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Cholesterol Down: 10 Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in 4 Weeks--Without Prescription Drugs
Take control of your cholesterol with this 10-point plan from nutrition and fitness expert Dr. Janet Brill—without using drugs.
If you are one of the nearly 100 million Americans struggling with high cholesterol, then Dr. Janet Brill offers you a revolutionary new plan for taking control of your health—without the risks of statin drugs. With Dr. Brill’s breakthrough Cholesterol Down Plan, you simply add nine “miracle foods” to your regular diet and thirty minutes of walking to your daily routine. That’s all. This straightforward and easy-to-follow program can lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by as much as 47 percent in just four weeks.
Cholesterol Down explains Dr. Brill’s ten-point plan as well as the science behind it. You’ll learn how each miracle food affects LDL cholesterol and how the foods work together for maximum effect, as well
• How eating whole grains helps reduce LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream
• Why antioxidants keep plaque from building up in your arteries
• How certain steps change the structure of LDL cholesterol particles (and why it’s best for them to be large and fluffy)
• Why walking just thirty minutes a day lowers “bad” cholesterol and cuts dangerous belly fat
With everything you need to stay focused on the plan, including a daily checklist, a six-month chart for racking LDL cholesterol changes, tools for assessing your risk level for cardiovascular disease, sample weekly menus, and even heart-healthy recipes, Cholesterol Down is the safe and effective alternative or complement to statin drugs.
If you are one of the nearly 100 million Americans struggling with high cholesterol, then Dr. Janet Brill offers you a revolutionary new plan for taking control of your health—without the risks of statin drugs. With Dr. Brill’s breakthrough Cholesterol Down Plan, you simply add nine “miracle foods” to your regular diet and thirty minutes of walking to your daily routine. That’s all. This straightforward and easy-to-follow program can lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by as much as 47 percent in just four weeks.
Cholesterol Down explains Dr. Brill’s ten-point plan as well as the science behind it. You’ll learn how each miracle food affects LDL cholesterol and how the foods work together for maximum effect, as well
• How eating whole grains helps reduce LDL cholesterol in your bloodstream
• Why antioxidants keep plaque from building up in your arteries
• How certain steps change the structure of LDL cholesterol particles (and why it’s best for them to be large and fluffy)
• Why walking just thirty minutes a day lowers “bad” cholesterol and cuts dangerous belly fat
With everything you need to stay focused on the plan, including a daily checklist, a six-month chart for racking LDL cholesterol changes, tools for assessing your risk level for cardiovascular disease, sample weekly menus, and even heart-healthy recipes, Cholesterol Down is the safe and effective alternative or complement to statin drugs.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 26, 2006
435 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
Janet Bond Brill
10 books33 followersJanet Bond Brill was born and raised in New York City, the daughter of a prominent stage and screen actor and a psychoanalyst. After graduating from Walden School at sixteen and earning her B.S. in Biology from the University of Miami, she spent seven years as a flight attendent for Pan American World Airways before returning to academia.
Dr. Brill holds a Ph.D. in Exercise Science from the University of Miami, along with two master’s degrees—one in Exercise Science from the University of Miami and another in Nutrition Science from Florida International University. She is the author of four nationally recognized health books, including Cholesterol Down and Blood Pressure Down, published by Random House, as well as numerous scientific papers and articles for lay publications.
After thirty-seven years of knowing and loving her mother-in-law, Holocaust survivor Edna Stefania Brill, Dr. Brill moved from health writing to historical memoir. Little Edna’s War (pub date 1/27/26) records Edna’s extraordinary experiences for future generations—her first memoir and her most important work.
Dr. Brill lives in Pennsylvania with her husband Sam, Edna’s son. Together they have three children—Rachel, Mia, and Jason—and two grandchildren. In recent years, Dr. Brill has also written and published three children’s books for her grandchildren, bringing imagination and wonder to bedtime stories that bridge generations.
Dr. Brill holds a Ph.D. in Exercise Science from the University of Miami, along with two master’s degrees—one in Exercise Science from the University of Miami and another in Nutrition Science from Florida International University. She is the author of four nationally recognized health books, including Cholesterol Down and Blood Pressure Down, published by Random House, as well as numerous scientific papers and articles for lay publications.
