Using Natural Supplements To Lower Cholesterol
Red yeast rice extract
There are several supplements you can take to help lower cholesterol that come from botanic sources. One is red yeast rice extract. There are over 140 peer-reviewed studies on red yeast rice extract and cholesterol listed on the National Institutes of Healths website . One study, published in the journal, Nutrition, included red yeast rice extract in a nutritional intervention in low-to-middle income countries, where cholesterol medication is not readily available.
The conclusion: This study demonstrates the efficacy and safety of in lowering after 12 with reduction being comparable to that seen with moderate-intensity statin therapy.
In other words, red yeast rice extract may be as effective at lowering LDLs as medication, but without the potential negative side effects.
Jiaogulan
Pubmed lists 23 studies for jiaogulan cholesterol. Jiaogulan is an adaptogenic herb, aka adaptogen. Jiaogulan is considered an adaptogen because it helps your body adapt to stress. Adaptogens control how much stress hormones, such as cortisol, your adrenal glands release, via the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. When youre super stressed out, your body releases stress hormones, which may cause inflammation. An inflammatory state can elevate cholesterol levels.
One study on jiabogulans effectiveness on obese patients, published in the journal Obesity, concluded the following:
Reishi Mushroom
American Ginseng
Cholesterol And Healthy Eating
What we eat has an impact on our cholesterol levels and can help reduce our risk of disease. Try to eat a wide variety of foods from each of the five food groups. Not only does this help to maintain a healthy and interesting diet, but it provides essential nutrients to the body.
The Heart Foundation recommends:
- Plenty of vegetables, fruits and wholegrains.
- A variety of healthy protein sources , legumes , nuts and seeds. Smaller amounts of eggs and lean poultry can also be included in a heart healthy diet. If choosing red meat, make sure it is lean and limit to 1-3 times a week.
- Unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese. Those with high blood cholesterol should choose reduced fat varieties.
- Healthy fat choices nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and their oils for cooking
- Herbs and spices to flavour foods, instead of adding salt.
Also, be mindful on how much you are eating and whether you are filling up on unhealthy foods. Portion sizes have increased over time and many of us are eating more than we need which can lead to obesity and increase our risk of cardiovascular disease.
Ideally, a healthy plate would include servings of ¼ protein, ¼ carbohydrates and ½ vegetables.
Serving size can vary depending on age, gender and specific nutrition needs.
Prepare Your Meals Differently
You shouldnt only be mindful of the foods you consume, you must also be conscious of how you cook them.
There are healthier cooking methods that can lower cholesterol. For instance, when preparing fish and meat, get rid of the skin and trim the fats. This way, you can absorb the protein while decreasing your fat consumption.
Additionally, instead of breading and deep-frying, you may use these alternative methods:
- Boiling
- Curcumin
- Coriander
Also, adding spices to your meals can suppress your hunger and improve your metabolism. These can help you lose weight with minimal effort.
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You Can Begin Lowering Cholesterol Naturally Today
Sound like a lot to take on? Dont be intimidated. Bringing down your high cholesterol doesnt have to mean changing your life completely. Rather, start with changing your mindset. Instead of moving away from things, youre moving toward new habits that will help you create a healthier and more enjoyable future.
Now is always the right time to start taking care of your heart health. If you need a little support, lean on friends and family. And dont forget: Your doctor is always there for you with advice, motivation and encouragement so you can reach your goals and live healthier.
Treatment For High Cholesterol
Making lifestyle changes, especially changing some of the foods you eat, and regular physical activity, are very important to help reduce high LDL cholesterol.
You may also need to take cholesterol-lowering medicines to help manage your cholesterol and reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Talk to your doctor about finding the most appropriate treatment for you.
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Risks And Side Effects
While adding these foods to your diet can definitely help keep your cholesterol in check, its important to combine them with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle to really optimize heart health. Even on the best cholesterol-lowering diet, adding a few superfoods here and there is unlikely to make much of a difference if youre not making changes in other parts of your daily regimen.
