Excess weight, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and genetic factors lead to increased blood cholesterol. It is known to be a very dangerous situation. How can one lower cholesterol?
Normalizing Cholesterol Levels by Changing Diet
Of course, the diet should be balanced. Some foods (eggs, kidney, seafood…) contain cholesterol. Although dietary cholesterol has no significant effect on cholesterol levels in the blood, you need to know one thing. Saturated fats have. They are contained in red meat, cakes, hard cheese, sausage, bacon, biscuit pastries, cookies, cream, and other foods high in saturated fats.
Be Physically Active
We should move. We should move actively. The people who spend most of their time sitting or lying have bad cholesterol (LDL) rather than good cholesterol (HDL).
Control Your Weight
Because there is a link between obesity and high levels of LDL.
Give Up Smoking & Drinking Alcohol
Smoking can have a very significant impact on increasing the level of LDL, and alcohol lowers good cholesterol and raises bad cholesterol.
Medication for High Cholesterol Levels
- Statins.
- Blockers of the enzyme, which produces cholesterol in the liver.
- Aspirin.
- Medication for lowering triglycerides. Fibric acid derivatives.
- Niacin. Vitamin B (a serious dose should be taken only by prescription) lowers the levels of any cholesterol. Side effects include itching, headache, ringing in the ears, flushing.
- Antihypertensive drugs. Normalization of blood pressure. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), diuretics, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers.
Natural Remedies for High Blood Cholesterol Levels
Garlic
Garlic can lower the total level of cholesterol by a few points. But it may also cause side effects.
Guggulipid
A chewing gum from the myrrh tree resin. It reduces the total cholesterol and LDL levels in blood. However, there are also negative effects.
Polycosanol
An efficient medication made of sugar cane for lowering cholesterol.
The seeds and leaves of fenugreek, yarrow, the extract from the leaves of artichoke and basil also possess some useful properties for reducing cholesterol.
Which Foods Help Reduce LDL?
- Fiber. Oat bran, barley, psyllium seeds, flax seeds, apples, citrus fruits, lentils, beans can reduce the level of cholesterol considerably.
- Soybeans. Soy protein lowers the level of LDL and triglycerides.
- Phytosterols. Plant sterols and stanols are found in small amounts in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and vegetable oils. They reduce the level of LDL.
- Fatty omega-3 acids. They are contained in the capsules with fish oil, flax seeds, and flax oil from the seeds. Fatty omega-3 acids reduce the production of high-density hepatic lipoprotein and triglycerides.