After thirty-seven years of knowing and loving her mother-in-law, Holocaust survivor Edna Stefania Brill, Dr. Brill moved from health writing to historical memoir. Little Edna’s War (pub date 1/27/26) records Edna’s extraordinary experiences for future generations—her first memoir and her most important work.
Dr. Brill lives in Pennsylvania with her husband Sam, Edna’s son. Together they have three children—Rachel, Mia, and Jason—and two grandchildren. In recent years, Dr. Brill has also written and published three children’s books for her grandchildren, bringing imagination and wonder to bedtime stories that bridge generations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
March 21, 2016
This book of medical advice not only gives a simple and fairly easy to follow method to lower your cholesterol [if you adhere strictly to every step ... and are also careful to follow a low-fat, "heart healthy" diet in addition to those steps.] but cites research in the field and explains why/how each step works to lower cholesterol levels dramatically. The last part of the book includes a suggested menu as well as a number of recipes.
However, I thought the author played a little loose & fast with the statistics she cited from different studies. She would give a statistic concerning one of the steps but the amounts used in the research would be far different than the amounts in the steps she suggested. Or she would extrapolate data from the research, give an amount that would work best, and then switch the amount of the item suggested in her guidelines. Or the amounts she gave in her lists of possible different products that could be used didn't provide the same amounts of fiber (or whatever) she had just said they would a page earlier.
It wasn't that I thought the steps wouldn't work... it just annoyed me to no end that her figures weren't consistent throughout. I got the feeling from the way she was tossing numbers around from different studies that if I consumed the ideal amounts of each thing she suggests on her list, my LDL cholesterol would end up at zero -- or less than zero -- if all of the statistics were added/subtracted correctly.
The recipes and suggested eating plan for a week also gave me pause. Some recipes yielded 1 or 2 servings and others 8 to 15. Add this to the fact that (at least) some of the ingredients or supplements can only be obtained in a large city, by Internet order, or in specialty shops, and all of that added to my frustration. (I haven't been able to even Find red snapper since we left the west coast, for example.) This is not feasible for someone trying to plan meals for a family (especially if that family includes picky eaters) or on a limited food budget.) I certainly can't afford salmon or tuna fillets for 6 people...and the children in our house are not going to be tempted by 'Arugula Salad with Garlic Tomato Vinaigrette' (even I don't like arugula!) 'Okra Succotash', 'Barley Risotto with Shiitake Mushrooms' [ she suggests "Woodstock Farms organic shiitake Mushrooms, available in the frozen foods section of your local health food store" -- a 10 oz package of frozen shiitake mushrooms, defrosted, mind you.] or 'Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic'. In fact, I'm not even sure that my Hungarian husband would eat that and he is always saying , "It needs more garlic..." when I show him a recipe.
However, I thought the author played a little loose & fast with the statistics she cited from different studies. She would give a statistic concerning one of the steps but the amounts used in the research would be far different than the amounts in the steps she suggested. Or she would extrapolate data from the research, give an amount that would work best, and then switch the amount of the item suggested in her guidelines. Or the amounts she gave in her lists of possible different products that could be used didn't provide the same amounts of fiber (or whatever) she had just said they would a page earlier.
It wasn't that I thought the steps wouldn't work... it just annoyed me to no end that her figures weren't consistent throughout. I got the feeling from the way she was tossing numbers around from different studies that if I consumed the ideal amounts of each thing she suggests on her list, my LDL cholesterol would end up at zero -- or less than zero -- if all of the statistics were added/subtracted correctly.
The recipes and suggested eating plan for a week also gave me pause. Some recipes yielded 1 or 2 servings and others 8 to 15. Add this to the fact that (at least) some of the ingredients or supplements can only be obtained in a large city, by Internet order, or in specialty shops, and all of that added to my frustration. (I haven't been able to even Find red snapper since we left the west coast, for example.) This is not feasible for someone trying to plan meals for a family (especially if that family includes picky eaters) or on a limited food budget.) I certainly can't afford salmon or tuna fillets for 6 people...and the children in our house are not going to be tempted by 'Arugula Salad with Garlic Tomato Vinaigrette' (even I don't like arugula!) 'Okra Succotash', 'Barley Risotto with Shiitake Mushrooms' [ she suggests "Woodstock Farms organic shiitake Mushrooms, available in the frozen foods section of your local health food store" -- a 10 oz package of frozen shiitake mushrooms, defrosted, mind you.] or 'Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic'. In fact, I'm not even sure that my Hungarian husband would eat that and he is always saying , "It needs more garlic..." when I show him a recipe.
