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Lower Your Cholesterol

Is your cholesterol levels a problem? Are you wanting to lower your cholesterol naturally? It is never too late to improve your health!

Outlined below are 5 simple steps you can take to help lower your cholesterol naturally. Some simple dietary and lifestyle modifications, along with appropriate supplementation, can add years to your life.

Five Simple Steps to Lower Cholesterol Naturally

  1. Follow a healthy eating plan. Important dietary changes to improve your general cardiovascular health include:

    • Eliminate damaging trans fats found in fast foods, fried foods and baked goods. Trans fats increase your risk of developing heart disease by increasing the ‘bad’ cholesterol.

    • Reduce your saturated fat intake by consuming only lean meats and especially grass fed as opposed to grain fed meats. Reduce salamis, bacon and processed meats.

    • Increase the amount of good fats you eat from cold water deep sea fish, coconut oil, olive oil, nuts and seeds.

    • Follow the principles of the Mediterranean diet which is rich in fresh fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, onions and garlic. People following the Mediterranean diet have the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease in the world. In particular,aim to get at least four cups daily of low glycaemic vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, artichokes, mushrooms, zucchini, squash, beans, kale, celery, rocket, sprouts and spinach. Reduce the more starchy vegetables such as white potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, corn and peas.

    • Cut down on sugar and grains in your diet. Excessive amounts of bread, pasta, cakes, biscuits, soft drinks, fruit juices and processed foods when taken in excess are converted to triglycerides (fats). These negatively affect cholesterol balance and increase your risk of weight gain and diabetes.

  2. Lose weight. If you are overweight, weight loss is an essential part of reducing your cholesterol levels.

  3. Get moving. Daily physical activity is vital for improving cardiovascular health, stabilising cholesterol levels and for weight maintenance. Aim to exercise for 40 minutes at least 4 to 5 times per week.

  4. Adopt a healthy lifestyle. It is also important that you also address factors such as stress, excess alcohol consumption and smoking, as these can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, weight gain and promote inflammation.

  5. As well as the dietary and lifestyle strategies already suggested, the following natural supplements may also help prevent and/or treat high cholesterol. It is important to consult a naturopath to assess the best supplement or combination of supplements for your specific situation:

    • Essential fatty acids such as krill oil and fish oil have been shown to be effective in reducing cholesterol. These sources of essential fatty acids can help to correct the balance of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol and reduce inflammation making them a vital nutrient for keeping your heart healthy.

    • Sugar cane wax sterols are nature’s answer for mildly elevated cholesterol. They may help reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol.

    • Fermented Rice Extracts are effective in reducing total cholesterol as well as improving the LDL to HDL ratios.

    • Citrus bioflavonoids have been proven effective in reducing total cholesterol and triglycerides as well as improving the LDL to HDL ratios.

Start Making Changes Today

Even if you have been prescribed a cholesterol lowering drug by your doctor, depending on your individual health circumstances, it may be possible to get off your medication and replace it with a natural cholesterol lowering supplement, diet and lifestyle plan without the nasty side effects. I have assisted many patients with such strategies with great results. Of course you must always consult with your doctor before stopping any kind of pharmaceutical medication.

Remember it is never too late to improve your health and in particular to lower your cholesterol naturally. The simple dietary and lifestyle modifications outlined here, along with appropriate supplementation, can add years to your life and life to your years!