11 Effective Home Remedies for High Cholesterol

High cholesterol or hypercholesterolemia is a disorder consisting in excess or surplus cholesterol in blood stream. Cholesterol is a wax like substance present in the cell walls or membranes all over the body. Our heart, brain, liver, skin, muscles, and intestines naturally bear cholesterol that produce certain hormones, bile acids and vitamin D needed to digest fat. However the requirement of cholesterol for the purpose is quite low. If the blood contains excess cholesterol, it may get deposited in major arteries like coronary arteries, carotid arteries to the brain or arteries that carry blood to legs, resulting in narrowing down or blockage of the passage way and decreased blood supply.

Blockage of coronary arteries leads to angina or chest pain and heart attack. This happens due to the accumulation of cholesterol on artery walls and deprivation of heart muscles of oxygen. Blockage of carotid artery by cholesterol deposits leads to brain stroke and blockage of arteries supplying blood to legs leads to claudication or pain with walking. Women after menopause and men below 55 are at the risk of developing hypercholesterolemia. LDL or bad cholesterol, HDL or good cholesterol and triglycerides make up for the total measure of cholesterol in the body. High cholesterol can be very dangerous, for it produces no symptoms. However some people with high cholesterol may have breathlessness, general fatigue, excessive sweating, heaviness in chest region, yellowish patches around eyelids, cholesterol deposits around cornea and whitish edges of cornea.

Factors Causing HDL

1. Aging
2. Heredity
3. Obesity
4. Sedentary life style
5. Intake of fat rich diet
6. Mental stress
7. Alcoholism
8. Smoking
9. Underlying diseases like thyroid, high blood pressure, diabetes, that of kidney, liver etc.

Home Remedies

1. Onion juice can lower cholesterol to a large extent.

2. Simply drinking 8-10 glasses of water can bring down cholesterol by enabling proper excretion.

3. Soy products, rich in isoflavones can effectively regulate cholesterol levels.

4. An infusion may be prepared by boiling 2 tablespoon coriander seeds in a glass of water. It has to be drunk thrice a day and can greatly lower cholesterol.

5. Sunflower seeds also regulate cholesterol levels to a large extent.

6. One may boil 10 cinnamon sticks in 6 cups water, add one tablespoon honey and drink while the solution is hot. This is a beneficial home remedy for lowering cholesterol.

7. Drinking a glass of water every morning by mixing one teaspoon lime juice and one teaspoon honey is an effective cholesterol lowering remedy.

8. Consuming fenugreek seeds would help to control high serum cholesterol.

9. Indian bedellium extracts have cholesterol lowering agents.

10. Almonds and walnuts can help to bring down cholesterol levels.

11. Fiber rich diet can keep cholesterol within check.
By Dr Andrew Napier

Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol - 5 Natural Treatment Tips To Lower Cholesterol Quickly

How long does it take to lower cholesterol? That is a question that seems to plague almost anyone who suffers from high cholesterol. If you're suffering from high cholesterol, lowering your cholesterol level can never be fast enough; whether you're seeking a natural way to lower cholesterol or via some other alternative treatment. According to an article by CNN in November 2006, "more than 70 million Americans live everyday with some form of heart disease." And the number is expected to rise steadily over the next 10 years.

Heart disease is America's number one killer and probably, the number one killer in the industrialized world. The myth being perpetuated that cholesterol is never high before the age 40 is exactly that - a myth. Don't believe a word of it.

The facts necessitate a quick guide to lowering your cholesterol quickly - preferably opting for a natural and alternative treatment for high cholesterol.

But first ... for some good news. Cholesterol ... contrary to popular belief ... is not the cause of heart disease. The inflammation of arteries does that. Heart attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol levels. That's right. There's a lot of misinformation being passed around that cholesterol is bad - that cholesterol is the cause of heart disease. That's so far from the truth. In fact, your body needs cholesterol to stay healthy. Your body uses cholesterol to produce hormones, vitamin D and bile acids to digest fat. And the truth of the matter is - your body requires only a small amount of cholesterol in the blood to meet these needs.

