Having given up statins about a year ago after 3 years of depression, exhaustion and nerve & muscle pain, I've managed to slightly lower my cholesterol levels with psyllium husks most mornings.
Recently I've heard of Beta Sitosterols as a way of reducing cholesterol, but some references state that the reduction isn't permanent.
Does anyone have any experience of long term benefits to cholesterol levels from this substance?
Some men say that it helps their BPH.
I'm a woman and what's BPH?
Hi Jude, I don't know anything about Psyllium husks, although I have heard of them.
Beta Srerols are plant sterols "Lestrin" pills from my health food store, there are others, I told my doctor about them she didn't seem too worried about me taking them. I have been off statins for more than a month, but she says I need to have a cholesterol test after taking them for three months, and then see what the count is.
I am now quite strict with myself, no cakes, biscuits, ice cream, cheese, beef or lamb, which I love, so more fruit, oats and oat bran every morning soaked in semi-milk and water and a fruit on top, so I'm hoping this is going to keep my cholesterol down, I do have high blood pressure that is not good for the arteries, but don't know enough about that.
Maybe you could tell me what Psyllium husks are?
Something that you won't get... enlarged prostate
I've tried to find Lestrin via the internet, but all that comes up are birth control pills with a similar name!
Psyllium Husks come in a fine powder, it's the same stuff that's in Metamucil and very high fibre. I mix 3 or 4 tsps into my porridge every morning: you have to be VERY CAREFUL to not take it dry, because it expands on contact with liquid and could choke you. Health food shops and some supermarkets have it in Australia: I buy it in Chemist Warehouse which is a discount pharmacy chain.
My cholesterol was slowly coming down the last time I had it checked after a few months using the Psyllium Husks.
A local naturopath told me yesterday that the cholesterol lowering substance in beta sterols is the same as in psyllium husks, except more concentrated, so I was just wondering if anyone on here has used them for any lenght of time and if the effects do in fact last.
Re your high blood pressure, I also had that, but it's well down now with meditation and daily exercise. Beetroot is also good, but in any event lots of vegies.
I did know that from my googling journey but didn't recognise the initials! No I won't be getting that - hope you don't either!
I've had it for years and twice had laser surgery but it regrows like a week.
Well obviously they don't work for you then, that doesn't sound like much fun at all
In my opinion it was easier than going to the dentist:-)
Ha ha, that's funny!
Hi Jude, funnily enough I eat a lot of beetroot, we grow it on our plot, but it does contain a lot of sugar, exercise, I'm quite fit, not too fat, started going to the gym once a week on a Pulse regime (NHS funded) meditation? I do keep meaning to go down that road, but other things in life seem to smother my time, I thought at my age 74, I would have time for everything I never managed to do while I was working, Oh well,
I hadn't thought about the sugar in beetroot! Ah well I love it, it's easy to grow and prepare so I'm not going to stop eating it because of that.
Meditation can be as litte as 10 mins twice a day once you've learned how to do it: there's even a "Mindfulness based cognitive therapy for dummies" now!