Genetics' role in hypercholesterolemia is greatly overplayed. It is true that genetics do play a role. You can have Familial Hypercholesterolemia, but that'll give you cholesterol levels near a thousand---not something like 240. It's also true that genetics can have a smaller effect. However, everyone, doctors included, like to blame things on genes these days whenever they see more than one family member with a similar trait. The fact of the matter is that siblings or children/parents often do the same things. They'll have similar eating & exercise habits---if not now as adults, then usually at least when they were children, which has an impact on adult life, too. A family of parents and children who are overweight, for example, will often be labeled as having a genetic predisposition to being overweight; in reality, their situation is more likely due to their "family culture"---habits that they all share.
My take on the "nature vs. nurture" argument is that genes define a spectrum, but it's what you do that determines where you fall on that spectrum.
I'm only a pediatrician & don't deal with adult cholesterol issues daily
, but here's my advice:
- Eat more fiber. Fiber helps grab onto cholesterol so that you poop it out instead of letting it float around in your bloodstream. Don't bother getting bread that has less than 3grams of fiber per serving. If you eat cereal, get one that has at least 5 grams a serving.
- Whole grains. You really do get used to whole grain pasta, brown rice, etc. More fiber & other nutrients.
- Fruits & veggies. The hardest thing to add sometimes, but great for fiber & vitamins. Notice the fiber theme.
- Try and eat mindfully. When I ask parents & kids about what they eat, they'll usually only tell me about their three daily meals. It often takes some prodding to hear about the snacks, the nibbles, etc. It's not that they're necessarily trying to hide it, it's just that most of us don't often think about what we're eating. There's a great mindful eating meditation where it takes about 5 minutes to eat a single grape---and you don't even bite into the grape for the first 4! The idea isn't to take 5 minutes every time you eat a grape, but instead to actually think about what you're eating. You end up enjoying the food a little more, and you also end up eating a little less---you'll recognize when you're getting full before you are full, etc.
- Butter & oil. If you use oil on a pan, use only olive oil & measure it---a few teaspoons surprisingly does the trick. There's no need to put butter on anything except on rare occasions. (and I'm a guy who loves cinnamon toast lathered in butter!)
- Exercise (of course)---usually easier said than done.
- Try not to eat "fake" stuff. Splenda, NutraSweet, etc. There's not a direct link to cholesterol or anything, but I've noticed with me, my wife, and with others, that cutting out that stuff just seems to help overall. High fructose corn syrup is another one. The fewer the ingredients, the better!
It's a slow process....it's usually easier to start with one or two things at a time. The big one is really the fiber. Fiber-rich breads, cereals, crackers, brown rice....that's the clincher.
for I don't eat a lot of fried foods or eat fat foods. I am not over weight. My doctor feels that it is due to genetic factors, since my 2 older brothers have it. He wants me to try and control it by diet and exercise, rather then take medication. Does anyone here have high cholesterol, and how are you managing with it. If anyone has any suggestions, I really would appreciate it very much to hear how you are dealing with it.
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whole grain pasta, I can't stand the regular stuff now 
too starchy 
