[dearsilas]

Ok, well my mom just found out one of her arteries in her heart is 90% blocked. And it's cholestorol that builds up in the arteries, isn't it? So, I started going vegan a few weeks ago when she was diagnosed with diabetes and that she had some kind of heart problem, which she was tested for this morning. So, I see that all my vegan stuff that I've bought has no cholesterol, and beans, brown rice and wheat breads have fiber. But what else can you eat or not eat to keep your cholesterol down to a healthy level? And does eating appropreiately reduce an existing build-up in your arteries if you have a blockage?

 

[zoebird]

check out dean ornish's diet information. it's not just diet--but lifestyle stuff like yoga too.<br><br><br><br>
basicly, getting rid of all processed foods and eating a healthy, vegetable-based diet (vegan is cholesterol free and a good idea) is the right idea.

 

[eggplant]

Some people still can't lower their cholesterol even if they don't eat any, but most of us can lower our cholesterol through dietary changes. Cholesterol is only found in animal products, so eating a vegan diet will completely elliminate cholesterol from the diet. Foods high in fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can help lower cholesterol. If she eats a variety of fresh veggies, fruits, grains, legumes, and good fats like olive oil and avocado, that should significantly improve her health. Things to avoid are saturated fats, hydrogenated oils, and highly processed packaged foods.<br><br><br><br>
Regular exercise also usually lowers high cholesterol. Since going vegan and beginning to exercise regularly a little over three years ago, my cholesterol went down from 207 to 133.

 

[troub]

1: go vegan<br><br>
2: eat lots of veggies<br><br>
3: exercise an hour each day<br><br>
4: ???????<br><br>
5: profit

 

[Kyo]

Even if you go on a vegan diet and consume no cholesterol at all you can still get atherosclerosis. But, as a vegan you'll be getting less saturated fat and no cholesterol in your diet and that will reduce the chances.<br><br><br><br>
Some vegans don't get enough vitamin B12 because B12 is naturally found in animal products which they no longer eat. And lack of vitamin B12 can cause atherosclerosis; so make sure you get enough. You can get B12 by eating B12 fortified foods or by taking supplements.

 

[Laura_I]

Well, my mom has been a vegetarian since she was 16 and she has high cholesterol. My dad died of a heart attack last year and my dr essentially laughed at me when I asked to get my cholesterol checked. Because I'm 23, a vegetarian, and exercise daily. But my cholesterol came back as 230. My bad cholesterol is high, HOWEVER, my good cholesterol is so high that it cancels it out. I attribute this to all the flax seed, fiber, and olive oil that I eat. If I didn't eat so healthy, I'd be in big trouble and would be on cholesterol drugs right now.

 

[Gita]

Your body makes its own cholestrol--colesterol is very necessary to life. Dietary cholesterol may or may not have an effect. She should talk to her doctor-- but does food impact it? I think the jury is still out on that.

 

[nigel]

My own experience - cutting down on saturated fats and exercising has had a far greater effect on my cholesterol than just reducing cholesterol intake.<br><br><br><br>
HAve you had your own cholesterol checked?

 

[Kyo]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Your body makes its own cholestrol--colesterol is very necessary to life</div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
That's right and that's why vegans don't need to take cholestrol supplements. Their bodies produce it. From what I've read, cholestrol in the diet doesn't have a large impact on the blood cholestrol level.<br><br><br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">but does food impact it? [blood cholestrol level] I think the jury is still out on that.</div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
That's not true. It's been known for a long time that diets high in saturated fat cause higher blood cholestrol levels. That's why vegans [and even vegetarians] generally have much lower blood cholestrol levels.

 

[jetekiff]

I just found out mine was 227 and I'm 19...my doctor seemd really unconcerened tho...should I be???

 

[nigel]

that's high for anybody, and the levels tend to go up as you get older. What did your doctor tell you to do about it?

 

[jetekiff]

Nothing. She just joked about it being "a little high" and asked if I'd been "heavy on the fast food lately?" which I haven't because not eating anything fried or meat kinda cuts that out. I'm not obese or anything, like 5'5, 135-140 lbs. I do eat sweet stuff though...but not even a lot of butter, sour cream, or any of that stuff.

 

[GhostUser]

jetekiff- i would be concerned. i have high cholesterol (genetic) and have been vegan for 3 years, and my levels are still high. if your diet is not impacting your levels i would try going vegan for a month and then getting tested. if your levels are still high there are medications orherbal remedies you can take, depending on what you prefer. it has nothing to do with weight, however.

 

[jetekiff]

That's probably a good idea. I was vegan for like 5 months or so last year and the beginning part of this one...I know it'll cut the amount of refined sugar I eat dramatically. But seeing as how I'd be doing it for more health reasons than just ethical, is it important to cut out honey as well or do you think it'd matter?

 

[GhostUser]

oatmeal and flaxseed helps me a lot. I dropped 50 pts in 3 months.<br><br><br><br>
227 is not high.. normal is 190. I would be worried if its over 250.<br><br><br><br>
So long as your trigycleride is not high.. cuz its life-threatening. is your HDL and LDL normal range?

 

[nigel]

Alrighty, then. Here's what the American Heart Association has to say:<br><br><br><br><a href="http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3038638" target="_blank">http://www.americanheart.org/present...tifier=3038638</a>

 

[GhostUser]

I wouldn't completely trust the American Heart Association. They also recommend to:<br><br><div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Eat at least <b>2 servings</b> of oily fish per week.</div>
</div>
<br>

 

[nigel]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>veggiejanie</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
I wouldn't completely trust the American Heart Association. They also recommend to:</div>
</div>
<br><br><br><br><br>
I think their target there is an omnivore audience. They also state that vetgetarian diets are healthy.

 

[froggythefrog]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>jetekiff</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
I just found out mine was 227 and I'm 19...my doctor seemd really unconcerened tho...should I be???</div>
</div>
<br>
In order to determine if you need to be concerned, find out your HDL and LDL and triglyceride levels. Realize, too, that doctors aren't always as attentive as they should be. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/tongue3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="">

 

[froggythefrog]

<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>veggiejanie</strong> <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a><br><br>
I wouldn't completely trust the American Heart Association. They also recommend to: (eat fish)</div>
</div>
<br><br><br>
They're trying to recommend increasing your intake of omega-3's. This would be an easy way for most non-vegetarian people to do that.