How do I lower my cholesterol level?

Question

Hi,
Im 22 male, 74kg, 180cm height. Sometime about last year, I went for a general medical screening and had a chol. level of 240.

Since then ive been training, eating right, and exercising but when i got another result yesterday, chol.level is 270 with LDL 180 and Triglycerides 205.

Yeah its getting worse. So anyone knows any effective ways of lowering my cholesterol lvl ? im quite desperate now.
Also, this high cholesterol thing is in my family history. dad and grandad had a stroke.

Many thanks in advance

Yea they are fasting blood tests. both of them

Answer 1

There are spikes off and on of cholestrol levels; when you have stated physical training, let that not bother you.
Add omega 3,+ fiber in your diet and continue your regular physical, etc.
This is a experienced based answer, and you will lead a quality life, as long as to stick to regular routine of life.
Avoid stress.

Answer 2

So here we have people regurgitating the same old low fat no saturated fat propaganda and then someone says that there is nothing wrong with saturated fat. Who to believe? Maybe this will shed a little light;

"In Framingham, Massachusetts, the more saturated fat one ate, the more cholesterol one ate, the more calories one ate, the lower people's serum cholesterol...” Dr William Castelli 1992 (Director of the Framingham study, that extensive study of which many contort the results of to promote the low fat anti cholesterol ideas)
Then there is the study comparing the atkins diet against other more conventional diets;
"the Atkins dieters had significantly greater increases in good cholesterol (HDL) and greater decreases in triglycerides"
http://health.upenn.edu/News/News_Releases/May03/Foster.html

So how can this be? Despite all these lambs believing that saturated fat is related cholesterol levels, it appears that is not the case. Here's why;
First you need to understand that there is no such thing as blood cholesterol levels. What is being measured are Lipopproteins - High density lipoproteins (HDL) Low density Lipoproteins (LDL) and very low density lipoproteins (called triglycerides for some queer reason)
There are two types of VLDLs, those made in the gut are VLDL B-48s and VLDL B-100s are made in the liver.
When you consume fats they are packed into VLDL B-48s and sent either to the liver where they are completely broken down to be utilised, or sent around the body to be utilised by cells
As this happens they shrink in size and are then reabsorbed, disappearing completely.
So, eating fat can not cause your 'cholesterol' levels to rise.
On the other hand, when excess blood sugars are converted into triglycerides, say after a high carb meal, they are packed into VLDLs in the liver. These then have protein molecules transferred from a HDL (Good bye so called good cholesterol) becoming VLDL B-100s.
As VLDL B-100s are sent around the body and as cells 'snatch' bits off, they become LDLs, so called 'bad cholesterol'.
Still believe that fat consumption raises cholesterol?
Carbahydtrates are more likely to raise cholesterol, if it even matters!


Oh no I've been given the thumbs downs down by an ignorant ostrich. How about proving me wrong instead?

Answer 3

Ok you need to eat healthy foods. No trans fats and no junk food lots of vegies, some fruit and grains and white meat. You can take lecithen 1200 mg capsules twice daily with meals.(this was proven in the 1930's in Australia and still is a wonderful cholesterol lowering agent and it is natural.) You can purchase at any good health store. Stay away from Statin cholesterol drugs they have too many side effects. If you can get a free copy write to www.secondopinonewsletter.com and he is a MD doctor who has wonderful ideas of lowering cholesterol naturally. I would mention the things above as his subscriptions to his newsletter is not free but he will send you one free copy so ask for the one on lowering cholesterol.

