# Lowering Cholesterol and reducing strain on liver?



## Potatodragon (Feb 6, 2018)

My partner has been steadily gaining weight over the past three years and has gone up by two stone. However, he has a pretty limited diet and hes so fussy its painful. 

Recently he had a blood test that showed his bad cholesterol was very high and his liver was sending out distress signals. 
Is there any way to bring the cholesterol down and reduce strain on his liver? Hes a sucker for fizzy drinks, chocolate and bread and most days thats all he will eat. Im at my whits end a bit here because I want him to be safe and eat a more balanced diet. 

Any advice?


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## Dr. Feelgood (Feb 6, 2018)

It looks as if your significant other has two separate problems: (1) high cholesterol and (2) metabolic syndrome (liver). I've had to deal with both at various times. The cholesterol problem may not be due to his diet: our body makes its own cholesterol, and some people make more than they need. Cholesterol is only found in animal products, but I have always had high cholesterol although I am a vegetarian. I take a medicine called a statin, which regulates the way my body makes cholesterol and keeps it in line.

The liver problem, however, may be a result of his diet. The liver breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which the muscles burn when they're active. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are carbs, but they have fiber, which slows down the rate at which the liver breaks them down so you don't get a "sugar rush" from too much glucose too soon. Refined carbohydrates (bread, pastry, fruit juice, soda pop, white rice ... the list could go on and on) have little or no fiber, so the liver sends out an SOS to the pancreas, which produces insulin. Insulin metabolizes glucose into fat. But if you eat a lot of refined carbs over a long period, your body develops a resistance to insulin, and it takes more and more of it to metabolize the glucose. This is how diabetes starts, and that's something you don't want him to get, ever. You may not be able to get him to change his habits, but it's worth the try. Good luck to you both.


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## Tad (Feb 6, 2018)

Also when you get used to the high blood sugar hits (and general levels) it seems normal. Changing the diet to reduce refined carbs can give withdrawal symptoms, essentially. So he could come to like some things eventually, maybe, which don't work for him while he's addicted to sugar.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Feb 7, 2018)

Tad said:


> Also when you get used to the high blood sugar hits (and general levels) it seems normal. Changing the diet to reduce refined carbs can give withdrawal symptoms, essentially. So he could come to like some things eventually, maybe, which don't work for him while he's addicted to sugar.



I can attest to this! It's gotten to where I'd rather snack on a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts than anything sugary. :eat2:


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## Potatodragon (Feb 9, 2018)

I’ve had to ban fizzy drinks from the house because that’s all he will drink, the next best option is orange juice and water but I imagine orange is also going to have a high sugar content. Getting him to cut down on chocolate is going to be a pain though :/ I’ve been trying to get him to eat more whole meal pastas to help. Thanks for the tips and insight guys please keep it coming X


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## Tracyarts (Feb 11, 2018)

I used to take a prescription called Vascepa. It's a super concentrated form of pure EPA, derived from fish oil. It dropped my triglycerides back into the healthy range. I had to stop taking it for a couple of months, because even with a discount program it was out of my budget since I hadn't met my deductible yet. But I'll be back on it starting in March. 

It does the job for me with no side effects. I tried a statin last year and had a bad experience with it.


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## DragonFly (Feb 11, 2018)

Potatodragon said:


> Ive had to ban fizzy drinks from the house because thats all he will drink, the next best option is orange juice and water but I imagine orange is also going to have a high sugar content. Getting him to cut down on chocolate is going to be a pain though :/ Ive been trying to get him to eat more whole meal pastas to help. Thanks for the tips and insight guys please keep it coming X



Any juices are going to be as bad as sugary soda. Better to eat the fruit than fruit juice.


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## Potatodragon (Feb 12, 2018)

DragonFly said:


> Any juices are going to be as bad as sugary soda. Better to eat the fruit than fruit juice.



Good to know! Thanks, it will help to ween him off the lemonade and coke for now, seeing as he eats no fruit or vedge whatsoever  Hes started taking bottles of water into work and finishing them off at home which is something. Im contemplating pouring the last of his coke down the sink!


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## agouderia (Feb 13, 2018)

Potatodragon - not too knowledgeable about the actual medical side - but a few ideas about "replacement" foods to change habits I've tried in various constellations.

The soda thing - your best friend here is definitely soda/sparkling water. Many coke/etc. drinkers I've met have broken their habit with it, as it brings along the fizz element. Also, it makes good soda pop substitutes like with 1/3 real orange or apple juice, then soda water on top.
I don't know whether Lidl UK has the one they sell on the continent "Saskia Medium" - because that is really good, very low sodium (Na+ 4.6 mg per liter, anything <50mg is okay) and with a fresh natural taste. (because not all waters taste alike!)

Another drink which is a good sweet substitute is a herbal tea mix with liquorice root and mint - Lipton sells it under the name "Morocco" across the Channel.

Oats - very helpful against cholesterol. Try to get oat bread, make oat pancakes with a tomato-vegetable sauce and a bit of grated cheese. Or oat meal for breakfast, with some apples sliced in and lots of cinnamon.

Cinnamon - hope he likes it - in general is the best to add to many dishes to give it the spicy-sweet tinge while greatly reducing the need for sugar. 

Chocolate - switch to dark chocolate, has less sugar and satisfies chocolate cravings better. And make your own chocolate pudding with skim milk, real cocoa (powdered), very little raw sugar (2 teaspoons are enough for 1/2 L of milk) and a little bit of starch, half replaced by organic thickener (like carob gum, see health food stores). Turns out very chocolatty if you put in like 2-3 tablespoons cocoa.

Regarding cooking method - most things oven baked can be done low fat (with like broth, wine, vegetable juice) and fresh herbs and spices to be really tasty. 

Good luck & happy alternative cooking!


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## Tracyarts (Jun 16, 2018)

Just an update, I've been back on the Vascepa for a few months, and my lipid panel is back exactly where it needs to be now. Without it my triglycerides are high and my hdl and ldl ratio is out of balance. 

I'm going to need to be sure to save up enough in the HSA account to cover it next year before our deductible is met. It really is a wonder drug for me. Too bad it's so expensive.


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