April 18, 2019
I have learned so much about cholesterol and how it affects the body and what it is, and how it works. I really like the list of recommendations she gives for lowering cholesterol. I did her plan for 4 weeks and went down 4 points. My doctor and I hope it will continue down, though slow. I was already doing about 5 of the 10 recommendations, so mine is going to go slow, but progress is progress. A very readable book. If for no other reason, than you want to start exercising and haven't done it...THIS BOOK HAS THE BEST CHAPTER I'VE READ ON MOTIVATING YOU TO EXERCISE. Nothing big, nothing rigorous, just a 30 minute continuous walk each day. She helps you decide to do it, and she tells you how to begin if you've been a couch potato. It is definitely the best program I have read on how to lower cholesterol. I read everything on the subject, because I do not want the meds...so I have been trying different approaches, and I think this one is VERY GOOD.
January 25, 2021
By reading the Kindle sample I get the feeling that the author does not properly understand the difference between LDL particles (LDL-P) and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C).
The author is also taking about the impact of dietary cholesterol, but it was and is well known that dietary cholesterol has very little impact on LDL-C and LDL-P levels in the blood, not to mention actual atherosclerosis risk.
It is a book focused on lowering various cardiovascular disease markers, but lowering those does not necessarily equals lower risk, just like an increase in some of the markers (especially LDL-C) does not mean an actual increase in cardiovascular risk. Lowering a marker means lowering a marker.
The author is also taking about the impact of dietary cholesterol, but it was and is well known that dietary cholesterol has very little impact on LDL-C and LDL-P levels in the blood, not to mention actual atherosclerosis risk.
It is a book focused on lowering various cardiovascular disease markers, but lowering those does not necessarily equals lower risk, just like an increase in some of the markers (especially LDL-C) does not mean an actual increase in cardiovascular risk. Lowering a marker means lowering a marker.
May 10, 2023
Lowered my cholesterol from 270 to 170 in 3 months. Lost nearly 10lbs too. Soluble fiber is a miracle drug, who knew!? This book gave me the concrete plan I needed. Fiber fills up the gut, so had to eat less whether I wanted to or not.
Breakfast: Granola or oatmeal with added oat bran, ground flax seed, and psyllium husk, made with soy milk.
Lunch: one serving of legumes (often hummus on toast) with a salad or leftovers; psyllium husk.
Dinner: pretty normal, but prefer fish and veg heavy. E.g. tofu and veg stir fry. Fish tacos. Albacore tuna poke on rice. Oh and psyllium husk. 2T total daily, 2t at each meal.
Snacks: whole fruit (especially apple), almonds, soy nuts.
A little exercise daily, often just walking my kid to school (it's a big, steep hill).
Breakfast: Granola or oatmeal with added oat bran, ground flax seed, and psyllium husk, made with soy milk.
Lunch: one serving of legumes (often hummus on toast) with a salad or leftovers; psyllium husk.
Dinner: pretty normal, but prefer fish and veg heavy. E.g. tofu and veg stir fry. Fish tacos. Albacore tuna poke on rice. Oh and psyllium husk. 2T total daily, 2t at each meal.
Snacks: whole fruit (especially apple), almonds, soy nuts.
A little exercise daily, often just walking my kid to school (it's a big, steep hill).
March 12, 2014
Didn't think I'd have to read something like this at my age, but I'm glad I did. It is well researched and referenced, straight forward advice, and most importantly, lifestyle changes I can do! Looking forward to healthy lipid levels soon.
December 21, 2020
Very clear and simple plan, but book needs to be updated, as the info on soy is very old.
August 27, 2022
Great book. I have lowered my cholesterol each month following this plan.
October 18, 2020
Great review of common sense info
Excellent book, easy reading, good reminders to keep us healthy without spending tons of money...really good read. Should be in all doctors offices.
Excellent book, easy reading, good reminders to keep us healthy without spending tons of money...really good read. Should be in all doctors offices.
