For folks with HIGH CHOLESTEROL

[Gringo]

I have had high (300+) Cholesterol for all my adult life, and was warned by my doctor last fall to get it under control or else. I've always exercised and I'm big but not grossly obese.

I didn't want to go on lipitor just yet (I'm 34), so I kept my diet more or less the same, but tried all the natural supplements that are supposed to lower cholesterol.

2 tbsp of powdered flaxseed in the AM, red yeast rice, policosanol, gugulipid, 500 mg of niacin. and garlic pills.

Starting from 340 last October, I was down to 270 in November, 190 in December (normal) and 177 today.

If anyone is on these statin drugs, or thinking of using them, I encourage you to look into these natural supplements, because they have done wonders for me, are natural, and don't cost anymore than statins.

[RebelOne]

1. Wow!!! Thanks. I have high cholesterol and am not on medication.

I'll try those supplements.

On edit: Where do I buy them because I've never heard of policosanol and gugulipid?

[Robb]

2. Did you change your diet

...after getting warned by your doc? Just curious... I know a surgeon who's on quite the cocktail of cholesterol drugs, and walks around eating donuts. :D

[Gringo]

4. No, but my diet wasn't all that bad before.

I tested over 300 even during my "vegetarian" period, when the only meat I ever ate was occasional fish and chicken.

I have a weakness for sweets, though.

The only change I made was to switch to those egg-beaters eggs.

[Gringo]

5. PS -Strangely, some people who cut all cholesterol out of their diet

still have it go up! Problem is your body is making the stuff - it doesn't go directly from your food into your blood. Some people have a genetic disposition (also, bad eating habits suring childhood contribute to the problem later on) to produce more. Exercise can help, but these supplements have been the cincher for me.

[flamingyouth]

3. Flaxseed is great for many things

I've found it very helpful for my pain with fibromyalgia. This sounds like an excellent tonic, and congratulations on your success with your cholesterol! :bounce:

[papau]

6. 500 mg of niacin is 90% of what is working on the cholesterol.

25 to 30% of folks can take high dosage (most reguire dosage closer to 1000 mg) and get great results.

The rest of us get itching, red skin reactions that drive you nuts from heavy dose daily niacin.

It is great that niacins work for you - I agree a "natuaral" way is better (costwise I recall about $30 per month at 1000 mgs a day)

[elfin]

7. Also - try timed release niacin

I use the Enduracin brand mentioned in "The Eight Week Cholesterol Cure" book. That plus switching to Benecol margarine and no other changes made mine drop like a stone.

You have to build up a tolerance - start at lower doses before you rachet up to 1000-1500 units/day and always take just after eating. The initial "prickly" sensations subside and you may ba able to ditch the flaxseed etc.

[Gringo]

8. I Like the Flaxseed - will never ditch it.

It just feels good to take it.

I will experiment with lowering the dosage of the niacin and see what effect that has.

I also have read that the active ingredient of Red Yeast Rice is similar to that of the statin drugs, thus it can be presumed that there may also be some of the same side effects. When it runs out I will let it go and see how I do.

I haven't seen any of the side effects you mention with niacin. Sounds like what I had when we lived in Japan (there is a lot of dioxin in the air there - I got eczema after a while)

[YellowRubberDuckie]

9. They say Venison(deer meat) is great for cholesterol...

A friend's husband eats a lot of it, and his good and bad don't add up to 100 most of the time. It's really good for you.
Duckie

[amazona]

10. isn't too low a stroke/bleeding hazard ?

A friend's cholesterol is less than 100, and he has had issues with bleeding.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

12. I have no idea.

[Snow]

11. Get your thyroids checked, amigos....

low thyroid function will raise your cholesterol.....