Question

Originally asked by Community Member DAC

High Ldl, High Hdl, Normal Triglycerides

I’m 46, 50 lbs. overweight, walk four days/week/2-3 miles, yoga once a week/boxing bag 2-3/weekly.

My overall cholesterol is 300. My LDL is high, my HDL is high, my triglycerides within normal range. My sugar is normal. No high blood pressure.

I don’t want to start meds because of my healthy HDL and Trig.

I have taken for twenty years tons of supplements/ oils, omega3 & flaxseed & soy lecithin, chrominum picolinate, multi-vitamins plus extra vitamin E/selenium, garlic, co-enzyme Q-10, L-Carnitine, extra c’s, b’s, beta-carotene. I’ve been taking supplements long before it was cool to do so!

I know I need to get off this excess weight, but I’m worried about my LDL.

I have a family history of high LDL and my healthy sibling, healthy weight, has high LDL also.

Any advice?

Thank you,

Debbie

Answer

Hi Debbie.

Weight loss will absolutely help your situation. Here are some tips to lower LDL cholesterol:

To lower LDL levels evaluate your diet for saturated and trans fats and replace these fats with healthier unsaturated fats. Use this link to learn more about trans fats and saturated fats.

Here are three options to lower LDL cholesterol:

Soluble Fiber

Increase dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber. Eat 25-35 grams of fiber daily and of this at least 15 grams should be soluble fiber. Research has shown that for every 1-2 grams of daily soluble fiber intake, LDL (bad) cholesterol is lowered 1%. Learn more here: Dietary Fiber: 4 Tips to Lower Cholesterol with Fiber

Plant Sterols

Eat plant sterols everyday. Eating 2 grams of plant sterols each day will on average reduce your LDL cholesterol 10%.

Plant sterols occur naturally in foods at low levels, so some foods have been fortified. Here is the amount of plant sterols in some foods:

Avocados, 1 small 0.13 grams
Corn Oil, 1 tablespoon 0.13 grams
Sunflower Seeds, 1/4 cup 0.19 grams
Oat Bar with plant sterols, 1 bar 0.4 grams
Orange Juice with plant sterols 1.0 gram
Vegetable oil spread with plant sterols, 1 tablespoon 1.0 gram

Physical Activity

Also, inactivity can cause higher cholesterol levels. Increase physical activity to increase lower LDL cholesterol. Maybe increase the intensity of your workouts, length of workouts, or bump up to 5 days/week.

Here is a link to tips to change your diet to lower cholesterol.

All the best,

Lisa Nelson RD

How to Lower Cholesterol in 8 Simple Steps

You should know Answers to your question are meant to provide general health information but should not replace medical advice you receive from a doctor. No answers should be viewed as a diagnosis or recommended treatment for a condition.

Answered by: Lisa Nelson, RD, LN