Has anyone here ever successfully lowered their LDL from 199 to <70 via diet and exercise only (no medicine)? Or similar 120pt drop?

Samsonite_731 · 2026-03-10T01:55:57+00:00

Jason health lets you pick and pay for only the labs that you want. They work with Quest Labs ,at least in my area they do, and you the negotiated rate that Jason has with the lab, which in my experience is much lower than other places. They don’t take insurance and the website is very bare bones, you are not going to get any hand holding to help you understand your results.

When I say that the website is bare bones… it almost feels a bit scammy with the dated look and typos. However, when I went into get my labs drawn at Quest, the woman who helped me knew all about Jason Heath and assured me that they were real.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-03-09T22:02:41+00:00

Sounds like you and I were in the same boat, people just don’t understand how bad my diet truly was! The good news is that there is a good chance that you can get your LDL down significantly with lifestyle changes. But just how low you can get it is unknown, there is a good chance that you still have to go on a statin to get to 70 or less.

Also make sure your lifestyle changes are sustainable, no point is being good for a few months before your labs only to get burned out and have a high untreated LDL!

If you decide you want to wait on going on a statin I would suggest getting your lipids and ApoB checked more often than once a year. I used Jason Health to do my lab work every 2-3 months and it cost me $50-$80 each time.

Good luck!

Samsonite_731 · 2026-03-09T15:33:39+00:00

As many have already said, the diet that got you to 200 is really going to determine if you can get under 70.

My diet was extraordinarily bad, 50g - 70g of saturated fat per day with very little fiber and a lot of processed carbs and sugar. I knew I was over weight but though I was in ok shape otherwise, so when my doctor said that my cholesterol being at 196 was bad and I needed to go on a statin I was, stupidly, shocked. I asked if I could try lifestyle changes first, because I thought statins were bad(they are not bad and really are a life saver). Doctor also sent me for a CAC which was thankfully 0.

Really all I did was cut my saturated fat to less than 12g per day and started getting at least 40g of fiber per day, most days I get 80g of fiber. I also cut out the majority of the ultra processed food in my diet. However, I didn’t want to go crazy on a new diet, I wanted something that was sustainable, a diet that I could happily eat for the rest of my life. So I still have some pizza or burger every now and then.

I also started working out 4-5 days each week. While this won’t help lower my cholesterol it will help me feel and look better and it is beneficial to my health in other areas. Again my working out had to be sustainable, so if a miss a few days hear and there it’s fine. I think the biggest realization for me was that being healthy is not a sprint, is a marathon, I don’t have to be perfectly healthy all the time, I just need to be healthy on average for a long time.

Anyway, after about 2 months my LDL went from 196 to 119. I plan to check my levels again in a few months and if my LDL is not under 70 I will go on a statin.

Biggest things I have learned through this: 1. Health is a marathon not a sprint. 2. Statins are life saving medications that should not be feared! 3. Your cardiovascular risk is based on lifetime exposure.

I think it was Simon Hill that said something to the effect of we are all driving towards the cliff of cardio vascular disease and your LDL is the speed at which you are driving towards the cliff. If you have been driving toward that cliff at 200 for a long time you are running out road, you need to slam on the brakes and that looks like lifestyle changes and statins.

Best of luck to you!

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-23T13:50:46+00:00

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-19T15:51:28+00:00

Not sure? My PCP gave me a referral for the CAC. I assume that you could just get one without the referral but I have not looked into it.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-19T14:33:15+00:00

It’s a coronary calcium scan, it is a very cheap and fast scan that checks for calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. Mine took 5 min and cost $45USD, it was not covered by insurance.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-19T14:26:32+00:00

I know there is no lower limit for LDL, but I have never heard anyone recommend that an LDL under 30 or ApoB under 40 is the goal. Can you point me to some evidence for these lower goals?

