Effective Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol
There are plenty of natural ways to lower cholesterol. The most simple and commonly
followed strategy is a diverse diet which is high in fiber and low saturated fat.
One must choose foods that cut cholesterol levels such as cold-water fish, corn,
flaxseeds, garlic, legumes, olive oil, omeg3-rich oils, onions and others. To
play safe, a person is advised to take fruits and vegetables since they are naturally
rich in sterols and fiber and low in bad fats. These are the reasons which make
them good in lowering the cholesterol level.
Here are various ways to lower the cholesterol level:
- A natural way to lower cholesterol level and get a healthy body weight
is through the establishment of an exercise regimen. Exercise is an effective
way to achieve healthy cholesterol levels. It sets off a series of enzymatic
reactions in the body that increase HDL and lower triglycerides. Exercise
- especially aerobic exercise done over a sustained period of 20 to 30 minutes
or so at least 3 days per week - can raise the level of "good' HDL cholesterol
by 5-10%. Another fact that has been known for a while is that exercise can
lower levels of blood triglycerides. Therefore regular aerobic exercise, walking,
jogging, biking, say 3 times per week for 30 minutes even at only 50% of aerobic
maximum will burn up triglycerides while stimulating more HDL.
- One must also refrain from getting stressed. Daily stress raises one's
cholesterol levels. Therefore any form of stress-management technique may
help lower it. All forms of exercise will relieve stress and keep a person
in the "present moment." In particular, mind-body exercise that
emphasizes concentration on breath, such as yoga, pilates and tai chi, are
exceptional forms of stress management.
- There are also alternative natural ways in addressing high cholesterol.
One may take natural herbs such as gugulipid. The gum of the myrrh tree is
an ancient Indian medicine believed capable of lowering both LDL, and triglycerides
by roughly 12 percent. The standardized gum extract is called gugulipid, or
guggul. No one knows exactly how it works, but it may bind to cholesterol
in the intestines so that a person can eliminate the cholesterol before it
enters the bloodstream. One can take 250--500 mg up to 3 times a day with
meals--but you must always consult a health care practitioner, especially
if you are pregnant or nursing.
- Another natural way of addressing high cholesterol is taking in phytosterols.
These are naturally occurring plant compounds that block the body from absorbing
cholesterol. Their chemical make-up is similar to cholesterol, so that they
fool the body and block the absorption of cholesterol. Phytosterols are benign
and not absorbed by the body. One can find phytosterols from pistachios, sunflower
seeds, sesame seeds and wheat germ.
- One may also try turmeric, the spicy yellowy ingredient found in Indian
food. It contains the active ingredient, curcumin. Recent research suggests
that curcumin may reduce cholesterol by interfering with intestinal cholesterol
uptake, increasing the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids, and increasing
the excretion of bile acids. Curcumin has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
properties and may help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol to a more
dangerous form that is more likely to end up in your arteries.
These natural ways to lower cholesterol are good preventive strategies to avoid
high cholesterol level. If you have high cholesterol levels then you might want
to try these natural ways to lower your cholesterol before resorting to chemical
medication. However, persons who have already been diagnosed with complications
should consult a medical expert who can advise them as to the proper mediation
for their particular condition.
Lower Cholesterol
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