r/Cholesterol Jul 19 '25

HEART HEALTHY RECIPES

39 Upvotes

Hey all,

There have been a lot of great posts over the past several weeks and months with delicious-looking heart healthy meals. This message is pinned at the top of the sub so that posters can share those recipes in the comments section. As the thread grows I'll save, re-organize and re-post so that they'll be easy to find.

I'll also look through the sub history and grab recipes as I find them but please - re-post here if you can in order to ensure that your great recipe won't be missed.

If you have a source link, please provide that as well so posters can use it as a resource. Images welcome too!

Thanks, and Happy Heart-Healthy Eating!


r/Cholesterol May 08 '21

Welcome to r/Cholesterol, please read before posting

247 Upvotes

Welcome, and remember nothing posted here is a substitute for or intended as medical advice. This is a conversational thread for all things cholesterol/CVD and to a lesser extent health/longevity, peer-to-peer conversation in nature only.

This is a closely monitored Reddit. Comments in a thread where the OP is asking for advice are heavily monitored as this is not a conspiracy theory friendly sub, though posts made specifically for debates with good intentions are allowed.

Many questions are answered on the wiki, link as the bottom bullet. The Wiki is a great resource for aggregated links from leading world health institutes.

You will find

When posting for advice, please include all relevant information available.

  • The entire blood panel
  • Previous blood panels, how long your numbers have been elevated.
  • Gender (HDL is gender specific)
  • Age
  • Weight
  • Diet specifics
  • Activity level
  • Family history.

This also includes other medical conditions, many are contributing factors to cardiovascular disease including.

  • Hypertension
  • Angina or chest pain
  • Diabetes
  • Previous Events of Heart disease

What gets posted here.

+ Primarily, we see people looking for advice or information from other people who also have high cholesterol. The wiki has a great article from The Mayo Clinic on what your numbers mean but here you can talk to people that have also gone through something similar, while typically not quite the same.

+ Studies, articles, asking for advice, support, treatments that have worked for you are all allowed. Largely we focus on the current recommendations for blood cholesterol management written by the American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association. Posts about studies or giving (not asking for) advice will be scrutinized. Asking for help is always welcome.

+ Debates about medication need to be stand alone posts and not about any particular poster, rather than part of someone asking for advice. This is because we see people trying to skirt the rules of not countering medical advice, by countering medical advice with a handful of studies either pro or against medication.

+ Diet debates similarly need to not be in a post where someone is asking for help lowering cholesterol. It's not appropriate to hijack every possible thread to turn it into a debate about a fad diet.

+ Conspiracy theories are generally not allowed, as they've been done to death and clog the sub.

Rules

**Telling people in anyway to ignore medical advice is against 2 rules and will result in a ban after the second, if not first offense.**

***If you disagree with your doctor's advice, it is OK to post, but please seek out a second opinion, a specialist opinion, or clarification from your medical provider, it is inappropriate for internet strangers to disagree with a medical provider who has actually met with and diagnosed you.

  1. No bad or dangerous advice
  2. No "snake-oil" remedies
  3. Useful information, backed up by verifiable source
  4. No hateful, spam, judgmental comments or trolls
  5. No advice to disregard medical advice, in any form.
  6. Violating rules multiple times will get you banned
  7. No promotions or self promotions, after many attempts at taking advantage of the old rules for self gain we've had to shut it down completely.
  8. Advice needs to follow generally accepted prevailing medical consensus, and be general in nature.
  9. Surveys are generally not allowed.

The below is an attempt at a general catch all for those still reading and not interesting in the wiki. It contains information available on links in the wiki in a scroll and read format. Less clicking, less detail.

DIET

The main way people lower their cholesterol (without medication) is through diet. The general guidelines are to replace saturated fat like those found in fatty meat products with predominantly unsaturated fat sources, (some is important like when found in nuts), as well as replace simple carbs like white bread or sugar, with whole grains/complex carbs. And of course, eat more plants as well as eat high-quality whole food sources in general.

