Trusted Authority Since 1995
How do you reduce cholesterol?
Written By: Maggie SpilnerDespite being pretty much normal weight and a regular exerciser, I was recently diagnosed with high cholesterol. I found I can keep imy total cholesterol within an acceptable range if I take a soluble fiber supplement every day, and also make sure I eat certain foods regularly. Raw carrots, oatmeal and olive oil seem to be especially effective for me. What do you find helps reduce your high cholesterol?Â
Gale Maleskey, MS, RD
SAN Writer
October 5th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
I cut back my intake of meats and animal products, at the recommendation of my doctor. I do sometimes eat fish and occasionally small amounts of cheese or yogurt. I too take a fiber supplement every day and I try to get lots plenty of fiber in my diet, which isn’t really too hard.
October 5th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
I have adopted a completely vegan diet. I find it makes it easier to get in lots of cholesterol-lowering foods. I eat plenty of beans, nuts, and seeds for protein and healthy fats. I also get a lot of soluble fiber by eating 4-5 apples a day!
October 16th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
I take a combination of 1200 mg. red rice yeast, 500 mg. of time release niacin twice a day and 30 mg. CQ10 once a day in addition to my Jane Carper multi-vitamin. This has been approved by my doctor It works and has reduced my cholesterol from 277 to 181. No side effects either.
October 16th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
I find that high cholesterol and high blood sugar are related, and so I take extra chromium (ChromeMate) and loosely follow a Syndrome X diet which normalizes my cholesterol. But also essential is exercise, both cardiovascular and strength to increase my HDL, keeping me healthy even when my cholesterol goes over the line a little. I’m 71 and I play hours of ping pong twice a week, yoga 4 times a week, and lift weights once a week. The ping pong is also good for my brain.
October 16th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
My husband and I went to a homeopathic doctor and he recommended red rice yeast to my husband to help him keep his cholesterol within normal ranges. After three weeks, his cholesterol dropped over 100 points and since his issue is genetic, it sometimes goes back up, and yet with a little more red rice yeast, it goes back down again with no problem.