ask: Life Insurance Exam: How to Lower Cholesterol in 2 Weeks?
I had a cholesterol test 6 months ago, and it was right on the border of being high. My hubby and I are looking into purchasing life insurance now that we have a toddler (should have done this a few years ago!).
We both have to have an exam (blood work) to get the best rate for life insurance, and I'm afraid if my cholesterol is still high, we will pay a significant amount more ($50/month more!).
Any tips on how to lower cholesterol quickly?! I've been exercising regularly 2-3 times per week and eating a high fiber diet. Any/all tips appreciated!
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$50 a month more adds up very quickly!
It's good that you're eating plenty of fiber. Eat lots of leafy green veggies, plenty of fruit (grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries) and cook with extra virgin olive oil. Having oatmeal every morning, or cereal that contains bran or flax seed helps to lower cholesterol.
Fish like tuna and trout are good ideas, are are veggie burgers or other veggie foods that contain soy.
Whole breads, beans, chicken or lean meats would be better choices too.
Avoid saturated fats like the plague!
I hope this helps -don't forget your exercise helps too.
And remember that cholesterol levels can vary day to day so keep up a cholesterol lowering diet for the next few weeks until you take your test.
Good luck!
February 1, 2009 - 5:00pmThis Comment
The Mayo Clinic had some great information on this!
1) Eat soluble fiber: at least 10 grams per day.
* If you eat 20% of your calories from walnuts, you may reduce your LDL ("bad" cholesterol) by 12%! 20% of calories from walnuts is only about 2 ounces
Other soluble fiber foods: kidney beans, apple, pears, barley, cooked oatmeal, oat bran
2) Eat foods fortified with plant sterols, and reduce your LDL by 10%! Some orange juice, margarine and yogurts are fortified, and would only need 8 ounces a day to see the (up to) 10% decrease in LDL.
3) Omega-3 was already mentioned: found in fish, as well as ground flaxseed and extra virgin olive oil.
4) Lower intake of saturated fat, especially trans fat (found in store bought cookies, cakes and crackers). Trans fat is a double-whammy: increases "bad" LDL and decreases "good" HDL!
You may want to avoid egg yolks during the 2 week period, and stick with egg whites only. If you drink 1% or 2% milk, try drinking skim milk.
Exercise is good, but only moderately helps cholesterol...diet is more important!
February 1, 2009 - 8:47pmIf you want a more affordable life insurance quote then you should get prescribed some statins. I know that some people don't like to be prescribed drugs that they don't need, but statins do work and they have very few side effects.
June 25, 2009 - 9:21amNo thanks! It's very concerning to me when I see comments that say "you should get prescribed XYZ drugs...", without knowing more about a person's health history, and/or asking them if they've considered it. As I indicated, I do not have high cholesterol currently, it is on only "borderline", and as a prescribing medical doctor would know, there are many other variables that doctors must consider, prior to a medication being prescribed; there is not a "one size fits all drug".
Statins are very effective drugs at lower cholesterol, but most people realize that there are certain conditions that are helped by certain drugs. "Almost" having a condition rarely justifies someone being told they "should" get a drug. (Also, as a Moderator, I removed your link for affordable life insurance; please do not use this site to sell products).
If anyone is interested in learning about statins, I read some great information and will post it here (click on orange link).
June 25, 2009 - 11:41amThat's not true -- I was prescribed statins once to lower cholesterol and there were immediate side-effects. On the positive side they lowered my cholesterol quickly, but I also experienced sudden noticeable increase in flatulence and sexual dysfunction (remember that cholesterol and testosterone are related so when you lower your cholesterol you also lower testosterone levels). I then switched over to plant sterols and although some brands caused the same gastric side effects I found one that does not. In addition I exercise more, eat healthier and drink less (triglycerides from alcohol are the next big red flag on insurance blood tests) and my cholesterol has dropped.
If you can take statins and have no side effects, you're lucky, but they are definitely not for everyone.
November 23, 2009 - 7:10amAnon,
Thank you so much for weighing in here. It's always good to hear about positive results with something like lowering cholesterol, even if it was trial-and-error along the way. How much has your cholesterol dropped, and how much do you attribute it to your healthier diet and exercise regime?
November 24, 2009 - 9:18amThanks to the others who posted some helpful tips on how to lower cholesterol!
The results are in...I did it! :-)
My hubby and I had our life insurance medical exams (albeit 4 months after my original question, instead of 2 weeks), and we both received great results. YEAH! My cholesterol is no where near the high borderline any longer.
How did I do it?
The old fashioned way: lots of exercise (spinning class 2x/week, pilates and kickbox), high fiber, lots of fruit and veggies (well, "lots" for me), and ate primarily egg whites and lean meat (little/no red meat). It was very easy to do, actually. There were days when I did not feel like exercising, but over the past 4 months, I only had a few weeks when I "rebelled" and did not exercise (and, consequently, my food consumption was not ideal...a double whammy). It's nice to look back over a longer period of time and see the results.
June 25, 2009 - 11:45amCongrats! That's wonderful! You must be so proud of yourself. To be able to stick to a program and see those kinds of results is really affirming.
Did your fiber generally come from your fruits and veggies, or were you eating whole grains as well? Did you have any wine or other alcohol along the way? And did you lose weight as a byproduct of all this fabulous nutrition and exercise? Inquiring minds want to know!
June 26, 2009 - 9:38amGood for you Alison!
June 26, 2009 - 1:08pmI'm glad you got your cholesterol down and did well in the test. Now the next test is to keep up such a healthy lifestyle. I think you are on to a good rhythm though and have adjusted to a great lifestyle.
And I'm hoping to read that you didn't go totally on the wagon and were able to raise a glass or two on occasion!
the insurance co, can see your health records. (you signed the release)
and if the Dr, puts down, meds for high Cholesterol, then you lose.
even further down the premium list, more $$$.
Best advice ive heard is eat nothing that has a mother.
no junk food, no chips,
some junk food says, this product fried in anyone of the following oils or other oils.
never ever eat that stuff. (found I can not eat rape seed of any kind)
what we need is a huge list of things that raise Choleserol and one that lowers it ,naturally.
all the best, jerry
August 21, 2009 - 7:08pm