High Cholesterol

[Mx6er]

I seldom post. My doctor's assistant called me today and informed me I have "high cholesterol" for my age group (received blood tests a week ago). I have a bad family history of heart attacks and heart disease. I am currently twenty years old.

Pretty shocked because I though I would check out pretty well. but at the age of twenty this seems serious. I don't even know where to go from here. any suggestions?

[ExtraSlow]

Back to your doctor to discuss?

[spike98]

Get your diet in check, start excersising, and in extreme cases take cholesterol reducing medication.

It cant be anymore clear than put down the cheese burger and hit the gym.

[Criticull]

Are you overweight?

[bulaian]

if you eat lots of coconut or shrimp, stop now until you talk to your doctor and get a meal and exercise plan sorted out

[Super_Geo]

Figure out what your max heart rate is (google it), and do a lot of cardio at 70-80% of your MaxHR for at least 30mins x 4 times a week.

Get yourself a heart rate monitor. Seriously the best thing you can do for yourself.

[Godfuader]

Originally posted by spike98
Get your diet in check, start excersising, and in extreme cases take cholesterol reducing medication.

It cant be anymore clear than put down the cheese burger and hit the gym.
^This!

I just got my blood results back a week ago...and am in the same boat. Three diff physicians told me do start cardio & watch the diet.

[sheik_yerbouti]

One word: Oatmeal. It got my cholesterol in check with the help of more exercise.

[wintonyk]

As everyone so far has said diet and exercise.

Change the type of fat you are consuming. Monounstaturated fats will help lower your LDL and bring up your HDL. (almonds, walnuts, pecans, avocado, etc.)

Also avoiding sources of saturated fats. These are the ones that are solid at room temp. Basically any fats that come from animals would be in this category, as well some of your tropical fats like coconut mentioned earlier or palm oil (margarine is a combination of palm oil and canola oil usually).

You may want to try adding garlic into your diet in raw form. Either it a clove/day raw or you can throw it on some of your cooking during the last few minutes to get the most benefit from the sulfur containing compound allicin.

[Mx6er]

thanks for the advice everyone. My HDL levels are excellent, blood pressure is also 120 over 78, so in those regards im pretty healthy. Im about 6'1, 200 pounds (slightly overweight). As I mentioned earlier heart disease and cholesterol are a genetic demon in my family. I guess the next logical step to go from here is to book an appointment with my doctor and go over the numbers.

Is there a potential that the test results could have been botched (ie. 10 hour fasting before the blood test was not enough time) ?

[groggs]

Cholesterol is only found in animal meats. Our bodies synthesize the cholesterol we need to carry out any particular function. When we increase our cholesterol intake our body reduces the amount it synthesizes. High cholesterol is caused by consuming more cholesterol than our body needs. Just like the overweight individual who has consumed more fat than needed, they're instructed to reduce the amount of fat they consume so there body has a chance to burn the stored fat cells. Well, same goes for high cholesterol. Exercise will contribute slightly, but not significantly. You need to reduce the amount of cholesterol you consume so your body has a chance to use your stored cholesterol. God forbid, this means cutting back on meats, eggs, and dairy. If you eat a lot of eggs, cutting eggs out alone would do you wonders. One egg contains your daily cholesterol limit. Recommended daily intake is set at 200-300 mg, one egg contains 250-300 mg. I hope this helps, Good Luck!

[msommers]

Hopefully you like fish because I'd strongly suggest making it a large part of your diet. Also, ground flax seeds are a great addition to any diet. It took me awhile to get used to putting them on stuff but now it's almost habit with cereals and salads. Tried to experiment putting it in an omlette...:barf:

[wintonyk]

Originally posted by groggs
Cholesterol is only found in animal meats. Our bodies synthesize the cholesterol we need to carry out any particular function. When we increase our cholesterol intake our body reduces the amount it synthesizes. High cholesterol is caused by consuming more cholesterol than our body needs. Just like the overweight individual who has consumed more fat than needed, they're instructed to reduce the amount of fat they consume so there body has a chance to burn the stored fat cells. Well, same goes for high cholesterol. Exercise will contribute slightly, but not significantly. You need to reduce the amount of cholesterol you consume so your body has a chance to use your stored cholesterol. God forbid, this means cutting back on meats, eggs, and dairy. If you eat a lot of eggs, cutting eggs out alone would do you wonders. One egg contains your daily cholesterol limit. Recommended daily intake is set at 200-300 mg, one egg contains 250-300 mg. I hope this helps, Good Luck!

