I also have a family member in their 40s who had a heart attack. High cholesterol runs in our family. I have it so trying to reduce meats/cheese & high sodium stuff. Not easy but working on it.

Interesting thread. I never had high cholesterol but 2 years ago had mildly high levels of bad cholesterol. My doctor had me completely cut out eggs, red meat, whole milk cheese and such. I never ate that much of those things, but once I cut them out I ended up relying a lot more on carbohydrates -- breakfast cereal and oatmeal for breakfast, turkey sandwiches on wheat bread, spaghetti with marinara. I did get it down a bit, to right under where they consider high -- I feel like high is 200?? Mine got to like 198, it had been 230 or so.

My weight was a little high though still in the normal range -- 5'7 and the weight got up to 158. That was 1.5 years after my last kid was born. In January of this year I started really trying to lose weight and lost about 10 pounds on WW but plateaued. In August I started the South Beach diet and reintroduced eggs, lean red meat (approx once a week), cheese (though I try to keep it to low-fat cheese) and completely cut out the carbs. I'm down to 136 now.

Haven't had the cholesterol re-checked. But when I used to eat this way, pre-kids, I never had high cholesterol. So I'll be very interested to see my numbers at my next appointment. I think a lot of doctors automatically say to cut out eggs and other foods with high cholesterol but I keep hearing anecdotal evidence -- like on this thread -- that simple carbs are actually a bigger problem than an egg at breakfast.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Read Engine 2 Diet! Incredible #s from a plant based diet.

Have you done this? We're transitioning to it because DH has a horrible family history, 248 total cholestorol, and his 44 year old brother just had a triple bypass! I think the hardest part is going to be eating out both in restaurants and at friends', especially with the holidays coming up.

We did it for a month to jumpstart a life change. My brother had a heart attack at age 42. We needed to do something to change. When you readh the book, it makes a lot of sense. One great thing about Engine 2 Diet is you are aware and do what works for you. So if M-F works, great. When you have a special occasion - go eat what you want.
(Note- take note of how you feel after.)

I did not love the recipes in Engine 2 diet - but it really helped us think through what some food options were.

unfiltered olive oil
beans and lentils
eat fatty fish (not shrimp which are high in cholesterol)
eat whole grains
oatmeal
lots of water

Anonymous wrote:Read Engine 2 Diet! Incredible #s from a plant based diet.

Have you done this? We're transitioning to it because DH has a horrible family history, 248 total cholestorol, and his 44 year old brother just had a triple bypass! I think the hardest part is going to be eating out both in restaurants and at friends', especially with the holidays coming up.

Read Engine 2 Diet! Incredible #s from a plant based diet.

Cut out dairy.

My parents cut out butter, cheese, and ice cream and avoided medication. They were late 60s at the time they were diagnosed. My mom lost a bunch of weight.

Nuts, too.

I was an incredibly fit 19 year old when I had high cholesterol. This was in the late 90s when low-fat diets were in. I thought I was eating right. I then started eating whatever my body told me (read: fat) and my cholesterol dropped.

I just had a check up too and my cholesterol went from 200 to 160 over the course of a year. No diet change just walking 30 minutes a day 5 days a week.

I just had a check up and was able to drop my levels with diet and exercise. The biggest change was cutting out flour, rice and potatoes.

Reduce carbs, increase olive oil, wine and fish. Although if you are past menopause it won't work.

Reduce carbs, increase olive oil, wine and fish. Although if you are past menopause it won't work.

Cholesterol and LDL are elevated. for those who managed to reduce their cholesterol with diet, how did you do it. What did you eat, what did you cut out, etc.