In 2018, Jordan Stiteler became a Healthy Nevada Project advocate. Her DNA results revealed that she had Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH). FH is a genetic condition that can cause high cholesterol. Since then, Jordan’s taken action to lower her cholesterol and make her family aware of this potentially dangerous condition.
Looking at Jordan, an active young mother, you would never suspect she has high cholesterol. However, because of FH, Jordan’s cholesterol levels are unusually high. She chose to take action when learning of her FH gene, in order to maintain her long-term health.
Jordan started by exercising more and eating healthier. “I’ve definitely been checking all the labels to see if the food has a lot of cholesterol, trans fats, or saturated fats,” she explains. She now eats a 100% plant-based diet which helps to lower her cholesterol naturally.
Additionally, Jordan partnered with Dr. Michael Bloch, a lipid specialist, to monitor and manage her cholesterol. She told Dr. Bloch that she and her husband were planning on having a second baby. With this in mind, he helped Jordan create a plan to accommodate her pregnancy.
Several months after giving birth to her beautiful daughter Logan, it was time to revisit her cholesterol treatment plan. Dr. Bloch prescribed Jordan a statin called Lipitor. It successfully cut her total cholesterol by half in just three months.
“I had blood work done in November 2019 and my total cholesterol was 293 (normal is less than 199). I started taking cholesterol medication in February 2020. I had blood work done in June 2020 and my total cholesterol was 149, ” Jordan shares. “My LDLs went from 219 to 78! I am so grateful that the medication worked so well and so quickly! It’s a weight lifted off of my shoulders.”
Although Jordan no longer limits herself to a strictly vegan diet, she is mindful of what she eats and how it affects her cholesterol. She’s thrilled that her cholesterol is now at a healthy level!
Lynch Syndrome Testing
The Lynch Syndrome genetic test with the Healthy NV Project is a blood test that checks for DNA mutations that raise colon cancer risk.
Since FH is a genetic condition, Jordan knew that some of her family members must have it too. She encouraged her family to participate in the Healthy Nevada Project, and many of them took her advice. “We were able to discover that the FH runs on my dad’s side, because my dad’s mom also has FH.
We also found out that my brother has FH as do at least two other extended family members on my dad’s side of the family,” she observes.
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