Is cholesterol a hoax???

My cholesterol is almost 300! It runs in my family, and my Grandmother who is almost 80 struggles with a high c. number. She was on the medicine and it made her ill and so now she takes nothing. I eat reasonably and excersise.Still, my numbers are high. I am only 23 and will not take the medicine. Some people think that high cholesterol numbers are normal and the medicine is unnessary. I don't know what to think. I am taking Niacin (a suppliment) to help reduce my number. What do you think? My doctor told me to stop eating red meat and all dairy products. I'm not sure that is good either. Any comments?

Arianne said:

My cholesterol is almost 300! It runs in my family, and my Grandmother who is almost 80 struggles with a high c. number. She was on the medicine and it made her ill and so now she takes nothing. I eat reasonably and excersise.Still, my numbers are high. I am only 23 and will not take the medicine. Some people think that high cholesterol numbers are normal and the medicine is unnessary. I don't know what to think. I am taking Niacin (a suppliment) to help reduce my number. What do you think? My doctor told me to stop eating red meat and all dairy products. I'm not sure that is good either. Any comments?

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Over the years the guidelines of what is a healthy total cholesterol number has dropped from 240 to 220 and currently 200. High cholesterol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, so your doctor is correct in recommending you to cut down dietary sources of cholesterol. Niacin works, you have to tolerate the side effects of vasodilation. I think your grandmother was taking statins, with mechanism of action of inhibiting an enzyme that is essential in the biosynthesis of cholesterol. Statins do have side effects that some people can not tolerate.

Other life style changes you can do is for example increase intake of soluble fiber, oatmeal is rich in soluble fiber, and metamucil is an example of soluble fiber. Increase of soluble fiber in the diet may help to decrease as much as 30 mg/dl of cholesterol. Good luck

Cholesterol is definitely NOT a hoax. It is one of the factors that can lead to early heart disease, even in women. Niacin can help with one aspect of lowering cholesterol, but if diet changes don't lower your numbers, please do consider taking a cholesterol lowering drug.
Remember, heart disease is the leading killer of women in the United States.:yes:

Thank you for the responses, they are much appreciated! I am concerned about my condition, but my doctor has recommended that I not take any medicine until after I am finished having children. She said that it is impossible to get pregnant if I take this medicine. Estrogen is protecting my heart now (since I am only 23), but it will not protect it as I age. I am hoping that my diet change and an exercise plan will help lower my number for now.

This is an excellent site for all natural ways of lowering your cholesterol...

http://www.loweringcholesterol.net/show/natural-and-herbal-supplements

I use a fiber suppliment, take poly-/octa cosinal, natural garlic and a prodect called "choles-tame" hope some of these help you. I choose not to use statins since they affect liver functions in some cases.

I wouldn't cut out all animal products, but the one to watch is eggs--they do have almost an entire day's dietary amount in them. (You get cholesterol from food, but your body produces a lot, too.)

For cooking, I would recommend using a lot of monounsaturated oils--olive, canola, etc (basically fats that are liquid at room tempterature. Look out for palm and cocount, though--they have as much sat fat as butter.) They raise HDL and lower LDL--double bonus! Also, avoid margarine and other hydrogenated fats like the plague unless they're specifically labeled as being trans-fat free--trans fats not only raise the LDL, they lower the HDL. Better to eat butter than man-made hydrogenated products.

As gezando recommended, fiber is important--oatmeal is a great source, and Quaker even makes an instant variety specifically aimed for people eating for heart health. Look for breads and other grain products labeled as being 'whole grain.'

(I had to take nutrition as part of my cooking school ciruiculum.)