Olive oil

[catjac1975]

Sixty minutes did a story on the mafia in Italy and how it controls much of the olive oil and specialty food production. And of course much of what comes here is fraudulent. I could never figure out why my cholesterol stays high when I eat do not eat bad foods and only use olive oil. So now, what do I do?

 

[Beekissed]

My folks had great success with all health issues, including the high cholesterol my mother had that medicine was just not controlling, with a raw foods type diet. They switched over to a raw fruits and veggies diet, though they did eat a lot of cooked beans, lots of garlic, olive oil and nuts. They started juicing carrots and had that each day, etc.

Some of the things they cut out I would not have done so(all animal byproducts), as it has contributed to their dementia, IMO, but most of the diet is sound and works quickly and wonderfully to clear up many health issues.

But, they kept with that diet for over 15 yrs and it gave them both a new lease on life...Mom would have been dead long ago if she hadn't taken that road, of that I'm convinced.

It was similar to the Hallelujah Diet but not the same, not sure what their diet was called but it had a lot of the same components of the HD diet.

 

[jackb]

Cat,
Being into olives I have read a number of books on the subject. Sixty minutes is a little late, as that has been going on for about a hundred years. Italy has a PR advantage, as most people associate olive oil with Italy, when in fact Spain produces far more olive oil than Italy. As for myself, I have been using Trader Joe's Spanish olive oil for quite sometime now. It is affordable and delicious. There are a number of domestic producers in California, Texas, Georgia and Florida who have oil available online. The problem is that the oil, although high quality, is pricey. A cholesterol problem is why I have been a vegetarian for decades, however, now that I am I would never go back. The doctor who treated my cholesterol problem told me: " I want you to use so much olive oil that you leave a ring of olive oil around the tub when you take a bath."
jackb

 

[ninnymary]

All our bodies are different. My cholesterol is low and I use only olive oil. If you're worried that oil coming here is fraudulent, you could buy oil from Spain. For me exercising is what keeps my cholesterol down.

Mary

 

[jackb]

I agree with @ninnymary on the subject. With diet and daily exercise my total cholesterol is now sixty points below what they considerable desirable.

 

[valley ranch]

Garlic, as you know lowers cholesterol. I agree with most of what has been said here. I lament the Olive Oil substitution. We also use only "Olive Oil" or what is sold as that.


Today is the 10th day of Christmas.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, we are all different. Among her other health problems all my wife's family fights high cholesterol. It's hereditary. She's really good about following her diets and tried for a few years to get her cholesterol under control by diet only, including a lot of olive oil. Being overweight is not a concern of hers due to other health problems. She has to watch her diet to not lose weight. Her diet had practically no result on her cholesterol. She finally broke down and got a cholesterol pill and her levels dropped about 100 points, even without a special cholesterol diet.

On the other hand until I retired I spent half my life living and eating in construction camps overseas. Those construction camp diets are not low cholesterol at all. I did exercise a lot then, more than I do now. I was even more overweight than I am now and had cholesterol levels right at the borderline dangerous levels. My family does not have a history if extremely high cholesterol but it's not real low either.

After I retired I lost about 20 pounds and ate a better diet. I did not stick to her low cholesterol diet anywhere like she did, but I got some benefit from it I'm sure. She plans the diets since she has the health problems. I just wash dishes and cook what she tells me. My cholesterol dropped about 60 points.

Now that she is not on a low cholesterol diet it will be interesting to see what happens to my cholesterol levels.

 

[so lucky]

I use California Olive Ranch EEVO . It is certified organic and first cold pressed. Out your way, Mary, there is the California Olive Board that certifies the oil grown and processed in that state, and I read that it has very high standards and enforcement.
I read, also, that Kirkland has a good "real" EVOO, and can be bought at Costco, and also on Amazon. I tried it and didn't think it was very good. I like the California Olive Ranch oil.

Some doctors and health professionals are now saying that high cholesterol levels are not, in themselves, a sign of bad health. Cholesterol is like the National Guard, that is called out when there is a problem somewhere in the system, is what they say. The goal should be to find out why cholesterol is high, not to just lower the cholesterol. I don't know.....

 

[seedcorn]

I'm on Meds due to hi cholesterol. Diet alone lowered it very little. G'father died of it, mother fought it, and now me....oh joy.

I could exercise more, eat some better, but I don't. Guess I have to die of something......

 

[catjac1975]

I have read that the scientist that started the low fat revolution used substandard scientific methods by todays standards. However, doctors are unwilling to let go of the low fat idea. I cannot blame them. I have also read that many believe cholesterol has nothing to do with heart disease, that inflammation is the real cause of diseases of all types. Again I still try to keep my cholesterol down with good diet and exercise. Medicine keeps us all going longer and the long term findings will create greater health for all.