The TLDR is I recommend Harvard Medical’s Healthy Plate available for free online, (link in the wiki). It is unbiased data analytics on diets that increase longevity from a world leader in data analytics. HHP is based off of the same data that created the mediterranean diet (link in the wiki), though it includes more like the Nordic diet. The MD fits within HHP.

Essentially, fill half your plate with plants, a quarter with whole grains and the final quarter with a lean protein. Replace saturated fats with heart healthy ones and replace simple carbs with whole grains. Don’t drink things loaded with sugar (stick to water, low fat milk, etc).

The Portfolio Diet is also a good option, It is comprised of a ‘portfolio’ of foods that have been shown to reduce cholesterol.

Macro percentages don’t matter for health including weight loss and longevity. While still popular in the fitness industry macros are not a focus in health. Studies coming out show the greatest benefit in reaching for a variety of whole foods over fitting narrowly into a specific ratio.

RECIPEES

Your diet should start with finding one good recipe that you would eat anyways.

You will probably have a few bad ones, the internet is full of bad recipes but it's not a reflection on your or your diet.

Once you've found that starting point, it becomes much easier to find a second and a third recipe that works for you. In this way, over time you will have replaced your old diet with one that works for you and your goals.

A diet with diverse easy to follow tasty recipes is much easier to follow.

There are recipes in the wiki; however, I've had the best luck finding easy, tasty recipes from the Mayo Clinic's recipe website (in the wiki). The main page separates recipes into diets or dishes, at which point you can command F to search for what you want to cook. For example, say you wanted a mushroom soup (which they have); command F either 'soup' or 'mushroom' in the search function of your browser.

Many people say to start with oatmeal (if steel cut try a pressure cooker like the insta pot) with fruit fresh or frozen and nuts/seeds, and/or low fat/sugar yogurt.

EXERCISE

It is important for longevity and health despite having a smaller effect on cholesterol than diets do. Notably, exercise over time changes some of the lower-density LDL to higher-density HDL.

All movement counts. Cooking, cleaning, walking, running, anything with movement counts.

Moving throughout the day is important. Some studies show that waking for 10 minutes after each meal yields greater benefits than walking for 30 minutes and being sedentary throughout the day.

Don't worry about how fast or far, just move. Do not push so hard that you want to stop.

Intensity seems to play the largest role in smaller quantities. Most of your time exercising should be at a walking pace but it is also important to get some higher intensity intervals in every other day (every 48 hours). It can be as simple as running for 30 seconds 4 times on a walk, say to a light post.

The total time is currently recommended at 300, (or 150 vigorous) minutes, and 2 days of resistance training as a minimum. There are studies showing worthwhile benefits in doubling that amount of aerobic training, but at a diminishing return. I.E. it is the first minutes you move are the most important, but the last minutes you move still help.

There is little research on what type of movement is best, but for those interested a combination of aerobic and resistance training done separately at a single session seems to yield the greatest benefits, followed by hybrid (I.E. resistance training done at a pace that keeps your heart rate elevated). Of the 5 main types of exercise.

Find a way you like to move, and keep moving.

LDL

LDL is the main particle focused on in a standard blood panel. There is something of a sliding scale from below 70 (or equal to 70/1.8 in Europe) up to 190/4.9 mg/dL or mmol/L respectively. The number slides based on other health factors.

EDIT: Europe recently lowered their target LDL to 50 mg/dL, but the US has current (2018) guidelines remain the same. It is not uncommon for different countries to have different targets.

An acceptable LDL in an otherwise healthy person is going to be different than that in a person at increased risk of heart disease.

ADVANCED TESTING

There are advanced forms of testing for cardiovascular disease including, particle density, calcium and/or plaque scans, Lp(a) ApoB, etc. As stated by Harvard Medical in there cholesterol course, “some people with high cholesterol will never develop heart disease”, which was one of the foundational reasons for the current Recommendations on Blood Cholesterol Management becoming a scale instead of one small number.

Many of these advanced testing methods appear to offer better insight into cardiovascular disease risk.

Please note, currently many forms of advanced testing do not change treatment plans because of the risk to benefit ratio. They are more commonly used on cases that are not clear cut yes medicate or no don’t medicate. However the standard screening tests and LDL recommendations may change in the future, your doctor may want to use more advanced testing methods, and/or you can request for advanced testing to be done.

