Cholesterol Testing

[Hedgehog Toys]

Hey guys, have any of you had cholesterol testing done, my GP reckons i should get one done now that i'm 40. What do you reckon ?

[CG Effect]

Run for 25 mins without stopping and thats your tubes cleaned out for the week.

[Hedgehog Toys]

I do that quite regularly :D
I don't have any history of heartproblems and i don't drink or smoke, nor am i over weight....i can't see the point in going ???

[Cornish Steve]

High cholesterol represents a silent menace. If you have a problem, it can be quietly doing you harm - and it has nothing to do with blood pressure, etc. The test is quick, so where's the harm in getting it done?

[easyasit]

I agree, i am always concerned of both my blood pressure, sugar level, and cholesterol.

I have taken to drinking that Flora Probiotic Drink though.

Al

[mark_hadfield]

I do that quite regularly :D
I don't have any history of heartproblems and i don't drink or smoke, nor am i over weight....i can't see the point in going ???

Actually - the above are only some of the ways you can get high cholesterol. I'm only 27 and I had a blood test last year and was told I had high cholesterol.

I could go on for hours about it! But to precis:

Get a test. I think it's anything over 5.0 is considered high. (Although there are some articles which say this is a little low.)

To lower cholesterol:
Cut down on dairy products. Cheese and cream are loaded with it. Use skimmed milk or soya.
Use benecol or other products (yogurt drink, marg) which have added plant sterols.
Exercise.
Obviously - no smoking and lowering alcohol intake - but if you're a tee totaller anyway it should be ok.
There are lots of conflicting research papers - but I also: eat oily fish (mackerel, sardines), take garlic tablets (and also eat a lot of garlic), take flaxseed (linseed) oil tablets.

Being overweight doesn't help - but I'm hardly 'fat' (although I could lose a few pounds! :? ) - but it doesn't mean you can't have high cholesterol.

I have lots of links etc if anyone's interested...

[easyasit]

my wife even suggested we start taking an aspirin a day :-)

Al