Natural Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol is like the new buzz word but it really is more than that because thanks to our increase in processed foods and our decrease in physical activity more and more people are dealing with high cholesterol levels and heart disease. But you can have natural lower cholesterol levels when you are empowered with the right knowledge.

First you need to understand what cholesterol is.  Cholesterol is defined as “the most abundant steroid in animal tissues, especially in bile, and gall stones, and present in food, especially rich in animal fats, circulates in plasma, complex to proteins of various densities, and it plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atheroma formation in the arteries.”

Okay did you get that ?  Little too medical right ?  Let’s look at the simple definition.  Cholesterol comes in two forms good and bad.  Bad cholesterol is from saturated fats and trans fats and the object is to increase good cholesterol while decreasing bad cholesterol which builds up on arteries causing plaque which can be very dangerous if it breaks off and causes a blockage which will cause a heart attack or stroke.

To have natural lower cholesterol start with exercising.  These days it seems we sit or stand around at work all day and then come home and become a couch potato giving our thumbs a work out with the remotes.  When we exercise we use energy which comes from sugars, fats, and proteins.  When we burn fat we increase good cholesterol and decrease bad cholesterol.  Just 30 minutes of exercise a day can make a big difference.

You need to eat soluble fiber like that found in whole grains and beans.  Fruits and vegetables contain insoluble fiber so although they are good for you they don’t give the benefits of soluble fiber which binds to cholesterol removing it from the body.

Limit the amount of animal fat you eat.  You don’t’ have to avoid it you just have to limit it and watch what you are eating.  Lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken, and fish are all good choices.

Inositol is also needed.  This is actually time released Niacin that is called the no flush form. It is a major player in cellular metabolism .  Too often a person is low in Niacin and then energy is not burned correctly.  It’s kind of like having an engine that’s misfiring.

Red yeast rice may be one that you aren’t familiar with and the manufacturers of statin drugs would probably like to keep it that way since this is what is used to make those drugs.  It blocks the cholesterol from forming.  Wouldn’t it make more sense if we ate more red yeast rice rather than taking a drug made from it ?

Eat a diet high in fiber, with at least 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day.  Make sure you eat lots of oatmeal, avoid foods that are processed, and drink plenty of water.

The natural lower cholesterol levels mean you are on the road to being healthy and avoiding heart disease.