I know you really want to know the best course of action. I wish I knew. But something tells me there's not a lot you can do.

I'm 54 years old. I'm pushing 300 lbs. I eat a lot of red meat and fried foods. I could, and should, exercise more. And I have never had total cholesterol over 124. Last check about 2 months ago, it was 116. Even my HDL was 2 points too low. I was told to take fish oil which didn't help except to elevate my triglycerides and give me fish smelling breathe. So I stopped taking it.

I have a friend my age who is a fitness fanatic. A P90X-aholic, runs, yoga, is fit, eats the grossest vegetarian diet, is on statins, and can't get his cholesterol below 300.

Another friend my age produces uric acid kidney stones to the point he's having an attack almost every month. He meets his insurance copay limit every year due to kidney stone treatments. And has had multiple surgeries to remove stones too big to pass. The recommended preventative? Cut out animal protein. He's been a vegetarian for several years. It hasn't helped one bit.

My weird health characteristic is that my liver enzymes always seem to be a few points too high. No matter what I do, that's the way it is. It's been like that even when I was very fit. Doctor said cut out alcohol. If I drink a couple of beers a month, that's a lot for me. I've just gotten to the point that this is they way I am and it's my normal and it doesn't have to be someone's else's normal.

What I'm getting at is there is a normal for you. And your normal may be cholesterol that's maybe too high for other people. Do what you can do within reason. But don't deny yourself what you love. Then the cure is worse than the disease, and it's likely it wont help much anyway. I know you had a recent health issue. I'm sorry for that. But from what I've read, it's very possibly not from the cholesterol in what you are eating. It very well may be what you body will do whether you eat meat or you go full vegetarian.

quote:

Originally posted by navyshooter:
For dinner last night I had 6 eggs, a whole slab of bacon and 4 beef sausages. For Dessert I had a couple of peaches I picked off the tree in the back yard and a pint of cookie dough ice cream.

What's next? Dick pics for the forum?

I take a statin for the side effects-preventing strokes....my cholesterol has always been good. But I’ve gained 20 pounds since I retired...
I prolly need to start walking and get off the couch.

I can't recommend reading the book "The Obesity Code" by Jason Fung enough. People act like high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity is a mystery and medications can help some. It's not, it's real biology. I will never understand why people will continue to shovel shit that is killing them into their faces and pump in chemicals trying to offset the damage when there is ample evidence they could read showing them how easy it is to fix it. If someone can't control themselves and not simply cram pie in their face. Read the evidence and try it for yourself, then tell me if the book is all bullshit or not.

You need to look at your total cholesterol, but you also need to look at how high you can get your HDL (good) by eating low carb. Also, your triglycerides will drop greatly. You'll see blood pressure drop too.

There are suuuuuuuuper super rare cases where bad cholesterol can increase significantly on a low carb diet. While that is extremely rare, if you're one of those folks, you will have to look at your other levels and determine if it's overall better for you or not; baseline lipid profile is what you need to look at. E.g. high HDL, high LDL and low triglycerides can be argued to be better than low HDL, low LDL and high triglycerides.

Your oats are hurting your cholesterol profile 100%. I'm a cynic. I don't believe the new wonder cure for this or that. I have been a reader of Dr. Fung for years now and find everything he says to be accurate.

You have to understand that this notion that cholesterol and fat in foods causes high cholesterol and fat in your body as completely wrong. If cholesterol and fat in food were named something different, it would prevent this mistaken assumption in people.

It's an extremely simple fix, you just have to tell yourself it's more important than dying too early...and commit to buying new clothes when your old ones are too big. . Avoid sugar and avoid simple carbohydrates, problem solved.

sugar = the obvious sweets, but also honey and other natural sweeteners.

simple carbs = bread, chips, pasta, etc. I don't worry about the complex carbs in vegetables and some fruits, but I do only sparingly eat fruits very high in sugars like bananas. Berries are your best friend though.

About a year and a half ago my doc put me on Pravastatin (a relatively lightweight statin).
My total was not through the roof but getting worse at 268 or so.
Also a BP med.
I did change my diet with a more balanced diet.
Less fried, less SALT, less alcohol, more veggies, fruit etc, never was a big sweet eater.
Did NOT stop eating meat BBQ, Steak, etc.
Also hit the gym.
In about 4 months it I retested the cholesterol and it was a ridiculously low 150.
I attribute the exercise a lot as well as the modified diet and perhaps the meds.
Lost about 15 lbs and I am over 60.
Just follow the fundamentals.
End of story.
PS ... not going to the gym is killing me as I have a hard time working out at home during house-arrest.

how do you keep your cholesterol down?

I use Knob Creek artery cleaner.

I'm on a generic Lipitor 40 mg. A daily fiber supplement like Metamucil will help. Fish oil is good and there is evidence that COQ10 is an important supplement if you are on a statin. Some daily exercise will help. I've been on Lipitor for 23 years and never had any problem with it. I take a lot of over the counter supplements and something has kept me from any additional procedures since one stent in 1997. my cholesterol number is about 150. I've had a very close friend who is about my age. He doesn't use over the counter stuff partly because of the expense. I am cheap but willing to pay if there is a chance I can safely avoid additional procedures. The stuff is not that expensive compared to lying in a hospital bed somewhere. I am six feet tall and weigh about 205. I would like to drop about 20 pounds which might help on cholesterol but would reduce the load on the heart. Sincere best of luck to you.