October 27, 2020
Interesting read, not sure who would commit but definitely worth reading and perhaps trying some of her recommendations to improve your overall health. A lot of it is common sense and I hope most of us do it already. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 😉
did-not-finish
June 5, 2020This book gave a lot of good information and easy to read but it is somewhat dated now in some areas. In checking some of the products Brill recommends, they seem to no longer be available. Because of this and some sections I knew I would not follow, I did skip or skim a few chapters but I do plan to follow the sections which I believe will be helpful. Some of the information was familiar to me as a retired nurse but again, somewhat dated. A revised version would really be helpful.
July 17, 2020
Simple and effective strategies in this super-simple read! No magic bullets - just 9 recommendations for things to include in your diet and 1 lifestyle recommendation....with the science to back it up. For quick reference, it lives on our cookbook shelf. This book impacted our lives positively for the last 14 years and, I'm sure, for many years to come!
April 23, 2021
Easy to follow. My wife's results after 30 days showed great improvement. Can't wait for my results, but in the meantime my digestion system is better, and better blood circulation. I'm also losing a few pounds.
April 15, 2025
Overall, I thought this book was laid out very well, and was a useful and practical guide to lowering cholesterol. Part 1 explains the science behind what cholesterol is and how it works. The author suggests that you can jump straight to part 2 if you're not interested in the science. I went ahead and read it and found it helpful. The main thing I didn't realize was how much cholesterol my body actually produces on its own, and how much that cholesterol gets re-circulated through my body over and over again. Therefore, while we often think about what foods we should avoid to lower our cholesterol levels, this book focuses on what foods to specifically seek out because they help to flush the cholesterol out of our bodies.
Part 2 lists out ten specific things we can consume (well, nine things -- the tenth step is a recommendation to exercise) to manage out cholesterol. The chapter title is an excellent summary of what you need to know at a glance; for example, the Chapter 2's title is "Step 2: Eat Almonds," and the sub-title is "Eat a handful of almonds every day (most therapeutic dose: 1.5 ounces or approximately 30 almonds every day." The chapter then goes into detail on the science behind why almonds help to lower cholesterol, the difference in health benefits between different ways of consuming almonds such as raw vs roasted, blanched vs unblanched, and the whole nut vs almond butter. It talks about any potential side effects or cautions with each step, has a table listing some different options for getting this daily allotment in, and concludes with some web sites you can visit for more info. I really love how this layout makes it easy for me to find exactly the information I need, putting the most important info up front and having a unified format with easy-to-read headings and tables.
I recommend the book for anyone wanting to know how to lower their cholesterol or even just to learn more about how your body processes cholesterol and how different foods affect it.
A few minor concerns that I had:
1. When I bought this book, I didn't realize that it was written in 2006. The information seems to still be scientifically sound, but I did read the book with my phone by my side, and Googled her claims pretty regularly to make sure I wasn't reading outdated info.
2. The sub-title of this book is "10 Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in 4 Weeks -- Without Prescription Drugs." From that sub-title, I was thinking the advice would be some whole foods to consume, but this has an awful lot of supplementation in it. She recommends that the reader take three dietary supplements specifically for lowering cholesterol, as well as a multivitamin.
3. One step in particular had me a bit concerned. She recommends eating margarine with phytosterols, but I found this disturbing nugget of info on page 146: "Another concern regarding phytosterol intake is that it can reduce the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D, and K and their precursors (carotenoids such as beta-carotene and alpha-carotene), because they are transported into the body in the same way as cholesterol." Most of the "side effects" listed for the recommended steps were pretty mild -- almonds have lots of calories, garlic can make you smell bad. But recommending something that disturbs your body's absorption of vitamins seems to be crossing the boundary of "stuff that is generally good for your health" into the territory of "stuff that is good for your health if your cholesterol level is concerning." Now, the reason I'm reading this book is because at my last physical, my cholesterol levels were in normal range, but my LDL cholesterol was 108. So not ideal, but not as concerning as the cases featured in the book, either. And I guess I just got a little confused at times about whether some of these daily allotments and dietary recommendations were good goals for everyone or not.
