Natural Remedies for Lowering Cholesterol

There are many people that have been diagnosed with high cholesterol that choose to take their treatment into their own hands. Changing their diet along with adding a regular exercise routine can go a long way to help control high cholesterol levels. There are a number of natural remedies for lowering cholesterol and when you do the proper research you can find many tools that will help you to achieve your cholesterol goals without having to resort to traditional pharmaceutical methods.Herbs and Natural Nutritional SubstancesThere are many herbs that are said to be natural remedies for lowering cholesterol. They can be found in any natural market or on many sites online. They are often not expensive and can go a long way in helping you lower your cholesterol in a natural way. Often there are other ingredients contained in a supplement which you are considering, so be sure you speak to your health care provider to ensure that all ingredients will safely interact with any other type of medication you may be taking at present.The way herbs and natural products work to lower cholesterol is by getting rid of fat in the blood. There has been much research done into which of the herbs and natural remedies work, but science is still unsure about exactly why they work to lower cholesterol as effectively as they do.Natural Products Shown to Effectively Lower CholesterolChromium is a natural product that has been proven effective in raising the good cholesterol HDL and lowering the LDL or bad cholesterol. Carnitine has shown that it will increase the levels of HDL resulting in an overall cholesterol reduction. B-Vitamins help to control cholesterol levels by decreasing oxidization that is the most damaging to LDL cholesterol. Adding more fiber to your diet is another important natural substance that can help you to lower your levels of damaging cholesterol. You can incorporate fiber either through diet or fiber supplements. Vegetables and whole grains are excellent sources of fiber and some fruits are as well such as apples. Coenzyme Q10 has had wonderful effects in total cholesterol reduction. Garlic as well has been touted for its cholesterol lowering effects. Grapeseed extract, red yeast rice, and panthothine are also part of natural remedies for lowering cholesterol. Vitamin C, soy and royal jelly are also good at lowering cholesterol. Royal jelly helps to reduce the effects that nicotine has on cholesterol elevation if you smoke. What You Can Do ?Before taking the drastic step of going on a pharmaceutical regime, try some natural alternatives that have proven records of helping to fight and reduce high cholesterol. There are many products available that can do what conventional medication can without the risks. Cholesterol is directly related to good cardiovascular health and finding the right natural supplement to add to your routine will help you to rid your body of dangerous toxins as well as aid in the fight against high cholesterol. Look into the ingredients of many natural supplements and find the ones that specifically target cholesterol health. OC-Max is an excellent product as it has many of the ingredients in one convenient pill to combat high levels of cholesterol.

Cholesterol comes in two sizable forms and it is essential to not only conceive the divergence between the two forms, but also cognize the types of foods that swell “positive” cholesterol while lowering “bad” cholesterol. Only through such discernment can you choose a diet that can lower your risk of developing coronary heart sickness and help counter a heart attack or stroke.

HDL versus LDL Cholesterol

Cholesterol does not dissolve in the blood, it must be transported by lipoproteins to and from the cells within the body. HDL, or “agreeable” cholesterol is high-priced density lipoprotein and it carries up to 1/3 of the blood cholesterol throughout the body. HDL is considered “valuable” cholesterol because excessive levels of HDL have been shown to guard against heart affliction and heart attack. LDL, on the other hand, is considered to be “bad” cholesterol. When indulgent amounts of low density lipoprotein are in the blood, it can aggregate within the inner walls of the arteries over time and form plaque that can restrict blood flow through the arteries.

What Are The Sources of Cholesterol?

The cholesterol in your bloodstream comes from both the food you eat as well as naturally from your own body. Nearly 75 percent of the cholesterol located in your blood is produced by your liver and other cells within your body while the other 25 percent comes from the food you eat. LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, is produced naturally by the body, but hereditary elements may determinent your body to produce too much of the cholesterol. This is why it is relevant to make nourishing dietary choices to greater regulate the 25 percent of cholesterol production that comes from food.

What Foods Can We Avoid?