Minimizing stress levels, exercising regularly, increasing your intake of whole foods, cutting out heavily processed, high cholesterol foods and giving up unhealthy habits like smoking or drinking are just a few other natural ways to keep cholesterol levels under control and support better health.
How To Lower Cholesterol Naturally
Low-density lipoprotein is the bad guy that youve often been told to stay away from. This is because, at high levels, LDL causes cholesterol to build up within your arteries leading to plaque formation, a condition known as atherosclerosis. See How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally!
Atherosclerosis may increase your risk of developing heart disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease.
However, the body also uses LDL to deliver cholesterol to different body cells that need it, but too much of it turns out to be harmful.
Contrarily, HDL is considered the good guy because it absorbs and carries excess cholesterol back to the liver. However, in certain scenarios, HDL may get overwhelmed, and the effects of high LDL take over.
That being said, you can naturally lower your LDL. This article will show you exactly how!
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Eat Less Saturated Fat
You can lower your cholesterol by eating less saturated fat. Saturated fat is found in the following
- Saturated fats are those fats that are often solid at room temperature. They are present in butter, lard, ghee, cheese, cream, and other full-fat dairy products.
- Processed foods often contain large amounts of saturated fats called trans fats. Examples include pies, pastries, biscuits, and ice cream.
- Red meat contains high levels of saturated fats, including bacon, salami, and sausage.
- Coconut oil, and palm oil are high in saturated fat.
- Fried food, fast food, and prepared microwave meals often contain high levels of saturated fat.
Swap these foods for healthy unsaturated fats for example, foods cooked in vegetable oil such as olive oil, or sunflower oil. Unsaturated fats are also found in nuts, seeds, and fish.
Foods To Lower Ldl Cholesterol And Raise Hdl Cholesterol
Low-Density Lipoprotein cholesterol, as we all know, if exceeded, can block the artery walls.
And conventionally known as the good cholesterol, HDL does the job of absorbing cholesterol and sending it back to the liver.
Thereafter, the liver flushes it from the body.
Hence, it has all the means and rights to be called healthy cholesterol that combats bad cholesterol aka LDL effectively.
HDL being less than 40 mg/dl for men and below 50 mg/dl for women is a matter of concern.
People with such dropped levels need an immediate HDL boost in their blood.
On the other hand, a high LDL needs to be lowered down ASAP to prevent cardiac arrest.
So, why not fill your plate with an overall nutritious heart-healthy diet?
Start today!
Lets find out how to lower LDL cholesterol and go through the below-listed food sources that can lower LDL cholesterol and up HDL in the long run.
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How Long Does It Take To Lower Triglycerides
Depending on whats causing your high triglyceride levels, you may be able to lower them in just a few days. A night out drinking or eating foods high in sugar can cause a spike in your triglyceride levels. Limiting alcohol and sugar intake can bring your levels back to normal within a few days.
If you have consistently high triglycerides, it may take a few months for them to return to a healthy range. How fast they lower depends on the lifestyle changes, diet, and medications youre taking.
Foods Rich In Unsaturated Fats
Cutting down on saturated fat and replace some of it with unsaturated fats is great way to lower your cholesterol. Foods which contain unsaturated fats include:
- vegetable oils such as olive, sunflower, corn, rapeseed, nut and seed oils
- avocado, nuts and seeds
- a medium sized vegetable such as a turnip, parsnip, sweet potato, leek, tomato or carrot
- a medium sized fruit for example, an apple, orange or banana
- 2 small fruits such as plums or satsumas
- a handful of berries or grapes and other small fruits like strawberries and prunes
- a good-sized slice of a larger fruit such as a melon, mango or pineapple
- a tablespoon of dried fruit
- a 150ml glass of fruit juice
- a bowl of salad
Fruits and vegetables can be fresh, tinned, frozen or dried. They all count. If you choose tinned, choose options in juice or water, without added sugar or salt.
