10 Home Remedies for High Cholesterol
High Cholesterol is a term known by everybody, but the reasons for it, and the solutions to it, are not as well known. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is found in our blood that our body needs to build healthy cells. So some cholesterol is good (HDL), but a high level of bad cholesterol (LDL) can put you at risk of developing heart disease, artery damage, and put you at risk of having a stroke.
The trouble with having high cholesterol is that are many causes attributed to it, so finding the reason or the reasons responsible can be quite difficult. The most common reasons for high cholesterol are1.
* Bad diet – especially one with a high content of saturated fats and trans fats.
* Being overweight or obese.
* Lack of exercise.
* Smoking
* High consumption of alcohol
* Age
* Diabetes Like with most health complications,
it’s a good idea to catch the problem early. That way you’ll be able to deal with it without having to experience permanent consequences. Getting tested for high cholesterol is quick and easy, all it takes is a blood test called a lipid test. You’ll have a small amount of blood drawn from your finger or your arm, and have the results back within 24 hours. If it turns out that you have high cholesterol, don’t panic.
High cholesterol is mostly a consequence of lifestyle, so by making a few changes and sticking to them, you can take on the challenge of getting your cholesterol levels down to normal all by yourself. Here are 10 home remedies for high cholesterol:
10 Home Remedies for High Cholesterol
#1 – Foods to Avoid A proper diet doesn’t mean some sort of temporary regimen that causes suffering for a few weeks. If you don’t know by now, temporary diets only give temporary results. In most cases makes the reason for going on a diet in the first place even worse, later on down the road. Diet means the foods you eat every day, and the foods you SHOULD AVOID.
There are too many healthy diets that lower your cholesterol to list, but here are the foods you should avoid eating at all costs2. * Fatty beef * Lamb * Pork * Poultry with skin * Lard and vegetable shortening * Dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat milk * Saturated vegetable oils like coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil * Fast food * Chips & crackers * Packaged cookies, cakes, doughnuts and other pastries * Buttered popcorn * Any products with partially or fully hydrogenated vegetable oil * Sausage and bacon
#2 – Foods to Eat There are foods which raise your cholesterol, and there are foods which do the opposite. According to the Harvard Health website3, the top foods which help lower your cholesterol are:
* Oats
* Barley and whole grains
* Beans
* Aubergine (Eggplant)
* Nuts
* Cold pressed vegetable oils
* Apples, strawberries, lemons, limes and grapes
* Organic non-gmo soy and foods made from soy such as tofu and soy milk
* Fatty fish
* Fibre rich foods
#3 – Exercise Exercise isn’t only a very powerful prophylactic for a myriad of health conditions, it’s also very effective in helping with and often reversing many ailments. The Mayo Clinic recommends moderate exercise 30 minutes per day, five days per week, or intense exercise 20 minutes per day 3 days per week if you want to lower your cholesterol3.
But it is very important to check with your doctor if exercise is right for you, many people have already got themselves into pretty bad shape. In those cases, exercise can be dangerous. Regardless, start slow and don’t overstress yourself. Some light exercise idea’s to get you started are:
* Playing your favorite sport
* Cycling to work, to get groceries, etc.
* Swimming
* Taking a longer more brisk walk
#4 – Quit Smoking Quitting smoking improves your levels of cholesterol, not to mention just about every other function in your body. Easier said than done to state the obvious, but with a change of lifestyle it doesn’t have to be that difficult. If you want to quit smoking, you have to change your routine at home and at work. Also, taking up a sport like cycling or jogging will literally make it impossible for you to continue to smoke and make any progress in that sport.
#5 – Reduce/Stop Alcohol Intake For most people, it’s almost unthinkable to quit alcohol for good, and if you’re truly a light drinker, there is probably little to no reason for you to quit. But alcohol is linked to higher cholesterol and if you want to reduce those levels, it might be a good idea to keep your bottles corked until you get your cholesterol down to safe levels.
10 Home Remedies for High Cholesterol
#6 – Herbs, Spices, & Teas There are a few great natural ways to lower your cholesterol, these are things you can easily add to your daily routine and diet.
* Turmeric – helps in cutting down the deposits of cholesterol on the linings or walls of your arteries. You can add this spice to food, or just take a flat teaspoon mixed in a glass of warm water in the morning.
* Green Tea – is known to significantly reduce your bad cholesterol, while not impacting your good cholesterol (HDL).
* Raw garlic – adding it to your salads or other foods will help lower your bad cholesterol (LDL). If you’re brave enough, chewing a raw clove of garlic in the morning and before bed has shown to be very effective.
* Flaxseed – contains an omega 3 fatty acids which has been shown to lower bad cholesterol. Add a powdered teaspoon of flaxseed to a glass of warm water and drink every morning.
* Coriander seeds – are loaded with antioxidants which have been show to be effective in brining down cholesterol levels. It’s recommended to boil one tablespoon in a glass of water for two minutes, strain, let cool, and drink.
#7 – Juices Some juices contain higher levels of antioxidants than others, according to the Mayo Clinic, pomegranate juice contains more than any other, and three times more than red wine and green tea4. Other juices high in antioxidants to consider are :
* Cranberry
* Tomato
* Beet
* Acai berry
* Orange
#8 – Yoga Not only is yoga good for just about every function of your body, but it’s also been shown to directly affect cholesterol levels5. After a couple of months of regular yoga, you’ll be able to see your cholesterol levels go down. Yoga is also fun and makes a great addition to many people’s lifestyle.
#9 – Eliminate Stress Easier said than done of course, but very effective. Stress can be linked to just about every health issue we face, and cholesterol is no different. It’s important to point out that the link between stress and high cholesterol is not direct.
Stress is linked to bad habits, such as smoking, drinking, bad diet and a sedate lifestyle leading to weight gain. According to Healthline magazine, a study that focused on 90,000 people found that those who self-reported a higher level of stress in their jobs, reported higher levels of cholesterol than those who did not report high levels of stress at work.
#10 – Supplements There are several natural supplements which have been shown to reduce cholesterol6. Here are 4 highly recommended natural cholesterol reducers for you to consider:
* Niacin
* Soluble fibre
* Psyllium supplements
* Phytosterols
Like always, it’s best to tackle your health issues in a natural and healthy way if possible. If your doctor insists on you taking cholesterol-reducing medication, then you can still practice these home remedies as a more permanent solution to your problem. Always remember that medication only treats the symptoms not the causes, and the causes are something you can tackle by yourself, in a natural and healthy way.
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High Cholesterol References and High Cholesterol Information
* Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/symptoms-causes/
* Medical News Today: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com
* Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/reduce-cholesterol/
* Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/reduce-cholesterol/
* Healthline Magazine: https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/treating-with-statins/best-exercises
* Healthline Magazine: https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/natural-cholesterol-reducers#niacin
* Read Also: https://homeremediesapp.com/10-home-remedies-for-diabetes/
