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WHY : (
hi I just got my test results back and my total cholesterol is 285 my good chol. Is 40 amd I do not understand why, I exercise everyday, I just turned 30 im only 115lbs my diet is perfect, I eat losts of fiber,nuts fresh veggies and fruit. I became a vegan a little over a year ago becase I was told I had cardiomyopathy,a heart disese.i take a betablocker not sure if that is raising it or not but I take fish oil,cod liver oil so what the heck is going on??? It makes no since. My dad had high chol.he was not over weight But he ate eveything bad. I will not see my doc for three weeks.i would love to know why it keeps getting higher when I do EVERYTHING right. Thanks
hey thanks to you and Erijon I have kaiser insurance and they do this thing where you go give blood and they email the results and then you see the doctor two weeks later to go over everything which is kinda weird so no i have not talked to him about meds yet.i am like you were i really dont want anymore meds but i guess at this point its gonna be the best option, my father did die at 35 from heart blockage and wish he would have caught it as early as i did. i will do whatever is best.thank you so much
COMMUNITY LEADER
Your TGLs are high, but not dangerous. What was your LDL and HDL? If your LDL is over 130 your doctor may want to treat for that as it is a higher risk than TGLs. In addition, it is easy to control TGLs by cutting back on empty carbs like sugars, pastas and breads. Plus, if you drink you should keep it to a minimum as alcohol will metabolize as sugar as well. There are also some very effective meds to control TGLs that are not statins and are very safe such as fenofibrates.
As far as exercise, if you have a family history of heart disease, you should wait until you have seen your doctor and get his recommendation and don't forget to tell them you have started fish oil. As far as having a baby, you should let your doctor advise you on that after he has a chance to go over your medical history, but I have never hear of anyone being told not to have children unless they were very symptomatic with low heart function which I don't think you have.
Hope this helps,
Jon
As far as exercise, if you have a family history of heart disease, you should wait until you have seen your doctor and get his recommendation and don't forget to tell them you have started fish oil. As far as having a baby, you should let your doctor advise you on that after he has a chance to go over your medical history, but I have never hear of anyone being told not to have children unless they were very symptomatic with low heart function which I don't think you have.
Hope this helps,
Jon
I am a 35 year old female that finally just went for a physical. My cholesterol was high at 212 and my triglycerides were also extremely high at 315. That scares me! I haven't actually seen a doctor about it yet. My appointment is monday to see what she wants to do. I am about 20 lbs overweight and on weightwatchers. I have a really hard time loosing weight ever since having children. My husband and I wanted one more child but I would have to have another csection and since I am already overweight with not good test results I don't know if that is a great idea. I started taking fish oil yesterday and today I am going to start an exercise routine. I really don't want to have to go on meds at this point so any suggestions? Also do you think its unsafe to have a baby with triglycerides this high and a family history of cardio?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Welcome and thanks for your question. As usual, gymdandee has provided some excellent info. I would just like to add that you are also faced with genetics. Because of this, it may be very, very difficult to control your cholesterol without medical intervention. Diet and exercise alone just may not be enough when you are faced with familiar hypercholesterolemia.
Has your doctor recommended any meds yet? If not, you may want to ask. Below is a link that will give much better detail;
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001429/
Good luck,
Jon
Has your doctor recommended any meds yet? If not, you may want to ask. Below is a link that will give much better detail;
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001429/
Good luck,
Jon
You have a complicated situation, I think. Cardiomyopathy is a serious condition, and a high cholesterol level like you reported can of course lead to problems with heart artery blockages.
I was faced with a high cholesterol issue about fifteen years ago, and changed my diet. I went to a dietician, exercised, followed directions, but refused to take a statin drug. I don't see that you are taking a statin. I would suggest you do so.
I paid a heavy price for not mixing in a statin. When I mixed in a statin to exercise, diet, fish oil, etc, my LDL cholesterol dropped dramatically, my HDL raised. I think fish oil is important to lower Trigs, and as a retired commercial fisherman who understands fish, I'd buy fish oil that came from wild fish, such as sardines, tuna, etc. Most salmon these days comes from farmed fish, and it simply isn't healthful at any level.