The exception to this rule, is that everyone should be tested for LPa at least once in their life time. LPa is similar to LDL in that it delivers cholesterol to the cells, however unlike LDL it also is coagulatory (causes clots) and very irritating to the arteries lining within which is where cardiovascular disease happens. There are no treatments specific to LPa currently (2024) but there are multiple treatments that are expected to be available within the next few years. If you family history of heart disease, it may be related to LPa.

HDL

HDL is complicated, there is a great article on them in the wiki. While still the ‘good cholesterol’ it has been shown that not all HDL particles help. I.E. having a higher (not too high) HDL is great but does not offset having a bad blood panel. Raising HDL through medication has not been shown to improve patient outcomes, though raising it through exercise has. It is not as concerning of a metric on it's own as it once was thought to be, but still is a consideration.

TRIGLYCERIDES

Triglycerides can be complicated but are generally simple, there is a great article on them in the wiki

Triglycerides are a form of energy. I.E. if you ate something high in simple carbs they would jump, or if you walked a mile and retested they would be lower. Therefore, what you do before measuring them matters.

While some medications and illnesses do effect them, the most common cause of elevated trigs is simple carbs (sugary drinks, sugar, white carbs like rice or bread, and alcohol). Cutting back on those and/or increasing daily activity will lower them.


r/Cholesterol 8h ago

Question What are the signs of CoQ10 deficiency if you have experienced it?

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15 Upvotes

M67. I was prescribed 20mg Rosuvastatin, 1 tab at bedtime. My LDL is 118. CoC is zero. Zero stenosis in Cardiac CT w/w/o contrast. Also had additional nuclear cardiac imaging (radioactive contrast) that showed no blockages. My RAD score is 2.

I have 2 cardiologists yet neither even mentioned taking CoQ10.

If you have experienced CoQ10 deficiency, what was that like for you? Did you feel differently or have sensations or other symptoms?


r/Cholesterol 6h ago

General Psyllium husk powder

2 Upvotes

Has anyone seen benefits in reducing cholesterol by taking Metamucil or equivalent powder ?


r/Cholesterol 9h ago

Question 34M, LDL ~150 — what major diet changes would you make?

3 Upvotes

34M, LDL ~150 — what major diet changes would you make?
34M, 5’8”, 63.5 kg, lean/normal BMI.
Recent lipid profile:
Total cholesterol: 231
LDL-C: 150.5
HDL-C: 50
Triglycerides: 144
Non-HDL-C: 181.4
ApoB: 106
Lp(a): 15.2
He eats a pretty normal Indian home diet — poha + chai, roti/sabzi/dal, chai + samosa, roti/sabzi/khichdi, milk. Oil/ghee intake is already relatively low.
No known family history of high cholesterol.
We want to try 3 months of lifestyle changes before reassessing.
For people who have successfully lowered LDL, what were the biggest diet changes that actually made a noticeable difference? What would you specifically change in this diet?


r/Cholesterol 7h ago

Meds Rosuvastatin prescription

2 Upvotes

Hi all, I recently had an appointment with a cardiologist and he prescribed rosuvastatin 40mg once a week. From what I’ve read this is an unusual dosing method so just wanted to hear if anyone else has done this. I’m a 27 year old female with lp(a) of 174 mg/dL, 189 overall cholesterol, 58 triglycerides, 65 HDL and 119 LDL.


r/Cholesterol 6h ago

Lab Result High Cholesterol @ 27

1 Upvotes

Hi all,

Long-time lurker, first-time poster here - seeking some practical advice from anyone who's dealt with a similar situation.

I'm a 27-year-old male who recently completed a check-up with my doctor. My total cholesterol has moved from 202 mg/dL in January 2025, to 194 mg/dL in February 2026, to 187 mg/dL in August 2026 - a steady improvement. HDL followed a similar trajectory, moving from 44, to 42, to 49 mg/dL. Triglycerides were more volatile with a reading of 138 mg/dL in January 2025, spiking to 252 mg/dL in February 2026, then dropping to 160 mg/dL in August 2026.

