Back in January I got the mildly unsettling news that my cholesterol was a bit high. My number was 207 which isn't ridiculously high but not good considering my family history and a poor HDL/LDL ratio.
My dad had some serious heart problems from his late 30s on and I thought to myself, "I'm there now." I'm in much better shape than my dad was at his age but I always want to be in the best physical condition possible. So I decided to take action.
It's hard not to notice the many cholesterol lowering drugs that we see pushed on TV these days. I made a conscious decision to not consider that route until I had done everything I could naturally. I did have my doubts about being able to lower the number much more since I have always lived a comparatively healthy lifestyle. Still, I pressed on.
After doing a bit of research on the causes of high cholesterol I decided to embark on a meatless diet. I didn't go total vegetarian because I was eating a lot more fish than previously. Staples of my "drop the big c" diet were bran flakes with skim milk, fruit (apples and oranges particularly), pretzels, canned tuna and salmon, oatmeal, water, lots of vegetables, non-fat yogurt and green tea.
I started the diet in January and got my cholesterol retested in the beginning of April. My new cholesterol number was 142. I dropped 65 points in three months with mostly changes to my diet. My HDL/LDL ratio improved as well. Yes, you can drop your cholesterol without taking drugs.
I'm glad that I was able to make these changes without taking drugs. I know that most people will find it difficult to change their diet as drastically as I did for a period of months. The results are worth it though. You become healthier on the inside. As a bonus I even lost six pounds of fat too. But the key is the inside. This process reminded me that you can look very healthy due to exercise but if you consume junky food there are other not so obvious effects.
My advice on this topic is simple. If you're over 35 go get your cholesterol checked. If your number is borderline or high do something about it before it's too late.
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