Colonel Mustard Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 I have just had the result of a bludd test which shows my cholestorol level is higher than a cat's back. 'Er indoors is threatening to put me on a diet of lettuce and carrot juice. I have heard that oats mop up cholestorol. If I eat porridge before my (soon to be outlawed) bacon and egg, would the porridge neutralise the b & e? Positive answers please, that I can use against the threatened carrot juice diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Suck down statins for a couple of months, soon see the difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raindog Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 I was told this some years ago. My quack gave me a list of stuff not to eat and heading that list was foie gras, eggs, beef, scampi and charcuterie with alot of fat all of which i've either cut down or stopped altogether. I gave up sugar in tea and coffee overnight and he told me to ease off on drinking. There was no way I was going to do that, so to compensate I eat loads of fresh fruit and veg and do about 3000 kilometers a year on the bike, that way I reckon I can have a good binge every week-end. I mean, if you can't enjoy yourself you may as well be dead anyway. Well it was years ago I had that blood test and i'm still going strong (touch wood)Not heard about the porridge thing but I eat loads of that anyway.[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 WB is right about the statins. My chlorestorol level was in the high 7's a few yrs ago - within 6 mths of the doc putting me on a statin, it was down to the mid 4's and has stayed that way ever since. I eat a lot more fruit & veg than I ever used to, but probably drink more wine too! I still have eggs & bacon from time to time, but it's treat rather than a regular thing.I would imagine that your doc will want you on a statin pdq. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Porridge will do it, it mops up chlorestral like a sponge! Try it for 2 weeks then do another test. If you have a slow cooker its really easy to put it on overnight - ask Chris Head ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Eat more walnuts - and not just because I grow them.Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Riff-Raff Element Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Oats are definately the way forward and are an important part of my program to live until I am 94 to annoy my children.I approach this in the same way that you seem to be seeking: using "good" foodstuffs to offset the enjoyable things in life. I therefore seek to make the whole oats business as palatable as possible. I have found that:Porridge is great with molassas and this is also meant to be good for you. So that's two plus points;A seemingly unlikely mixture of uncooked rolled oats, linseed, raisins, sliced banana and Greek yoghurt. I know that sounds a bit Swiss, but trust me;Flapjacks - made with butter though: I have no truck with that hydrogenated vegetable oil malarky.I'm obviously completely unqualified to offer any dietary advice, but I have to say that this seems to work for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickel Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 At the end of the day it is - eat a healthy balanced diet, keep the weight off and exercise!!!Porridge oats do seem to have a modest effect in reducing the 'bad' cholesterol but I shouldn't rely on that as a cure, however tasty they may be.( especially flapjacks with butter -yum)Find out your total cholesterol and the levels of 'good' HDL and 'bad' LDL then you have something to work with and know whether statins might also play a part.Now where did I put that foie gras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 My dieticians mission is to convert the French to porridge. When I was in hospital she went through my normal diet with me, 'porridge' she said much better than a French breakfast. Husband was despatched toute de suite to fetch packet for my breakfast (which caused consternation with the ward staff.) Over a year later I went to the hospital for a stage . This time she brought the oats herself. No-one else on the course was convinced to try it, preferring their morning biscottes(ugh). I am a chocoholic and put cankeo (low carb cocoa powder) on mine .Oats great but don't use the finely ground instant ones use the rolled ones. Its the soluble fibre in them which helps lower LDL theres also lots in fruit and veg, beans and lentils wholegrain bread etc. Exercise is also also good for raising HDL and lowering LDL. Sadly bacon and eggs not so good but eating a balanced diet doesn't normally mean you have to give up high fat things just not so often . Sorry lecture over[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Not so much of the 'modest' ! [:)]http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/nutrition/healthyeat/articles/0,,252_703774,00.htmlhttp://www.heartuk.org.uk/artman/publish/article_549.