Answer 4

Unhealthy cholesterol levels can boost your risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other problems. According to experts, there are four basic ways to get your cholesterol where you want it: Eating a healthy diet. Exercising Losing weight Taking medicine -- in some cases While each of these works, some people have more success with one than another. Many need a combination of approaches. No matter what your age or the state of your health, you can reduce your risks of serious problems by controlling your cholesterol -- and it's not as hard as you think. 1. Lower Cholesterol by Eating Right You've probably heard it before, but foods that are high in saturated fat and -- to a lesser extent -- high in cholesterol, boost your cholesterol levels. These include foods like egg yolks, fatty meats, and full-fat dairy products. You also cut down on trans fatty acids as well, which are more often found in processed and fried foods. But eating a heart healthy diet isn't just about deprivation. In fact, some foods -- eaten in moderation -- can actually improve your cholesterol levels. They include: Fatty fish, like tuna and salmon Nuts, especially walnuts and almonds Oatmeal and oat bran Foods fortified with stanols, like some margarines and orange juices 2. Improving Cholesterol With Exercise Exercise is another way to improve your cholesterol levels. Increased physical activity can have a modest effect on cholesterol, lowering bad LDL cholesterol to a lesser extent, while boosting your good HDL cholesterol. The type of exercise is up to you. Walking is the simplest and easiest. Buy a pedometer to measure your progress and start moving. 3. Lose Weight: Lower Cholesterol Being overweight tends to lead to unhealthy cholesterol levels. Losing weight can lower your bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. It also can raise your good HDL cholesterol. Of course, weight loss is usually a product of a good diet and exercise. So what if you've already improved your diet and started exercising but still need to lose weight? Then you need to make some further adjustments -- gradually. Once you've reduced your intake of saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol, you can focus on cutting out some calories. In the same way, once you've gotten into an exercise routine, you can step up the intensity to lose some pounds. 4. Controlling Cholesterol With Medication So what happens if diet, exercise and weight loss aren't enough to bring your cholesterol under control? Your doctor might recommend medicine. Do not self-treat yourself, and do not rely on a pill: cholesterol-lowering drugs have many adverse effect, and you may end curing one illness while getting another. Taking medicines is a drastic measure, and you can start doing it only after consulting your doctor.

Answer 5

Less fatty foods in the diet, less packaged products with hydrogenated oils, more fruit and vegies, more long moderate cardio. no alcohol, no smoking, no dairy, no fries, no burgers. Avoid stress, even action movies or sports if they give you a big adrenaline rush. Too much adrenaline can be as bad as cocaine for your arteries.

It is not just cholesterol. If you avoid other stressors to your arteries, you'll be ok inspite of it.

270 - (180 + (205/5)) = HDL = 49, I think. Pretty good. More chicken breast meat, and other foods with niacin, too, to boost your HDL.

My sister and her husband have had cholesterol in the high 200's for 40 years. Be interested, but not obsessive. My cholesterol was about 190, and I am slim and atheltic. My arteries were almost all 99% blocked and I needed an emergency triple bypass at age 53. No prior symptoms until two weeks before.

Answer 6

Sometimes elevated cholesterol levels are hereditary. Sounds like that may be the case with you. It also sounds like you are trying to do all the right things by eating right (assuming that means low fat), exercising. The next step is to see your family physician that may have to start you on medication such as Zocor, Zetia or one of the statins that lower your cholesterol. Having elevated cholesterol levels does increase your risks of stroke and heart attack. You are on the right track, but you may just need some help to get your levels where you want them. Good luck.

Answer 7

Oatmeal and oat bran, walnuts, almonds, fruits, vegetables, high fiber foods, fish, reduce your intake of bad fats — especially saturated and trans fats. Look for lean cuts of meat and no more than 6 ounces of lean meat per day. Remove skin before cooking chicken. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least two times each week. Prepare fish baked, broiled, grilled or boiled rather than breaded and fried. Choose fat-free (skim) or 1% fat milk and dairy products. They’re rich in protein, calcium and other nutrients without being high in fat and cholesterol.

Unfortunately, sometimes dietary changes and exercise alone are not always enough for everyone. You should talk to your doctor about adding cholesterol-lowering medications to your treatment plan since your cholesterol is not decreasing.

Click these links if you would like more info and also there are some recipes, lowering cholesterol foods, how to lower cholesterol etc.:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol/CL00002
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-healthy-recipes/RE00098
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=516
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=78657
http://www.healthcastle.com/low-cholesterol-diet.shtml
http://www.annecollins.com/low-cholesterol-diet.htm
http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/lowercholesterol/LC_plans.html

Answer 8

Sounds like you need to take medication to help lower the cholesterol. Talk to your doctor.

Answer 9

Go to my website and click on "Cholesterol" and "Triglycerides" on the left side. There you will find basic info and links to more in depth sites. The links are very good.

Here's the link to my website:
http://medilink-healthlink.tripod.com/index.html

My cholesterol and triglycerides are high and I have the other conditions my site talks about.

Good luck, you are right to be concerned.

Terry

Terry

Answer 10

Were they fasting blood tests ? That makes a big difference in the readngs. But oat type foods like oat meal. are good, red rice yeast, fish oil with a high DHA content. I'm supprise you Doctor didn't prescribe a medication like Zocor.