Any good ways to lower cholesteorol? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#16 05-12-2003, 04:42 PM

Lebenz,

Yeah, I already excercise a lot on the bike. At least three times a week, I get on the Lifecycle and do the "fat burn" program. It says for me to keep my heart rate at 118, but that's too easy. I've been an avid bicyclist since high school.

I do 45 minutes at 145 bpm and sweat through my clothes. Feels great. I follow that by over 70 sit ups on a decline bench with free-weights. The other days are upper-body free weights. I've neglected my legs because my knees ache when I lift.

rickg · #17 05-12-2003, 04:46 PM

We thought about a stationary bike-thing, but where the heck to put yet another piece of furniture in our cracker-box of a house. And my knees too are the bigest joint problem. (Had to give up the treadmill)

#18 05-12-2003, 04:48 PM

Rick,

If I remember correctly, Nordictrak sells some pretty nice pieces of excersise equipment. I think they have some kind of contraption for jogging that doesn't require any knee movement. It also folds up so it can be stored under a bed after use.

rickg · #19 05-12-2003, 04:54 PM

Ah, cool! Thanks. I'll take a look-see at what they have.

leathermang · #20 05-12-2003, 05:05 PM

Eat sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes
The omega 3 pills are good for you.
Be careful on the Vit E.... it is toxic at a lower level than many realize..

#21 05-12-2003, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SP0CK
sflori, also try NOT to eat after 6-8pm and watch your levels go even lower. jsmith, please let us know how this turns out for you! O and NO FRIES! Try some of our suggestions STRICTLY just for a while to see if it goes down. I would hold off on adkins until jsmith comes back with results.

I'm not sure how I'll be able to cut out food during that time. A typical day for me is working until 4 or 5, returning home, and going to the gym (going there for upper body after this post). After the work-out, I wait one hour to let my body continue to comsume fat cells, then eat dinner around 8 or 9. I usually have a cup of green tea and maybe a small snack around 11 or 12 then go to bed.

If I don't eat every two hours or so while awake, my body gets all out of wack. Dizzy, irritable, can't think.... I keep away from sugar as much as possible.

As for Atkins diet, I'll never do that for two reasons. First, I'm not the least bit over weight. Second, I only have one kidney, so I wouldn't put it at risk on a diet that may be hard on the kidneys.

The diet has worked well for my brother-in-law in the past. But he hasn't kept up with it and his weight has come back.

#22 05-12-2003, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rickg
Ah, cool! Thanks. I'll take a look-see at what they have.

They're pretty expensive. I'd look in the want ads. People buy these things, then never use them.

#23 05-12-2003, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SP0CK
Not trying to scare you at all but have you been tested for diabetes? This is a sign. If you are thirsty ALL the time, that's another. On the other concern about vit E, this is true. That's why I take beta-carotine, basically the same thing with no toxicity.

I've thought about it, but I think I lean more towards being hypoglycemic. I probably should get tested, though. I'm not thirsty all the time either.

engatwork · #24 05-13-2003, 05:45 AM

Stefano I wondered the same thing as Spock. I would get a blood sugar test too. Diabetes is not something you want to screw around with.

jsmith · #25 05-13-2003, 08:25 AM

stefano,

just a comment on atkins. yes, by all mean - if there is an existing or predesposition towards some physiological problem then you shouldn't. also, using it as a way to lose weight is the absolute wrong way to go because when you go off it - all the effects are reversed.

some additional comments - most of what has been suggested in terms of diet modification on this thread reflects a decrease in sugar and processed starch/carbohydrate intake. kidney beans, oats etc are all sources of carbs, but are higher in dietary fiber which the body does not absorb. this is directly related to your triglycerides and that part of your cholesterol profile ought to take a hit. your LDL will also take a hit because there will be less carbs to convert to fat (that which isn't burned off).

one last comment is the observed fact that once your body switches to fat burning, food craving goes away. i believe that is why it is so difficult for low fat diets (which are high carb) to succeed - because you keep stoking that carb burning furnace that keeps wanting more!

HTH

#26 05-13-2003, 08:45 AM

Jim,

Yeah, I plan to get tested for that too. At least I'll know if I'm diabetic (though I doubt it), hypoglycemic, or hyperglycemic. Maybe I have diabetes II. Either way, it's good to know. My grandmother died of alzheimers which has been shown to be related to diabetes.