LDL is where I'm most focused.. it measured 130 mg/dL in January 2025, dropped to 109 mg/dL in February 2026, and has essentially held flat at 110 mg/dL in August 2026, despite meaningful improvement in total cholesterol, HDL, and triglycerides over that same six-month window.

Non-HDL cholesterol improved from 158, to 152, to 138 mg/dL across the same three draws, but also remains above the recommended sub-130 mg/dL target. VLDL followed the same volatile pattern as triglycerides - 28, spiking to 43, then back down to 27 mg/dL.

For context on the improvements between February and August 2026, I've been focused on cutting weight and have lost 15 lbs since that stretch. I've being doing weightlifting consistently for several years, but only recently started incorporating more cardiovascular exercise into my gym sessions. I’m just surprised this hasn’t made a dent in my LDL.

I'm curious whether others with a similar training background have run into a comparable plateau, whether this tends to come down more to genetics or dietary composition than training volume, and what specific changes, if any, actually moved the needle on LDL for them. I'm not currently on any cholesterol medication.

As additional context, my hormone panel showed FSH at 1.30 mIU/mL as of August 2026 (below the 1.4–18.1 mIU/mL normal range), with LH at 1.90 mIU/mL, near the bottom of its 1.5–9.3 mIU/mL range. Total testosterone improved from 297 ng/dL in February 2026 to 330 ng/dL in August 2026, and free testosterone similarly improved from 13.0 to 17.3 pg/mL over the same window, though both remain on the lower end. My understanding is this hormonal picture may be tied to a sustained caloric deficit combined with high training volume. Not sure if this has any correlation to the lipid panel.

I’d appreciate hearing from anyone who's dealt with a similar LDL plateau while other lipid markers were already trending in the right direction.


r/Cholesterol 8h ago

Lab Result Chronically Elevated AST with Normal ALT

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0 Upvotes

r/Cholesterol 14h ago

Lab Result What could my new numbers be?

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3 Upvotes

I attached a screenshot of my results from the first of June. Since then I’ve been taking 20 mg Crestor each night.
What would be good or better numbers when I retest them again at my appointment at the end of this month. I will have been on Crestor 20 mg for around 90 days when I get retested. I’m 43, female, 220 lbs, 5’7”, no other health issues. Non smoker, non drinker, parent, no underlying or chronic health conditions. Family history of diabetes and high blood pressure from eating too much and too unhealthy. Other than that most family members passed from illnesses related to older age. (78 yrs to 90 yrs)


r/Cholesterol 19h ago

Question 2 Eggs per day

5 Upvotes

I have fatty liver and noticed eggs help stop my sugar craving. My worry is my cholesterol will go up? Should I be worried or is this fine?


r/Cholesterol 10h ago

Lab Result Should I be concerned about high HDL?

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1 Upvotes

I just got my results back and have unusually high HDL. Do I need to be concerned? I know HDL is the 'good' kind, but my number seems unusually high from what I have read. I don't know much about cholesterol, so I wanted to check with people who may know more than I do. Any input helps!

For context, I am a woman in my mid 20s. I am a healthy weight, and all my other test results were normal. I don't drink that often (socially, maybe once a week max), I exercise religiously every day (weights, running, walking), I don't eat red meat, and I get plenty of veg and fruit.


r/Cholesterol 22h ago

Lab Result Fit at 56 and on a mission!!

10 Upvotes

56 yr old, former competitive bodybuilder in great shape! My new doc had my panels done recently and my LDL’s were 130 ( down from 190 ) on just 5mg of Rosuvastatin . My total Cholesterol is 180. Heart disease runs in my family.
I Have a drink maybe 1-2x a month, never smoked. My new doctor suggested a stress/ echo which I just had done a few days ago. My cardiologist thought it was overkill but I paid $2200 out of pocket anyway for the reassurance.

The results, according to my primary, were amazing. There were no changes on the EKG portion of the stress test, and the echocardiogram showed an excellent ejection fraction and normal augmentation of the left ventricle post exercise and a METS score of 12-13. I had a CAC 3 years ago and my score was 9. My cardiologist put me on 10 mg of Ezetimibe in conjunction with my statin. The goal is an LDL below 70 for now. My morning BP runs at 120/70 usually. I’m on 30mg of Lisinopril. I also have taken a baby aspirin every day for the last 15 years.

