Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Heart disease is normally diagnosed in adulthood, but the foundation is often laid during the formative years.

According to the latest findings of the Center of Prevention of Disease, one in every five American teens has at least one risk factor associated with development of cardiovascular disease. The report also shows that almost 20% of American teens have any of the following three problems:
-    High triglycerides.
-    Low HDL or good cholesterol
-    High LDL or bad cholesterol

All three are distinctive symbols of future heart problems.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance involved in metabolism and also essential for maintaining permeability and fluidity of cell membranes. Even mother’s milk contains a substantial amount of cholesterol. Cholesterol is present in varying degrees in all foods containing animal fat. Plant based foods do not contain cholesterol, unless such is added during preparation. Basically, saturated fats and trans-fats added while preparing a meal play a much larger role in increasing blood cholesterol.

Teens are not solely to blame for having a highly unbalanced diet. Today’s fast paced life has led to overdependence on commercially prepared junk foods. These kids have grown up on pizzas, chips and frozen foods, all of which are high in trans-fats, the biggest culprit of abnormal lipid profile reported in the research.

Small lifestyle changes such as a healthy and balanced diet along with regular exercise can go a long way in addressing this problem.

The sad part is that there is so much contradictory information that one tends to get confused. Information these days depends on whom you are listening to. The internet is overwhelmed with vested interests, and everyone is out to make a quick buck selling ‘expert advice’.

It is not a matter of substituting margarine with butter, or consuming meals prepared in olive oil or coconut oil. Your body requires a balanced diet that includes the right proportions of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The idea is to avoid bad fats and trans-fats at all costs. Saturated fats too lead to high cholesterol, but natural, unprocessed fats do not cause harm if consumed in moderate quantities.

Along with dietary modifications, the other thing that teens need today is regular exercise. There were times when teens used to go out to play and have fun. Easy access to information, teaching tools on the internet, TV and computer games has changed all that. All this has led to a sedentary lifestyle, and the modern teen is fast becoming a couch potato.

Lowering cholesterol requires switching over to healthy foods and indulging in bursts of activity, even if it is for just 15 minutes at a time.

For more information, refer to our cholesterol guide for guidance in reducing the risk of heart disease.

Edible fats are generally considered to raise cholesterol levels in the body. High blood cholesterol increases the risk of heart attack and atherosclerosis, or fatty deposits inside the arterial walls. This, more than anything else, has given fats such a bad name that the very name of dietary fats is liable to attract frowns from health conscious people.

The reality is that the human body needs fats as much as it does other nutrients such as carbohydrates and proteins. At the same time, there are ‘good fats’ and ‘bad fats’. Matters become difficult when we see medical science changing its stand every now and then thanks to new research developments.

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The FDA approved Rosuvastatin (trade name Crestor) in August 2003 for the treatment of high LDL levels, cholesterol and triglycerides. Since then, Rosuvastatin has been approved in over 150 different countries and been sold under different brand names.

Like other drugs in its class (statins), Rosuvastatin works lowers cholesterol levels by inhibiting the production of HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme synthesized by the liver which is responsible for the production of cholesterol.

Later research, however, indicated that the drug could reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications including heart attacks and strokes in patients, with no other risk factors apart from a high C-reactive protein. C-reactive protein levels rise when there is inflammation in any part of the body, and are primarily used for identifying inflammation.

On February 8, 2010 the FDA finally approved Rosuvastatin for after finding it reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and also finding it feasible for treating vasoconstriction in patients who have not yet been diagnosed with heart disease.

This means that Rosuvastatin is approved for the elderly, who have elevated C – reactive protein, and for at least one of the common risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, low HDL (the good cholesterol) or a family history of heart disease at a young age. Rosuvastatin is not indicated in the event of absence of traditional risk factors.

Rosuvastatin is considered to be a safe drug, but if you may be taken aback by its list of side effects. These include, but are not limited to pharyngitis, diarrhea, dyspepsia, muscular pain, general fatigue and urinary tract infection.

During trials, it was observed that there was a significantly higher incidence of diabetes in patients taking Rosuvastatin as compared to patients taking placebo. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors are also associated with myopathy , rhabdomyolysis, and acute renal failure.

That indeed is something to worry about.

The other factor that needs to be pointed out is that Rosuvastatin is prescribed as an adjunct to diet. Western medicine or Allopathy has been so widely accepted by the medical profession and by scientists worldwide, that many fail to take heed of its numerous side effects. People tend to ignore the fact that high cholesterol levels can be effectively managed with just the right foods and herbal, natural cures.

The natural approach to healing or Naturopathy, which conventional doctors tend to call alternative or complementary medicine, is a branch of medicine just like Allopathy. Naturopathy has a wide range of treatment options and has a holistic approach to disease. It is based on the human body’s innate ability to heal itself.

Natural treatments for cholesterol are not only effective, but totally safe and devoid of any harmful side effects since they contain natural ingredients.

Learn more with our cholesterol guide if you want to manage cholesterol levels naturally.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is always present in every cell of our body. It plays an important role in hormone synthesis, producing Vitamin D and maintaining cell membranes. The human body is fully equipped to produce whatever cholesterol is required for maintaining these vital functions and extra cholesterol added through diet actually results in potentially dangerous high levels.

There are two types of cholesterol manufactured by your body: LDL, which is known as bad cholesterol and HDL, the good cholesterol. High levels of LDL lead to fatty deposits or plaque accumulation on arterial walls, which restricts free flow of oxygen rich blood increasing risk of heart attacks, stroke, arteriosclerosis (hardening of arterial walls) and coronary heart disease. Healthy levels of HDL, on the other hand, work to clean cholesterol from the arteries before it has the chance of forming into plaque.

Cholesterol levels are expressed in milligrams per deciliter of blood. Total cholesterol below 200mg/dl is desirable and levels between 200 and 239 are considered to be marginal. 240 mg/dl is high level and require attention. Most people aim at maintaining a borderline level of LDL at of 130mg/dl. However, it is risky if you have other risk factors for heart disease.

A high cholesterol diagnosis is a scary thing and should not be ignored it because of the possible implications. High cholesterol can be controlled with a healthy lifestyle and treatment. Treatment of high cholesterol includes prescription medication and natural remedies, a controlled diet and exercise. Treatment of high cholesterol is for long term and it is advisable to avoid allopathic treatment as much as possible due to its side effects.

The sad part of modern day life is that we tend to ignore the most important factor that keeps us healthy. The food that we eat is primarily responsible for high cholesterol levels. Fats may have acquired a bad name but the reality is that fats are also necessary for maintaining cell membranes, absorption of nutrients and nerve transmission.

Avoid consumption of saturated fats. These are mostly present in animal foods, dairy products, eggs and shell fish. Coconut and palm oil are also high in saturated fats. Totally avoid trans-fats since they are made through chemical processes and found in most commercial foods and the biggest culprits. For a balanced diet, source fats from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Foods like apple, brown rice, beans, cinnamon, garlic, grapes, oats and walnut help in lowering and maintaining healthy levels of cholesterol. Herbs and natural ingredients such as Rooibos, Gugulipid and Red Yeast Rice can also help in reducing LDL or bad cholesterol.

A little help from nature along with an active lifestyle will go a long way in maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. If you want to know more about how to manage cholesterol levels, check our lowering cholesterol naturally guide.