Part 2 lists out ten specific things we can consume (well, nine things -- the tenth step is a recommendation to exercise) to manage out cholesterol. The chapter title is an excellent summary of what you need to know at a glance; for example, the Chapter 2's title is "Step 2: Eat Almonds," and the sub-title is "Eat a handful of almonds every day (most therapeutic dose: 1.5 ounces or approximately 30 almonds every day." The chapter then goes into detail on the science behind why almonds help to lower cholesterol, the difference in health benefits between different ways of consuming almonds such as raw vs roasted, blanched vs unblanched, and the whole nut vs almond butter. It talks about any potential side effects or cautions with each step, has a table listing some different options for getting this daily allotment in, and concludes with some web sites you can visit for more info. I really love how this layout makes it easy for me to find exactly the information I need, putting the most important info up front and having a unified format with easy-to-read headings and tables.
I recommend the book for anyone wanting to know how to lower their cholesterol or even just to learn more about how your body processes cholesterol and how different foods affect it.
A few minor concerns that I had:
1. When I bought this book, I didn't realize that it was written in 2006. The information seems to still be scientifically sound, but I did read the book with my phone by my side, and Googled her claims pretty regularly to make sure I wasn't reading outdated info.
2. The sub-title of this book is "10 Simple Steps to Lower Your Cholesterol in 4 Weeks -- Without Prescription Drugs." From that sub-title, I was thinking the advice would be some whole foods to consume, but this has an awful lot of supplementation in it. She recommends that the reader take three dietary supplements specifically for lowering cholesterol, as well as a multivitamin.
3. One step in particular had me a bit concerned. She recommends eating margarine with phytosterols, but I found this disturbing nugget of info on page 146: "Another concern regarding phytosterol intake is that it can reduce the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D, and K and their precursors (carotenoids such as beta-carotene and alpha-carotene), because they are transported into the body in the same way as cholesterol." Most of the "side effects" listed for the recommended steps were pretty mild -- almonds have lots of calories, garlic can make you smell bad. But recommending something that disturbs your body's absorption of vitamins seems to be crossing the boundary of "stuff that is generally good for your health" into the territory of "stuff that is good for your health if your cholesterol level is concerning." Now, the reason I'm reading this book is because at my last physical, my cholesterol levels were in normal range, but my LDL cholesterol was 108. So not ideal, but not as concerning as the cases featured in the book, either. And I guess I just got a little confused at times about whether some of these daily allotments and dietary recommendations were good goals for everyone or not.
November 24, 2025
I have had high cholesterol all of my adult life since I started tracking it, and this despite all of my exercising. I'm now at the age where I'm worried about this high cholesterol, and want to do something about it. This book is easy to listen to, and while it discusses the research behind each of the steps (which I appreciated), it wasn't dry to listen to.
I've been following the diet plan in this book for a few months, and I think it's working as my last blood draw, my LDL was down about 15% and my HDL up about 10%. We'll see if it works long term to keep improving, but so far I'm happy with this! Also, it's a pretty easy diet to follow if I do the breakfast part right. I actually feel more full and healthy/energetic from this diet, so overall it seems to be a good thing. Here are the 10 steps of her plan to try and get most days:
1. 1 cup of oatmeal
2. 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds
3. 1 apple
4. 1/2 cup of beans
5. Metamucil capsules (this one is hard ... a full dose is like 20 pills a day, and you have to work up to it to avoid stomach issues. I'm adjusting well but am only about halfway there).
6. Cholest-off or plant stenol/sterol margarine ... 3 capsules at lunch and dinner (better than at breakfast)
7. handful of almonds
8. 20 grams of soy protein
9. 1 clove of garlic and 1000 mg of Kyoto aged garlic
10. Walking/running for 30 minutes.
In case it's helpful, I find if I do breakfast right, I can knock most of this out in the morning. Here's my breakfast, and this comes from someone who hated oatmeal my whole life:
Make up the steelcut oats once a week and put it in the fridge. Scoop out 1 cup, put in the ground flaxseed, berries/soy yogurt for sweetening, and a Soy milk/whey protein shake. Add the apple on the side, and then almonds for my snack at work.
If I do that, then I can eat a normal dinner and just try to have some beans and garlic with it. Actually, trying to figure out more bean and garlic recipes is maybe the hardest part of the diet for me ... I need to research those up more.