I was faced with a high cholesterol issue about fifteen years ago, and changed my diet. I went to a dietician, exercised, followed directions, but refused to take a statin drug. I don't see that you are taking a statin. I would suggest you do so.
I paid a heavy price for not mixing in a statin. When I mixed in a statin to exercise, diet, fish oil, etc, my LDL cholesterol dropped dramatically, my HDL raised. I think fish oil is important to lower Trigs, and as a retired commercial fisherman who understands fish, I'd buy fish oil that came from wild fish, such as sardines, tuna, etc. Most salmon these days comes from farmed fish, and it simply isn't healthful at any level.
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For healthy adults, the recommendation is 300-500 mg per day of EPA and DHA combined, plus an additional 800 to 1100 mg of ALA.
The EPA/DHA recommendation can usually be met with one softgel capsule of fish oil (with 1 gram or 1000 mg of fish oil) which usually contains 180 mg of EPA and 120 mg of DHA, totalling 300 mg of the two omega-3s. However, amounts do vary (some products are stronger, some weaker), so look at the amounts of EPA and DHA provided, and add them together to see if the product supplies 300 mg in one serving.
Dr. Barry Sears further recommends that people with diabetes, osteoarthritis, and heart disease take twice that amount of fish oil. He also recommends that people with cancer take four times that amount. However, people with congestive heart failure should not be taking large quantities of fish oil.
While cod liver oil is a potent source of EPA/DHA, containing as much as 1000-1200 mg in one tablespoon, it is also a concentrated source of vitamins A and D. Both vitamins A and D are fat-soluble, and become toxic at high dosage levels. Your body needs a small amount of cholesterol to function properly! You want to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol, starting with your diet. practice portion control for a meal: Use your hand. One serving of meat or fish is about what fits in the palm of your hand. One serving of fresh fruit is about the size of your fist. And a serving of cooked vegetables, rice, or pasta should fit in your cupped hand.
Load your plate with fruits and vegetables five to nine servings a day -- to help lower LDL "bad" cholesterol. Antioxidants in these foods may provide the benefit. Foods enriched with plant sterols, such as some margarine spreads, yogurts, and other foods, can also help lower LDL cholesterol.
Top on the list of whole grains is Fiber one Cereal ( the original one)
examples of whole grains include wild rice, popcorn, brown rice, barley, and whole-wheat flour. A handful of nuts helps in lowering cholesterol. Nuts are high in monounsaturated fat, which lowers LDL.
A little fat in our diet about 25% to 35% of our daily calories Unsaturated fats like those found in canola, olive, and safflower oils help lower LDL.
Whole grains, like brown rice or quinoa, whole wheat pasta, and beans have more fiber and raise sugar levels less. These help lower cholesterol and keep you feeling full longer.
30 minutes of physical activity five days a week (20 minutes three times a week for vigorous exercise, such as jogging) can help lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol although more exercise is even better. It also helps you maintain an ideal weight, reducing your chance of developing clogged arteries. You don't have to exercise for 30 minutes straight you can break it up into 10-minute increments.
Aerobic or cardiovascular exercise such as walking lowers risk of stroke and heart disease, helps you lose weight, and keeps bones strong. If you're just starting out, try a 10-minute walk and gradually build up from there.
You want to get to 10,000 steps per day buy a pedometer.
Chronic stress can raise blood pressure, adding to your risk of atherosclerosis, which occurs when plaque from cholesterol builds up in arteries. And research shows that for some people, stress might directly increase cholesterol levels. Reduce your stress levels with relaxation exercises, meditation, or biofeedback. Focus on your breathing and take deep, refreshing breaths. It's a simple stress-buster you can do anywhere.
Add plant sterols 2 grams a day. Derived from plants, in capsule form, they interfere with cholesterol’s absorption. They’re safe,free of side effects and supply all-round health benefits. Both sterols and fish oil reduce inflammation.