Worried About Husband. What Do I Need to Learn to Cook to Lower Cholestrol?

Updated on January 04, 2011
M.!. asks from Boulder, CO
19 answers

My husband, who is only 28 yrs old, just found out he has high cholestrol. I am so concerned for him. When we met (only 17 years old) he weighed 128 lbs(He was sooo tiny, hehe). Currently he is pushing 190 lbs and is about 5'11". He is not fat, per say, but he does have a belly on him. Also to add, I just had a baby in November and have just been given the ok to start exercising and start losing the baby weight. So, in combination we would like to start eating better and make it a team effort to be healthier (BTW.. I am not overweight.. only have about 15 lbs of baby weight to lose).

My question is, what kind of diet changes are we supposed to be makng to lower cholestrol? Are we supposed to follow a low saturated fat diet, lower sodium, no carbs... I guess I am just not sure what we are really supposed to be changing in our diets to help lower his cholestrol. I think I know the # 1 bad habit he has - he LOVES red meat. He is def a meat/potatoe kind of guy and really doesn't want to loose that completely. I would like to learn how to eat a healthier version of his fav meals, but like I said I just don't know if I am supposed to be looking for low fat, fat free, no carbs, low sodium recipes.

Thanks for the guidance in the right direction of cooking healthier!

Happy New Year to everyone!

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K.M.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I was recently diagnosed with high cholesterol. It runs in my family. I am now taking a "statin" med. A lot of people have told me they are h*** o* the liver but when I asked my doctor if that was true, he said "not really." So I'm taking it. I'm also taking 4.8 grams of fish oil, 1 gram of Vitamin D, folic acid and niacin (can't remember how much), all per the advice of a nutritionist. I go back for another blood test in a couple weeks and I'm interested to see if all this stuff is helping.

As far as food, I've cut out bacon and egg yolks all together and rarely eat red meat. That's all the changes I've made so far. I'm slowly working on it.

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B.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Not to discourage you, but his cholesterol could be a familial trait and have nothing to do with what he is eating. It doesn't hurt to try to control it through diet and exercise but you may find that medication is the only way.

I too learned I had high cholesterol. I went to a dietician who discussed the difference between the healthy fats and oils and the unhealthy fats. I cut out red meat (which I love) and pork. We ate more fish and salmon. I started eating almonds. I exercised. Wouldn't you know my cholesterol number went up!! Of course my family has a history of high cholesterol and frankly it doesn't matter if you are fat or skinny or vegetarian.

So I suppose my bottom line is to see a nutritionist because most insurances cover the visit 100%. It will teach you the right way to eat irregardless and that is valuable information whether your cholesterol is high or not. Adapt a healthier lifestyle (eating and exercising) and have his cholesterol rechecked. If it is still high do not be discouraged because it could be in his genes but if you adopt a heathier lifestyle you will all reap the rewards even if he has to take the medication to control it.

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S.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

NO SATURATED FATS.
NONE.
NADA
ZIP.

I'm surprised the doctor's office didn't give you
a slew of literature with suggestions, recipes, etc.

Chicken, turkey, (some) fish are all better than beef.
It's OK to eat beef, but not as frequently.
Potatoes are fine . . . .just skip the butter and sour cream.
Wow.

You've probably got lots of good suggestions here.
I haven't read the other answers yet.

However . . . . see if the medical practice
will refer (both of) you to some classes.

Or, at your local public library,
ask the librarian to help you find some books
on lowering cholesterol.

Good luck.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Red meat is not good. Chicken and fish, fresh vegetables and fruits and whole grain carbs. MAYBE beef once per week. And only lean cuts, fat trimmed.
He may not like it, but it's an important change.
Will your insurance cover a visit to a nutritionist? That would be ideal.
You can get a low cholestrol cookbook.
And avoid processed foods (frozen, fried, fast foods) completely--think this way--if God didn't make it, don't eat it (excluding cows)!

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M.M.

answers from Chicago on

Red meat is OK! Just cook leaner cuts of it - filets, veal is very lean.

You want to add fiber and avoid high fat, high sodium foods. You don't have to worry about specifics, just look at those bottom lines for guidance as you cook.
Use sea salt instead of table salt. Flavor with vegetables and powders, instead of season all, etc...
Look to balance lean protein (turkey, chicken, pork, fish, etc...) with green vegetables. Have potatoes, but don't slather them in butter, sour cream, cheese (all the time). Use things like Salsa to add flavor.

