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Natural Cholesterol Reduction
Find out the facts about the worlds most prescribed drugs – Statins, including the benefits and possible risks/side effects.
Natural methods to lower high cholesterol levels should always be preferred to taking prescribed drugs such as statins. There are documented side effects of statins that patients should be aware of before embarking on a statin therapy course.
For some people natural cholesterol reduction may not be an option, especially if their condition is particularly dangerous, but for many others there are much safer ways to treat the problem.
The aim of reducing cholesterol in the body is to lower the bad LDL levels and raise the good HDL cholesterol levels. This can be achieved over a sustained period of time by a change of lifestyle including diet and exercise habits.
It is important to incorporate some exercise and fitness into your week. Exercise increases the amount of healthy HDL in the blood supply, thereby increasing the amount of cholesterol being transported back for removal from your body.
Another way to help lower bad LDL levels is to introduce certain cholesterol lowering foods into your diet. Here are some of the best food sources you can include with your everyday meals:
Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber helps prevent cholesterol from being absorbed into the body’s intestines. It is probably the easiest adjustment to make because it is found in so many foods such as oatmeal, fruit and vegetables, beans – especially kidney beans, prunes and barley.
Omega-3
Fish is great for getting enough omega-3 fatty acids. It is high in antioxidants and cholesterol lowering properties. If you can’t stomach fish, try taking a fish oil supplement. Two servings of fish a week is the USDA’s recommended intake.
Plant Sterols
Plant sterols contain natural cholesterol-reducing properties which lower your bad, or LDL cholesterol level. As with fiber, it helps prevent cholesterol from being absorbed into the bloodstream. Find plant sterols in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and oils such as vegetable oil and some butters. Also found in vegetables, corn, soy, whole grains, avocados and sunflower seeds.
Nuts
Include a variety of nuts in your diet, like hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, almonds and pine nuts. A handful a day is enough to help reduce those bad LDL levels.
Other forms of natural herbs and supplements believed to help reduce LDL cholesterol include:
• Vitamin E and C
• Green Tea
• Licorice Extract
• Extra Virgin Oil
If you already live a lifestyle that includes regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet and you still have high LDL cholesterol levels, then you should speak to your physician about alternative methods like statins.
Heart Attacks And Cholesterol
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No doubt that 80% of prevention to avoid the bad cholesterol is through diet and regular exercise. Possibly the hardest aspect is to avoid red meat, but over time is an habit that can be changed
Indeed it’s better not to use any statins if you don’t really need to. The lifestyle change with some diets and exercises can change the cholesterol levels a lot.
If the natural way of reducing cholesterol is not an option because it’s dangerous for the condition of somebody, the advise should be to take some Co enzyme Q10. This will reduce the side effects of the statins great time. Greatfully their are more often doctors who will tell this
This is brilliant, i’ve been looking at ways to naturally lower my cholesterol in the last couple of months since it went up due to my taking Roaccutane for my skin. Its quite normal for cholestrol to go up when taking this drug, and it was quite normal before so I guess its just a temporary situation while I still take the drug.
this is so much better than relying on medications with adverse side effects.
This drug can help me loose my high cholesterol level. However, I also take proper exercise and diet to avoid increase shift of cholesterol level.
Another intersting thing to note is that Sea Vegetation (i.e. Kelp, Seaweed) contain a substance called fucoidan, which has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. There are also a number of minerals, including selenium and chromium, that have been shown to be deficient in those with high cholesterol. Sea Vegetables contain highly bio-available minerals in a food form that the body can very easily absorb and use.