Cholesterol (sigh)

[cookiejar]

It's a bummer.

while getting tested for another ailment I got a letter from the Doc's office saying,"Your cholesterol is too high please avoid these foods..." followed by a huge list of just about everything I love.

 

arghhhhhhhh!

 

Any ideas on how to lower the bad cholesterol?

Someone told me lecithin (spelling sorry)

another told me Omega 3 fish oils (?) in the pony pill size.

 

The annoying thing is the letter was vague until I see my lady doc on Monday.

 

I am a weeeee bit bummed as I do loveeee food.

 

Thanx for any help

cookie

[snapshotmiki]

I was just reading in Suzanne Somers new book" Breakthrough health" that Pomegranite juice concentrate and water rids the arteries of plaque- 8 oz a day. Also niacin works better than statins accorking to the book. Snapshot

 

The book is full of info about natural cures.

[PoGo]

(((((cookiejar)))))

 

There are some good articles here, http://health.msn.com/health-topics/cholesterol/

 

 

[preparing]

Foods high in fiber and exercise. Everything we like is bad for us. I just found out that frying with olive oil turns it into a trans fat. I thought it was the only safe one to fry with, but coconut oil and organic butter do not turn into trans fat if fried. Olive oil is great if not heated.

[Crazy4Canning]

I have documented proof that Gugul and Red Yeast Rice drop it like a rock. Also fiber products like oatmeal, whole grains, etc. I also watch the saturated fats in butter, oils, etc.

 

Hope this helps!

[Snowmom]

 

I know what you mean about the high cholesterol, I was on Niacin and asprin for a while, but, it didn't do a thing for me. Then they put me on Lescal and I am now on Lipitor.

 

Guess I need to try a few of these things too. I eat 12 grain bread, so that helps, but, still there are other things I need to do too.

 

with lowering this stuff.

 

 

[Percysgirl]

The best website I know of about this is http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/ which is run by a friend of mine.

[Campy]

1,000 mg of garlic per day will lower the Cholesterol about 10 - 15 points in 30 days. Polycosinals will also help lower Cholesterol.

 

High Cholesterol frequently (but not always) is accompanied by a diabetic or pre-diabetic condition.

 

2,000 - 4,000 mgs of cinnamon per day (Wal mart has 1,000 mg capsules) will help regulate your blood sugar. (your doctor will verify this if you ask him/her)

 

If you have not done so, have your doctor do an "A1C" test. It will tell you where you are as far as diabetes goes. Under 6.0 is normal, over 7.0 you are diabetic, inbetween you are"pre-diabetic. This means that if you watch your diet and sugar level, there is a very good possibility you will not become diabetic.

 

Hope this is of some help.

[Mother]

Here is some especially good info on a different way of thinking about cholesterol.

 

http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/index.html

 

[snapshotmiki]

I had never heard that about olive oil when one fries with it. How about canola oil? Is that good or not?

[Lois]

Policosanol, 10 mil morning and 10 mil at night. Use coconut oil for cooking, olive oil for salads, and real butter, in moderation. The good Cholesterol will help clean the bad Cholesterol out of your system with the proper diet using plenty of fibre foods and cut your use of cheese and peanut butter in half.

[Percysgirl]

Canola oil is horrid. It leads to a whole host of problems. The link Mother provided by the WAP foundation is excellent for a short explanation of the hows and whys and what to use instead. The link I provided gives a more detailed explanation, and is written by someone associated with the WAP foundation who writes for them regularly.

 

Of course, I'm not biased. lol

[Mother]

Percysgirl, I'm not biased either. The Weston A Price foundation is one of the best there is.

 

Not only do they do a ton of research but they fight for our right to natural healing AND support Public Broadcasting Programs. (And a whole lot more)

 

Yup! I'm not biased......

 

[cookiejar]

Well, I am simply overwhelmed in a good way! Thank you so much!

I went to the Doc this morning and my cholesterol is 203 (?) but she'll email my highs and lows and good and bads. (I'm clueless).

