I was a very physically active and healthy person prior to my concussion. Now I'm not even close to the level of physical activity I was before, and it seems many aspects of my health have gone downhill since.

The latest blow was being told by my doctor I have high (LDL) cholesterol. I found this quite depressing as prior to my injury I was extremely fit. Also, did I mention I'm only 23 yrs old? I generally eat a healthy diet, although around the holidays more sweet snuck into the mix. Now I'm being extremely careful on what I eat (low fat foods, no red meat, hardly any cheese, incorporating phytosterol enriched foods). I'm pushing a bit more on doing light-moderate exercises (walking and stationary bike) as I really want to get my cholesterol down for when I see my doc again in 4 months.

I'm finding it difficult to balance getting adequate physical activity to lower cholesterol without flaring up my concussion symptoms. Another difficult balancing act I find is lowering my caloric intake to lose weight (to help lower cholesterol- my BMI is just under 25 so I'm not technically "overweight" but could lose a few pounds) while often a snack will help my concussion symptoms if I'm having a bad day.

In the past, when I was down about not being able to exercise, my mom would reassure me that it would quickly come back once I had recovered. But now, after being told that my cholesterol is high, the stakes have been raised and I feel increased urgency to work-out ASAP.

Has anyone had similar experiences? Could this possibly be related to the concussion?

The brain has more cholesterol in it gram for gram than any other body part.

Because much of the literature on cholesterol is driven by Big Pharma, doctors are rather clueless about the value of cholesterol in the brain.

Some independent researchers are publishing now the reality of this biochemistry...and everyone should really read it.

Here is just a lay article:
http://www.wallstreetweather.net/200...olesterol.html

This researcher is very very interesting...even if you don't understand all of it.
http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/
She is on YouTube with a 7 part interview with Dr. Mercola...
it is very very interesting.

The bottom line is that your liver makes cholesterol for the most part for your needs. If something signals a larger need, then it increases. When you eat cholesterol in foods, this synthesis stops until the need appears again.

So I would stop worrying about your cholesterol. If it was really high like over 300+ total value, then you may have a gene that causes this. For others, the current thinking is to not take toxic drugs to lower it, or to starve yourself to lower it.

I have many posts with links to interesting medical authorities now, who
explain the erroneous cholesterol logic. They expose the original research from years ago, where numbers that didn't fit the "cholesterol theory" were thrown out... not very honest!

Here is a 2 minute YouTube that sums it up from a well respected cardiologist from UK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8SSCNaaDcE

I'll say vegan diet again. I know a lot of people on the board don't like to hear it, but it's beneficial in many ways if done properly.

Take a look at the film Forks Over Knives for more information.