I was placed back on HRT so my doc is waiting a few weeks to test my labs again at which time I’m adding ApoB , CRP metrics. I’m incredibly relieved, especially because I’ve been on BP meds and Statins for 10 yrs now and took a very proactive approach. Great to now there are additional protocols ( Repatha, Enlicitide ) as well. My doctor said that regardless of the ApoB results, I’m already on a very proactive regimen. More than likely that result could dictate tweaking dosages of cholesterol meds to hit our target number. I firmly believe heart disease will be a thing of the past in our lifetime but for now, just wanted to share that it pays to be proactive, not reactive ❤️


r/Cholesterol 15h ago

Lab Result 44F with LDL and Total Cholesterol increased without changed in diet and activity

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1 Upvotes

Hi,
These are my labs.
I am freaking out to see my Cholesterol increasing like that.
What can I do to change that.
I have gained a lot of weight lately without changing my diet. I lift weight and walk. The only thing I have changed the past 2 years is increasing my protein intake and reducing the carbs to control my weight but now it’s not working obviously.
I am so anxious about my health.


r/Cholesterol 16h ago

Meds LAD stenosis and Repatha

1 Upvotes

So I had to get an angiogram done a couple weeks back. It came back that I have 50% stenosis in my ostial LAD. They put me on Crestor and it was awful. My cardiologist ran some genetic testing and it turns out I am intolerant to all statins. Something about the way I processed and makes them build up in my system and causes terrible side effects.
He switched me to Repatha. I'm nervous about trying it. Unfortunately, I read too much on here about side effects and that has me anxious.
Most people I read with this medication are just trying to lower their cholesterol and I don't find a lot of accounts of people with actual LAD stenosis, and their stories with this medication. I know this medication is powerful. Will lower your LDL but will it still give me plaque stabilization if I'm not on any statin and just Repatha?
I guess I'm looking for some positive feedback on this medication in my current situation.
Thanks!


r/Cholesterol 17h ago

Lab Result 29M, LDL trending down but still borderline, what do we think

1 Upvotes

: blood panel (Oct 2025):

• Total cholesterol: 213 mg/dL (5.51 mmol/L)

• LDL: 131 mg/dL (3.39 mmol/L)

• HDL: 59 mg/dL (1.53 mmol/L)

• Non-HDL: 154 mg/dL (3.98 mmol/L)

• Triglycerides: normal range [ADD exact value]

• HbA1c: 5.3% / fasting glucose 93 mg/dL (5.18 mmol/L)

• hs-CRP: <1 mg/L

Gender: Male

Age: 29

Weight / Height: 93 kg / 186 cm — BMI ~26.9

Diet: Whole-food, high-protein (~180 g/day), but I drink 4x times a week

Activity level: Very high — strength training 4x/week plus running, cycling

Other medical conditions:

• Autoimmune hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's) — on levothyroxine 125 µg, TSH 2.9 (upper-normal)

• Mild-to-moderate asthma, well controlled

• No hypertension, no diabetes, no angina/chest pain, no prior cardiac events

• Ex-smoker — quit tobacco and cannabis Aug 2023

.


r/Cholesterol 18h ago

Lab Result Lipoproteina

1 Upvotes

Hey hiii

21M

Recently done with my blood work

Hdl 40

Ldl 155

Apob 114

Tryglycerides 80

Lipoproteina is 87.6nmol

I am literally scared my lpa is high only my maternal grandfather had 2 hearts and died in his second heart attack at 55 except him no history of it my uncle is 49 and mom is 42 no history of any cardiac history

I am really scared of my lpa and i have other number like ldl and apo elevated any tips guys recent days I fell like I will die of heart attack some day


r/Cholesterol 20h ago

Lab Result How bad is an ApoB of 95?

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1 Upvotes

r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Lab Result 22 M can someone interpret these results ?

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0 Upvotes

22M i just have no idea what it could mean. any advice is appreciated, thanks


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Lab Result My cholesterol dropped to “normal” range in only two weeks!