There is some truth and some myth to what you speak. Cholesterol is only found in animals, and yes eggs are high in cholesterol. But their cholesterol consumption does not affect your blood or serum cholesterol levels. Those facts are a few years out of date.

Evidence showing that eating a lot of dietary cholesterol doesn't increase blood cholesterol was discovered during a statistical analysis conducted over 25 years by Dr. Wanda Howell and colleagues at the University of Arizona. The study revealed that people who consume two eggs each day with low-fat diets do not show signs of increased blood cholesterol levels.

As mentioned there are two ways to get cholesterol, through food and by our body producing it. Saturated fats give our body the ability to produce cholesterol.

When you talk to your doctor find out what your LDL levels are like. Typically the ratio can be quite skewed sometimes 5 or 6:1. Ideally you want the two closer together like 2:1.

In Canada here are somethings about what you should look for. When you see the blood test results this will likely make more sense:

Target LDL, HDL and total cholesterol:HDL levels

An LDL cholesterol level of less than 3.0 mmol/L is best
An HDL above 1.0 mmol/L is best
If your risk is low, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 5.0 mmol/L and total cholesterol HDL-C ratio should be less than 6.0
If your risk is moderate, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 3.5 mmol/ and total cholesterol HDL-C ratio should be less than 5
If your risk is high, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 2.0 mmol/L and total cholesterol HDL-C ratio should be less than 4.0
An HDL cholesterol level of less than 1.0 mmol/L means you're at higher risk for heart disease.
If you have diabetes, your LDL should be less than 2.0 mmol/L.
If you've already had a heart attack your LDL needs to be less than 2.0 mmol/L.

[Darkane]

^^ that.

Wanna shock your doctor and become a miracle case?

I challenge you to take 15g fishoil daily, and drop carbs for a month and eat as many green veggies as you possibly can.

I'd bet 1000bucks your cholesterol would magically be in the normal, maybe even tipping on the good side.

Carbs are usually the devil here. They raise triglycerides like no other.

Alter diet and get some activity in.

[Wrinkly]

Originally posted by Mx6er
thanks for the advice everyone. My HDL levels are excellent, blood pressure is also 120 over 78, so in those regards im pretty healthy. Im about 6'1, 200 pounds (slightly overweight). As I mentioned earlier heart disease and cholesterol are a genetic demon in my family. I guess the next logical step to go from here is to book an appointment with my doctor and go over the numbers.

Is there a potential that the test results could have been botched (ie. 10 hour fasting before the blood test was not enough time) ?

Have been dealing with this for over twenty years. Husband has essential Hypertension and high Cholesterol and seems likely genetic for him, too. He improved diet and exercise and made good improvements but still needs meds to control it - then after getting fitter/healthier than he'd been in years he suffered a heart attack :( Anyway, he survived and made quite an amazing recovery and the doctors are really surprised at how well he's doing (ten years on now).

The good news is (especially at your age) is that heart disease is REVERSIBLE. Not many people know or believe it, but it's true. I have a book about it (you're welcome to it if you'd like?). A guy who had four heart attacks by age forty and was told by his docs the next would be fatal. He had kids and decided to turn things around and he did. It involved a lot of diet/exercise and supplements. Not to mention discipline.

My point is, his is an extreme case, yet he became extremely fit even after quad by-pass surgery. You have prevention and youth on your side. Oat bran, is even better than oat meal (it has more of the soluble cholesterol lowering component than oat meal - you can buy it in the cereal isle in small boxes. You can make it with milk or water like other hot cereal/porridge).