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickel Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 I agree the effects of porridge would appear to be positive but I have to say from reading the medical journals that it is attributed with a "modest" reduction in LDL cholesterol - though that term is obviously not scientific the literature will give you the statistics. I just wanted to point out that porridge is not a "panacea" and should form part of a balanced healthy diet along with exercise and weight control. There is NO quick fix.http://www.clinicalanswers.nhs.uk/index.cfm?question=1474 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Exercise definitely brilliant for lowering cholesterol. Can't remember how it works, that is, forgotten the explanation.I used to keep my cholesterol and asthma under control just on exercise: gym, dogwalking, running, cycling, swimming. The doctor and clinic nurses were always amazed that someone with my cholesterol levels and asthmatic conditions could do without any form of medication.In the end, they told me that I was obviously doing the right thing and more or less said I could just carry on with my own solution to my medical problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Head Posted November 17, 2007 Share Posted November 17, 2007 Yep, Gay is to blame for the sheer amount of the stuff I eat nowadays. It's also a good slow release carbohydrate...but like Nickel says it's not a cure all. I've used food to flush out & clean my system after the alcohol crap and need alot of the stuff with the exercise I do so have to be careful that everything is reasonably balanced. We all too easily neglect & abuse our bodies then one day it's too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patmobile Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Everyday, on the advice of my wife and other medically unqualified pundits, I eat lots of oats, bran and apples.I think I'm turning into a horse. No, I'm not growing a tail and neighing. It's the quantity and - (excuse me) - the size of the waste product that is becoming horse-like.Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinty Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Patrick Wrote:I think I'm turning into a horse. No, I'm not growing a tail and neighing. It's the quantity and - (excuse me) - the size of the waste product that is becoming horse-like.Was enjoying my breakfast, Patrick, too much information. [+o(] [+o(] [:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northender Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Think I may have a suggestion for you Patrick http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpool-news/Traders-want-to-see-horses.3488620.jp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opas Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 [quote user="Jinty"]Patrick Wrote:I think I'm turning into a horse. No, I'm not growing a tail and neighing. It's the quantity and - (excuse me) - the size of the waste product that is becoming horse-like.Was enjoying my breakfast, Patrick, too much information. [+o(] [+o(] [:P]Perhaps a few tinned prunes....in natural juices of course. My dad was also recomended porridge when he was diagnosed as diabetic.....use skimmed milk though and he uses powdered canderel to sweeten it......His colestrol level dropped too! [/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plod Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 Porridge with Nutella and a banana. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 [quote user="Russethouse"]Porridge will do it, it mops up chlorestral like a sponge! Try it for 2 weeks then do another test. If you have a slow cooker its really easy to put it on overnight - ask Chris Head ![/quote]Advice on doing porridge in a slow cooker please!I made some the other night and I did put it on the lowest setting, but even on the lowest setting, it overcooked and was like wallpaper paste... barely edible and I did not want to waste Nutella on it! [:P]PS: no cholesterol here, despite enjoying a mainly Normandie-like style of cooking (cream, butter, cheese...) [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprogster Posted November 21, 2007 Share Posted November 21, 2007 The most important thing is to keep your chloresterol closely monitored through your doctor and not ignore it, as it is the main cause of heart disease and strokes.Although excercise and a good diet are important annd do help, this is unlikely to be sufficient in itself if you are over 50, or high chloresterol runs in the family as there is a genentic link. The good news is that statins are very effective, cheap to prescribe and well tolerated by most people, to the extent that under new BMA guidelines doctors in the UK are being advised to presribe statins more readily to men over the age of fifty as a preventative measure, even if they just have moderately high chloresterol. The new gold standard is ideally to get under 4.In America statins are being credited with reducing heart attack deaths by 40% over the last ten years and the similar benefits