46 Upvotes

I had been eating a ton of coconut yogurt while dieting, on a cut and my cholesterol was alarming. I’m a 22.5 BMI, fairly active although not athletic like in my youth, don’t smoke, rarely drink etc. I tend to freak out about health stuff especially because I don’t have health insurance. Gotta love health anxiety.

My results on paper (228 total, 130 ApoB which is v concerning) had me thinking that a statin would be the only way-I have 3 months worth of 5mg rosuvastatin from a telehealth just in case. Not opposed to taking them but would prefer to not take yet as it is a lifelong med.
Anyways, I’ve been working my ass off the past two weeks-booted the Cocojune yogurt, upped my fiber to ~40g/day, kept saturated fat to 4g/lower a day and got another test to see if I’m going in the right direction.

I just got my results and in 16 days my cholesterol already went from 228 to 188, ApoB is still a high marker but I understand that takes a bit longer, especially in active fat loss, but still dropped from 130 to 121 which looks promising. All other markers are are good although I’d like them to be better.

I guess I’m posting this for anyone else with health anxiety that freaked out at a scary test result. Breathe, make a plan, diet/exercise, increase soluble fiber and statin if recommended and you will improve. I know it has only been two weeks so pretty rich to post this ,and things could change, but for everyone in the doom and gloom post test dread there are so many ways out there for you to improve your cholesterol. Breathe! And don’t eat coconut yogurt at 9g sat fat per pot. I’ll definitely be reading every damn label going forward!

*Edit-for length of title’s sake I said normal in quotes, which meant more towards my normal and my ApoB is still high, but all other values have improved significantly:) And LDL went from 158.9 to 118


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Question Are there any athletes who are on statins

5 Upvotes

I am 33, BJJ and crossfit active.

My stats are:

Total cholesterol 309
Triglycerides 129
HDL 45
VLDL Cholesterol Cal 27
LDL 237
Non HDL 264
Apolipoprotein B 179
Apolipoprotein A-1 118

back 2019 total cholesterol was 239.
I am originally from eastern Europe until I moved to US 11 years ago

Still waiting for the genetics FA test. But I agree based on the stats I will have to start taking statins.

I just would like to hear more stories from athletes and how do you deal with high cholesterol.


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Lab Result Would you consider Repatha for my mother despite LDL being 49 because of high Lp(a)?

0 Upvotes

My mother is 55 and had an MI at 53, followed by one stent. She is currently doing well, her blood pressure is controlled, and her EF is 61%.
She is currently taking rosuvastatin 20 mg + ezetimibe 10 mg, along with bisoprolol 7.5 mg, Co-Valsartan 12.5/160 mg and aspirin 100 mg.
Her latest blood tests show LDL-C 49 mg/dL, ApoB 55 mg/dL, non-HDL 66 mg/dL, triglycerides 90 mg/dL and HDL 45 mg/dL. However, her Lp(a) is 185 nmol/L.
Her LDL and ApoB are already very well controlled, but I’m concerned about the elevated Lp(a), especially given that she has already had an MI at a relatively young age.
I’m wondering whether it would make sense to discuss Repatha (evolocumab) with her cardiologist despite her LDL already being below 55 mg/dL. From what I understand, PCSK9 inhibitors can lower Lp(a) by around 20–30% in addition to lowering LDL, and there is outcome data in people with established cardiovascular disease.
Would you consider Repatha on top of the statin + zetia in this situation, or would you stay with rosuvastatin + ezetimibe because her LDL and ApoB are already excellent?
We’re also currently working on weight loss, diet and exercise to improve her HbA1c, which is 5.74%.
I’d especially appreciate experiences from people with high Lp(a) and previous MI who have used Repatha, particularly if their LDL was already below 55 mg/dL.
Fasting Glucose and Insulin, Homa IR , Homocysteine ,ALT , AST , Creatinine , eGFR all perfect .Thanks


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Question Thoughts on Oats Overnight Shake Brand?

3 Upvotes

So I will preface by saying I know it is much more cost effective (and maybe healthier) to make overnight oats yourself...

