r/Cholesterol

https://i.postimg.cc/CKPD90yf/Screenshot-20260704-134912.png

I was feeling sluggish for a few years and then back in April I got my blood work done and found I was pretty close to high LDL. With my family history of heart disease, I started reading up on what this means and how to make changes to avoid the American healthcare (or lack of healthcare) system for as long as I can.

So I slowly worked my way up to follow Dr. Michael Gregor's 'Daily Dozen' list/app and other recommendations (re: antioxidants) from his Nutrition Facts website.

Making the switch

1st month: Ate leaner meats (mostly chicken breast) and added 1-2 servings of beans a day in lieu of fatty meats/poultry/fish.

During the first month I realized how satiating beans are.

2nd month: moved away from eating eggs and leaner meats to pan seared tofu instead.

3rd month: more variety of greens (arugula, spring mix, spinach) increased antioxidants (green tea + 1/3 tsp amla powder, frozen blueberries after lunch) and healthier snacks: walnuts, dried mango, beets, dried mushrooms.

I still take 1-2 fish oil pills every day and eat a yogurt (low/no fat w/ little to no added sugar) every other day, so I'm not exactly vegan.

For the longest time I was big on lean meats and protein and a somewhat Paleo diet, until I made mentioned changes.

Meal examples

If I don't skip breakfast, I have some steel cut oats that have pumpkin seed and flaxseed cooked into the mix along with some blueberries.

I sometimes skip breakfast and if I do, I have a larger sized lunch of bean chile, greens w/ nuts and seeds as salad toppers and hummus on whole wheat bread.

Dinner is two whole wheat wraps of pan seared tofu slices (usually marinated with soy sauce, garlic and ginger), greens + flaxseed, hemp seed, and/or nutritional yeast.

Supplements

Daily multivitamin gummy, vitamin d gummy, Brazil nut every other day or once a week, cholestoff (plant sterol), 1-2 pills (low dose) of psyllium husk, tumeric, CoQ10 every other day. I read that taking supplements with meals boost absorption, with some exceptions like iron - so do your due diligence.

Weight Loss

Also lost (175 lbs -> 167 lbs) and had improved or stagnant performance in the gym and on my 2-3 mile runs, maybe from increase dietary antioxidants leading to better joint recovery, over the 3-month period. I think I lost mostly fat. My face also looks a little leaner. I do feel more agile now which is motivating to keep on the dietary changes.

"Opinion & my experience*

First three weeks or so were toughest. Increased restroom frequency, bloating and gas, then it tapered off and things came back to normal. They say as you move away from meat to more plant-based sources of protein like beans and derivatives of beans, the gut microbiome takes time to change which may have something to do with those symptoms I experienced.

I feel better now (less ache in joints, less anxiety) and that made it worth it to continue on. Almost daily - I watched vegan / plant-based cooking stuff on YouTube to get more variety in my meals, and nutrition facts videos to stay motivated and keep learning. Here's the bean chili recipe I somewhat followed - https://youtu.be/yFPtBP7yTuk but I would put 6 tablespoons amounts of flaxseed in the mix + quinoa towards the end to take up the remaining moisture. I make big batches and have enough for one meal a day over 2 weeks.

Get lots of spices to vary your dish's flavor. Go with Italian seasoning or Peruvian seasoning or spicy taco powder when you get bored of soy/ginger/garlic tofu.

I did most of my shopping at Costco since they have affordable options like those Damascus lavash wraps, arugula and spring mix by the pound, dry roasted shiitake mushroom snacks, dry roasted edamame snacks, firm tofu 4 brick pack, walnuts, almond milk, frozen broccoli, frozen organic blueberries, etc. I'm not a Costco shill, just appreciate their inventory and price.

Disclaimer - I'm not saying this is going to work for everyone or you should or shouldn't take a statin. I know I'm likely not adding anything new to the discussion, just wanted to share my results and process for anyone on the fence. I do say - talk to your doctor, get your allergy test done, and get blood work on nutrients and deficiencies before you significantly change up your diet.

So, I (M37) posted here about 7 months ago. I got some blood work done and found my cholesterol was very high. I spoke to my doctor and he recommended some dietary changes and I followed every single one of them. I exercised, lost weight (208>173) have been feeling great then went back for blood work 6 months later and my results were still high. I have another checkup with my doc but I'd love to hear from others what I can do to help get my levels normal without statins.

I have little kids at home and the thought of leaving them kills me. I want to be as healthy as I can but would like to try to avoid taking statins.

Thanks!