I've been following the diet plan in this book for a few months, and I think it's working as my last blood draw, my LDL was down about 15% and my HDL up about 10%. We'll see if it works long term to keep improving, but so far I'm happy with this! Also, it's a pretty easy diet to follow if I do the breakfast part right. I actually feel more full and healthy/energetic from this diet, so overall it seems to be a good thing. Here are the 10 steps of her plan to try and get most days:
1. 1 cup of oatmeal
2. 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds
3. 1 apple
4. 1/2 cup of beans
5. Metamucil capsules (this one is hard ... a full dose is like 20 pills a day, and you have to work up to it to avoid stomach issues. I'm adjusting well but am only about halfway there).
6. Cholest-off or plant stenol/sterol margarine ... 3 capsules at lunch and dinner (better than at breakfast)
7. handful of almonds
8. 20 grams of soy protein
9. 1 clove of garlic and 1000 mg of Kyoto aged garlic
10. Walking/running for 30 minutes.
In case it's helpful, I find if I do breakfast right, I can knock most of this out in the morning. Here's my breakfast, and this comes from someone who hated oatmeal my whole life:
Make up the steelcut oats once a week and put it in the fridge. Scoop out 1 cup, put in the ground flaxseed, berries/soy yogurt for sweetening, and a Soy milk/whey protein shake. Add the apple on the side, and then almonds for my snack at work.
If I do that, then I can eat a normal dinner and just try to have some beans and garlic with it. Actually, trying to figure out more bean and garlic recipes is maybe the hardest part of the diet for me ... I need to research those up more.
June 7, 2019
The steps are simple and yes, there are only 10 of them. I am 8 days into changing my life (even though I did opt to take statins simultaneously). I do feel a little better, for what it's worth, I don't know if that is just placebo effect. I haven't lost any weight :(., and without a test I can't tell if my cholesterol level is truly dropping.
I give the book 4 stars for now (may lower that rating if, after a year there's no change to my test scores.) Four stars for being pretty well arranged. Easy to follow. Not too didactic. The first part of the book is a lowdown on cholesterol, what it is, how it works and why you are in trouble if your numbers are too high. I found that part of the book to be "Ouch!" But that is not the fault of the author. I wish she had put that last in lieu of first, because honestly it was so off-putting I had trouble getting through and on to the useful stuff.
The next ten chapters are one apiece on what to do. That's easy. If it works, even better. If it doesn't I'll have to come back and knock off a star. Interspersed are little tales from the front of people who tried this method. I find these kind of tiresome, but it is common to the genre. I guess I wouldn't mind case studies if they weren't so predictable or if there were some kind of fun ending (And then she won the lottery! And then he became a famous sportscaster! And then they completed their gender reassignment surgery!) but no, it's always something like, she ate oatmeal and the doctor said her numbers went down. Phooey.
I give the book 4 stars for now (may lower that rating if, after a year there's no change to my test scores.) Four stars for being pretty well arranged. Easy to follow. Not too didactic. The first part of the book is a lowdown on cholesterol, what it is, how it works and why you are in trouble if your numbers are too high. I found that part of the book to be "Ouch!" But that is not the fault of the author. I wish she had put that last in lieu of first, because honestly it was so off-putting I had trouble getting through and on to the useful stuff.
The next ten chapters are one apiece on what to do. That's easy. If it works, even better. If it doesn't I'll have to come back and knock off a star. Interspersed are little tales from the front of people who tried this method. I find these kind of tiresome, but it is common to the genre. I guess I wouldn't mind case studies if they weren't so predictable or if there were some kind of fun ending (And then she won the lottery! And then he became a famous sportscaster! And then they completed their gender reassignment surgery!) but no, it's always something like, she ate oatmeal and the doctor said her numbers went down. Phooey.
July 4, 2021
I don't think I have given a self help book five stars, but this one deserves it. In the introduction Brill if you don't want to read about the science of cholesterol to just skip to part 2 of the book. I began reading part 1 and realized that the science was way over my head. I would never finish the book if I had to continue to wade through it. So I skipped to part 2. Each of the 10 steps has a dedicated chapter which has plenty of science to justify the change in diet suggested. She also suggests making the changes gradually to allow the body to get used to the changes such as the increase in fiber. The appendix contains recipes, a 4 week meal plan and other information.
If you need to lower your cholesterol and just refuse to read a book on it, at least read the table of contents and copy the 10 steps and implement them. It could save your life or at least keep you off of stations.
