high cholesterol!

Just had blood test results and my cholesterol is 6.7.  I knew it was a bit high after a blood test shortly after doing FLM last year, (5.8) so made sure i eat plenty of fruit, semi skimmed milk, no butter, cut down on anything fatty, (apart from odd treat)  have the so called cholesterol lowering marg' and yogurts, ride my cycle 9 hilly miles a day commuting, and it's gone even higher and blood pressure a bit high!!

I don't like the idea of statins, but my body just seems to compensate every time i try and lower my cholesterol?  What do you think I should do. I'm very dissapointed considering my lifestyle.

I've heard the taking Co-enzyme Q10 is very good for helping to lower cholesterol.

Btw, I was reading a very interseting long article last week which strongly disputed the link between high cholesterol and heart disease.

Mother of Muttley, who is 70, has lived an abstemious life and adopted a low-fat cholesterol-friendly diet decades before they had been thought of. She's as fit as a fiddle and well active too. In fact, as I type she's on a cruise up the Amazon!

Yet her cholesterol is over 7. There's no history of heart disease or diabetes in the family either. Her mother lived into her 90s.

Why she should have such a high number, and what it means, I have no idea. Seems to be more to this cholesterol lark than meets the eye, NFS.

My total cholesterol was 6.2mmol/l when I had it measured out of curiosity 15 years ago.

Since my overall cardiovascular risk is in the region of zero, I don't intend to have it measured again unless there's a medical reason to know the number.

NFS - its a cumulative risk - so if you dont have other risk factors, like a family history of heart disease at a young age, diabetes etc - then the number on its own doesnt matter too much, as long as it isnt WAY high, just simple healthy living and eating is enough

Some people with a higher calculated risk might need meds - but speak to your GP - they can look at it in a balanced way, knowing your medical history, blood pressure, etc etc

Hi all

thanks for your help on this. My parents are both in mid seventies with no heart problems, but grandfathers on both sides both died with heart related problems. 42 and 64 respectively, but doctors don't consider that significant? My uncle (farther's brother) is diabetic as was my farthers mother. Both late in life and controlled by diet.

My blood pressure is a bit high, but not very. What i'm concerned about is, though my doctor at previous test said i should be o.k as long as i keep fit, am i slowly blocking up arteries, but it's not showing because i keep fit?  I'm 50 now, but don't want to be told in 10 years i should have gone on medication and will have a heart attack if i do anything to strenuous due to accumulation of rubbish in blood vesels.  I don't want to go on statins if not needed, how can i be sure i'm not slowly blocking up arteries with cholestrol?  I've got an appointment to see doctor about recent 6.7 cholesterol result in two weeks time. I wonder if there's a test to see just how arteries look at present?, and not just take a gamble on being ok?

Hi there,

1/ do not panick. Keep active, eat healthfully, and keep running

2/ 6.7 is the composite of all cholesterol (HDL, LDL) - as much as it is higher of what they consider ideal level..

3/ doctors, now, look at the ratio between HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL.

before going on hard stuff ie statins,

4/ Try adding Borage oil - GLA (omega 6)  to your diet. Research indicates that it lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, too. Also it increases the HDL levels -  HDL fights against plaque buildup in arteries by grabbing the LDLs in the blood stream - Give it time to start working ie 3 months perhaps.

5/ Plant sterols or stenol also lowers the cholesterol levels. usually found in flora, yogurt drinks etcc.. you could also have them as supplement.

6/ add whole oat and fibers to your diet - fibers also can be found as supplement - (check with GP if you have bowel problems, divertculosis..before having them as supplement)

7/ add pulses to your diet (beans, chick peas, lentils)

8/ drink lots of water.

Hi Sezz,

Any idea where that article may be?  My neighbour has just been told her cholesterol is 8, and she's a bit worried.

Ta muchly

run@50

thanks for that advice. I'm allready doing most of it, which is why i'm concerned my cholesterol level is still high? I'll check out the good v bad cholesterol when i see doc' in a couple of weeks.

I understand. This is very frustrating.

Keep doing what you are doing and hope for the best. This could be transionary. Discuss with GP doseage of GLA and sterols. Also increase your intake of anti-oxidants to get rid of the free radicals that are far more damaging to the arteries. Eat blueberries and coloured veggies like no other food exists, drink green tea. If they dont help immediately, they will certainly have good impact in the future.

JuanaH, I've only got it on a pdf format which I can't attach to the thread.  However, if you email me then I'm more than happy to email the article to you.

It's entitled "Time to get scientific:  Let's scrap the diet-heart-cholesterol hypothesis" by Dr Natasha Campbell-McBridge, MD, MmedSci (Neurology), if you want to search for it on the internet.