Natural Remedies to Lower Cholesterol

If you have been diagnosed with high blood cholesterol levels, it is wise not to immediately write off alternative natural remedies to lower cholesterol. This is because prescription medications can often cause severe side effects ranging from debilitating muscle tenderness or muscle wasting to Total Global Amnesia.

Cholesterol lowering drugs can work by inhibiting the production of natural cholesterol in your body, therefore disrupting the production of sex hormones and function of your endocrine system.

Before embarking on a course of medication, here are a few things you can try.

Eat Cholesterol Fighting Foods

• Soy – This can act as a replacement of saturated fat in your diet. It also contains isoflavones, which have been scientifically proven to reduce LDL or bad cholesterol.
• Beans – These are amongst some of the highest soluble fiber containing foods. Soluble fiber forms a gel in water which binds cholesterol, preventing it from being reabsorbed by the body.
• Oily Fish – such as salmon, tuna and mackerel are excellent sources of the essential oil omega-3. Omega-3 helps to lower LDL cholesterol and boost HDL cholesterol levels.

Get up and Get Active

In this day and age it is hard to fit exercise into our daily lives, as we now live life on the go, leading extremely busy and physically sedentary lives. It is no wonder that obesity is now considered an epidemic and many suffer from its consequences such as high blood pressure, diabetes and many other health problems.

The best way to begin an exercise programme is to walk. Yes, that's right, just walk! Walk whenever possible. If you're at the office, try actually walking to people's offices and talking to them, rather than sending an email. Walk to malls or shops if they are close by instead of driving. Stop wasting time looking for a car park close to the mall entrance, park further away and walk the rest of the way. These seemingly small changes can make a big difference. 30 minutes is the recommended length of exercise you need to do per day to maintain your health. In the morning or after work try and talk a 30 minute walk, increasing your speed week after week.

• Tip: Involve as many people as you can. This will make your exercise sessions more enjoyable.

Reduce Stress

We all know that stress disrupts the way our body functions. It can also disrupt our metabolism and our eating habits. Some of us tend to eat a lot more when we are stressed, causing more fat and cholesterol to pile up in our bodies, which will eventually end in our blood and in arterial plaques.

The best way to deal with stress is to:

• Identify the cause
• Eliminate or deal with the cause
• Find a way to release stress - Hint: physical activity works wonders
• Not just sit and hope it will go away. More often than not, it won't.

There are several things you can do to reduce your cholesterol levels naturally. Have a chat to your doctor if you feel that this is the best method for you. Lifestyle changes may seem minute, but can make a world of difference. Maybe you cannot stop your medication altogether. But lifestyle changes mean that you won't have to take as much medication in the future.