Anyone raise their HDL with diet and/or medicine?

wrote in message
...
On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 16:53:21 -0500, "Nunya B."
wrote:

wrote in message
. ..
I'm 52, male, 6'2", 190 pounds. Cardio workout (mainly) with some
strength training 3-4 times a week. I eat well about 85% of the time.
I take Ziac to keep my blood pressure under control. And within the
past year, I've been taking Crestor to lower my LDL (it worked) and
raise my HDL (it worked for awhile, now it doesn't).

I'm looking to find people with similar experiences to tell me what
they do. I've read, for instance, that water soluble fibers in food
like brussel sprouts and peas *may* work. Problem is, I don't like to
eat those veggies (although I do eat most others).

Any ideas? Thanks.

Rick


My DH's doctor told him that exercise was the best way to raise HDL. DH
had
low HDL and high LDL and reversed them by getting into a vigorous exercise
plan. I also exercise regularly and have very high HDL and low LDL. No
meds
required.

See, that's the issue. I DO exercise vigourously. I go 60 minutes on
the elliptical three times a week. It's got to be heredity, and my
doctor agrees. What works for you and your DH (btw, does DH stand for
"designated husband"?) doesn't work for me. But thanks for the reply
anyway.

Rick

DH=Darling Husband, a common usenet abbreviation.

Sorry exercise hasn't worked for you yet. Do you use a heart rate monitor?
It can help you determine if you really are exercising with enough
intensity. Three times a week is good to start, but 5 is better for overall
health. Actually I think the newest recommendation is an hour a day, but
that would be unrealistic for some.

I don't know of anyone who did anything about their cholesterol via diet
except an overall lowering - no change in HDL/LDL ratios. I don't think
anyone here can do anything for you about your genetics. You're probably
looking at meds forever. Good luck.
--
the volleyballchick

On Apr 12, 4:24 pm, Jo Anne wrote:
On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 21:33:10 GMT, wrote:
I've read, for instance, that water soluble fibers in food
like brussel sprouts and peas *may* work. Problem is, I don't like to
eat those veggies (although I do eat most others).

Here's a website that lists the soluble fiber values for a large
number of foods.


Oatmeal ..
http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1898.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol/CL00002

This link talks about soluble and insoluble fiver and why a balance of
both are good for you:
http://health.howstuffworks.com/carb...basics-ga2.htm
"Soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is found in oats, barley, most fruits
and vegetables, flaxseed, and psyllium. It dissolves into a gummy
substance with a gooey, gelatinous consistency. Its job is to grab
"bad" cholesterol (LDL) and remove it from the body. This is important
to your health because LDL circulates through the body, depositing
cholesterol along the way. High LDL levels are associated with an
increased risk of heart disease. Eating foods high in soluble fiber,
then, helps reduce LDL levels and can help prevent heart disease. As a
result, some foods that are high in soluble fiber are allowed to carry
health claims on their labels indicating that they have the potential
to reduce the risk for heart disease and some cancers. Look for this
health claim on whole-grain cereals, oat bran, and oatmeal. Soluble
fiber can also help stabilize blood sugar following a meal. In fact,
it's recommended that people with diabetes eat fiber-rich foods as a
way to help keep blood sugar in check." *25-30grams fiber a day*

Also limit transfatty acids, eat/supplement with 'good fats'.
http://healthguide.howstuffworks.com...-in-depth6.htm


Hope these help you take another look at that '85% good eating' youre
doing and make it even better (there is always room for improvement!)


joanne

On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 12:47:32 -0400, "LFM"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 21:26:17 -0400, "LFM"
wrote:


Both DH and I have received the same advice from our docs. Granted, we
both
have low cholestorol levels, but we also have low HDL levels too, so in an
effort to improve our ratio of LDL to HDL its been advised to exercise.

When I look back at my medical history I have seen a pattern that
coorelates
between exercise levels and my HDL levels.


I'm happy that increased exercise works for you. It doesn't work for
me. And I've been on a regular exercise program for the last 7 years.
Thanks for the reply anyway.

Rick

Ok, in your reply to me you've been on an exercise program for 7 yrs, and in
another post you talk about exercising vigorously on the elliptical.

When was the last time you totally changed up your routine? Cross training,
something different. Totally changing your routine to something entirely
new?

It's a good point. I also occasionally workout on a recumbent
exercise bike.