If you need to lower your cholesterol and just refuse to read a book on it, at least read the table of contents and copy the 10 steps and implement them. It could save your life or at least keep you off of stations.
January 7, 2024
Although a bit outdated, this book explains the essentials of the health problems associated with the constant exposure to refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats in our diet. First chapters are perhaps not necessary in this kind of books but the rest are clear and direct and I think they may have direct impact in a large number of readers. I would say that this is not the best book on the topic, but given the scarcity of decent books and the need of communicating the problems with the “American” diet and lifestyle, I would recommend this book to everyone. What about introducing similar educational books in the school/high school?
I am a bit tired of books that are written for “Americans”, but ok, I guess that, although problems with sugar and artificial fats are now pandemic, they needed this book more than other countries. Probably not anymore..
I am a bit tired of books that are written for “Americans”, but ok, I guess that, although problems with sugar and artificial fats are now pandemic, they needed this book more than other countries. Probably not anymore..
January 18, 2018
Cholesterol Lipids Review
This book provides good tips ( well-documented and reference support) to improve cholesterol levels and ratios. I have Incorporated the ten steps with the exclusion of soy. Most of the steps I was already familiar with, but book was good for positive reinforcement. I am always for improving health the natural way and not by drugs if possible. Author does not appear to be a medical doctor and provides qualification statement to consult your physician in these matters. Glad I bought and read this well-researched and organized book with valuable supporting references. I have a healthy cholesterol ratio and other normal levels by diet and exercise and the grace of God. This works!
This book provides good tips ( well-documented and reference support) to improve cholesterol levels and ratios. I have Incorporated the ten steps with the exclusion of soy. Most of the steps I was already familiar with, but book was good for positive reinforcement. I am always for improving health the natural way and not by drugs if possible. Author does not appear to be a medical doctor and provides qualification statement to consult your physician in these matters. Glad I bought and read this well-researched and organized book with valuable supporting references. I have a healthy cholesterol ratio and other normal levels by diet and exercise and the grace of God. This works!
August 12, 2022
No one wants to take the pills if they can avoid it and this book was a straight up avoidance tactic. This book provides a super helpful explanation on what Cholesterol is and why it creeps up as we age. It was a mystery to me before I read this. However, to spite the title, following the 10 steps are not simple. Most of the steps, i.e., eat an apple, almonds and oatmeal, are fine. I couldn't stick with all that fiber.
To get all these foods in each day required some solid planning and the fiber made me feel 9 months pregnant. I tried to stick with it but was so uncomfortable I had to turn back after a few weeks. No data to show if it helped or not, though I am sure it did, but I was miserable.
More power to those who can muscle through this plan.
To get all these foods in each day required some solid planning and the fiber made me feel 9 months pregnant. I tried to stick with it but was so uncomfortable I had to turn back after a few weeks. No data to show if it helped or not, though I am sure it did, but I was miserable.
More power to those who can muscle through this plan.
January 7, 2024
The book gives you a good understanding of cholesterol, how it works in the body and what kinds of foods can work to bring it down. Most of the 10 steps are easy; eat an apple, eat oatmeal, eat tree nuts and beans and go for a walk. The author backs up these steps with field studies and an in-depth explanation of why they work.
The statistics on cholesterol numbers and cardiovascular disease are eye-opening. It's an educational read for anyone dealing with high cholesterol and wanting some actionable steps instead of (or in addition to) medication to bring it under control.
The statistics on cholesterol numbers and cardiovascular disease are eye-opening. It's an educational read for anyone dealing with high cholesterol and wanting some actionable steps instead of (or in addition to) medication to bring it under control.
skimmed
January 25, 2024Skimmed through this, and seemed a solid and useful book on lowering cholesterol. The author presents 9 foods that help. Each chapter has a consistent structure, with explanations of why each thing helps lower bad cholesterol, along with case studies, cautions and practical strategies for adding the food to your diet. As it’s scientifically based and was published over a decade ago, i wonder how current it is. But most of the recommendations seem sensible for a healthy diet. Worth checking out for those looking to lower cholesterol.
February 22, 2024
Hmm ok, not sure I learned a lot from this book. I think just listing the 10 steps would have been enough.
