My cholesterol is borderline high, and I want to get it under control before it gets out of hand. Have any of you successfully done that? I see ads for pills, but have no faith in them, and new research has shown garlic isn't really the answer. Got any stories to share?

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I decreased the amount of dairy and meat I ate. Plus started drinking more soy and increased garlic in my diet. My cholesterol went down quite a bit.

dh took vytorin for 3 months and his went down by 50%.... his was bad

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married 8 years to a crazy Brit, mommy to a banana, she is 4 and a pineapple who is 1 year, mommy to 3 ~angel~ babies

My Mom has...hers was also borderline high. Just depends a lot on your diet. She was eating eggs for breakfast probably 4 times a week. She cut that to once a week. She stopped eating real butter. She stopped eating hard cheese (she was having it almost daily with crackers before her dinner). It made a big difference for her.

My dad lowered his cholesterol by increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables he was eating, he switched to plain oatmeal for breakfast, he cut red meat out of his diet and he ate 2 meatless dishes a week.

Yes, I have drastically lowered my cholesterol and triglycerides when the doctor threatened to put me on meds. I cut out all sugar, exercised on an elliptical, and lifted weights. Ate a lot of vegetables too. It wasn't easy, but the results were phenomenal.

Last time I had my cholesterol checked it was down to 196 from an initial high of 260 (and I've never been on medication). I think part of the reason mine got so high was the birth control pills I was taking at the time (I've been off of them for over five years now) although I'm sure no doctor would ever attribute it to that. Everyone on my dad's side of the family seems to have high cholesterol, so I do think there's a hereditary aspect as well.

I don't know for sure what finally made it drop below 200, but if I had to guess, I would say that the biggest contributing factors were 1) switching from ground beef to ground turkey 2) starting to make more foods from scratch (that way I can control the fat and salt content) and 3) adding strength training to my exercise routine (Russian kettlebells).

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Stephanie
Mom to: Caleb (8/03), Ian (9/05), & Lucas (11/08)

I have terribly high cholesterol which is odd because I'm 21, healthy, and thin. I have been on medication for about 4 years, and it has lowered it 100 points, so I think it has definitely helped me. I really try to stay away from too many medications, but it just wasn't coming down enough with proper diet. My doctor said if I didn't lower it soon, then I could have a heart attack by the age of 30...scary!

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Wife to Keenon 6/15/06
SAHM to Kasen 2/24/07

I have heard that onions reduce cholestrol(sp??). Check this website The World's Healthiest Foods for more answers, it is a real good one on healing your body with fruits and vegetables.

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And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Phil:4:7

Figures. I'm allergic to onions and have a sensitivity to garlic. Mine is caused by heredity (probably like you, Kasensmomma), so we all REALLY have to watch it. It wasn't an issue when I was younger, so I just never bothered about it because I ate healthy, didn't even drink coffee, didn't smoke, worked out, and all. Now I'm stressed and all my energy goes into my kids, something I need to change starting this summer (I hope life doesn't get in the way!). But I need to be here for them, and I need to be healthy! Chest pains are scary and don't feel very good!

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Make someone's heart smile today.