In other words, you can eat the things you like in moderation. Deprivation is a key to failure. Just look at making small changes to the foods you like to make. They will go a LONG way.

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L.S.

answers from San Francisco on

I take Red Yeast Rice to deal with my cholesterol (check with your doctor) , in addition to eating tons of veggies and only chicken and fish. I very rarely eat red meat. My husband has changed his diet so that he eats absolutely no dairy and only fish with occasional chicken due to a history of prostatet cancer in his family. Eat lots of whole grains. Switch to brown rice instead of white and sweet potatoes instead of white. Exercise as often as possible. The changes are difficult at first, but honestly I think it is better to eliminate certain things (butter, whole milk, fatty meat) than to try and limit yourself to a certain amount. We have found that now if we do eat high fat food that is actually does not taste good anymore. We also have local organic produce delivered every two weeks. This makes us eat a ton more produce than we would otherwise. We also have started to enjoy a glass of red wine every evening for the cardio benefits!

One last thing, I have had high cholesterol my whole life and have never been overweight. Even with my restrictions, I will probably need medication at some time in the future as there is a genetic aspect to my levels. Your husband should keep getting his levels checked to see how things are going. It may be that with a few changes he can bring his levels down, but if that doesn't work, he should not blame himself.

Good luck to you both!

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Work in as much oatmeal as you can. Instead of bread crumbs, I use steel cut oats in my meatloaf. Lean beef once a week shouldn't be a problem. Moderation and portion size will help. Push the fresh vegetables. Use olive oil in place of butter where ever you can. Salads are good if you watch the dressing (vinaigrette instead of blue cheese). Aerobic exercise on a regular basis is very good (a least 3 times a week). It doesn't matter if he walks, runs, swims, rides a bike or goes for a few hours at the gym - the activity burns the cholesterol and helps your whole system work more efficiently.

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M.L.

answers from Houston on

Get a George Foreman grill. Make all your meats on there. Add some chicken and fish to your diet. Get some country crock or 'I can't believe its not butter' instead of real butter. Mash your potatoes with a little of this and milk. My favorite milk is fat free organic, it tastes so clean. Vary up your sides. Get brown rice for some days. Add lots of green veggies. Always start a meal with a healthy salad so he is not wanting to eat so much meat. Drink lots of water. Very easy once started. :)

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J.R.

answers from Davenport on

Oatmeal or other whole grain oat cereal ( Cheerios) is great for lowering cholesterol, he should have some oats every day.

Fish is good, too. As are apples and garlic....Use more whole foods and less processed stuff.

Here are some online guides:
http://www.natural-cure-guide.com/cholesterol-lowering-fo...

http://cholesterol.about.com/u/ua/cholesterolnutrition101...

http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/guide/heart-h...

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-cholesterol/D...
Good Luck!

Jessie

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D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I would visit the USDA food pyramid website. They have great suggestions and a good explanation of the current nutritional thinking on a balanced diet.

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P.O.

answers from Harrisburg on

Avoid eggs, drink grapefruit juice, eat oatmeal. Here's a website for more info. www.whfoods.com

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M.R.

answers from Phoenix on

Basically eat more of a Mediterranean or Asian diet....can't go wrong with all the fresh veggies and fruits, and seafood and meets quickly stir fried.

Stay away from all fried food. Period. No french fries.

Stay away from all Hydrogenated oils. You'll have to start label reading, but if you buy all natural, or organic varieties, your safe when it comes to crackers and nut butters.

Only eat Whole Grain breads and cereals. No sugared cereals. No white breads, white flours.

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C.T.

answers from Santa Fe on

My husband and all the males in his family have high cholesterol. It is a genetic thing and there's not too much you can do about it. You can lower your bad fats and increase the good fats by your diet. My husband completely changed his eating habits and did this...however, it really didn't change things that much. It's just a genetic thing and he is now on statins. He also continues to eat healthily and exercise (which he enjoys anyway). He eats little red meat (once every 2 weeks or so) I'm sorry to tell you! We try to eat vegetarian twice or more a week. We cook with olive oil not butter. We get baked tortilla chips instead of fried. We eat salmon every week. All those things they say to do. Of course we aren't always perfectly healthy but we are trying. You can google heart healthy recipes. Honestly, after years of doing this, I don't even crave red meat much anymore and I don't crave other things I used to love (like sodas which we also cut out). Anyway, sorry to hear about your hubby. Good luck with your healthy eating!

