for the link, I was wondering about mercury. I don't really see myself adding fish oil to our list. That's kinda icky when you think about it!

New study out about fish: link (http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/health/feeds/hscout/2006/03/24/hscout531738.html)

It may not be as helpful as previously thought.

We eat alot of oatmeal, 1 cup only 2 pts on ww, add alittle smart balance light which has flax oil in it, little splenda, and you've got great combination to lower that cholesterol and raise your HDL. We also eat Salmon when we get a chance. I'm not much for taking pills cause I always forget. ADD: SORRY about the thumbs up with the high cholesterol, Guess I shouldn't of typed in high cholesterol for he title. And I thought the thumbs up would go at the end of the reply.

My cholesterol was up to 250 a few years ago when I was only 25. It runs in the family. My doctor said to try for a few months with better eating to lower it instead of drugs. I stopped eating as much junk food (ice cream, anything with much fat in it) and started eating a bowl of Special K red berries for breakfast and lunch. I also read that almonds (like just a handful a day- plain old raw) help even though they are on the list of not good for cholesterol foods, something in them is supposed to help. After doing this for I think 3 or 4 months I had it rechecked and it was down to 199! Just barely under the 200 level that they want it under. I just thought no way am I going to have to go on cholesterol lowering drugs at 25! Just think of your heart before picking up that cookie, chip, cheese, or anything high in fat. What is your cholesterol? Good luck!

ETA- I really think the almonds will help!

OK, here's my story. My LDL was at 164 in November '04, and my doctor recommended going on a low-fat diet, but he especially wanted me to cut out red meat! (And I pored over every food label I could find.) FF to April '05 and I got my LDL down to 129, which was right target. By September I had also lost 15 pounds, and I am at that same weight now--a healthy 155 at 5-7.

Now, mind you, I ride my bicycle between 6000 to 7000 miles/year, but I was doing that before the dietary change. So exercise is not an issue.

I got my latest lab results today. The LDL is up to 136, but my HDL is 41, Triglyceride is 114 and total cholesterol is right at 200. Doc is satisfied (mostly) but wants me to optimize the diet and (of course) keep biking.

I eat a lot of fish (especially salmon) and chicken instead of red meat, and I'm still reading labels, though not as fanatically as I did at first. Looks like I need to get a bit more vigilant and bring that one number back down.

I also had a glucose test, and it was at a healthy 92.

Losing weight also improved my ability to ride up steep hills :D

1 cup cooked oatmeal with blueberries every morning and at least 4 days a week at the gym or the pool. I recently had surgery and according to the pre-op blood test my numbers are way down! I hadn't ever had a problem before, but my numbers are going down, not up as they normally would at my age. (don't you love when the MD starts the conversation by saying "well, at your age...") My regular diet is not that great, I do not get anywhere near enough servings of veggies. If I did that, it would probably be better.

Exercise, exercise, exercise....walking or running.

Also, niacin and omega-3...take it every day.

I lowered my cholesterol from 155 to 123 doing those three things.

Exercise and lots of high fiber and low fat foods. Sometimes you do all the right things and still need medication.

-Tom

Also, niacin and omega-3...take it every day.

I heard that too much niacin can damage your liver. Not sure if that is true or not.