Forums: January 2011 Kickstart Forum: Lowering Cholesterol
Created on: 01/06/11 08:07 AM Views: 1375 Replies: 5
Bunny Joined: 01/05/11 Posts: 1	Lowering Cholesterol Posted Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 8:07 AM Several years ago I became vegan for health reasons, specifically to lower my cholesterol. After 6 months, my numbers did not budge. Any thoughts as to why? Thanks for any insights!
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Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2072	RE: Lowering Cholesterol Posted Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 8:25 AM Cholesterol is produced in the body naturally, it is necessary for certain functions. Unfortunately, some bodies produce more cholesterol than others. One thing you want to check is not just the total cholesterol but the individual parts of the whole - what is your HDL? LDL? triglycerides? etc. If one looks at just the total cholesterol number, I would be considered borderline high. But, my doctor knows well enough to ignore that - why? Because my HDL value is significantly higher than the standard minimum, so that throws off the total even though it's a good thing. (HDL runs 60-70, women should be > 50) The total cholesterol number is some arcane calculation of HDL, LDL, triglycerides and other lipids in the blood (it's not just straight addition, it's some sort of weighted value). Also, you might look at what you're eating in general - it's possible to be an unhealthy vegan. For example, partially hydrogenated soybean oil is vegan - but not healthy. Hubby also has high cholesterol and oats really help. Years ago, before being vegetarian much less vegan, he spent about 4 months eating oatmeal (rolled oats, not instant) for breakfast every day - it's cold in New England in winter so he liked a hot breakfast. Lo and behold when he had his cholesterol checked again in the spring, it had dropped significantly (as in, the doctor did a double take when he looked at the test results!) But, even with oats, exercise (which raises HDL), and veg*n eating, his cholesterol profile is still out of whack - that's the action of heredity (his parents, grandparents, uncles, all pretty much had/have cholesterol issues). --Deb R
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Susan Levin Joined: 12/26/09 Posts: 1191	RE: Lowering Cholesterol Posted Thursday, January 6, 2011 at 5:42 PM I don't mean to repeat everything Deb stated so eloquently, but she's right. Vegan is not the whole answer. It does take care of the incoming cholesterol. But cholesterol produced in the body can be kicked into high gear from eating too much saturated fat. Fiber will be your friend for pulling this stuff out, especially soluble fiber which is found in grains such as oats and barley. You can read more here: http://www.pcrm.org/resources/education/nutrition/nutrition1.html http://www.nutritionmd.org/consumers/cardiovascular/hyperlipidemia_nutrition.html Susan Levin, MS, RD PCRM Director of Nutrition Education
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veganer Joined: 01/04/11 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 196	RE: Lowering Cholesterol Posted Friday, January 7, 2011 at 12:41 PM How many weeks or how many months of eating a vegan diet does it take to make a positive effect on cholesterol(realizing sometimes it may not)? assuming I would eat completely vegan for 21 days- would this have an effect, or would it take longer?
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Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2072	RE: Lowering Cholesterol Posted Friday, January 7, 2011 at 12:44 PM veganer wrote: How many weeks or how many months of eating a vegan diet does it take to make a positive effect on cholesterol(realizing sometimes it may not)? assuming I would eat completely vegan for 21 days- would this have an effect, or would it take longer? Way back when, hubby went from SAD to mostly vegetarian and eating oatmeal every morning for breakfast. He went back for his 6 month follow up and his cholesterol was way down (in a good way). 3 weeks will have some effect; 3 months even better effect; 3 years more effect. How long it takes for you in your specific situation to see measurable changes is going to being different than anyone else. --Deb R
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veganer Joined: 01/04/11 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 196	RE: Lowering Cholesterol Posted Friday, January 7, 2011 at 4:11 PM Deb R, Thanks for the information!
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