So why should you worry about lowering your cholesterol levels and maintaining it preferably at less than 200mg./dl.? Because failure in doing so can lead to the inflammation of your arteries ... and that is when cardiovascular events like heart attacks will occur. It's only when you have too much cholesterol in your bloodstream (referred to as hypercholesterolemia) that problems start to arise. And this is where you need to pay attention. Because a high cholesterol level ... let's say ... north of 250, can and will lead to problems such as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis clogs arteries including your coronary arteries (arteries that feed the heart) and if left unchecked overtime, will lead to heart disease like angina and heart attack.

This is why you need to lower your cholesterol level and why it's so important to keep those levels in check. Statins such as Zocor and Lipitor may be powerful, cholesterol-lowering drugs and helps to some extent, but ... whether you believe it or not ... these can cause more damage (liver toxicity is a common side effect) than good to your body in the long run. You don't need these ill-effects creeping into your life just as you're about to kick back and enjoy your retirement.

Don't get me wrong ... I'm all for taking prescriptions drugs under doctor's orders if no other alternatives are made available. I'm sure you'll agree with that.

But I'm about to show you 5 tips you can go about lowering your unhealthy cholesterol levels without drugs right now - and fast!

Here's how to lower your cholesterol the natural way:

Consume more "healthy" fats

You must have heard of monounsaturated fats. Usually found in some types of nuts like almonds and walnuts, olive oils, canola oils and avocados. These "healthy" fats lower "bad" cholesterol (LDLs - Low-Density Lipoproteins) but at the same time, help maintain the "good" cholesterol (HDLs - High-Density Lipoproteins).

Your doctor can vouch for the fact that consuming monounsaturated fat instead of saturated fat can lower your cholesterol levels quite drastically. You would have probably come across health advice about lowering cholesterol such as, "Replace whole milk with skim milk," "Cut down on that refined sugar," or "Dump butter for margarine." Most of that information is true except for dumping butter for margarine. Margarine increases the bad cholesterol and even worse, lowers the good cholesterol - almost tripling the risk of a coronary heart disease.

Don't believe the TV ads and stay away from margarine. Dr. Allan Spreen calls margarine, "plastic butter." And he has a point. Why? Because being hydrogenated, margarine is in fact one molecule away from actually being plastic - no kidding! To put it mildly, you're actually about one molecule away from eating Tupperware. You're more than welcome to carry out a simple test to prove this. All you have to do is leave a container of butter and a container of margarine out for a while and watch. It will only be a matter of time when you see flies hovering your container of butter - avoiding the margarine altogether. If it's not good enough for flies, you know you're in trouble!

Lower your intake of "bad" fat

Lowering cholesterol without drugs begins with this very important step - simply limit your consumption of saturated fat. Saturated fat is said to stimulate your liver to produce LDLs - or bad cholesterol that would simply clog up your arteries. According to Dr William Castelli, co-author of Good Fat, Bad Fat, he recommended that a smart diet to help lower cholesterol would take into consideration the amount of "bad" fat consumed per day - ideally being 20 grams a day. And that's just for those who are healthy.

A good idea would be to simply check your food labels when grocery shopping to get a sense of how much fat grams will be going into your body at any given day. Make this a habit because a simple precautionary measure like this can mean a lot to your long-term health.

Also, take note of trans-fatty acids. The name probably already gives it away - it is another bad fat. Trans-fatty acids are chemically processed and will not only raise your total cholesterol levels but can also lower your HDLs. These acids are usually found in deep-fried fast foods, biscuits, shortenings and packaged pastries. They're not usually indicated on food labels so be extra prudent about your food choices.

Get a blood test

You will want to get a blood test if you find yourself gaining weight, losing hair, feeling depressed, feeling more tired than usual, more sensitive to cold than usual and sudden stiffening of your joints. These could be symptoms of an underactive thyroid - medically termed as hypothyroidism. Diagnosing this condition with a blood test could nip the problem in the bud and save you from a rising cholesterol level.

While you're at it, ask your doctor to check your homocysteine level as well. Recent studies are pointing towards homocysteine as a better predictor of cardiovascular events. And there is a connection between hypothyroidism, homocysteine and heart disease. If you have an underactive thyroid, this prevents the absorption of B vitamins - causing homocysteine levels to shoot up. The result is a 300 percent risk of a heart attack.

A good homocysteine level is under 8. Anything above that and your doctor should be able to prescribe you some supplements. These supplements would usually center around vitamins B2, B6, B12 and folate.

Can I have my eggs back?

