Lowered my Triglycerideds from 585 to 110 in 2 months...Yeah!

[masmdu]

So, a couple of months ago I had a check-up and the doc found my Triglyceride level at 585 and wanted to put me on meds. I came to DU and posted...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5528087

Thanks for all the input and advice.

I went back and my Triglycerides went from 585 to 110, LDL to 130, HDL to 38

I DID NOT follow my doctors suggestion that I start taking meds (Antara). I told him I wanted to try life-style changes first. His response was that I need to take the Meds.
I left his office determined to lower my Triglycerides naturally and today when he told me, "your doing wonderfully on the Antara (medication)" I gave him back the unopened sample he had given me 2 months ago and told him ... "I did it my way." I will be looking for a new doctor who is more receptive to my concerns and thoughts.

Anyway, here is what I did as it may help others.

Exercise - 40 minutes a day, everyday of climbing a 9-story stair well 10 times; 20 min walk; 15 light weights/sit-ups/push-ups

Diet - No refined sugars (except 3 pieces of chocolate cake on my birthday, one piece of keylime pie, and one chocolate chip cookie a week), no fruit juice (eating the fruit instead), No alcohol, reconfigured my Carb/Protein/Fats to 50%/25%/25% but careful to reduce saturated fat to 8 grams/day and increase monounsaturated fats, no junk food or prepackaged foods (ie: sugars, highFructoseCornSyrup, empty carbs, hydrogenated oils),

Added - Oatmeal (uncooked) daily for breakfast with a teaspoon of cinnomon and 1/4 apple
- Green Tea ( a cup with every meal )
- Fish Oil (Omega 3 fats) capsule with every meal

Results: Weight went from 198 to 170, Much more energy, Triglycerides from 585 to 110

I rewarded myself with a pizza.

I will continue with this regimine until I get to 160 lbs. then lighten up a bit.

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement!

[helderheid]

1. Congrats!! I love how you handed the bottle back!! GOOD ON YA!

[sarcasmo]

7. Forcing people to take meds, these new Doctors sure a pill pushers.

Good for you and exercise and eating right will defeat the pill almost every time.

[Oceansaway]

2. Touche !!..n/t

[Massacure]

3. Why would you eat uncooked oatmeal?

Whats wrong with adding water and throwing it in the microwave?

[Geoff R. Casavant]

17. I think he meant to say "unprocessed."

Not the "instant" stuff -- that has too high a glycemic index.

Steel cut oats or whole groats -- takes a long time to cook, but it also takes a long time to digest, and lots more fiber.

[rucky]

4. ...

:yourock:

[spindrifter]

5. Outstanding!

You took control and you are winning! I absolutely admire you for your achievement and thank you for posting about it.

[tatertop]

6. You have willpower plus!

[MissMarple]

8. That's the magic formula!!!!

Congratulations! :applause: :woohoo: :applause:

[msgadget]

9. Wow, that's incredible!

:bounce: :toast: It's patriotic to take responsibility for your health (away from big pharma)! :) :patriot:

[Katherine Brengle]

10. CONGRATS!!! (also re: oatmeal uncooked)

When I had my daughter in April of 2004, I weighed 215. I went on a clean diet (very similar to yours) and lost about 60 lbs. Very sensible plan. NO drugs, no nutritionist, no nothing but my own determination and a lot of research.

RE: oatmeal, uncooked--many fitness professionals who eat oatmeal as a part of their breakfast every day will skip cooking it, just add milk and some fruit and gobble it up. I find it can often taste better this way--the kind of oatmeal you would eat on a diet like this would not be the typical flavored processed kind but whole rolled oats or steel-cut oats which have a much denser texture and far more nutritional value.

My most sincere congratulations to the OP--too often we take our doctor's advice to heart without looking at other options.

[yorkiemommie1]

16. re: uncooked oatmeal

i put a couple tablespoons on top of my raisin bran every morning and add soymilk. the oatmeal is so mild that it does not interfere w/ the raisin bran at all.

congrats to OP!

[glitch]

19. It never occurred to me you could eat oats uncooked. I can't wait to try!

nt

[IronLionZion]

28. uncooked steel cut oats?

are you shitting me? :wtf: That can't be good for you.

I had undercooked steel cut oats my first time, and it felt like I was chewing on rocks.

edit to add: If you don't like cooking your oats, try oat bran. It's delicious.