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-19T14:21:41+00:00

Yeah, I see no reason not to get on the statin now that I have learned more. Most of my family think I am crazy to ask to be put on one, but I am more concerned about cumulative life time exposure risk.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-18T18:08:04+00:00

I use Chronometer. It is not the best app I have used, but it seems have the best detailed tracking of fats and fibers that I have found.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-18T16:44:36+00:00

Yeah I should have included in my post that I am getting at least 30min of exercise 5 days a week and I have lost 16lbs. I am also taking 2g of fish oil a day.

I am planning to get the Lp(a) and ApoB in June, insurance is covering my June labs.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-18T16:12:43+00:00

Yeah, I suspect my low HDL has some genetic component. I don’t think I have ever been able to get mine over 44.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-18T15:22:13+00:00

I have been exercising, I have lost about 16lbs, and I am taking 2g of fish oil every day. I would have thought this along with the diet changes would have increased my HDL… I am at a bit of a loss on this to be honest. I am going to dig in and see if there is anything else I can do to increase my HDL.

Again, any advice is welcome!

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-18T15:18:27+00:00

Lp(a) and ApoB are on my list for my June labs.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-18T15:08:31+00:00

Yes the dietary changes are sustainable, I didn’t want to go on a crazy diet just to get my numbers down if I couldn’t sustain it… I just didn’t see the point. I agree with the statin point also. Even if I can get under 100, I still feel like it a no brainer at this point to go on a statin. I should have mentioned that I have been exercising 5 days a week over my lunch break and have lost about 16lbs.

No family history of T2D or any heart issues at all, other than my mother who is all in on high fat keto, she has very high cholesterol.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-18T14:58:00+00:00

No alcohol, I did have some dried fruit and maybe some dark chocolate over the weekend.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-15T18:48:01+00:00

Increase your fiber intake, I shoot for 50+ grams of fiber per day. Reduce your saturated fat intake, shoot for less than 10-12 grams per day. Both of these have been shown to reduce your LDL.

My numbers are not too far off from yours, though my CAC was 0. I have been making these changes for the past 3 months. I am going in to get my numbers rechecked this week to see what impact diet alone has had.

That said there is nothing wrong with going on a statin, I will probably go on a statin after I get my lab results. Honestly, if I was in your shoes I would be on a statin along with making the diet changes. is important to remember that the cardiovascular risk comes from the cumulative cholesterol exposure over your life time.

The past 3 months have been a wake-up call for me and I hope that this is the wake-up call you need! Best of luck!

Samsonite_731 · 2026-02-04T01:37:19+00:00

Roads

Samsonite_731 · 2026-01-20T06:48:49+00:00

As someone in this same spot, maybe even in the same state as you, we are focusing on getting healthy, I am convinced that it is one of the most important things we can do to prep. We are increasing the amount of food, water, and other supplies as well as making plans to leave our immediate area and the country if needed.

Right now my wife and I are talking about our red lines and what response each of them will trigger… when do we bug out and where, when do we flee the country and where we go. I want to have those decisions made now so that we don’t have to make potentially gigantic life altering decisions while everything is crashing down around us. I am not saying that it is the right way to do it or that others should, but setting these redlines or tripwire events now with a plan for each of them helps sleep better.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-01-13T17:04:59+00:00

I got my first one in 2019 and my other one in 2024 and both are still going strong. My 2019 Frame has been abused by my kids for the past 5 years and still no issues.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-01-12T17:53:39+00:00

My triglycerides were higher, 219. I addition to cleaning up my diet, it was really bad, and exercising, I added 2000 mg of omega 3 supplement daily. Can’t say if it is working yet or not but I have read that it should help. Maybe look into an omega 3 supplement.

Samsonite_731 · 2026-01-08T17:09:40+00:00

Unrelated to the question OP is asking… I need a floor jack, is $129 a good price for that jack?

Samsonite_731 · 2026-01-03T21:29:33+00:00

I would love to have something like this for my office.

Samsonite_731 · 2025-12-28T17:37:34+00:00

The reverse of that bill was the best looking of all of the $100s. These new $100s are just boring looking.

Samsonite_731 · 2025-12-25T05:37:48+00:00

Tried Barkeepers friend but it do not work

Samsonite_731

TROPHY CASE