For some time now, I've been using Boca Burger as a meat substitute, specifically, the All American. These aren't bad, actually. I see they've discontinued the mushroom-flavored patties. This is a good thing, unless one likes food which smell like the inside of an old gym shoe. I ain't kiddin'.

I got out of the habit for a while, but, things being as they are, I eat these probably twice a week now, in lieu of meat.

I found oatmeal and walking to be very helpful.

On the flipside, after a number of years, found the statin to not be helpful to cognitive condition

quote:

Originally posted by ersatzknarf:
On the flipside, after a number of years, found the statin to not be helpful to cognitive condition

How did you determine the medication as being the cause?

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
For some time now, I've been using Boca Burger as a meat substitute, specifically, the All American. These aren't bad, actually. I see they've discontinued the mushroom-flavored patties. This is a good thing, unless one likes food which smell like the inside of an old gym shoe. I ain't kiddin'.

I got out of the habit for a while, but, things being as they are, I eat these probably twice a week now, in lieu of meat.

I've never met anyone who got healthy by eating some miracle substitute for otherwise unhealthy food. The meat isn't the problem para, it's the bun, the beer and ice cream you have with the meat.

Exercise helps a lot. Aside from oatmeal, almonds also lower cholesterol and there's other foods that do as well. I am under the same theory as ES Dunbar and prefer the normal meats, versus synthetic stuff. I'd rather eat a boneless chicken breast than a boca burger. Or even a 90/10 lean ground beef (my favorite for burger is 80/20 chuck).

I've found that most all people can't make drastic dietary changes and maintain them. The trick is to pick your poisons and substitute the healthier option without going too crazy. I've also found buying a single serving of sinful foods versus a lot.....for example go to an ice cream store once in a blue moon for a cone, versus bringing home a 1/2 gallon.

With steaks, I switched from rib eyes to filet mignons. I do a lot of boneless skinless chicken now versus eating wings at least twice a month. Mix in some fish that's grilled/broiled/etc. (not fried). Allow yourself once a week to go out to eat and order something sinful for dinner.....the rib eye, etc....... as I started eating leaner, after a few weeks, my desire for the fatty foods lessened a great deal and my tastes changed. Then when I did splurge and ate a good grilled 1/2 lb cheeseburger it tasted really greasy to me (like a mcdonalds cheeseburger) and not all that satisfying.

Also breads.......lessen how much bread and carbs and try to switch to whole wheat when you do eat them. Instead eat a lot more green leafy vegetables...... broccoli, spinach, asparagus, zucchini......try to use olive oil in place of butter when you can.....I've also found using fresh herbs to season things helps with flavor too......garlic.....onions.....

I've found the key is to consistently make subtle changes/substitutes that you can live with, within your normal diet, but across the board.....instead of re-inventing the wheel and going vegetarian etc. I'll grill a filet mignon with 1 pound of grilled zucchini brushed with olive oil, garlic powder and a little salt for a meal (for example).

Some people (like myself) are more prone to having higher cholesterol, a lot of it is genetics, whereas I have a customer that's 60, 400 lbs and eats like a college kid, and his cholesterol is always 120 without meds......

quote:

Originally posted by esdunbar:
The meat isn't the problem para, it's the bun, the beer and ice cream you have with the meat.

I don't drink.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by esdunbar:
The meat isn't the problem para, it's the bun, the beer and ice cream you have with the meat.

I don't drink.

it's a statement for the thread; obviously I couldn't pretend to know what type of carbs/sugars you consume, but you're high LDL tells me you're consuming too much of something I mentioned in that response.

The fact remains, it's the carbs, not the meat. substituting the meat out won't change a darn thing.

You've given me an idea- ice cream on a bun...

quote:

Originally posted by ersatzknarf:
On the flipside, after a number of years, found the statin to not be helpful to cognitive condition
How did you determine the medication as being the cause?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am interested as well. Side effects of statins particularly the muscle aches have been over emphasized.

I recommend having most of your calories in the morning or midday. Dinner should be light. When you wake up in the morning, you should be hungry. If not, you ate too late or too much the night before.

Use protein/meat or fat to cause carb specific satiety. When you crave carbs, have a hamburger w/o the bun. Oats in the am, only with eggs or other protein. Straight oats or any other carb will be converted to triglycerides and stored as fat.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
You've given me an idea- ice cream on a bun...

lol, fried ice cream is pretty good...kinda close. While we don't know each other, I feel some weird internet bond with you. As an acquaintance, I think you've seen I'm not a total nut case. this is a topic I've posted on in the past and have read a lot on over the last several years. I spent a ton of time researching this stuff.

You're a smart guy who looks at things objectively even when not convenient. I would really encourage you as an "internet friend/acquaintance" to read that book and give it a fair try. It's a bitch the first month or two, but the results will motivate you.

I went from having high cholesterol and weighing 227 lbs (6' 1") to having blood work my doctor was jealous of and weighing 185 lbs. He legit said my blood work is perfect. All I did was eat differently. I didn't work out at all for the first 12-18 months and those were the results. Changed my life man.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

quote:

Originally posted by ersatzknarf:
On the flipside, after a number of years, found the statin to not be helpful to cognitive condition
How did you determine the medication as being the cause?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am interested as well. Side effects of statins particularly the muscle aches have been over emphasized.

Not for me. They would make my ankles (which never ever hurt before) hurt like hell and be really sore. But OTOH, the neck aches I'd usually get from a long ago injury went away when on them. I stopped taking the statins after a few months because of the sore ankles. I'm only 43, but cleaning up my diet. The desserts are my biggest issue, meals I have no problems eating pretty healthy.