[SnoopDog]

11. You are definitely in the 99 percentile for will power.

My sincere congratulations.

An inspiring post....thanks.

[qanda]

12. I just got out of the hospital today

They are trying to put me on cholesterol medicine because my levels are slightly elevated. However, I went in for symptoms of having ministrokes, which they ruled out, but still want me to try the medicine.

I'm so glad to see this thread. Your story is inspirational. I know that you're not telling anyone to do what you did, but it's good to know that lifestyle changes can and do make a difference.

On edit: Can you update the link in your original post, it's not working.

[masmdu]

14. You can do it!

Best of luck. Next up is Ti-Chi to maintain my progress.

Link
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5528087

[MadisonProgressive]

13. That's fricking awesome!

[FloridaPat]

15. Thanks for a great story. Yes, can the doctor.

[dapper]

18. I'm in the same boat...congrats!

but, I let my doctor put me on Lipitor, Pravacol, Vytorin and now Advicore. The Vytorin did a heck of a job but he wanted to tweak my numbers, as soon as I took Advicore my numbers jumped up higher than they have ever been.

I use to stick to a great diet but now (since I quit smoking) I am eating like a pig. I am going to copy your message as a reminder of the things I have to do.

Dap

[postulater]

20. Congrats, that's the way to really beat the health insurance game!

If everyone had that attitude and determination, there sure would be a lot fewer sick people around.

[afredus]

21. Congratulation

My tryglicerides and cholesterol is high as well, and I've started working out about 5 times/week and eating better. You story is very helpful to me. CONGRATULATIONS.

[Pool Hall Ace]

25. Welcome afredus

and congratulations to the OP :bounce:

[flygal]

22. Excellent!! Thanks for sharing - so inspirational!

[Warpy]

23. Good for you! That is great work!

Those drugs are for people who can't or won't make the drastic changes you did. There are a lot of them out there. The fact that you've made the changes and have kept them up for so long is pretty amazing, most folks poop out after the first month when everything hurts and nothing feels any better.

My dad was on statins, complained that his hands were getting weak. Suspecting early rhabdomyolysis, I suggested he go off the statins for two weeks to see if it improved. It did. He then went on whole oatmeal every day (cooked in winter, Cheerios in hot weather) and managed to drop his cholesterol and triglycerides to acceptable levels. He was already very active, a swimmer and biker well into his 80s.

The statin drugs are great for people with poor exercise tolerance and with genetically predetermined high cholesterol. They're also great for folks with an enforced sedentary lifestyle, like cube rats with long commutes and little free time, and for people who are simply noncompliant when it comes to lifestyle changes. However, if diet and exercise changes can be maintained, they really should be the first line of treatment before any drugs are prescribed for high cholesterol and triglycerides.

[mottdog]

24. I do this with all my WILLING patients.

Medically, there are only 3 thing which raise triglycerides:

1. Sugar (all cards are sugars)
2. Caffeine
3. Alcohol

The other I find is these people have a backed up liver. Meaning there poor detoxifiers.

How to spot if your one.

1. Hemorrhoids
2. High-blood pressure

Your portal circulation is getting backed up.

and

3. your sensitive to fume, fragrances etc.

[mom cat]

26. Hey mottdog! Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[RazzleDazzle]

30. Ah, a voice from the past!! Welcome to DU!!

Are you in the Phillipines yet? When you have enough posts to get them, I'll come back and send you a private message and tell you how you know me.

[CountAllVotes]

27. I simply knocked out all junk foods and processed foods

and my tryglicerides dropped to normal levels and were very high. I still have the high cholesterol (likely genetic) but I really do not care about it being it has always been high my entire life.

Good for you! :D

:kick:

[IronLionZion]

29. Wow, congrats!

Your health is your best investment. You definitely have more willpower than me.
:applause:

[FULL_METAL_HAT]

31. Confirmation of the Pharma Lie...

Thank you for your courage to fix the problem not just whitewash it over!!

Medical Doctors seem to have lost their courage to the profit and ease of listening to the Pharmaceutical industry's Siren Song

[DemReadingDU]

32. Congratulations!

You are a great example to what a person can do to get healthy and remain healthy, and without strong meds.

But after all that healthy eating, didn't that pizza make you feel sluggish!