Ways to lower cholesterol

TazziRN, RN · Mar 19, 2007

My mom (in her 70's) swears by Geritol. My hubs and I take the Kirkland MVT from Costco.

Cattitude · Mar 19, 2007

hello! my mother had a heart attack in november. her cholesterol was off the charts. i was hoping for food ideas to lower cholesterol and good diet habits. also what is a good multivitamin to take? any input would be awesome!

[color=#483d8b]hello daisygurl! i take whatever multivitamin is on sale or cheapest at cvs . seriously, most of them are comparable and the no name ones can be several dollars cheaper.

[color=#483d8b]for low cholesterol food and other diet stuff, i'm sure you could google and find a ton of info on the web. webmd is one reputable site that may have some good info.

[color=#483d8b]

rita359 · Mar 19, 2007

In my own recent research on this topic I found that basically cutting down on red meat or using the least fat you can find in the red meat you do eat is best. It also stated that vegetarians typically do not have problems with cholesterol. I do find it difficult to give up meat.

Balder_LPN, LPN · Mar 19, 2007

in my own recent research on this topic i found that basically cutting down on red meat or using the least fat you can find in the red meat you do eat is best. it also stated that vegetarians typically do not have problems with cholesterol. i do find it difficult to give up meat.

i am trying to see if i can find something (scientific) to support what you are saying about vegetarians.

i did find a study that says this in the abstract: the sample included 361 nonvegetarians, 570 vegetarians, and 102 vegans. their dietary intake was assessed by using a food-frequency questionnaire. anthropometric data, medical history, and lifestyle information were obtained with the use of a questionnaire, blood samples were obtained, and plasma total, ldl-, and hdl-cholesterol concentrations were measured. results: soy-protein intake was inversely associated with total and ldl-cholesterol concentrations and with the ratio of total to hdl cholesterol but not with hdl-cholesterol concentrations. mean plasma ldl-cholesterol concentrations in women with a soy-protein intake ?greater than or equal to 6 g/d was 12.4% lower than that in women who consumed

try this link to view the full study, if it doesnt work the first time, try hitting the refresh button, it should come up.

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=5&did=738186831&srchmode=1&sid=6&fmt=2&vinst=prod&vtype=pqd&rqt=309&vname=pqd&ts=1174315643&clientid=1971

llg, PhD, RN · Mar 19, 2007

Several dietary factors have been shown to improve cholesterol levels -- eg.

Increased fiber

Decreased animal fat in the diet

Inclusion of the "good fats" in the diet such as olive oil, cannola oil, peanut oil. fish oils, ec.

Low carbohydrate intake

However ... I believe that most studies have shown that dietary changes can only go so far. (I can't remember my source, but I vaguely recall reading somewhere that dietary changes alone rarely lower the total cholesterol by more than 50 points -- and for many people, not even that much.) If your mother's cholesterol is truly "off the charts," she'll probably need medications to help her get her levels where they should be. Her doctor should be prescribing meds that are appropriate for her. What is she taking? and How has it been working?

tulip928 · Mar 19, 2007

Hello! My mother had a heart attack in November. Her cholesterol was off the charts. I was hoping for food ideas to lower cholesterol and good diet habits. Also what is a good multivitamin to take? Any input would be awesome!

How old is your mom? Do you know her HDL, LDL, and her ratio? Has the doctor prescribed medication to lower her cholesterol?

She'll want to stay away from refined food, include whole grains (like oatmeal every morning - it works!). Watch alcohol consumption (keep it down) except for a 4 oz. daily serving of red wine (concord grape juice works great,too). Weekly having a fish such as salmon, tuna, etc., as well as reducing fatty meat intake. Lots of leafy green salads and vegtables and legumes. Low fat or non fat milk products for protein and calcium if she's not intolerant.

Daily excersise for 30 minutes which increases heart rate (with doctor's approval!) is the best way to increase the good HDL.

beckersSN · Mar 19, 2007

becoming a vegetarian is an excellent way to combat high cholesterol levels. I did a research paper about a month ago concerning vegetarian benefits and since then I have been a vegetarian. It works because cholesterol comes from animals... not plants. A vegetarian diet also cuts your risk of developing heart disease by about 45% and it is the number one killer of americans. I feel great now and am even losing weight. it's a great life change

MSJ2007 · Mar 19, 2007

My doc just put me on Fish Oil and Niacin for my cholesterol. He wanted to try that first for 3 to 6 months to see if it helped. If anyone has tried this or knows someone who has, please let me know how effective it was.

Katnip, RN · Mar 19, 2007

You might want to ask your mom's doc to refer her to a registered dietician to help her sort out exactly what she should and should not be eating.

Exercise can also help.

sister--* · Mar 19, 2007

I have a friend who's Dr. put her on a "non-flushing" Niacin as she cannot tolerate the Statin drugs. She gets it over the counter and takes it according to the pkg. insert.

She has always been very thin and fit, exercises daily, and watches her diet. Her high cholesterol comes from genes as her siblings have the same high cholesterol levels.

She's been on Niacin only one month. It will be interesting to see what changes are made in her cholesterol levels.

I have to agree with the other posters. Diet, exercise, a healthy life-style are musts.

cisco · Mar 20, 2007

you can talk to your local health food stores and browse the book stores for information about nutritional supplementation. My dad started taking 3 fish oil capsules a day and this lowered his blood pressure. I've read that "red rice yeast extract" can help reduce high cholesterol levels. I've also read that taking CoQ10 100 mg tid can really help the heart muscle. I've also heard that heart patients need extra magnesium...best wishes for your mom and a speedy recovery!