Alternate remedies to lower your blood cholesterol-By Dr Harold Gunatillake

Transcript:

High cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia, is among the major risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases. However, right in your kitchen spice rack, there could be many spices and herbs to lower cholesterol.

Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D and digestive fluids, and helps for internal organs to function properly.

The normal cholesterol levels in your blood are- less than 200 mg/dL (5.17 mmol/L) is normal. A total cholesterol level of 200 to 239 mg/dL (5.17 to 6.18 mmol/L) is borderline high. A total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL (6.21 mmol/L) or greater is high.

If your blood cholesterol is slightly elevated and there is a history of high cholesterol, heart disease and stoke in your family, chances are you are looking to first try some natural ways reduce it before the problem gets so urgent that you must use dedicated drugs.

Mother nature is kind enough to provide us organic natural choices that can be used, as was before the conventional drugs came into production.

Furthermore, those supplements handed over from generation to generation seem to have less side effects providing a pathway for effective and safer control of high cholesterol or the term we use hypercholesteremia.

There are many alternative supplements that claim to lower your blood cholesterol. So, let us discuss those remedies.

Some of the remedies have been proven in scientific studies. Nevertheless, you should ask your family doctor before taking such alternate remedies.

Some studies reveal that your kitchen garlic may lower the total cholesterol level by a small percentage for a short period. Garlic contains sulphur containing compounds like allicin, may reduce blood cholesterol, among other benefits.

Garlic may prolong bleeding and blood clotting time, and should not be taken before surgery, or with blood-thinning drugs such as Coumadin.

High fibre diet.

Taking a high fibre diet, or as a supplement can help lower overall cholesterol level, including your bad cholesterol.

Some fibre supplements are psyllium, methylcellulose, wheat dextrin and calcium polycarbophil, and they lower blood cholesterol by binding to it in the small gut, preventing entering the bloodstream.

Fibre comes from plant foods like veggies, fruits, legumes, oat bran, barley flaxseed meals, apples, citrus fruits lentils and beans are effective in lowering your cholesterol.

Whey protein obtained from milk-based protein from diary products taken in the powder form, or added to drinks, can lower your blood cholesterol.

Plant Stanols & Sterols

There are many plants, herbs, and seeds that we already use as food, such as teas, spices, and plant stanols that seem to block cholesterol absorption in the small gut.

Let us talk about plant sterols and stanols. They are cholesterol like compounds that occur naturally in plant-based foods. Food sources of plant sterols and stanols are vegetable oils, legumes, breads cereals, nuts legumes and fruits. Phytosterols comprising plant sterols and plant stanols have been proven to lower LDL cholesterol concentrations.

When eaten in the right amounts, plant sterols and stanols have been shown to lower blood cholesterol by up to 10-15% when combined with a healthy lifestyle. This is because they block the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol, leading to lower levels of cholesterol in the blood.

The Heart Foundation recommends eating two to three grams of plant sterols and stanols per day for cholesterol management. You can get some plant sterols and stanols by eating the foods listed above, however, to meet the two-to-three-gram requirement you would also need to eat foods that have been enriched with plant sterols and stanols for example table spreads.

Now let us talk about the herbs that lower cholesterol quickly. Nigella Sativa

Studies has shown that Nigella sativa has both antioxidant and lipid lowering potentials. Clinical studies done in Isfahan city in Iran, with 88 participating subjects for 4 weeks showed reduction in total and LDL cholesterol

Korean Red Ginseng: Apparently, this herb is also effective in improving lipid profile. Other examples of herbs that lower blood cholesterol levels include:

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum- graecum) Green Tea

Ocimum Basilicum Dandelion- leaf and root Flaxseed

Ginger

Eugenol (Eugenia Jambolana) Psyllium

Hawthorn

If your cholesterol level is not too high, as mentioned earlier you could lower your cholesterol. However, if your cholesterol is high, results could be better with clinically proven conventional medicine plus these herbal supplements.

Nuts like Almonds and walnuts seem to lower your cholesterol. They have phytosterols structurally like cholesterol and help lower cholesterol by blocking its absorption in your gut.

In an analysis of 25 studies, eating 2-3 servings of nuts per day decreased bad or LDL cholesterol by an average of 10.2 mg/dl.

Fatty fish eaten regularly bolster heart health by increasing good HDL cholesterol and lowering inflammation and stroke risk, from the Omega-3 fatty acids.

Eating lentils or dhal, beans and peas daily will lower your bad LDL cholesterol.

So, remember eating more lentils than rice when you next enjoy your rice and curry to lower your bad LDL cholesterol.

When it comes to fruits, avocados are exceptionally nutrient dense and clinical studies support the cholesterol – lowering effects.

Soy Foods

Soybeans are a type of beans and analysis of 35 studies linked soy foods to reduced bad LDL and total cholesterol, as well as increased good HDL cholesterol.

Vegetables

Veggies are rich in fiber and antioxidants and low in calories, and some have high pectin, the same cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber that occurs in apples and oranges.

Pectin veggies also include okra, eggplants, carrots and potatoes.

Dark leafy Greens, such as spinach, kale contain lutein and other carotenoids, seem to lower cholesterol levels by binding to bile acid and making your body excrete more cholesterol.

Eating red peppers and hot chilies have been shown to have lower levels of LDL cholesterol. Sri Lankans do enjoy lot of hot chilies in their rice and curry. So, eating red chilli may help you live longer.

The findings showed that consumption of hot red chilli peppers can lead to a 13 per cent reduction in total mortality, primarily in deaths due to heart disease or stroke.

The principal component in chilli peppers is pungent agent capsaicin- the principal component in chilli peppers – may in part be responsible for the observed relationship.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil is a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids, the kind that may help raise good HDL cholesterol and lower bad LDL cholesterol

High blood cholesterol levels are a major risk factor for heart disease, and by lowering your cholesterol numbers in your blood lowers that risk.

If your blood cholesterol is slightly high, it is worthwhile sticking to natural remedies. Hope this video talk was useful. Stay safe and goodbye for now.

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