 

I took your suggestions. I bought oatmeal for breakfast (slower cook) and am going to use my dehydrated fruits in it. Speaking of fruit, people here eat mango to fight this-heard of that?

 

I have been peeking at your sites and their wonderful but ALOT to look into. Just what exactly IS Ezekial bread? Your going to give me Bible verses aren't you?

 

I bought pomagranite juice and flax seeds from *Whole foods*. I'm going to use the juice in selzter and make spritzers. :cocktail:

 

I am crushed about what happens to fried olive oil! I love olive oil!

 

And SnowMom? I'm taking you with me buddy We're gonna gang up on this!

 

Does anyone know if it takes a long time to bring it down?

 

I hate it cause I love cheese and peanut butter and butter.

So, the minute my lady Doc tells me no on these things I swear I started craving beignets. Anything fried with a creme sauce...and a pork product...

 

Since I'm going from school to school site, I'm making a little lunch cooler up so I won't be tempted.

 

Pray for me! and thanks..

 

the FAT-FREE cookie

[Mother]

COOKIE,,,,read deeper. Fat FREE may not be the way you want to go!!!!!! It is very difficult when you have a doctor that insists on the old thinking but even the American Heart Association has been doing a double take on fat GOOD FAT! Even eggs which was once a terrific NO NO are accepted as not being bad for you.

 

Your total cholesterol is not the be-all end-all of cholesterol counting either. The ratio is what counts most. Let us know what they are and we'll help figure them out.

 

Please do some more research. DH brought his Cholesterol down in just six months doing nothing more than oatmeal and adding MORE GOOD fat to his diet. He eats peanut butter at least three times a week. His was higher than yours.

 

 

[JCK88]

Cookie, sweetie..you and I are having the same problem. I lowered mine in three months by eating steel cut oats for breakfast--jazzed up with differing fruits for flavor variety. Also, take fish oil pills, and try to walk every day if possible. I am doing this to also lower my blood sugar. The sugar is staying in normal ranges but cholesterol is still high although the steel cut oats is really making a difference. (about 29 points lower)

[Stephanie]

((((FatFreeCookie)))

 

Cute! But, of course Mother is right, be moderate with that. Our body needs fat! Just look how determinedly it holds on to it! JK!!

 

And Judy is right as well as the others, OATMEAL! Especially the steel cut. This has been one of the biggest changes in my families eating habits and it's nothing but good...nutritionally, financially, etc...

 

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol/CL00002

 

C4C, I'm going to check out that RedYeastRice, sounds very interesting!

[snapshotmiki]

Now I have to look for an article I saw a couple of months ago which said that in the early 80s the normal cholestrol values were higher. I think it said 250 was normal and then "they" lowered them to get more people on meds. I will let you know if I find it. Snapshot

[MommaDogs]

Mother, thanks for posting that. I was going to post the same. I believe that cholesterol screening is just another way to push expensive drugs on people. That being said, if you do still want to decrease it, here's what has worked in my expeience:

polycosanol (made from yeast)

red yeast (not for everyone)

garlic (especially aged garlic)

oatmeal (especially steel cut)

apple cider vinegar

 

Omega 3 will not lower it, it will only raise your HDL (good cholesterol)

 

So glad to see so many WAP members/followers out there. It's the BEST nutrition you can come by, and Mary Enig is one of the best lipid researchers out there.

 

Dr. Mercola www.mercola.com is one of the best as well.

 

[cookiejar]

Alright...

 

If I eat much more Oatmeal, oat products, Cliff Bars and green veggies...

I'm going to start Neighing!!!! (whinnnnnnnnyyyyy)

 

My work has been so topsy turvy that it causes trouble keeping a regular eating schedule. I do make myself eat something in the morning. Something I used to ignore before

-you know, a cup of coffee and go. So some good things coming out of this.

 

I've been taking the fish oil and lethicin. I tried to buy UDO oil but it was too close to the *use by * date for the $$. I need to get this all balanced out.

