How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally - Are There Natural Cholesterol Remedies?

Many people wonder how to lower cholesterol naturally.
There are various ways.

Mediterranean diet is a good diet to lower cholesterol levels.

Click on this video, and try this traditional recipe:

What is Cholesterol

Like everything else, fats have a good and a bad side. Cholesterol is a type of fat that is present in every cell in people and animals.

It is an integral part of cell membranes and is an important in metabolic processes.

High cholesterol is known to be a risk factor for developing atherosclerosis (damage to blood vessels, primarily arteries) and cardiovascular diseases. However, it is also essential for proper functioning of the human body.

If there is a history of cardio-vascular disease in your family and if you don't know how to prevent heart attack, here is one piece of advice:

Dr Barry Sears, the author of the Zone Diet, whose work I deeply respect, states that it is not the total cholesterol which determines the risk of getting a heart attack, but the ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol.

The greater the ratio of TG / HDL the more likely it is you will have a heart attack in the future (the importance of the TG / HDL ratio has been confirmed by research at Harvard Medical School).

Therefore, have a blood test and if the TG / HDL ratio is less than 2, you have mostly large LDL particles which will not harm you.

If on the other hand the ratio is greater than 4, you have mainly small, dense LDL particles which can accelerate the development of atherosclerotic plaques, regardless of total cholesterol levels.

How to lower cholesterol naturally

What is LDL and HDL Cholesterol

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) - transfers cholesterol from the liver to cells.
  Excess cholesterol can settle on artery walls and with some other substances can create an atherosclerotic plaque, which can eventually cause blockages in blood vessels.
  For this reason, LDL cholesterol is often called "bad cholesterol".
  
  
• High density lipoprotein (HDL) - picks up a redundant cholesterol from blood and tissues and transfers it to the liver.
  This way it reduces the probability of its accumulation in the walls of blood vessels and the chances of developing cardiovascular diseases.
  Therefore, HDL cholesterol is also called "good cholesterol".

When everything works properly, the system is in balance.

However, if there is too much cholesterol in the body to be accepted by HDL lipoproteins, or if there is too little HDL, fatty deposits can build up on the inner walls of the arteries.

What is Normal Cholesterol Range

• Total cholesterol < 5.0 mmol / l
  
• LDL < 3.0 mmol / l
  
• HDL >1.0 mmol / l for men and > 1.2 mmol / l for women

What are Statins

Many people don't know how to lower cholesterol naturally - without using statin drugs.

Some don't believe that food is powerful enough to lower bad cholesterol.

Statins are drugs which are used to lower cholesterol (by reducing its production by the liver).

They block the enzyme in the liver that is responsible for making cholesterol, and can slow the formation of plaques in the arteries.

Unfortunately, there are numerous side effects of statin drugs. They (unlike food) have one big disadvantage - they reduce the production of cholesterol in the brain, which leads to reduced production of new synaptic connections and to memory loss. That is a well known side effect associated with these drugs.

Other possible side effects of statin drugs are muscle pain, nausea, gases, upset stomach, headache, dizziness, rash and sleep disturbances.

People with active liver disease should not take statins and the people who are taking statins should avoid grapefruits and grapefruit juices because of dangerous effects of their interaction.

Are there alternatives to statin drugs? Yes. Learn how to lower cholesterol naturally. It is quite easy and much healthier.

Here is What You Should Do:

• Introduce the Mediterranean diet
  
  
• Reduce the amount of bad carbohydrates (sugar, bread and pasta from white flour) you consume
  
  
• Eat smaller meals more frequently
  
  
• Add omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin C
  
  
• Reduce intake of red meat, fried foods, egg yolk, offal, pork and beef - use white meat more often (chicken, turkey, rabbit meat) and fish (it is best to boil or grill fish and meat).
  
  An electric grill which is very simple and quick to use, is my favorite way of preparing food.
  
  
• Reduce the intake of saturated fats from milk and dairy products (use skimmed milk, which contains only 1 % fat)
  
  
• Avoid butter, sweet and sour cream, whipped cream, full-fat cheeses
  
  
• Don't use lard or margarine, use olive oil instead
  
  
• Increase your intake of foods high in fiber
  
  
• Increase your intake of fruit and vegetables
  
  
• Regular physical exercise is also very important.

How to lower cholesterol naturally
- Cholesterol structure

Fish oil and Cholesterol

Fish has a major role in lowering triglycerides because it is full of omega 3 fatty acids.

It reduces the risk of heart arrhythmia, lowers blood pressure, reduces the growth rate and formation of blood clots.

Olive Oil and Cholesterol

Olive oil is the king among oils. The health benefits of olive oil are numerous.

It is rich in chlorophyll and carotenoids, antioxidants and vitamin E.

Due to its high content of oleic acid and powerful antioxidants, olive oil increases good cholesterol levels and reduces the "bad one".

The Mediterranean diet, in which olive oil is an important ingredient, contributes to longevity and protects from many illnesses.

Oatmeal and Cholesterol

Oatmeal contains soluble fiber which reduces LDL. Such fiber can also be found in beans, apples, pears and bananas.

Niacin and Cholesterol

Nicotinic acid (vitamin B3 or niacin) is a B group vitamin.

It seems that 1-3 grams of niacin daily are effective in increasing good cholesterol levels, with a moderate effect in lowering triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. This dose may increase good cholesterol levels by 30% and more.

However, you should not take more niacin than you need. Larger doses can be dangerous because they can damage your liver. So it is best to ask your doctor to help you decide the dosage that will be most effective.

Garlic and Cholesterol

How to lower cholesterol naturally - are there natural cholesterol remedies?

Try this easy traditional recipe (see these instructions or click on the video above):

10 lemons 30 garlic cloves a garlic press a bottle a pair of gloves a strainer or a cheesecloth

Finely chop the lemons together with their rind. Then peel the garlic and squeeze the cloves with a garlic press (to produce mashed garlic).

Boil one liter of water and add the chopped lemon and squeezed garlic.

Bring this to the boil once more and then remove from the stove.

When it cools, strain through a dense sieve (a strainer or a cheesecloth)

Squeeze it a little bit to drain it better.

Pour it into a bottle and put the bottle into the fridge.

Drink a small glass (between 0.3 - 0.5 dl) twice or three times a day (every day) for the next three weeks. Take an 8 day break and then repeat the process again. Repeat once a year and you will have normal cholesterol levels.

For more info on garlic health benefits, click here.

So, don't endanger your health with the side effects of statin drugs.
Instead, learn how to lower cholesterol naturally.

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