Here are my top 5 tips to lower high cholesterol naturally. If you
can avoid taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, you will be
healthier and happier. Making the following suggestions a part of your
routine will help you do that.
Tip 1 - Exercise Regularly
Exercising
raises good HDL cholesterol levels. HDL particles carry fats and
cholesterol away from your bloodstream and back to the liver for
reprocessing or disposal. Bad LDL cholesterol gets stuck in your
bloodstream. The particles carry fat and cholesterol to your cells and
tissues, rather than back to your liver.
HDL particles will also
"pick up" LDL cholesterol when it comes across the particles in your
bloodstream. So, as your HDL levels increase, your LDL levels decrease
naturally.
Tip 2 - Avoid Saturated and Tran-Fats
Dietary
cholesterol is less of a problem than saturated and trans-fats. Research
indicates that if you severely limit your cholesterol intake, your
liver will produce more of it. Your body needs cholesterol for a variety
of functions. Having blood cholesterol that is too low is just as bad
as having high cholesterol.
Saturated and trans-fats increase the
total blood triglycerides, the total fats in your bloodstream. They also
cause increased production of LDL cholesterol. Saturated fats are found
in butter and other fats that are solid at room temperature. Trans-fats
are found primarily in processed foods as partially hydrogenated oils.
Tip 3 - Get More Soluble Fiber in Your Diet
Soluble
fiber is found in whole grains like oatmeal and in other foods. Some
cholesterol is found in your digestive tract, because of the foods you
eat and also because blood cholesterol is deposited in the digestive
tract. The cholesterol in the digestive tract can be reabsorbed into the
bloodstream instead of passing out of your body as waste.
Soluble
fiber absorbs cholesterol in the digestive tract and carries it out of
your body. Less cholesterol is reabsorbed and less is absorbed from the
foods that you eat. So, soluble fiber lowers high cholesterol naturally.
Be
very cautious about fiber supplements derived from psyllium husks. They
can cause blockages. Supplements derived from kiwifruit pulp and skins
are the best alternatives. They contain soluble and insoluble fibers, as
well as phenolic compounds that contribute to good digestion.
Tip 4 - Take Fish Oil
Fish
oil can raise HDL levels. It is a healthy source of fat. The supplement
may also reduce the risk of clot formation and prevent cholesterol from
sticking to the inside of the arterial walls.
Tip 5 - Take a Good Multi-Nutritional Supplement
The
better multi-nutritional supplements contain ingredients that are known
to lower high cholesterol naturally. Ingredients to look for include:
· Policosanol (raw sugar cane extract)
· Theaflavins (green tea extract)
· Phytosterols (from soy and other plant foods)
· Rice bran oil (oryzanol)
· Lecithin (a soy extract)
· D-limonene (citrus rind extract)
Many of these nutrients are
sold as stand-alone supplements for lowering cholesterol. While any one
of the ingredients may be somewhat effective, together they may work in
synergy to produce results as good as those of prescription drugs.
The results are actually better, because you get lower cholesterol naturally without the side effects of prescription drugs.