 

This is all a learning process. I think much of this will be learning portion control and things like that.

 

Good oil/cholesterol-bad cholesterol. This will be a learning process. I'm appreciating the ideas though, thank you.

[MommaDogs]

Cookie, just make sure your fish oil is molecularly distilled - or at least tested for mercury and PCBs. Not worth poisoning yourself over it.

[Snowmom]

 

 

Sorry I haven't been here lately.

 

They, dr. put me on Lopid to lower my Triglycerides, well, after talking that for a week, I felt like I had the flu. So, I took myself off that.

 

I wasn't on line at all for several days lately.

 

I still want to beat this thing with you Cookie.

 

Now, it is really something, as when they first told me I had high Cholesterol, I was told to not use coconut in any form, I was to use Canola oil. So, I see now they were wrong. What is going on, can't the dr.s and the rest of the world get together??

 

I guess there is just no way to win at some of these things.

 

I've been taking the policosanol for a few years now. I still have this nasty high Triglycerides. My Cholesterol is better but, the good needs to be a bit higher. So, if anyone can figure out how to lower those Triglycerides and raise the good Cholesterol, that would be great.

 

 

[MommaDogs]

Snowmom, what is your ratio of good to bad cholesterol, and what are your triglyceride ratios? High triglycerides by themselves don't have to be bad, if you have a good ratio of HDL to LDL.

To find your HDL ratio as per Dr. Mercola's recommendations - divide your HDL by your total cholesterol - that number should be above 24%. If it's not, you should be raising your HDL by exercising and eating fish oils. Divide your HDL by your triglycerides, and that should be below 2. If it is not, again, exercise and eat less polyunsaturated fats in your diet, and it should improve.

 

Those cholesterol drugs are bad news, cause heart disease and cancer. No WAY would I take them. Triglycerides come from eating fatty foods. Coconut oil (the healthy, saturated kind) will not contribute to cholesterol because they are made of healthy fats. Check it out - google it - and you will find lots on it. Here's the first few on my search pages. http://www.naturalnews.com/002692.html

http://www.coconut-info.com/coconut_oil_wh...ood_for_you.htm (this one is an ad, but still good info)

 

I get mine from www.tropicaltraditions.com

MSN did a good article on it saying that it had health properties, but they were still waiting to see further.

 

From what Mary Enig says, it's polyunsaturated fats (corn, soybean, etc) oils that are found in arterial plaque. I trust her, she's one of the top lipid researchers in the world.

 

Triglycerides are one of the easiest things to correct because they fluctuate so much. They are a direct measure of how much fat is in your diet in most cases.

[Snowmom]

 

 

Ok, here are my numbers. Sept. HDL 37, LDL 104 , Triglyceride 329. This is what really gets me as look at the numbers in May. HDL 45, LDL 80, Triglyceride 171.

 

So they more than doubled and I have no idea why. Almost looks like they mixed mine with someone elses.

 

My dr. is out of the office until the end of they year, she is having a baby. But, when she gets back in, I will be there and find out just what I can do without using all of these pills.

 

I'm thinking back and I do know I haven't been eating as many salads, not as much meat or protein, and I know I need to try to do better. I can't take the fish oil pills, as when I did, I ate them all day. Not good at all.

 

for these sites and I will be checking them out.

 

Just wish they could make up their minds. All the don't's and do not's and then they turn around and decide the don't's and do not's are the ones that are now yes and do's

 

 

 

[cookiejar]

I have to find where I put my paperwork tomorrow and I'll put my numbers up too.

 

All of this is so confusing sometimes. Canola oil-no canola oil-eat nuts -only certain nuts-flax seeds-no flax seeds. Well, I'm trying to eat right and cut down on things I know aren't good for me. Fatty meats and chicken skins, bacon things like that which are obvious.

 

Trying to work out a good balance and still have flavorful foods.

 

more tomorrow. But hugs to you Snowy for doing this with me.