another bloody yank

My Cholesterol levels are high? I know I'm 40. I have to eat what? I shouldn't eat what? Exerci... what? Walk? Stairs? Are you still speaking English because I can't understand the words that are coming out of your mouth!

How the hell did this happen?

scrubbedexpat097

Really????......I'm sure you are on a low cholesterol diet aren't you????

scrubbedexpat097

Joking aside though, how high is it and did they explain the breakdown of good and bad cholesterol to you? Also are you Triglicerides high as well?

You are young, healthy and active so with a bit of diet and exercise change you can probably get the numbers down fairly quick. Good luck

neil

I was recently told that too and I'm only 37. I eat pretty healthily (actually probably very healthily, especially when compared to a lot of people I know), and exercise 4 times a week (cycling and running). I think I must be predisposed and asked my parents (in the UK) whether they had high cholesterol and they had no idea as they had never had that test (doctor thought about it but said leave well enough alone).

I really can't see any way to change my diet, so we'll see what the next test shows up.

A friend of mine was in a similar situation, there was no way he could get it down (he's a crazy cyclist in that he rides about 250 miles a week), and eventually the doctor got him to take medication.

ottotheboar

Take the cholesterol very seriously, my brother in law was extremely active did 20 plus mile walks in the Lake District on a very regular basis and nearly died of a massive heart attack due to high cholesterol at the age of 49 . He survived but is nowhere near the man he was.

Keith

I blame it on fast food and working long hours.

Too many of us have a poor diet and should think about the types of food we consume. If you can eat home cooked meals and try to get back to the evening family meal.

I'm 80 and have rarely eaten out ( except for special occaisions). When the kids were at home we always had an evening meal together.

Most people eat and drink (booze) too much.

another bloody yank

Total was 192, I think "bad" was 142 and good was 50. I don't remember him mentioning Triglicerides. He said it wasn't bad enough for medication, but that I should make some "lifestyle" changes and he was betting that that (considering my current diet and excersise habits) would get things back to good levels. He also said lose some weight (I'm 5' 10" and around 205-210) I'm basically sedentary, I do walk a lot at work, but usually not for more than 5-10 min at a time. I do other physical stuff, but it's spotty. The Doc said those short walks weren't doing very much if they were under 20min.

So as of this past Friday when I learned all this, I've been eating things called "fruits" and "salads" for lunch instead of the KFC buffet, a bananna for breakfast, not eating as much of everything, not drinking soda, drinking water on purpose and started walking briskly and aimlessly for 20-40min at a stretch.

discoviking

The horror, the horror.

I feel your pain, my doctor is always after me about smoking, diet and exorcise, too. The latest from him is that he wants me to go somewhere and have a camera stuffed up my behind. I told him to forget it, I don't go that way.

neil

Mine was higher than that - something like 245 and 145 (or thereabouts). I eat home cooked meals, usually take my own lunch to work, both including plenty of fruit and veg. I don't drink soda at all. I also run 3 miles 3 times a week, cycle 50 miles once a week. Life isn't fair apparently.

Jerseygirl

My husband eats healthily...doesn't smoke or drink alcohol...isn't overweight but his chol level was high. He's been on Lipitor for several years and his chol is now below 150.

I'm one of those lucky people whose doesn't take chol meds...my chol levels are below 150...my good chol is higher than my bad chol.

fatbrit

http://www.thincs.org/

Macca67

Bummer, I know what you're going through. The key to the exercise programme should incorporate a good cardiovascular routine that gets your heart up to about 60 - 80% of it's max rate. The walking will need to be fairly brisk c. 15min per mile and you might want to think about some light jogging in the workout e.g. walk for 3 mins run for 30 secs. Cycling is another great exercise when all the walking/running starts to bore.

Foodwise, I find oatmeal makes a great start to the day with the fruit but I steer clear of the eggs. I also eat a lot of fish and chicken and any red meat - which is not that often, needs to be lean.

bevinva

You'll have to get your daughter in on the plan after what she made you for fathers day!

another bloody yank

I know! That had been in the works for a while (unbeknownst to me of course) and the Dr's report nearly threw a wrench in it. A conference was called and it was decided that instead of the whole thing being for my consumption only, it would be turned into a family meal and I was allowed one peice.

For those of you not my FB friends, this is what my daughter made for me as a Father's Day surprise dinner:

2lbs ground beef, 1lb bacon, 1/2 lb pepperjack cheese on a whole loaf of round sourdough..

Tarkak9

... and no more bacon - proper or other.
... sounds like time for a bit of meditation?? Purge that stress; think of your Happy Place, Hummmmmmm! Stress is a huge factor.