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Author: Donna 180~152~130
Date: 07-18-03 13:56
My hubby got his results from his bloodwork today. And it says his cholesterol is high amongst other things. It should be 200 or lower his is 262! His HLD is high at 6.2 (should be 5.0 or lower), LDL is 189 (should be 130 or lower) and Triglycerides is 154 (should be 150 or below). AHHH!!!!! What should I do? Is this way high meaning medication? I read that he has to exercise 30 mins a day and change his eating habits but does anyone have any suggestions on things I can make for him? I don't want his heart to have a boo-boo. Should I make him do aerobics with me? I'm so confused, it's different when you are making the lifestyle change to lose weight than having to.
I keep imagining the commercial for Cheerios with the guy walking around telling everyone that he lowered his cholesterol, LOL! That would be my hubby!
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Author: Eric 272/252.5/188
Date: 07-18-03 14:24
I believe I'm a cholesterol genius. I had two heart attacks in 1997 at age 39. My cholesterol was 367 at the time. I often joke that the base of my food pyramid was ice cream. Now my cholesterol (on medication) is 211.
There are many substitutions you can make in life to lower cholesterol. for example, "I can't believe it's not butter" instead of butter or margerin, Non fat milk (you'll get used to it) I even order my pizza with extremely light cheese and almost never have pizza anyway. I don't eat at any fast food places except subway, well I have like once a year or so. Chicken instead of red meat (I'm so sick of chicken as are all heart patients).
Once my brother caught a couple of Salmon and asked one of my heart friends if she liked Salmon, ands she answered "yes, but only because it's not chicken."
Some candies have no cholesterol, nonfat frozen yogurt works, I've had fried chicken once in six years. All of this stuff is an aquired taste, but he wants to avoid medication if he can, although medication beats the crap out of dying.
If your husband wants more info he can write me at booboospop@hotmail.com. I'll scare him right into a low cholesterol life style!
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Author: Donna 180~152~130
Date: 07-18-03 15:11
Thanks for the reply Eric, I have to admit that I was hoping you would. My husband really has no choice but to eat healthier now. I do the shopping and he is just going to have to deal with what I get or learn to live without certain things. Going from regular milk to non fat is going to be tough for him, he drinks about 1/2 gallon in 2 days, always at 3 or 4 in the morning. Oh and the cookies and potato chips, the mac & cheese and pepperoni at 3 or 4 am also. I have my work cut out for me and if he gives me a hard time I will definately have him email you. Thanks.
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Author: trowa - 310/220/170
Date: 07-18-03 18:19
Donna,
If he is willing to do it, have your husband eat more chicken and fish. Stay away from fatty meats and fried foods.
Maybe have your husband eat 1 1/2 vups of oatmeal in the morning for breakfast. Oatmeal supposedly lowers your cholesterol. You can also find foods that naturally lower cholesterol as well, and add them into his diet.
take care,
-dan
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Author: Fabulous@50 225/216/150
Date: 07-18-03 19:03
Try to sneak as much soluable fiber into his diet as possible: oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley, citrus fruits, strawberries (Look up more on the web, there's lots of stuff on the web about cholestrol.).
Soluable fiber aids in lowering cholesterol since it "grabs hold of cholesterol" and takes it out of the body before the body has a chance to absorb it.
Another source of soluable fiber is Metamucil (yech!); but it helps keep one regular (don't we all need that?). They say to mix it with liquid, usually water, but I chose to mix it with skim milk and low cal choc syrup for a delicious, thick/gritty(!) shake (still, it's better than thick/gritty water)
And as for exercise--I think you've now got a lifetime exercise partner--exercise is key to keeping cholesterol in check.
Good luck!
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Author: SheilaH 301/273/???
Date: 07-18-03 19:13
Start him out on 2% milk for a couple of weeks, then go to 1% for a couple of more weeks, and then go down to skim. That way it won't be as hard for him to adjust to the milk. Since you buy the groceries and do the cooking he'll have to deal with it. He may eat bad things when he is away from home but with the healthy stuff he gets at home his condition will improve. If he is the type to complain about being deprived of the food he likes, just don't tell him what you are doing. Sneak the healthy stuff in. A few years ago when I was on a diet and I cooked the same stuff for my hubby and he didn't even realise that he was eating healthier too. He enjoyed the fact that I was cooking more often than I had before.
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Author: Eric 272/252.5/188
Date: 07-18-03 19:46
Donna,
I have a recipe for some awesome non cholesterol cookies and there are always wow chips and baked lays. Hey I lowered my cholesterol, but I've obviously managed to eat well. Other fun no cholesterol snacks that will get you in trouble, but will be good for the transition...York Pepermint Patties, Jelly Bellies, and Tootsie Rolls have no cholesterol.
E
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Author: miranda 230/156/145
Date: 07-19-03 06:04
My cholesterol got up to 252 a couple years ago, but is now down to 161 just through diet and exercise. The American Heart Association webpage on cholesterol helped me a lot. Here's the link:
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1516
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