Yes, you definitely can. According to the British Nutrition Foundation's Nutrition Bulletin, dietary cholesterol in eggs "has no clinically significant impact" on heart disease. In fact, eggs are such a rich source of nutrients that avoiding them could cause more damage than good to your health.

I mentioned homocysteine. Well, according to a study from Harvard Medical School, choline may be effective in managing homocysteine. And where is choline found? You guessed it. Eggs. In fact the best source of choline is egg yolks. But if you're someone with elevated cholesterol or heart disease, you should check with your doctor about the number of eggs you can consume per week. Such cases are usually limited to two eggs per week.

Stop smoking and get moving!

Those are two obvious actions to take to keep your body in good working order. If you're overweight, you can be sure that your HDL readings will be low. Shed the weight and watch your HDLs rise. It's quite difficult to raise HDLs by dieting alone. You will need the combination of regular exercising and watching what you eat. Exercising helps in lowering your triglycerides (a blood fat linked to heart disease) as well. If you are serious about lowering your cholesterol levels, pay attention to triglycerides. Because apart from clogging up your coronary arteries, high triglycerides can lead to kidney disease and pancreatitis.

There is not much to be said about smoking that has not been said already. It's just bad. Smoking depresses HDLs considerably. It is a cause of heart and blood-vessel disease and basically causes irreversible damage to your overall health. There are no two ways about it. Smoking kills.

Here is a rough checklist to monitor your cholesterol levels and as always, consult with your doctor.

LDLs

Keep it less than 130mg./dl. Anything above 160mg./dl. is high.

HDLS

The higher the better. 35mg./dl. or less increases the risk of heart-disease.

Triglycerides

Keep it less than 150mg./dl. Anything above 200mg./dl. is high.

Total cholesterol

This is the combined measure of all blood cholesterols. Keep this less than 200mg./dl. Anything above 240mg./dl. is high.

By Rafael Todorini

5 Tips to Lower High Cholesterol Naturally

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.

By Larry L. Taylor

Natural Remedy For Hereditary High Cholesterol

There are a number of reasons why a person with hereditary high cholesterol might be searching for a natural remedy. Examples would be, their statin medications aren't producing results, they have grown tired of the constant muscle aches and pains, or perhaps they are just finding out they have hereditary high cholesterol and are looking to avoid the prospect of a lifetime of prescription medications. Whatever the reason I am glad you are here and hopefully you will not only leave with some additional information about your condition but perhaps a new found enthusiasm about your future prospects.
Hereditary high cholesterol is know in medical terms as familial hyperlipidemia (FH), familial combined hypercholesterolemia (FCH), and familial hypertriglyceridemia (FT). These conditions are uncommon, affecting less than one half one percent of the population. Nevertheless, if you have one of these conditions your chances of having it are 100 percent, and you are probably looking for solutions. In these genetic form of high cholesterol the liver never gets the message to stop producing cholesterol, triglycerides, or lipids due to a defect in the LDL receptor. Thus a flood of blood lipids, cholesterol, or triglycerides are released into the body presenting serious risk for early heart and artery disease. Familial hypercholesterolemia has also been linked with a number of other age related diseases including macular degeneration and diabetes.
Finding a natural remedy for hereditary high cholesterol
The trick to gaining control of this condition from a natural health prospective is taking steps to encourage your body to increase the number of LDL (bad cholesterol receptors). According to the Encyclopedia of Natural Health these seven steps will help you achieve this. It also points out that results may vary depending on any number of additional factors.
* Keep animal product consumption to minimum by substituting tofu or other meat substitutes. Example vegetarian or bean hamburger patties.
* Eat more fiber rich plant food (fruits, vegetables, and grains)
* Lose weight if you are more than 15 percent over your ideal weight.
* Exercise 4 days or more a week. Inactivity for those with this condition is a very serious concern.
* If you smoke quit. Also, you should make an effort to stay away from second hand smoke.
* Keep coffee consumption to a minimum. There is some evidence that a chemical in coffee aggravates familial hypercholesterolemia.
* Eat two servings or cold water fatty fish weekly or supplement the diet with 700 milligrams of the omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA.
Additionally, another beneficial natural remedy for hereditary high cholesterol can be found in the form of cholesterol reduction supplements. These products can be purchased without a prescription and are a safe and effective alternative treatment worth considering.

By Rob D. Hawkins