Before statin I was down to LDL-C of 53, TG around 70. HDL in the 40s.
*lost 30 pounds
CAC score 61.1

After statin
LDL-C 32-33

* Lost 45-50 lbs down to 176 lbs
* two hs-CRP tests now have come back 0.3
-low inflammation
*other numbers in image
*total cholesterol: 80-90
* Awaiting NMR. Does EVOO consumption affect ?

Test I’m working hard towards :
Dexa scan with CAC re-scoring .
- worth it ?

I’m in my 30’s and trying to be healthier as I age. Is this good or should I be trying to improve my lifestyle and diet? High cholesterol and blood pressure run in my family.

Good day everyone. I hope this post finds you all well ✨

I’m recovering from a spiral. My doctor recently told me that my blood test results revealed that I have high lipoprotein A, which puts me at a high risk for heart issues in the future. My other results for the lipid panel came back normal, thank God!

I guess I can say I’m really concerned about my LPA result because that’s genetic. I do not want to use medications because based on my research, it’s only a temporary fix. Once I stop using it, my LPA will increase to it’s original number again. I’m also concerned about the medications and their side effects—especially if I’m using them long term. I’m seeing mixed stories on here in regards to the medications. Due to this, I am choosing to improve my lifestyle.

I also recently gave birth to multiples. I developed preeclampsia late in my pregnancy. Preeclampsia also puts me at a risk of developing heart conditions in the future. I have been trying to do better with what I consume, as I do believe I have an unhealthy relationship with food. I love food, I don’t pay too much attention to labels, portions etc. I have done some research and have been switching my life around for the better. Not just for me, but the children that depend on me. I have been doing better (not the best, but baby steps, right?) with walking, and paying attention to what I eat, labels, and overall, what my body is telling me.

I have scheduled an appointment to speak to a cardiologist. This appointment is in a few weeks. I’m doing better mentally in regards to this concern. However, still a little anxious.

Nonetheless, I’m hoping that y’all can provide me with transparent information while reassuring me.

A study published July 1 in The Lancet, from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, pooled 110 national surveys covering close to a million people across seven countries from 1990 to 2024. They compared blood pressure and non-HDL cholesterol between adults with obesity and adults at a normal weight, then tracked how that gap moved over three decades. For adults over 40, it has nearly closed. In the heaviest group, BMI 35 and up, older adults with obesity now have non-HDL numbers about the same as their normal-weight peers, sometimes a little lower.

The authors credit wider, more intensive statin and blood pressure treatment in heavier people, not diet or weight loss. Older US work says the same thing. Between the early 1990s and late 2000s, average total cholesterol fell from 216 to 197 while the share of adults on a lipid-lowering drug went from 1.6 to 12.5 percent, and researchers estimated the drugs, not diet, accounted for about half the drop.

Two guideline changes did a lot of this work, which is the part I'd want anyone tracking their own lipids to know. In 2013 the ACC/AHA dropped the old cholesterol targets and switched to overall risk, and that single move made about 12.8 million more adults statin-eligible overnight. Heavier people crossed the line more often, because obesity drags the risk score up through blood pressure, glucose, and lipids. Then in March 2026 they bolted a 30-year risk estimate onto the 10-year one, built to catch younger people whose 10-year number looks harmless but whose lifetime risk is high. One analysis put that expansion near 20 million more Americans.

One thing to be clear about: this is non-HDL and blood pressure only. It says nothing about Lp(a), and it doesn't touch the metabolic problems that come along with excess weight. Real harm reduction on two numbers, not a green light.

Curious what this sub thinks, especially anyone who watched their own non-HDL or ApoB drop on a statin without much change on the scale. Did the number move the way you expected?

38 Male CAC Score 9.8 in LAD only. I have a pretty decent lifestyle workout 3-4x/week (resistance training) do cardio here and there but I walk my dog almost every morning 2-4 miles with a 20lb Ruck On. Cholesterol was high at 267 so I tried for a year to get it down with lifestyle upper fiber, lower sat fat but it only dropped 10% so I went on the Statin and Zetia wanting to treat aggressively (I'm an RN for background)

My being 38 with a positive Calcium Scoring was what my DO and I Agree upon that based on my age I would do and I did it. A little muscle pain at first that lasted about 2-3 weeks but went away otherwise I feel great on it and notice no other difference. I was borderline Low T with a total of 280ish so once I get that number back I'll look into options for it.

TL;DR, high Cholesterol at 38 with a positive Calcium Scoring test. Started on 10mg Rosuvastatin and Zetia about 2 months ago. Numbers dropped like a rock to desirable levels... TAKE THE STATIN