are being reported in Europe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valleyboy Posted November 22, 2007 Share Posted November 22, 2007 Does anybody know the relationship between the French and UK methods of measuring cholesterol? My wife's C-level is high according to our medecin traitante, but the blood tests show a level of about 2.6, with a safe level of about 2. (figures from memory) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted November 22, 2007 Share Posted November 22, 2007 'The new gold standard is ideally to get under 4.'You do need do know what units your doctor is using. In the UK they normally use mmol/l for LDL and HDL readings, in France the doctors use use g./l (US and in much of the rest of the world mg/dl !). The lab test results in France usually, but not always, show both.To convert mmol/l of cholesterol to g/l you need to multiply by 0.39 so a total cholesterol of 4 mmol./l would be 1.56g./lAccording to the BBC website UK 'gold standard' figures are :total cholesterol: less than 4.0mmol/l LDL cholesterol: less than 2.0mmol/l (0.78g/l) HDL cholesterol: more than 1.15mmol/l (.44g/l) My French doctor uses similar targets (LDL<0.8 g/l; HDL>0.45g/l).Statins work and I am prescribed them. Personally I find that whether I hit my doctors targets every 3 months seems far more to do with the amount of exercise that I've done than the number of tablets I remember to take.(my overall diet is probably worse in times of lesss exercise as well)Edit to answer post above Your doctor could be looking at the total cholesterol in g/l ... 2.6g/l would be 6.6mmol/l . Check it on the lab results or ask yur doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickel Posted November 22, 2007 Share Posted November 22, 2007 I know of doctors who do now routinely recommend/prescribe daily dose of simvastatin to male patients over 50 regardless of cholesterol levels. At present the NICE guidelines are :- dependant on an algorithm taking into account - age, Blood Pressure, smoking hx, having diabetes or not etc comes to a 10 yr risk assessment. If Coronary Heart Disease risk >15% or CardioVascularDisease risk >20% then to take aspirin (unless contraindicated) and statins. Statin of choice: Simvastatin 40 mg at night. Total cholesterol should be 5 or below but ideally below 4 1 study, however, showed what ever the cholesterol reduction, just taking simva 40 mg in this situation reduces CHD mortality rate by 25%.The "wonder drug" had been tarnished recently with its unwanted side effects, I am sure more time will need to pass and more trials undertaken before a blanket apporach is accepted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valleyboy Posted November 22, 2007 Share Posted November 22, 2007 Thanks, Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Having suffered from high cholesterol for some few years and also having suffered from the side-effects of badly prescribed statins, please take the "Facts" about this wonder drug with a wee pinch of caution!http://www.spacedoc.net/The body produces cholesterol (the liver) even on a totally fat free diet. Excessive alchohol consumption and cigarette smoking also aid the liver to produce the stuff.Hydrogenated oils and fats: avoid like the plague!This process (bubbling hydrogen gas through a "Tower" of oils and fats) is done firstly to reduce unpleasant taint and taste and second to make soft oils and fats hard and suitable for producing junk food, likes cakes, pastries and biscuits!When I first changed my diet 16 years ago, due to health problems, I forswore butter and switched firstly to Flora and then to Olivio (olive oil is good for you!): and then discovered that all of these "Healthy" butter substitutes were mainly cheap hydrogenated oils and fats!Thus always read the food labels!Personally, I fear that far too many medical "Experts" are clutching at straws and endeavouring to treat the symptoms of disease rather than its causes; which is, of course, the primary difference between Western and Eastern and Oriental medical philosophy.Major pharmaceutical companies earn billions (of profit) each year from statins and often induce doctors to prescribe them like smarties. Worrying!Holistic lifestyle, i.e. good balanced diet of whole fresh foods and high cardio-vascular exercise rates and above all else, freedom from Western stress (which is the real killer!), are the keys.Interesting that when my wife went to Guy's Research School of Oral Medicine recently, the top professor told her that she was very worried as were many other senior researchers and doctors, that since the BSE and other scares, red meat consumption had fallen in the UK, drastically. More and More people were suffering from lack of Vitamin B12, which causes all sorts of cellular breakdowns and lack of immunity. Apparently the body can, unsually, store this vitamin for up to seven years: but once depleted, look out!So, the weekly steak is now back on the menu! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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