High cholesterol medications are increasingly being prescribed to lower cholesterol and many people are not comfortable with their side effects. For them, they seek natural remedies for high cholesterol as well as treatments on how to lower cholesterol naturally since high cholesterol levels are linked to cardiovascular disease. 

Cardiovascular disease is the no. 1 cause of death in the Western Hemisphere and nearly 2,300 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each day. Heart disease and strokes are the no. 1 causes of death and disability among people with type 2 diabetes. In fact, at least 65 percent of people with diabetes die from some form of heart disease or stroke.

The good news is you can lower your cholesterol naturally and reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. High cholesterol does not produce symptoms until significant damage has been done, so you must have your blood tested regularly to understand your current situation and do not hesitate to take immediate preventative steps if necessary.

Unfortunately many of the medicines prescribed by physicians have negative side effects such as muscle pain and negative impacts on your liver. There are several historically used natural remedies for high cholesterol notably garlic and niacin. In terms of how to lower cholesterol naturally, BergaMet Advanced is a completely natural product, which is backed by published human clinical studies and provides remarkable results with none of these side effects.

Before we take a look at natural remedies for high cholesterol, it would be a good idea to understand what types of cholesterol are good and bad. 

Understanding your cardiovascular health

There are two types of cholesterol, LDL the “bad” cholesterol and HDL, the “good” cholesterol. LDL is produced naturally by the body and the amount produced can be hereditary. If too much LDL circulates in your blood it can clog arteries through build up of plaque directly increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.

A healthy level of HDL or the “good’ cholesterol may also protect against heart attack and stroke, while low levels of HDL have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease. We need to lower our LDL cholesterol and raise our HDL cholesterol.

We must also monitor our blood sugar levels as people with diabetes are more likely to have cardiovascular concerns.

Raising your HDL is extremely important. Studies show that regular physical activity, reducing trans fat intake and a balanced nutritious diet will help. You must keep your LDL in acceptable ranges.

Natural remedies for high cholesterol

As mentioned previously, there are an ever increasing number of people who seek natural remedies for high cholesterol. We have found that garlic and niacin are two historic natural remedies for high cholesterol levels however there are some very good high cholesterol remedies such as red yeast rice and policosanol.

Red Yeast Rice is derived from white rice that has undergone fermentation. Studies indicate that taking high strengths of red yeast rice supplements can lower cholesterol levels by as much as  20% to 25%. Additionally, it was found that red yeast rice reduces triglycerides and lowers LDL levels. Although red yeast rice naturally contains lovastatin, identical to one of the statin drugs prescribed, its strength within the supplements suggests that it is not the only compound and there may be other compounds found in red yeast rice  which also help to lower cholesterol naturally.

Policosanol is a compound that is derived from the sugar cane plant. One particular study indicated that it may help lower cholesterol by roughly the same amount as red yeast rice. It appears to lower the “bad” cholesterol and increase levels of the “good” cholesterol.

A number of other nutrients such as chromium, phytosterols and Co-Enzyme Q10 all play a part in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. A supplement that contains all these herbal extracts and nutrients is Cholestsafe capsules and I would recommend a dose of one capsule in the morning and two at night because the majority of cholesterol production occurs during the early hours of the morning.

Oats for cholesterol

Over the last few years, oats have become a very popular health food with multiple benefits. Mainly eaten as porridge or added as oatmeal to cereals, oats may have a range of benefits.

Oats contain more soluble fibre than most other grains, in particular oat beta glucans. There are more than 100 scientific studies proving the positive benefits of oat beta glucans on those with high cholesterol levels.

OatWell™ powder has been proven to reduce cholesterol, improve digestive health and reduce blood sugar peaks after a meal. Just one serving of OatWell™ powder has the same benefits as four servings of porridge oats and can be sprinkled onto your cereal or other food.

I strongly feel that the combination of a healthy and nutritious diet, some form of gentle exercise and the appropriate supplementation, will help lower cholesterol levels significantly. 

Your GP must monitor your cholesterol levels regularly. You should not use the information on this website or in the editorials for diagnosing or treating a health concern or disease, or for the replacement of prescription medication or other treatment.   

 

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