Weight and stress are far bigger contributors to the cholesterol level than people realize.

Is your stress level very high?

stress not too bad, but I do need to lose 15-20 pounds. I guess I have a lot to learn about eatting healthy. Sense my last blood work I cut out all fast food, most dairy (except for cheese now and then), red meat (grass feed) only once a month, chicken only once a month and fish 2 times a week. I know Im not vegetrian yet, but Im closer then I was a year ago. I still expected to have lower cholesteral (not higher). I have read that carbs and sugar has a lot to do with high cholesterol, so maybe thats it?

mine skyrocketed in the last days of my dying marriage. My physical after my final divorce court date surprised me, as everything (blood pressure, cholesterol... there was something else that was off... can't remember now) were all suddenly in the normal range.

I don't know about carbs, but I tend to try to avoid sugar myself. I do it mostly because of the empty calorie thing, plus I don't want the increase in appetite afterwards. I do splurge on occasion.

I'm not a nutritionist (did I say that right?) but I would try examining what vegetarian foods you are eating.

One thing my doctor really stressed for me was getting some exercise every day, even if it was just walking. (I've been sick for a week with a sinus infection right now and have been really lazy, but typically I ride my bike to work and back)

Good luck!

thank you for sharing...I am cutting carbs and sugars ...so I guess I will see in 3 months.

Cheese is one of the worst things you can eat as far as cholesterol goes. It has lots of saturated fat, which kicks in cholesterol production. Also, sometimes even vegans have problem with cholesterol going up instead of down after they stop eating animal products, because some people actually do better with more fat in their diets. Those people need to try to get more fat in their diet. It's all about how your body processes things.

I got my cholesterol levels down from 240 to 185 in 2 months by going vegan, but by vegan I mean completely animal protein free, oil free, and nut free. Vegetarian diets can be healthy, but if you still fry foods in oil, you're still getting a cholesterol load.

I read people on statins have a higher risk of Alzheimers because the brain needs fats

doesnt it sound like a deficiency, if your dietis great but your cholesterol is not? like some system is outof whack?

do you guys see naturopaths, any of you? I'm thinking of starting this summer myself.

thank you for all your replys. Ive been going over what Ive been eatting, and maybe I wasnt eatting so healthy afterall. I did cut out all fast foos, fried food, and ate red meat, but I have been eatting a lot of simple carbs, cheese and some sweets. I just found out that even if you never eat anything with cholesterol in it (animal products) that your body makes cholesterol out of sugar and simple carbs. I have cut out cheese, sugar and simple carbs. I hope this will do. I am eatting oatbran everyday and also a little promise activ butter which is both suppose to help lower cholesterol. I will see in 3 months if this works.