High LDL Levels

[Cross-stitch gal]

Well...

My husband and I had our yearly physicals this last wednesday and our blood tests came back with high LDL levels. I'm at a loss because I'm needing to decrease my cholesterol and carbs but at the same time, just obtained a healthy weight and really don't want to lose any. While, my husband is needing to lose weight.

So, I'm wondering if any of you have had this same challenge? If so, how did you manage it? Thanks.

 

[my little penguin]

Things we have tried as adults (not Ds )
Two things can cause cholesterol / other blood numbers to be high
Diet and hereditary
You can't do much about hereditary
But minimizing intake of cholesterol from animal products (mainly meat ) and high fat /fried foods -no eggs only egg whites
Set a cholesterol maximum for the day
(Skim milk only has 5 mg )
We try to stay under 10 mg most days
25 -35 mg occasionally

Using vegan cheeses (follow your heart brand)
Increased cooked veggies /canned fruit as tolerated think 1/2 the plate
Mostly fish dinners as protein
Or tofu
Pulses (beans lentils chickpeas oatmeal )) at least once a day if you can tolerate them
Avacados are great for heart health
But high in fat
So adding those in dishes once a week


Cocoa added to things
Rich in antioxidants vs chocolate
If you use chocolates try dark chocolate less cholesterol and limit amount

Adding GROUND flax seed in tiny amount - but it can cause abdominal cramping so check with your GI on that one

Adding healthy carbs as tolerated
Quinoa (complete food including protein)

The idea is to limit the amount of cholesterol and fat you intake

So you can lower your bloodwork numbers with the same number of calories you eat now
And not lose weight

Thus is what has worked for us
But obviously check all diet changes with your doc and GI

 

[Beach]

I like and follow a diet that promotes increasing nitric oxide (NO) levels within the body. The diet also helps lower LDL cholesterol levels. It isn't about weight loss, instead the diet and other ideas is about raising NO levels which has been found beneficial at preventing cardiac events.

The guy that came up with the NO theory of heart disease won a noble prize for his work.

A book that I enjoyed on NO and heart disease can be seen here:

https://www.amazon.com/More-Heart-D...8&qid=1505043698&sr=1-2&keywords=nitric+oxide

Dr. Louis Ignarro discovered "the atom" of cardiovascular health--a tiny molecule called Nitric Oxide. NO, as it is known by chemists, is a signaling molecule produced by the body, and is a vasodilator that helps control blood flow to every part of the body. Dr. Ignarro's findings led to the development of Viagra. Nitric Oxide has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system as well.

NO relaxes and enlarges the blood vessels, prevents blood clots that trigger strokes and heart attacks, and regulates blood pressure and the accumulation of plaque in the blood vessels. Dr. Ignarro's current research indicates that Nitric Oxide may help lower cholesterol by facilitating the actions of statin drugs like Lipitor.

The goal of the regimen presented in NO More Heart Disease is to age proof the cardiovascular system, keeping the vascular network clean and elastic through enhanced NO productivity. The plan is easy-to-follow without extreme lifestyle adjustments, involving taking supplements to stimulate Nitric Oxide production, incorporating NO friendly food into the diet, and a moderate exercise program.

 

[Crohn2357]

http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dietary-cholesterol-does-not-matter#section1

https://chriskresser.com/the-diet-heart-myth-cholesterol-and-saturated-fat-are-not-the-enemy/
https://chriskresser.com/the-diet-heart-myth-why-everyone-should-know-their-ldl-particle-number/
https://chriskresser.com/the-diet-h...t-save-lives-in-people-without-heart-disease/
https://chriskresser.com/the-diet-heart-myth-how-to-prevent-and-reverse-heart-disease-naturally/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhzV-J1h0do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9yFDJpeBWA

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I'd first treat the diabetes by following a very low carb paleo diet.

 

[hugh]

Well...

My husband and I had our yearly physicals this last wednesday and our blood tests came back with high LDL levels. I'm at a loss because I'm needing to decrease my cholesterol and carbs but at the same time, just obtained a healthy weight and really don't want to lose any. While, my husband is needing to lose weight.

So, I'm wondering if any of you have had this same challenge? If so, how did you manage it? Thanks.

I'm not a doctor, and this in not advice.

Once upon a time it was 'Cholesterol is bad'
Not so long ago it was 'HDL good, LDL bad'
Now it seems that sdLDL (small dense) are bad and lfLDL (large fluffy) are good.

The ratios of Total Cholesterol divided by High Density Cholesterol (TC/HDL) and Low density divided by high density (LDL/HDL) give a better idea of your risk [1], but I don't think many doctors go past the 'recommended range' and ask what the actual risk is.

Those links Crohn's2357 put up are worth a look but post your numbers and we can work out if you are at risk (statistically speaking that is)

As far as having that same challenge, I had my cholesterol tested a few years back and my doctor tried to scare me into going on statins even though I am in a very low risk group so I changed doctor

[1]Lipoprotein ratios: Physiological significance and clinical usefulness in cardiovascular prevention
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2747394/

 

[hugh]

found the ratios....(not sure who he is but seems ok)

"One study found that a TG/HDL-C ratio above 4 was the most powerful independent predictor of developing coronary artery disease."

" If lipid values are expressed as mg/dl (like in the US);
TG/HDL-C ratio less than 2 is ideal
TG/HDL-C ratio above 4 is too high
TG/HDL-C ratio above 6 is much too high "
https://www.docsopinion.com/2014/07/17/triglyceride-hdl-ratio/

Working out your risk will give you an idea of how aggressively you want to work on lowering LDL.

Two people i trust on the subject are chris masterjohn and chris kressler...
Episode 11 – Chris Masterjohn on cholesterol & heart disease (Part 1)
https://chriskresser.com/the-healthy-skeptic-podcast-episode-11/

I would avoid statins like the plague, but that's me.

And lastly Low(ish) carb paleo (unless you have familial hypercholesterolemia), good quality fish oil and some exercise

Systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials of the effects of low carbohydrate diets on cardiovascular risk factors.
"LCD was shown to have favourable effects on body weight and major cardiovascular risk factors; however the effects on long-term health are unknown."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22905670