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C.O.

answers from Chicago on

as others have said, it could be in his genes but it never hurts to limit sat fat and eat healthier. how bad is his cholesterol? borderline or way high? what about his good cholesterol and other vitals like bp?

fresh vegetables are wonderful. broccoli is the best- eat that for a snack or even before eating dinner. use lean meat only and be sure portion size is controlled. i lowered my cholesterol from 203 to 175 to 142 in 2 years by eating healthier- many more veges and limiting fat. overall though i eased my portion size.

good luck! good that you're supporting him. exercise is excellent but combined with eating healthily you can put your vitals in the perfect zone!

5'11 190 isn't that big (as you say) so once he loses 20 or so pounds, have it tested again- for sure at least once a year and see where it is. if it runs in the family, medication may be the route to go but i always try to avoid that.

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M.W.

answers from St. Cloud on

We feel most food is okay in moderation.

So, when you make a nice meat/potato meal, have a nice big salad as the beginning! Then you will both be a little fuller and not eat so much of the other stuff! (We tend to have a salad with our lunch every day. Lunch is our big family meal.)

And throw away all your table salt. Find "CELTIC SEA SALT". It's actually GOOD for you!!! I drink a shot of salt water every day! (Celtic Sea Salt water of course!) You can buy it in crystals or ground up. It's cheaper to buy the larger crystals. So for baking/cooking purposes, I use the large crystals as they dissolve quickly.

Another good item to start eating is called Ezekiel Bread. It's extremely healthy for you! We use the multi grain and make our own "garlic bread" when we have pasta meals. And the cinnamon raisin version is very yummy toasted and topped with honey! My husband likes to put peanut butter and honey on it and eat them that way. THIS BREAD MUST BE KEPT FROZEN OR REFRIGERATED! OTHERWISE IT WILL MOLD QUICKLY!!!

And eggs are actually quite healthy! But it's best to get some straight from a farmer. Preferably organically raised chickens but at least free range! If you buy "store" eggs, they have been run through a machine and it kills the "good stuff" in the eggs. When my dads doctor wanted to put him on medication for high cholesterol, eggs were a VERY important part of his diet! He would have egg sandwiches (on Ezekiel bread of course) daily! Add some pepper, Sea salt, and other toppings (peppers, mushrooms, onions) and fry-in coconut oil- or bake! And he did lower all on his own without medication.

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P.G.

answers from Dallas on

Check with the doctor's office - they should have a list of foods to eat and what to avoid. Perhaps they can refer a nutritionist as well to help you with meal planning. The library can also be a great source for cookbooks - "try before you buy" :) And you can exercise together - walks with the baby in the stroller will be nice for all three of you :)

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K.F.

answers from New York on

Oatmeal (not the instant kind)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fish (not deep fried fried) Salmon or other red fishes like Snapper
increase vegetable intake especially leafy green veggies
Exercise
Drink more water
Cheerios too
Reduce your red meat intake to once or twice a week if you can

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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

Some years ago a coworker found out she had high cholesterol. She started walking more, then adding more exercise to get her good levels up. She also added more veggies to her meals. She was also a meat lover and could not even think how a meal would not include meat. She started by cutting the meat portion and filling out her meal with more dark green leafy veggies and beans. The doctor retested her 6 months later, ready to put her on medication. While her levels were still a bit high, meds were not needed because they were not as high as the first testing. You also might want to check out a local bookstore for cookbooks for lower cholesterol. I now I have seen some. Then you can check online for that author/cook for recipes.

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S.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Eat more whole grains, veggies and fruits and exercise! And you do'nt have to cut out meat entirely -- just go for the lean cuts of beef (google it to get a list) and eat the fattier versions on special occasions. Plus exercise will definitely help. I'm sure your dr can also provide more info but if you google cholesterol, you'll see that they're are actually two different kinds -- good and bad. The good kind (I think it's HDL) actually lowers cholesterol so you want to eat foods high in those as well. Good luck!

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