REDUCING CHOLESTEROL NATURALLY

We must have all heard that high cholesterol can kill us. Most physicians react by reaching for their prescription pads. Drugs to lower cholesterol especially the statin drugs, are among the most commonly prescribed drugs on the market. Unfortunately, like all drugs, they come with side effects. We would be much better off if we take control of our cholesterol without resorting to drugs. Fortunately, there are ways to do just that.

· The first step is a healthy life style. You already know it, but exercise is part of it too. Exercise has so many benefits – maintaining function, controlling weight, lowering blood pressure, fighting depression, etc – that, if it were a drug, it would be a blockbuster. Most people look for a pill instead of making healthy choices and taking action. Don’t be like them. Exercise is the best way to stay healthy.

· Diet is next. Reduce the saturated fat in your diet and absolutely avoid fat. Nutritionists have vilified beef and other red meats because of their saturated fat content. That is a valid point for most beef, but grass-fed beef is a different matter. That is because naturally, cattle eat grass. Feed them grain, and their meat changes drastically. The total fat increases. Even worse, the ration of omega-3 (the healthy fat associated with fish) changes from 4:1 to 20:1. And that is not good. If you are a meat eater, switch to grass fed beef. Be sure your diet is high in fiber. Five to ten grams of soluble fiber a day lowers the cholesterol by 5%. Oatmeal is a good source of soluble fiber. Also, soluble fiber supplements are available now. As a bonus, soluble fiber can also be taken as a weight loss aid. People who take a serving of soluble fiber in 8 oz of a calorie free liquid 30 minutes or so before every meal tend to eat less. They lose weight without changing anything else.

· After reducing the bad fat, the next step is to increase the good fats. Almonds and nuts are a good way to do this – they both lower cholesterol. Nuts are very calorie dense, but ideally, the saturated fat calories you eliminate from your diet will more than make up for adding them to your diet. Other good fats include omega-3 fatty acids. These are the fats found in fish, as well as in flax seeds. Adding them to your diet helps lower triglycerides. I suggest using both. Eat fish such as salmon once a week and take a fish oil supplement daily (2 – 4 grams a day – more if your doctor recommends it). Also, grind up 2 tablespoons of flax seed every day and have it on cereal, mixed in yoghurt, or any other way you enjoy it. Grind it fresh and don’t heat it – the oil spoils easily. I recommend the whole flax seed rather than just the oil because of the benefits of the fiber and other nutrients in the whole seed. Garlic or garlic supplements are another cholesterol-lowering addition you can make to your diet. If using fresh garlic, let it sit for 5 minutes or so after chopping, before you cook with it. Heat destroys enzymes activated by chopping that form beneficial compounds in the garlic. If you use a supplement, take 600 to 1200 mg a day divided into 2 or 3 doses. Taken together, these recommendations will not only lower your cholesterol, they will contribute to your overall health and vitality. No statin drug can make that claim.