Potatoes, yams, cassava and plantains are exceptions. They dont count because they count as a starchy food, like rice or pasta.
Unsweetened fruit juice and smoothies count too, but only one portion. More than one doesnt count because the loose sugar and acid in them can damage your teeth.
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Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol
1. Chicory.Often thought of as a weed, the extensive root systems of chicory can be made into a beverage that closely resembles coffee. When consumed in this way or as a supplement, it works to fight off high levels of cholesterol by ramping up the bodys natural metabolism to regulate cholesterol levels.
2. Ginger.One of the key qualities of ginger is that it helps to control nausea in people very effectively, reducing the symptoms of motion sickness and other nausea-causing issues. It also helps to reduce overall cholesterol levels while making your food taste awesome too. When brewed as a tea, you can get a double dose of healing action because it will help fight off a sore throat. Whether you add it to your diet as a supplement or just throw in some ginger powder to your meals, youll get the cholesterol busting qualities that you want.
3. Green Tea Extract.What youre looking for in the green tea that you consume is a substance that has a long name: epigallocatechingallate. It is found in all teas, but it is in its highest concentrations in green tea of the extract that you can take as a supplement. It is an antioxidant that has been shown to reduce high levels of bad cholesterol without really affecting your good cholesterol, and as an added bonus, green tea also helps to boost your metabolism up so that you can burn more calories throughout the day.
How To Lower Cholesterol By Stopping Smoking
Theres never been a better time to stop smoking. This is the very best thing you can do for your health. You are three times more likely to succeed if you seek help rather than going it alone.
Contact NHS Smokefree for free help and advice. Have you heard about varenicline a drug that blocks nicotine cravings and has helped many people to kick the habit for good? Why not make enquiries today?
Its National No Smoking Day on March 10th. Put the date in your diary and get started? Make 2021 the year you quit for good and raised your cholesterol!
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Ask Questions Mind Your Diet And Get Moving
Eat a variety of nutritious foods, including vegetables, to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
High LDL cholesterol can lead to heart disease, which is the number one cause of death in the U.S. That’s why it’s important to take steps early on.
While some risk factors are beyond your control, there are things you can do to reduce your risk.
Ask questions. Don’t hesitate to ask your health care provider follow-up questions after a blood test. They can answer questions about your cholesterol levels and provide guidance on what to do next. Cholesterol is a tricky topic that you don’t have to navigate alone.
Eat a healthy diet. Reduce or avoid foods high in saturated fat and trans fats. This can help to lower your cholesterol levels in your blood. Eat a variety of nutritious foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, lean meats, and fish.
Lose weight. Excess weight increases your cholesterol and risk for heart disease. Losing weight can help lower your LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Talk to your doctor about what a healthy weight is for you.
Stay active. Regular exercise may help lower your LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol. Adults should aim for 30 minutes a day. Children and adolescents should get one hour of physical activity a day.
Quit smoking. Quitting smoking can raise your HDL cholesterol. Talk to your doctor about ways to help you quit.
: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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Modify Your Eating Habits
A great way to lower your cholesterol naturally is to start by replacing unhealthy fats with healthy fats .
This means becoming a food label reader, says Dr. Cho. Its important to limit your saturated fat intake. There should be no more than 2 grams of fat per serving and it should account for less than 7% of your daily calorie intake.
Saturated fats are most often found in palm oil and coconut oil, along with animal products like beef, pork, chicken skin, hot dogs and regular cheese.
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What Causes High Cholesterol
First and foremost, it helps to clear up common misconceptions about in the first place. For several decades, a wide-held belief has been that dietary cholesterol is associated with an increased risk for coronary heart disease . This led government-mandated dietary recommendations to limit cholesterol intake to no more than 300 milligrams per day for healthy adults. However, based on recent evidence, there are some serious challenges regarding this current dietary restriction, resulting in the removal of the recommendation in the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
While factors like genetics, inactivity, diabetes, stress and hypothyroidism can all impact cholesterol levels, a poor diet is the No. 1 cause for unhealthy high cholesterol. Unfortunately, the standard American or Western diet is highly inflammatory, which elevates LDL and lowers HDL in most cases the opposite of what we want.
