High cholesterol: What have you done to lower your cholesterol?

I did all of those things in my military career, but unlike many in the military, I didn't ever drink much alcohol. Even so, my triglycerides were always elevated, and so was my LDL. What kept me in the safe zone was my ratio of HDL to LDL, and this was because of my aerobic running, often 16-20 km/day.

Six years ago, I asked for a Doppler ultrasound of my carotid arteries, and I had an angiogram and two MIBI stress tests (with radio-opaque dye for contrast when in the scanner) in prep for a catheter ablation performed in July 2022 to correct paroxysmal, but highly symptomatic, atrial fibrillation (AF). To my amazement, and not having taken statins or other corrective measures over the years, I was clear. My father, never an athlete, but who always ate well, especially produce from his own garden, and who has been on a statin for about 10 years, was 100% blocked in his right carotid, and 90% blocked in his left when they looked prior to a hip joint replacement.

I walk for about 40 minutes outside to get fresh air because I love fresh air & also walk alot in the halls where I live, go to exercise & play games to keep my going too.

Brazil nuts are known to lower cholesterol but too many can be bad 2 to 4 a day.

I have read that as few as 1 per day may be enough to help.

I was already walking 3 miles each day when I learned of my high cholesterol.

Before making a change, I knew I had to get my head right first. Knowing people who carry resentment for having to exercise more than they prefer, or having to "give up" foods they enjoy, I wanted to look at it differently, with a sense of gratitude that I am here still to make these changes. Attitude change came first.

My walks are more of a stroll, so I had to get my heart rate up and keep it there. I added one mile of swimming, five days per week. That's about 120bpm for 40 minutes for me. This exercise change, along with eliminating fat from animals, took off 20 lbs and 5" inches of belly circumference immediately. My cholesterol is now at 100 total and while I do enjoy the changes in how I eat, I will still eat anything in small amounts on a special occasions.

It helps to find a way to lean in and embrace the changes.

I was prescribed Repatha And I am on the eighth self injection, which is very easy! It has lowered my bad LDL down to 20 which is absolutely incredible. Also lifestyle changes I have done.

I would very much hesitate to suggest eating Brazil nuts! They are extremely toxic. Anything someone is using to lower cholesterol should be approved by a doctor or it could be an emergency room visit.

Everything is toxic, even oxygen. However, with a soupcon of common sense thrown into the batter, the idea is moderation. Too much of anything can lead a body to trouble. So, avoid that. Learn what 'too much of' means for any regimen or supplementation.

Brazil nuts are not 'extremely toxic.' They could be if ingested by the handful most days, but I happen to enjoy them by the bagful as they come, shelled, at Costco. I never eat nuts in great quantities for two reasons: as they age, their fats age and the become rancid, meaning an increase in arachidonic acid in the body; and they are heavy on calories, so they should be strictly limited. Any food item, once again, can be toxic, but the higher risk is that they will merely add to the undesired toxicity from a variety of ingested foodstuffs that one also eats on a regular basis. Avoiding one edible because it merely adds to the burden imposed by one's wider diet makes no sense at all.

I try to build healthy habits that support a good functioning body.

I spend the most amount of time working at a desk job. I got an accordion-type shelf that raises and lowers that my computer monitors and keyboard, etc. fit on it. I try to take a break to do something a little physical regularly and when I come back to my desk I switch it up, stand for a time period then sit for a time period.

Family holiday times are horribly unhealthy with food choices and activity out the window. That isn’t the type of family activity I want to promote, so I make sure there is at least one healthy food option available throughout the day. I plan a holiday hike at a new location, or at least something active outdoors weather depending. (I try to do this with every holiday regardless of if family gets together or not). At first, it was only me doing an activity first thing in the morning and I am beginning to at least get some occasional interest. None of it happens overnight but I stick with it because promoting health choices is something I want my family to see.

For me, I couldn’t do a thing with my stubborn cholesterol for 10 years and then I took in a Ukrainian refugee who ate a lot of fish. That did it drop my cholesterol 40 points a year after she left my cholesterol was back up to its stubborn 240. So I did the fish again basically adding salmon, white fishes and sardines and my cholesterol dropped again 40 points. It seems as though if I keep up with the fish a few times a week, the cholesterol stays down. I ended up having a vascular plaque disease. It’s familiar so so I’m on LEVQIO which I love it’s twice a year injection zero side effects and that lowered my cholesterol another 30 points. Otherwise I’ve always eaten always eaten a healthy diet and exercise my whole life. My father had the vascular disease as well and for him being on statins lowered his cholesterol from 369 down to a consistent 187 as well, he ate well. We all come from a Mediterranean style diet, eating mostly unprocessed and fresh foods so some of this could be in your family genetics and not in what You eat and do. My dad swam three times a week and had his first heart attack at 58 and my cousins also. I take good care of my body, knowing this.