How Can I Lower my Cholesterol?
Diet, exercise, and weight control are the keys to improving blood cholesterol without medication. Reducing saturated fat to no more than 10% of daily calories is the number one dietary consideration.
The monounsaturated fats in olive oil and the omega-3 fats are both helpful for lowering cholesterol. Cook with olive oil and use the extra light variety for baking. Enjoy nuts and seeds regularly, especially almonds, walnuts, and flax seeds and eat cold-water fish at least twice a week.
Food Science Products
Use a spread containing plant sterols instead of butter or margarine. Promise is a leading brand and the natural sterols it contains have been shown to be effective in reducing cholesterol with regular use. One to two tablespoons a day is the recommended amount.
Minute Maid produces a Heartwise orange juice that also contains plant sterols. Drinking 2 cups daily can significantly lower bad LDL cholesterol over a period of 3 to 6 months.
Stay Clean
Sugar and alcohol consumption are both associated with elevated triglycerides and the development of hardening of the arteries so limiting these is recommended. Honey is much healthier and stevia is a natural non-caloric sweetener derived from the stevia plant. These are both good choices.
Eat Whole Foods
Increasing your intake of soluble fibers; found in fruits and vegetables, legumes, oats, barley, and flax seeds helps in removing excess cholesterol from the body. The vitamins C and E, beta carotene, as well as the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables help prevent cholesterol from being deposited in the lining of the arteries.
Soy Can Help
Consuming soy products in place of animal protein can significantly reduce elevated cholesterol and TG. The isoflavones in soy are believed to inhibit the growth of arterial plaque.
25 grams of soy protein per day is a recommended amount. This can be found in 3 to 4 servings. Here are some examples of 1 serving of soy protein:
1 c soy milk
70 gm or 2 1/2 oz tofu
40 gm or 1 1/2 oz tempeh
2 slices soy-enriched bread
1/3 c cooked soy beans
Also try roasted soybeans, soy nut butter, steamed edamame, meat alternatives that contain soy (burgers, nuggets, hot dogs, etc), and soy cheese.
Red Yeast Rice
This is a fermented food that has long been used in Chinese cooking. It’s a natural way to get the drug that effectively lowers cholesterol as the brick-red yeast grown on rice yields a family of ten different statin compounds. There are fewer side effects reported from red yeast than from pharmaceutical statins as this natural food presents the body with a complex of related statin molecules rather than a single, isolated chemical.
Andrew Weil, MD, recommends a starting dose of 600 mg twice daily with meals and a maximum dose of 1,200 mg twice a day. He advises consulting with your physician about substituting this for prescription medication. He cautions against taking a pharmaceutical statin and red yeast rice together.
He also states that those on any form of statin, natural or prescription, should take 60 to 120 mg of CoQ10 a day as statins inhibit the body synthesis of this vital compound. CoQ10 protects and enhances muscle function, including that of the heart.
Be Physically Active
As little as 30 minutes of exercise a few times a week can dramatically reduce cholesterol levels. This can be achieved in three 10 minute walks if that’s what works best for you.
Exercise both lowers bad LDL cholesterol as well as raises the level of good HDL cholesterol. The more vigorous the exercise, the more the HDL-raising effect.
Lose Excess Weight
Reducing weight in subjects who are overweight generally results in a cholesterol-lowering effect as well. If you follow all the recommendations outlined here, that should help in achieving your ideal weight. For more help, look at the Weight Loss page as well as Weight Loss Tips.
Include soy protein in your diet. Try: roasted soy beans, soy nut butter, steamed edamame, tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and veggie meat alternatives (burgers, nuggets, hot dogs, etc.).