I control my cholesterol with statins, and manage to keep it in range. What I really want is not someone to tell me that I need to keep my cholesterol levels low, but to tell me why that is important. Where is the evidence that cholesterol actually causes heart problems? Why does no-one really talk about low dense LDL particles that are the real issue. Lowering LDL is not the real issue here. LDL is necessary for the body. People live for a long time with high cholesterol ratios!
I control my cholesterol with statins, and manage to keep it in range. What I really want is not someone to tell me that I need to keep my cholesterol levels low, but to tell me why that is important. Where is the evidence that cholesterol actually causes heart problems? Why does no-one really talk about low dense LDL particles that are the real issue. Lowering LDL is not the real issue here. LDL is necessary for the body. People live for a long time with high cholesterol ratios!
March 15, 2025
While the concepts are solid and well taken the implementation is not feasible for a 5’3” 68 yr old women. The author agrees throughout the book that obesity contributes to heart disease and it is necessary to control one’s weight. Just eating the daily required foods in the prescribed quantities would be around 900 calories a day. This would be not adding anything to the 1 full cup of oatmeal each morning or having anything to eat the garlic clove on. In order to lose weight I’m allowed only 1500 calories per day so her “prescription uses 60% of those. As I said, not realistic.
August 4, 2025
With a cholesterol level that keeps creeping up, it is time for me to do something about it and statins are something I want to avoid. Cholesterol Down promises to help me out, and the steps look to be fairly easy to implement, with foods that I will not mind incorporating into my diet on a more regular basis. The author goes into quite a bit of detail about the research that has been done on each of the steps she advocates, which got a bit tedious even as I appreciate that these are very well supported by studies.
March 18, 2019
Easy read. Good descriptions of each tip and supporting information though occasional confusion in the authors recommendations. Big advocate of Soy, but I’m still evaluating all the controversy of it so not adding it to my regime. 9 out of 10 still a helpful improvement, hopefully. Or, maybe that is more like 8 1/2 out of 10? I am not finding it possible to eat a clove of garlic a day....
The true test will be in the future numbers.
The true test will be in the future numbers.
September 10, 2022
It was a quick read and had some of the information I was looking for, however, many of the products listed/suggested are no longer available. Perhaps if I would have read this book when it was first published it would have connected more with me; unfortunately I didn't need it then. It does have basic information which I find is timeless on diet for lowering cholesterol and the importance of exercise as well. It was well worth my time to read it.
June 3, 2019
This book is very informative. The 10 steps are simple and easy to put into your life. It's not expensive either like some other plans or diets. It's definitely a lifestyle change.
Thanks for the great option of these 10 steps versus taking a prescription. Very thankful for this information and plan.
Thanks for the great option of these 10 steps versus taking a prescription. Very thankful for this information and plan.
September 7, 2023
Interesting info.
Dr. Recommends eating/doing the following daily to lower your LDL
1. Whole grain oats
2. 30 Almonds
3 . 2T flax seeds
4. Metamucil
5. 1/2 cup beans
6. One apple
7. plant steroids 1.5 BID
8. 20-25g soy protein
9. 1 clove of raw Garlic and multivitamin
10. walk 30 minutes
I’m going to see if this works for me instead of taking statins.
Dr. Recommends eating/doing the following daily to lower your LDL
1. Whole grain oats
2. 30 Almonds
3 . 2T flax seeds
4. Metamucil
5. 1/2 cup beans
6. One apple
7. plant steroids 1.5 BID
8. 20-25g soy protein
9. 1 clove of raw Garlic and multivitamin
10. walk 30 minutes
I’m going to see if this works for me instead of taking statins.
September 3, 2017
Interesting
I purchased this book to try to learn how to lower my cholesterol naturally. I've started implementing the 10 steps, I'm 2 weeks into the plan still trying to get use to it. My next cholesterol test is 3 months away time will tell how well I've done.
I purchased this book to try to learn how to lower my cholesterol naturally. I've started implementing the 10 steps, I'm 2 weeks into the plan still trying to get use to it. My next cholesterol test is 3 months away time will tell how well I've done.
November 7, 2018
Required reading by my doctor, darn it. If following it does the trick, I'll change my rating and bump it up. The first half was interesting and easy ready, and should be able to follow. The last half is like a textbook. Not my favorite reading style.
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