Cholesterol: An Epidemic of the Western World

High cholesterol levels have become something of an epidemic in the Western world. Changes in diet, exercise patterns and high levels of stress all can contribute to this condition which tends to lead to furring up of the arteries and so to high blood pressure and or heart disease. Statins are regularly prescribed for the condition, but there are now reports showing that these can have highly undesirable side effects. So are there alternatives?

The first thing to realize is that we actually need some cholesterol – our bodies manufacture it and use it to make certain hormones and other things that our bodies need, so it is not all bad. What is a problem is if we have the wrong balance of the different types of cholesterol, or if we have too much.

We can reduce the amount of cholesterol we take in, but how do we make sure that our bodies are making and maintaining a healthy level?

Stress has been shown to contribute to high cholesterol (often accompanied by high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes) so cut down your stress, find ways to relax. Exercise is a good way to relax and also helps to maintain a healthy circulation. Guess what, drinking water actually helps too so take in at least 1.5 .litres a day.

Modify your diet – not just cutting down on red meat and other sources of saturated fat and cholesterol. Fibre helps the body deal better with cholesterol, one study in France showed that eating 4 apples a day can significantly reduce cholesterol, as can other forms of fibre founds in beans and pulse and whole grains (oat bran has received particular attention in this regard). Taking in the right types of fats also helps – olive oil is one of the best, as is the oil found in almonds (just 4 or 5 a day can help) and walnuts (again all you need is 4 or 5 a day) and oily fish. So try to have oily fish a couple of times a week, or include nuts and seeds in your diet and only use olive oil or other cold pressed, unrefined plant oils in your cooking.

Also, make sure that the diet is not too acidic – you can always use a barleygrass supplement to maintain a healthy acid/alkali balance in the body.

Alongside these measures you could also use a herbal supplement to help reduce cholesterol: Red yeast ric has traditionally be used for centuries as a heart remedy in China. Recent research shows that it benefits the heart and circulation by reducing cholesterol production in the body as it contains a natural statin. This means that it works best if taken alongside Co-enzyme Q 10, and that it should not be used alongside pharmaceutical statins or with grapefruit juice.

Milk thistle helps be acting as a liver tonic, helping to detoxify the liver and regenerate it’s tissues. It also helps with the digestion of fats and in this way helps to lower blood lipid levels, so it works on the fats we take in. Garlic is often thought of as a ‘natural antibiotic’ but has also been shown to help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

There are many other herbs and spices which can be used in the diet to benefit in this area for example, turmeric, cumin, rosemary and fenugreek, so start to experiment with a bigger range of seasonings too.

Be aware that it is always important to inform your practitioner about any medicines of supplements that you are taking and other treatments you are receiving. You should always consult a practitioner if symptoms do not improve, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or if you have any other concerns before taking herbal remedies or food supplements.

Cholesterol: An Epidemic of the Western World

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