High cholesterol levels - any advice?

High blood lipid levels....I’d love it if you all could share anything you know about this... my doctor hasn't been much help at all—she basically dodged every question I tried to ask... My cholesterol was at 6.0 six months ago, and now it’s climbed to 6.5... I'm just looking for some extra insight into how risky this actually is—and what I should be eating versus what I should avoid...

Thanks so much in advance!

Look, you can try playing with your diet, maybe shave about 15-20% off those cholesterol numbers if you're lucky... basically just stay far away from animal fats, eggs, butter, and all that refined sugar junk. But honestly? If your body is just wired to crank out its own cholesterol internally, diet won't do squat... at that point, you're looking at meds.

www.google.com :-)

Betty Patel17 said:www.google.com :-)

I was actually hoping someone might share some firsthand experience—rather than just pointing me toward what I could easily find online myself...

Got my labs back yesterday and my cholesterol finally dropped from a 6.5 down to a 5.5... after climbing higher every single year for a while now. Honestly, I'm pretty relieved. I’ve been watching what I eat and staying active, but my doctor thinks stress might be the real culprit behind the numbers...

Does stress actually drive up your cholesterol levels?
Watch what you eat—load up on fruits and veggies—and maybe pick up some Omega supplements to try for a few months. I took the ones from Enzo for three months and when I went back for my follow-up labs😛they were much better!

Laura Chase8 said:high blood lipid levels....I was hoping you guys could tell me everything you know about this... my "brilliant" doctor didn't offer up anything useful at all... she just kept dodging my questions... six months ago my cholesterol was 6.0 and now it’s hit 6.5... I'm just looking for more info on how dangerous this actually is... what to eat versus what to skip...

Thanks in advance!

I'm with everyone else here on everything mentioned in the previous posts....And honestly? Stress is one of those massive factors that can absolutely tank your numbers and send your lipids through the roof. Usually, when that happens, your triglycerides spike right along with them..... Try to decompress as much as possible and stay away from the chaos—even if that means telling certain people to get lost and go back to their hometowns!😬 For me, believe me, cutting out the stress significantly lowered my cholesterol.🤣 I didn't even realize how much "swallowing" and bottling up frustrations 😠 (while wearing that fake polite mask) wreaks havoc on your physical health. Your body eventually just spits it all back at you..... Live your life! 🙂

Look, I’ve got that same genetic high cholesterol situation going on. I swear, I tried every single diet under the sun—everything from keto to those crazy juice cleanses—and nothing actually moved the needle for me. Nothing worked until my cardiologist finally put me on Sors tablets. That was the only thing that actually did the job.

My dad lost about 35 to 45 pounds in just two or three months because he switched to a plant-based diet and started working out... now he's even taking some supplements to help keep it off.

I don't want to clutter up the board with yet another thread, but I found out yesterday that my cholesterol is sitting at a rather concerning 6.5. It’s a bit of a reality check, especially since I have a serious weakness for good food—even though I really should be sticking to a strict diet following my gallbladder surgery, though I suppose that's almost a secondary issue now.

I was wondering if anyone could suggest some decent spices or seasonings to use instead of salt or bouillon cubes? I’m trying to cut back on the sodium, but I have to admit, I tend to use far more than I probably should.
I also noticed that red meat is supposed to be kept to a minimum, so I was curious if horse meat is a viable option for more frequent meals? I've never been much of a fish person, though I realize I'll likely have to make an effort to incorporate more of it.

Dealing with pregnancy complications like eclampsia was rough... my blood pressure spiked to 150... I spent six months living on basically boiled food—minimal salt, just some olive oil—to get it back under control. I suspect this genetic predisposition might be a tougher nut to crack, but the logic stays the same: boiled veggies, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, GARLIC, no smoking... stay away from red meat, eggs, and too much booze... 👍

Olivia Jones78 said:I’ve got high cholesterol due to genetics too—tried pretty much every diet under the sun, but nothing worked until my cardiologist put me on Sors.

And how often are you taking them? I deal with genetically high triglycerides myself, and I ended up being prescribed Sors as well.

My mom actually deals with genetic high cholesterol too, so we’ve been fighting this battle together for years. She used to be around a 9, and now she’s dealing with some pretty nasty complications.

She takes Sors, which helps a little bit, but honestly, diet isn't doing much to help her numbers move.
My cousin ended up inheriting it as well. It sucks. 😢

So, what are you all curious about? I feel like I’ve read just about everything out there—from the latest stuff in modern medicine to all the alternative remedies. 🙂

I'm currently taking Sors, but honestly, I’m starting to think it might not be the best way to handle this—at least based on some of the stuff I've been digging up online. Maybe I should look into trying gemfibrozil instead?

I’ll try to address the question from earlier. Familial hypercholesterolemia is an autosomal dominant condition involving five different subtypes. Depending on the specific type, the body either fails to produce enough receptors on the cells meant to absorb cholesterol, or those cells simply don't utilize it efficiently... Generally, you shouldn't expect a quick fix, though having an incurable condition doesn't necessarily mean you'll face constant issues. If you strictly follow the dietary and lifestyle protocols recommended by your doctor, you can manage it just like anyone else with a healthy metabolism.

Is it actually possible for certain medications to cause an increase in blood lipid levels?

I mean, sure. You’ve got things like Accutane, certain antiviral meds, even anabolic steroids...
Basically, any drug that gets processed by your liver—if you're hitting them with massive doses.

In women, iatrogenic hypercholesterolemia is frequently triggered by oral contraceptives or treatments for iron-deficiency anemia....should either of those be taken into consideration?

I’m quite thin, yet my cholesterol levels are stubbornly high—it’s likely a genetic thing, given that my dad deals with the exact same issue. That said, I am CONVINCED that birth control pills can definitely play a role in those numbers, so if you’re currently on them, please make sure to bring your recent blood work to your gynecologist and have a real conversation about it.

For me, taking artichoke extract before meals made a significant difference, along with snacking on flaxseeds mixed into yogurt between meals and sipping on green tea. Of course, I’d also suggest staying active to help get your metabolism moving. When I'm cooking, I stick to olive oil or a high-quality omega-3 supplement like Align to keep things healthy.

👍

...I completely blanked on mentioning apple cider vinegar, which I honestly find quite effective: just mix three tablespoons of ACV with a spoonful of honey in a glass of water and sip it every morning.

For those who can't stomach the taste, you can always go the supplement route with apple cider vinegar and nettle capsules (Pfizer makes a good one: http://www.pfizer.com/product/id=34)