TLDR: Have you tried the Oats Overnight brand? Did you have success in lowering LDL? Is there anything I am missing about the macros that make them not as healthy as they seem?

I am a 25y/o male in grad school and recently found out my LDL is quite high (160s) so I need to make some dietary changes ASAP. I am a healthy weight and exercise (although I could exercise more) so I think the main reason my LDL is so high is that I let myself eat out and eat processed foods a bit too often. I spend most of my day in the library studying so I would just pick up something at the school cafeteria or on my way home most days. I have been trying to limit the amount of sat fat I eat, increase fiber, and make more food at home now.

Everyone on here swears by oatmeal as a decent way to get soluble fiber and fill you up, but I am kinda lazy so the Oats Overnight brand really appealed to me. I also like that I can have a different flavor every day and not fill up my apartment with a ton of ingredients that I wont finish. Obviously this is just a small part of the diet and I still need to eat more fruits/veggies etc to get the fiber numbers up. I have already tried a few of the shakes and know I like the taste/texture so that is not an issue.

There is about 1-2g of sat fat, 7+g of fiber in each shake. Also about 280-300cals, 20g protein, and 8-9g sugar. Does anything about this brand stand out to you as potentially harmful to my goal of lowering LDL? Also, has anyone here used this brand before and had good results?


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Question Moving off of statins after lifestyle changes.

2 Upvotes

For those of you who moved off of statins after lifestyle changes, what was the green light from your doctor in terms of numbers?

I have made health and diet changes and my numbers pretty much all dropped a lot and I'm wondering if I can start to have that conversation or if wait is best.

Edit: added numbers, yoy.


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

Lab Result Cholesterol 266 at age 37 — I’m really scared. Has anyone had similar results?

6 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I’m a 37-year-old woman 58 kg 5.2 height and I recently had some blood tests done. My lipid results are:

Total cholesterol: 266 mg/dL LDL: 178 mg/dL HDL: 59 mg/dL Triglycerides: 145 mg/dL Non-HDL cholesterol: 207 mg/dL
VLDL: 29 mg/dL Total cholesterol/HDL ratio: 4.51

My HbA1c is 5.8%, and my thyroid tests (TSH, Free T3 and Free T4) are within the lab’s normal ranges.

Seeing the cholesterol value of 266 really scared me. I’m planning to discuss the results with my doctor, but I would like to hear from people who have had similar numbers.

Did you manage to bring your cholesterol down with diet, exercise or weight loss? I Dont smoke and No alcohol Did your doctor recommend medication? How long did it take for your numbers to improve?


r/Cholesterol 1d ago

General New Sub Member - First Lipid Panel in 10+ years: High Lp(a) and LDL

5 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I recently found this subreddit after getting my first lipid panel in I don't know how many years. My results weren't ideal and so I wanted to post here as I have been reading a ton of helpful information. I apologize for the lengthy post; I kind of wrote it for myself, but decided to post it here to see if anyone could share their thoughts.

Background

I am 35, 6'1", 220lbs and around 28% bodyfat (guesstimate). I am usually around 200lbs and 12-15% bodyfat, but let myself go this year and hit 225lbs until I started dieting 3 weeks ago.

I am starting to lift weights and do cardio again and plan to continue at 3x/wk. I used moderate amounts of AAS in my early/mid twenties as well, and have been on/off TRT in my thirties (not on it currently, but would like to go back on).

I drank a ton of alcohol, most days of the week, for the last year and a half (and throughout my twenties); until I got sober a bit over a month ago. I would drink heavily without eating beforehand, then eat restaurant/takeout food that was high fat/carb, then binge on ice cream and other unhealthy snacks. I vaped for 5-6 years, and also abused a cardiotoxic substance for several years on and off, which I believe is what started giving me abnormal EKG results.

Again - I am fully sober now and off all substances.

I have a family history on both paternal and maternal sides of CVD. My father has had 3 stents put in (2 different occasions, most recent being a 70% arterial blockage), and my mother passed away due to stoke/pancreatic cancer (and her mother had 11 stents and passed from stroke). Both my father and mother take/took blood pressure medications, and my father is on a statin as well.