60 mins 3x per week may not be enough. Try something completly different.
Pick up weight lifting, try biking or swimming or even running. Your body
can become acustomed to the same exercise over and over and will adapt to
having that as part of the regular routine.

I have several disc bulges in my upper cervical area. I do weight
machines to strengthen my arms, shoulders and neck area as much as
possible, but I can run the risk of overdoing it.

I also have had lower back surgery (partial laminectomy L4-5). Sorry,
but I can't run not only because of that, but because of a bad break
in my right ankle years ago. I barely have a joint there as it is.
The doctors basically say it's a miracle I can even walk. Does it
hurt? Yes, but I get over it.

But I do walk a mile or more when I don't work out. There's only
maybe 2 days out of the week where I give my body a much needed rest.

Swimming is a good idea. Problem is, I hate swimming. I do not
believe that changing to swimming is going to help my heart situation.

The deal is that I'm doing as much as I can within my limitations. I
could possibly work out 4 days a week, and many times I have. The
issue is that I may wear out before my heart does if I intensify. That
is why I have to look at either diet or medicine along with the
exercise.

I walk my dog 1 mile every day. I do not consider that as part of my
normal "exercise" routine because it is just my normal daily activity. My
body expects that of me (and so does my dog). After all these years of the
same exercise, your body has likely adapted to that routine.


That's great. Keep it up. The best I can do now is alter my
elliptical workout, and experiment with different machines and
activivity. I'll keep searching. Thanks.

Rick

On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 11:49:19 -0500, "Nunya B."
wrote:

wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 16:53:21 -0500, "Nunya B."
wrote:

wrote in message
...
I'm 52, male, 6'2", 190 pounds. Cardio workout (mainly) with some
strength training 3-4 times a week. I eat well about 85% of the time.
I take Ziac to keep my blood pressure under control. And within the
past year, I've been taking Crestor to lower my LDL (it worked) and
raise my HDL (it worked for awhile, now it doesn't).

I'm looking to find people with similar experiences to tell me what
they do. I've read, for instance, that water soluble fibers in food
like brussel sprouts and peas *may* work. Problem is, I don't like to
eat those veggies (although I do eat most others).

Any ideas? Thanks.

Rick


My DH's doctor told him that exercise was the best way to raise HDL. DH
had
low HDL and high LDL and reversed them by getting into a vigorous exercise
plan. I also exercise regularly and have very high HDL and low LDL. No
meds
required.

See, that's the issue. I DO exercise vigourously. I go 60 minutes on
the elliptical three times a week. It's got to be heredity, and my
doctor agrees. What works for you and your DH (btw, does DH stand for
"designated husband"?) doesn't work for me. But thanks for the reply
anyway.

Rick

DH=Darling Husband, a common usenet abbreviation.

Well, we're in baseball season, anything's possible. :-)

Sorry exercise hasn't worked for you yet. Do you use a heart rate monitor?

I don't think there is any *yet*. Before I started exercising 7 years
ago, it was the same as it is now. I'm 52. It's now a fight against
hereditary, so I have to keep on with the exercise, and search for
food and/or medicine (as I said, I take Crestor, which raised the HDL
before, but didn't this last check).

As far as a heart rate monitor, I got one as a gift, tried it on once,
and took it right off. I can't stand straps and such on my skin. In
any case, I use the heart rate monitor on the elliptical trainer. And
I sometimes double check that by doing the counting pulse rate to 10
seconds and doubling by 6.

It can help you determine if you really are exercising with enough
intensity. Three times a week is good to start, but 5 is better for overall
health.

Read my reply to another poster. I have back, neck and ankle
problems. Without keeling over, I don't think I can be more intense.
As far as another poster in this thread mentioning swimming, I realize
that with the local pool opening soon, one of my favorite activities
(sunbathing season) is about to start, and I will jump in to cool off.
I don't really like swimming, but maybe I'll make more of an effort.

Actually I think the newest recommendation is an hour a day, but
that would be unrealistic for some.


I do at least an hour on the elliptical, then time for weight
machines, then stretching. I'm in the gym about 2 hours total.

I don't know of anyone who did anything about their cholesterol via diet
except an overall lowering - no change in HDL/LDL ratios. I don't think
anyone here can do anything for you about your genetics. You're probably
looking at meds forever. Good luck.

Probably. And my total cholesterol is 109. Funny, huh?

Rick