The most basic things you can do that will make a considerable difference, it to cut out junk food (or any high fat sugary or deep fried food), avoid trans fats; they're worse than saturated fat. Increase your omega 3,6 & 9 intake; do this by eating more fish and or a good quality supplement. Start exercising. Even a brisk walk for 20-30 mins three times a week (assuming you're pretty sedentary now) will make quite a difference. If you do the above for a few weeks and get your blood work done again, I bet you'll see a improvement.

Good luck.

(Just re-read your post. If your HDL is good, that's excellent. Research shows that a having a good HDL is more important than having a bad LDL. A low HDL puts you at higher risk, so you should be able to bring this under control reasonably easily - your blood pressure is excellent too) :thumbsup:

[D. Dub]

Originally posted by Mx6er
thanks for the advice everyone. My HDL levels are excellent, blood pressure is also 120 over 78, so in those regards im pretty healthy. Im about 6'1, 200 pounds (slightly overweight). As I mentioned earlier heart disease and cholesterol are a genetic demon in my family. I guess the next logical step to go from here is to book an appointment with my doctor and go over the numbers.

Is there a potential that the test results could have been botched (ie. 10 hour fasting before the blood test was not enough time) ?

Exactly what I would do

[Neil4Speed]

Originally posted by Mx6er
I seldom post. My doctor's assistant called me today and informed me I have "high cholesterol" for my age group (received blood tests a week ago). I have a bad family history of heart attacks and heart disease. I am currently twenty years old.

Pretty shocked because I though I would check out pretty well. but at the age of twenty this seems serious. I don't even know where to go from here. any suggestions?

There are some awesome tips in this thread!

Don't be too choked though, your only 20 and you have much time to make the necessary changes to bring it back down to normal, and reduce the risk of heart attacks etc that are in your family.

Good luck!

[kaput]

.

[wintonyk]

Most walk in doctors will do that.

If you are overweight may be worth checking your Hemoglobin A1C and fasting glucose as these are indicators of diabetes. You have to pay additionally out of your own pocket for C-reactive protein(15 bucks). This is a measure of inflammation in your body. While your at it I would go for the TSH-4, thyroxine, Vit D, testosterone and iron. Then you can get your standard blood chemistry as well.

This is the stuff I get my clients to get checked by their doctors. However, many of mine are overweight or obese.

[suen17]

How about you reference where you get your shit from. You got your ass handed to you in the amino acids discussion. I reckon (probably correctly) that you don't know too much about nutrition. So while your post is informative, copy pasting from other sites?… goddamn son. What clients do you have?



Originally posted by wintonyk


Evidence showing that eating a lot of dietary cholesterol doesn't increase blood cholesterol was discovered during a statistical analysis conducted over 25 years by Dr. Wanda Howell and colleagues at the University of Arizona. The study revealed that people who consume two eggs each day with low-fat diets do not show signs of increased blood cholesterol levels.

http://ca.askmen.com/sports/foodcourt_60/66_eating_well.html



Originally posted by wintonyk

Target LDL, HDL and total cholesterol:HDL levels

An LDL cholesterol level of less than 3.0 mmol/L is best
An HDL above 1.0 mmol/L is best
If your risk is low, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 5.0 mmol/L and total cholesterol HDL-C ratio should be less than 6.0
If your risk is moderate, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 3.5 mmol/ and total cholesterol HDL-C ratio should be less than 5
If your risk is high, your LDL cholesterol should be less than 2.0 mmol/L and total cholesterol HDL-C ratio should be less than 4.0
An HDL cholesterol level of less than 1.0 mmol/L means you're at higher risk for heart disease.
If you have diabetes, your LDL should be less than 2.0 mmol/L.
If you've already had a heart attack your LDL needs to be less than 2.0 mmol/L.

http://www.cfpc.ca/english/cfpc/programs/patient%20education/cholesterol/default.asp?s=1

[kaput]

.

[eblend]

I was in a very high cholesterol group and my wife changed my diet to include only 1 egg per day, lots of fish and cholesterol free oil for fried foods. That with excersice of about 3 times a week brought down my cholesterol to normal levels, however I have relaxed my excercise and diet a bit so my levels went back up hidway up to where they were before. Another test in like 3 month for me, so time to hit the gym more routinely for me.