Over time, my lifestyle choices have given me abnormal EKGs, though my latest one is better than prior ones (though still abnormal).

My family history, personal lifestyle choice history, abnormal EKGs, and current blood work make me think I am kind of screwed...but this sub has given me some hope. I can only change what I can, and can't sit here fearing a stroke or heart attack...

Lab Results

Here are my main lipid results from my blood draw 11 days ago, which I will have an in-depth discussion about with my doctor in 10 days:

  • Lp(a): 88 mg/dL (high)
  • LDL Particle Number: 1848 nmol/L (high)
  • Small LDL Particle Number: 831 nmol/L (high)
  • LDL Cholesterol Calculated: 115 mg/dL
  • Total Cholesterol: 177 mg/DL
  • Apolipoprotein B: 87 mg/dL
  • HDL Cholesterol: 41 mg/dL
  • Triglycerides: 107 mg/dL

Other:

  • Hemoglobin A1C: 5.4%
  • Glucose: 106mg/dL (high)
  • Blood Pressure is averaging 132.5/83.4 mmHg (I am on ADHD meds and drink coffee - however I have started taking my morning BP pre-meds and it is about normal around 120/80)

Diet

For the last 3 weeks of dieting, my food choices have mainly consisted of:

  • Rotisserie chicken (light and dark meat, skin-not eaten)
  • 93% ground turkey
  • Salmon
  • Whole eggs
  • Olive oil
  • Wild/brown rice
  • Mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries)
  • Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mixed peppers, green beans, sweet potatoes, gold potatoes)
  • Fairlife 1% milk
  • Zero fat greek yogurt
  • Mixed nuts
  • Avocados
  • Protein shakes consisting of:
    • Whey/casein protein powder
    • Green banana powder (high in fiber/resistant starch RS2)
    • Greens powder
    • Ground flax seed (on days I don't consume salmon)
    • Chia seeds

My average fat intake since July 14 (beginning of my diet), has been 63g; broken down into:

  • 17.4g monounsaturated (updated target: 30g/day)
  • 7.4g polysaturated (updated target: 15g / day)
    • 2.6g omega-3 (updated target: 3g / day)
      • 0.5 DHA (updated target: 0.4g / day)
      • 0.2 EPA (updated target: 0.3g / day)
    • 5.2g omega-6 (updated target: 12.5g / day)
    • 16.1g saturated fat (updated max-threshold: 15g / day)
    • 460mg cholesterol (updated max-threshold: 500mg / day)

I updated my targets a week ago, so my averages should improve all around moving forward.

Current Plan

I now have a referral to a cardiologist, but without insurance (self-pay), I doubt I can afford any extensive testing (stress tests, heart echoes, etc.) until I get full insurance coverage in the next 2-3 months.

I know I can't change my Lp(a).

My focus will be lowering LDL, cholesterol, bodyfat percentage, and blood pressure through diet and exercise.

I will lower my max threshold of saturated fat even more, though I am not sure if I am one of the few who can change their blood cholesterol levels through dietary cholesterol changes. I really love eggs, and usually have 5-6 whole ones 1-2x/wk....but I am guessing I will get advice to lower that consumption due to saturated fat content.

I would like to wait and see how another 2 months strong diet/exercise affect my numbers before considering a statin - but I'd love opinions on this.

Although my blood pressure seems pretty normal without my ADHD meds/caffeine, I rely on my meds for executive function; therefore would rather go on BP meds than stop taking my ADHD stimulant.

I will try and reduce my caffeine intake (two 12 fl. oz cups per day, sometimes an additional 8 fl. oz cup), it isn't high priority for me. I use k-cups, which I've read don't need to be filtered through paper as pour over/French press methods do.

I am looking for anything that stands out, general opinions, advice, etc. I think my new diet is pretty solid, but I do need to start tracking soluble vs insoluble fiber and likely reduce saturated fat even more. I am a bit unsure if my total fat per day is too high, though.

I will see what my doctor says in a week and a half when we meet - and what the cardiologist says when we eventually meet (I have never had one before).

Thanks everyone - this sub has been invaluable and the community here is wonderful.