Day 2 of Mission to lower Cholesterol

Five months ago I got on the mission to reduce my LDL cholesterol. The tests showed my LDL to be on the border of “high” and “very high.” I wrote down the steps I plan to take, primarily on nutrition. I’ve more or less adhered to the plan. I’ve done the following:

1. Drastically reduced intake of saturated and trans fat in my diet. This means cutting back on cheese, whole milk, butter, fried snacks, and in general being mindful about what I eat. I look at the saturated and trans fat content in food where it’s available. My regular breakfast nowadays is granola or muesli (having found some with no saturated fat) with non-fat greek yogurt, along with a cup of coffee with non-fat milk. Occasionally, I’ll have an egg white omelette or an avocado toast.
2. I’ve kept an active lifestyle — working out or playing squash despite the pandemic. The pandemic has made it easier to find time in the day to work out at home, and take long walks. My regimen includes a daily walk of about 2–3 miles, and either an hour of squash or an hour of strength training every day.
3. I’ve been regularly taking Cholestoff — 4 capsules a day, two at lunch time, and two at dinner time.

Having kept at this for 5 months, I took the blood test this week to determine where my Cholesterol stands. In these five months, I’ve reduced body fat, and gotten leaner. I was expecting some improvement, though I wasn’t sure how much of a change I should expect in 5 months. I was delighted to see the LDL numbers drop significantly to the next threshold (still high, but bordering on optimal).

LDL Cholesterol results

What’s my plan going forward? I believe my changes in what I eat are the biggest contributor to this change. I’d like to not have to take 4 capsules a day. So my plan is to drop Cholestoff from my daily intake, and stick with the other changes I’ve made. I’ll measure again in 6 months, and this change will let me determine if Cholestoff was a significant tool to help reduce cholesterol.

If you’re reading this, I hope this helps somewhat. I’ve struggled to find documentation from people who’ve worked to reduce their cholesterol, and finding what has worked for them, and what has not.