Food expensive in saturated and Trans fats: Avoid eating food stiff in saturated and trans fats. Read food labels to ascertain the quantity of saturated and trans fats they comprise. These labels will a remedy you avoid foods steep in fat and allow you to choose more nourishing alternatives. Also look for foods with the heart-check dwight symbol on their label. This label indicates that the food is approved by the American Heart Association as part of a energy-giving diet.

(NO! Not the ice cream!!) Whole fat dairy products: Avoid whole fat dairy products such as whole milk, butter, full-fat cheese and yogurt. If possible, substitute them with fat-free, reduced-fat or low-fat dairy products.

Foods stiff in dietary cholesterol: Avoid foods exorbitant in dietary cholesterol including whole eggs, shellfish, and organ meats. Compensate whole eggs with egg whites and organ meats with lean meats. As a goal, try to limit your intake of cholesterol to secondary than 300 mg a day.

Which Foods Lower “Bad” Cholesterol?

Almonds and walnuts: Almonds and walnuts have been shown to lower LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. Just about a handful of almonds or walnuts a days can significantly lower your cholesterol levels

while improving the health of your blood vessels.

Foods with soluble fiber: Oatmeal encompasses soluble fiber that can lower LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, while keeping HDL, or “agreeable”

cholesterol, equable. Additional foods containing soluble fiber include apples, pears, barley and rice.

Foods with omega 3 fatty acids: Fish takes in omega 3 fatty acids which have been shown to lower LDL while raising HDL cholesterol.

Recommended fish with omega 3 fatty acids include salmon, sardines, albacore tuna and mackerel. Food other than fish containing omega 3 fatty acids include canola oil, flaxseed and soybean oil.

How Can I Prepare My Befitting Diet?

Begin by determining your dietary goals. Do you need to lower your cholesterol considerably or only slightly? Do you yearn to lose weight at the same time as you lower your cholesterol? Will this be a short-term dietary change or a replete standing change?

Only once you know your goals can you properly plan your new diet plan and begin to lower your bad cholesterol and dwindle your risk of heart disease.

Over the years since the Atkins diet has been introduced, the reviews pertaining to the health of the program have been diverse at best. While many doctors believed that a low-carb diet like Dr. Atkins’ can increase the risks of cancer and heart disease, there have been many studies that have actually proven the opposite to be true. One of the factors that has been looked at in these studies it the link between the Atkins diet and cholesterol levels. At first glance, it appears that many of the food choices on this program would serve to actually increase the “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides. In fact, the opposite has found to be the case in many of the studies regarding the Atkins diet and cholesterol.

A number of folks who have participated in the Atkins diet program have actually seen a reduction in triglycerides, a rise in HDL (“good” cholesterol), and a better ratio between the HDL’s and the LDL’s (“bad” cholesterol). These encouraging results suggest that those on the Atkins diet with cholesterol problems may actually be able to regulate cholesterol levels on their own without the need for medications or other types of therapy. This is good news indeed for those who have seen successful weight loss on the Atkins diet program. Of course, weight loss is a key factor for good cholesterol levels, but there are other reasons for this positive link between the Atkins diet and cholesterol as well.

Why does the Atkins Diet Lower Cholesterol?

When you begin adhering to the Atkins diet program, your body makes the switch from a sugar metabolism to a fat metabolism. As long as you stay well below your allowable level of carbohydrate intake, you should see positive effects on your cholesterol from the Atkins diet. Although some people may see a rise in these levels at the very beginning stages of the diet program, the body adjusts itself quickly to the new menu and in most cases the cholesterol levels will begin to fall. This suggests that our intake of carbohydrates plays a large role in our cholesterol levels, which explains why there is a positive link between a low-carb diet like the Atkins diet and cholesterol.

If you are having a problem with your cholesterol levels, there is a good chance that you are not maintaining a healthy weight for you. With the Atkins diet, your cholesterol levels can correct themselves and your weight can come down to a healthy level as well. It’s a win/win for your body and you.

Roland Parris Jefferson III is an online researcher based out of Los Angeles, California. For free tips, recipes and expert advice on Atkins Diet, please visit our Atkins Diet and Cholesterol Resource.

Anyone for a cup of stimulating Green Tea? No thanks? Think again.

