It is my understanding that you do have to take long term - if you go off the meds, your cholesterol is going to go back up - unless you can make lifestyle changes to address, but it sounds like yours is more genetic (family history).

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There has to be a reason for the cholesterol to be high. A vegetarian diet can be one of eating absolutely no dairy or animal meat products or one of just avoiding meats.

If you are a TRUE vegetarian and eat no dairy or animal products you will have to look at your source of fats and protein. Are you using any fats that are not healthy fats, such as hydrogenated oils, or oils that form trans-fats when digested? IF, you find the source of the cholesterol you can eliminate your problem.

Your body cannot make bad cholesterol if you do not supply it with the ingredients to do so.

Try limiting your fats to only a good nut fat such as almond and-or a good seed like flax or sunflower for a month and see what your results are.

Another thing, you say you are eating whole grain only? Is this processed grain? Try eating unprocessed grains or less processed grains than products made from highly processed flours. Or try a product made from a non grain seeds such as millet flour. The more a grain is processed the more good parts of it are destroyed or reduced leaving you with a starch that will undoubtedly ferment while digesting. How many processed foods do you eat? Is your vegetarian diet from fresh fruits and veggies, or is it from “Canned” or processed foods laden with salts and unlabeled fats?

3rdly and last, what is the ph status of your blood?  Most diets consist of highly acidic causing foods which causes your body to store excess acid in the fats of your body. You say you are overweight, this could be a major reason since even though you are “Vegetarian” you are still overweight. Get a few ph strips or paper and check your first urine in the morning. If it is under 7.0 on the ph scale this may be part of the problem.

Genetics can play a role also, but I really think this is more of a crutch for most people. I was told I would be on my cholesterol meds for the rest of my life as my whole family had high blood pressure and high cholesterol!  I changed my lifestyle of eating and am now off all my meds with a total cholesterol of 145 by doing so. I am diabetic also and have been able to eliminate all my meds.  

I follow a lifestyle of eating called the ph “diet”. You ought to look into it to see if it can help you too.  Just Google it and read about it. It is a sort of vegetarian diet but just a little different.  There are several good books on the ph diet out there, some a little more radicle and hard to follow but most with a common sense attitude of diet one can follow.  One thing, you have to want something bad enough to make it happen.

Good luck!

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User-generated content areas are not reviewed by a WebMD physician. WebMD understands that reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource, but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice. Please see the bottom of the page for more information or visit our Terms and Conditions.

Yes. You have to take statins for life. Life style changes are necessary but dont solve your cholesterol problem. There seems to be mystery behind the cholesterol theory of artery blockages. I believe statiins reduce inflammation of coronary arteries and reduce the chances for cholesterol to stick to artery walls. That statins reduce LDL is incidental. Web MD has not thrown any light on this shady area. I wish they say some thing on the "cholesterol myth".

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the User.The opinions expressed here are solely those of the User.
User-generated content areas are not reviewed by a WebMD physician. WebMD understands that reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource, but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice. Please see the bottom of the page for more information or visit our Terms and Conditions.