How exactly does inflammation cause cholesterol levels to rise?
Cholesterol itself wouldnt be nearly as dangerous without inflammation. Inflammation is the primary cause of atherosclerosis, the hardening and stiffening of arteries that accompanies plaque deposits and in turn produces even more inflammation. Inflammation is at the root of most diseases, and heart disease is no exception.
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Home Remedy For Lower Cholesterol #2 Get More Vitamin C
As an antioxidant, vitamin C helps to reduce inflammation. A 2008 study showed a significant decrease in serum LDL cholesterol and tryglyceride concentrations with the supplementation of at least 500mg/d of vitamin C. Some good sources of vitamin C include:
- citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes
- kiwi
- sweet bell peppers green or red
- cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and kale
- sweet potatoes
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Home Remedies To Lower Cholesterol Naturally
If you have high cholesterol, youre also at higher risk for heart disease. But the good news is, its a risk you can control. You can lower your bad LDL cholesterol and raise your good HDL cholesterol.
You just have to make some simple changes. The following home remedies will help you reduce bad cholesterol thereby enhancing a healthier heart.
- In a cup, combine a teaspoon of onion juice and a teaspoon of honey.
- Mix together and drink. Do this remedy once daily.
- Add one finely chopped onion and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper into a cup of buttermilk.
- Mix together and eat regularly.
Foods That Lower Cholesterol
1. Vegetables
No doubt about it, nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory vegetables are one of the most high-antioxidant foods available. Loaded with phytochemicals that fight free radical damage, they slow down the aging process and keep arteries flexible and healthy. Many dark leafy greens, like spinach and kale, contain very few calories but offer protection against heart attacks by helping artery walls stay clear of cholesterol buildup.
While nearly every type is a good choice, vegetables including benefit-rich beets, onions, cabbage, broccoli and artichokes are especially useful for upping your fiber intake and protecting heart health.
2. Nuts
Nuts of all kinds make a good source of healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. They also provide a decent amount of fiber. Certain nuts, including almonds, specifically supply antioxidant flavonoids, plant-based compounds that improve artery health and reduce inflammation.
Studies show nuts can lower bad LDL levels, especially in individuals with high cholesterol and diabetes. They can help prevent damage from forming within artery walls and protect against dangerous cholesterol plaque buildup, in addition to fighting weight gain and obesity.
3. Chia Seeds and Flaxseeds
4. Olive Oil
5. Avocados
6. Salmon
7. Gluten-Free Whole Grains/Ancient Grains
8. Green Tea
9. Beans and Legumes
10. Turmeric
11. Garlic
12. Sweet Potatoes
13. Persimmon
14. Okra
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Natural Herbs And Vitamins That Lower Cholesterol
Cholesterol is one of those needed things in your body that needs to be kept in a proper balance. If you have too much cholesterol, especially the bad LDL cholesterol, then you are increasing your risks of heart disease development and a number of other health issues. If you dont have enough cholesterol, then you arent able to keep other facets of the body balanced and youll increase your health risks in a number of other ways.
Thanks to recommendations from the American Medical Association, many doctors are beginning to proactively prescribe drugs to lower cholesterol levels in people who are considered to be at a high risk of heart disease because of high cholesterol levels. It is estimated that a third of all Americans are already suffering from high cholesterol because of the standard American diet, which means taking proactive steps to control bad cholesterol should be implemented now for many people.
Some people, however, dont tolerate prescription cholesterol medication very well. If you fall into that category or you just want to avoid pharmaceuticals as much as possible, there are some natural herbs and vitamins that have been proven to be able to lower bad cholesterol levels and keep your body balanced in a better way. You may need to make some changes to your diet to achieve your targeted cholesterol levels too, but at least you can do it without taking medication.