Joe,

Thanks for the advice. I try to keep away from sugars as much as possible. Carbs too, but being Italian, that's difficult when a couple plates of spaghetti are so good!

I've definately been eating more beans lately and staying away from meat more and more.

jsmith · #27 05-13-2003, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sflori
Joe,

Thanks for the advice. I try to keep away from sugars as much as possible. Carbs too, but being Italian, that's difficult when a couple plates of spaghetti are so good! I've definately been eating more beans lately and staying away from meat more and more.

For sugar use splenda (with sucralose) - it's a great product!

The answer to the pasta problem is preparing them al dente! (5 minutes) which makes the carbs harder to absorb. There are also some lower carb pasta products coming out and lastly there are these "carb blockers" that inhibit the effect of starch enzymes...

Cheers.

rickg · #28 05-13-2003, 01:13 PM

All the work involved in eating right alone is a work out!

Good info there. Do you take the 1-a-day aspirin and Niacin? Those are also supposed to help keep the blood thinner so it doesn't clot at the narrowings(is that a word?).
Back when I was trying to "do it right", I lived mostly on non-fat yogurt, chicken, water and celery by the bunches. Any time I got the least hungry, I grabbed a couple stalks of celery. Plus I was working out a couple hours a day. I dropped something like 30 lbs in a month and a half or so, and my blood test was the best it had been for years. I had a very high energy level, slept good, and overall felt great. But then the joint aches came on with a vengence. I had to completely give up any excercise for a long time. It was finally attributed to a couple things. One was the Lipitor, which in fine print says that's one of the side effects. Next was my blood test showed positive for the arthritis markers. Next of course was I just plain overdid it. I haven't gotten back at it since.
Also found out that the Ibuprofen I take for the joint aches counter-acts the effectiveness of aspirin in acting as a blood thinner. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

rickg · #29 05-13-2003, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lebenz
Oh, yeah. Drugs! I take a lipitor (10 mg, I think) plus 4 time release niacin, called niaspain, plus an aspirin, a multi-vitamin and a folic acid (for a rare blood disorder called homocystine - which contributed towards one of my uncle’s demise). Drugs can enhance the effects of diet/exercise. Unfortunately for all of us, they don’t *take*the*place* of diet/exercise.

One of my recent favorite lines is that: we are all half legs. It should tell us something about how we spend our time

That reminds me, glucossamine/condroitin (spelling is wrong) is a great supplement. It works to replace some of the joint lubricant that is lost from age. I took it for a year and found it to be an excellent help.

BTW, celery has a lot of salt. Sigh.

IBU is baaaaaad for the liver. I found that by walking daily, I eliminated all but the worst of my middle-age induced aches

Yah, I talked with the doc about my Ibu intake. He said to drink plenty of fluids(which I do), and make sure I get in for my regular blood tests.
I was wondering about glucossamine. I'll try it.
Does the time release Niacin still give you "the rush"? I was taking straight niacin for awhile, and had to give it up. I take niacinimide now, which has another ingrediant(can't remember now what it is) to counteract the rush. I saw the time release stuff, and was gonna give it a try. My doc wasn't too crazy about the niacinamide, as he wasn't sure if I would get the same benifit from it.
I'll try walking again. The worst aches I get are my knees, and it's getting into my left hip now. So I've been a bit leary of too much walking. Some days at work I'm on my feet all day long, with a lot of walking back and forth around the shop. Some days I come home and just have to play couch potato the rest of the day. I'll get some of the glucossamine and see if it helps. I'd love to give up the Ibu all together.

#30 05-14-2003, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lebenz
Stefano,
You are obviously doing excellent on the exercise front. It sounds as if the next goal is weight loss. If you don't already, try cutting out fats or at least cut your fat intake half, and along with that, try dropping your calorie count by 5%-10% for a month or so. Have your blood numbers re-tested after.

Don't hate me, but...

I've never had a problem with too much weight. If there is one, it's keeping the weight on. Last month, after being sick, I didn't get to the gym for about three weeks. I also ate less because I was sick. I lost a about seven pounds! What makes that worse is that it was probably muscle weight.

I can still definately benefit from lessening the intake of fats though. As for the caloric intake, I can eat a lot during the day, but keep it to several smaller meals. That, along with the regular excersise, keeps my metabolism high-- I think. I also don't have a family history of obesity on either side. That's LUCK!! :p

Right now I'm around 158. I'm 5'8" and have a small skeletal frame. (I can touch my thumb and forefinger around my wrist!)