One cup of refreshing Green Tea consists of a natural mixture of 40 compounds, the best of which are powerful antioxidants called catechin polyphenols, especially epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which play a vital role in promoting and keeping our bodies in good health.

For centuries the Chinese have known that regular consumption of Green Tea has powerful, beneficial properties for our bodies and mind. It has been part of their culture and diet for thousands of years. And what’s more the scientific community has recently become more and more aware of the potential “goodness” of Green Tea as evidenced by increasing research on this subject.

Still not convinced? Keep reading!

The Potential Benefits of Green Tea
Green Tea is the least processed of all the teas, and thus provides the most antioxidants, notably epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful antioxidant with DNA repairing properties, which is thought to play a vital role in Green Tea’s anti-cancer effects.

The potential benefits of antioxidants in cancer prevention are well documented. Clinical studies suggest that consumption of Green Tea can reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, such as oral, stomach, colon, rectal, and prostrate cancers. In addition, Green Tea also appears to have anti-tumor properties. (Ref. Park EJ, Pezzuto JM. “Botanicals in cancer chemoprevention.” Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2002;21(3-4):231-55 and Kazi A, Smith DM, Daniel K, Zhong S, Gupta P, Bosley ME, Dou QP. “Potential molecular targets of tea polyphenols in human tumor cells: significance in cancer prevention.” In Vivo. 2002 Nov-Dec;16(6):397-403).
Scientific research indicates that catechin in Green Tea may also be useful in reducing cholesterol and improving the HDL/LDL (good/bad) cholesterol ratio, thus reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. (Ref. Effect of EGCG on lipid absorption and plasma lipid levels in rats (Raederstorff DG, Schlachter MF, Elste V, Weber P., J Nutr Biochem. 2003 Jun;14(6):326-32. Roche Vitamins Ltd. Department of Vitamin and Nutrition Research, CH-4070 Basel, Switzerland).
Researchers have found that Green Tea extract burns more fat than what would be expected of caffeine alone producing weight loss through the activation of thermogenesis (producing heat by burning fat), thereby reducing obesity. Obesity researchers wrote in the International Journal of Obesity, “such a synergistic interaction between catechin-polyphenols and caffeine to augment and prolong sympathetic stimulation of thermogenesis could be of value in assisting the management of obesity.”
Green Tea has been studied for its many other benefits as well. This includes managing and helping to prevent allergies, diabetes, bacterial and viral infections, tooth cavities, to reducing or helping to cure disease with an inflammatory component and helping to improve neurological and psychological health. In addition, Green Tea helps improve gastro-intestinal function and alcohol metabolism; believed to improve kidney, liver and pancreatic function, helps to protect skin and eyes alleviate arthritis.
Natural Brew and Green Tea Supplements
You can drink Green Tea in its natural form, after brewing the leaves in hot water. It is also available in the form of Green Tea extract or Green Tea drops. Green Tea supplements such as Green Tea Plus contain concentrated amount of polyphenols. You can get 6 times the polyphenols normally found in 1 cup of Green Tea from a single serving of Green Tea Plus, without the caffeine.

It is always good to consume nutrients in its natural form. A hot, refreshing cup of Green Tea at least three times a day will give your body the health-protective and health-promoting nutrients it needs.

If your busy schedule prevents you from sipping Green Tea in its natural form, or if your body is caffeine-sensitive, or, perhaps the taste of Green Tea is not your favorite beverage, then you may want to consider Green Tea supplements. However, please study the pros and cons of taking Green Tea supplements.

While research indicates positive health-promoting effects of Green Tea on your body, research also indicates an overdose can produce harmful effects. Be careful when adding supplements to your diet. Do not overdose. Green Tea supplements could also contain contaminants as they are produced from lower grade leaves.

Now how about it? Sit down. Relax. Have a hot cup of soothing Green Tea. Centuries of use by the Chinese prove to us that Green Tea has no harmful side effects. You can only gain from its age-old, time-tested medicinal value.

New Vitality is a health supplements company. It develops supplement products which are carefully formulated under the guidance of an elite panel comprised of renowned doctors, nutritionists, chemists and researchers. Whether you want a nutritional supplement, pet health supplement, a personal care product or a health care product, New Vitality is a one-stop shop for all needs.