How To Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally

No medications can do a better job than treating your high cholesterol naturally. And, if you are one of those lucky people who do not have cholesterol concerns, you may want to take steps to keep it that way!



What can you do to improve your cholesterol levels? Here's the list and we will cover each item thoroughly.



Reduce fat in your diet



One of the best plans is covered previously in our chart on saturated fat. But there is more you can do. Buy the leanest cuts of meat you can find. Regularly substitute poultry (without the skin) and fish for red meat. Both are lower in saturated fat. Switch to low fat cottage cheese and yogurt, reduced fat hard cheeses and skim or 1 percent milk.



Eat no more than four egg yolks a week



Many people don't have to worry about eating cholesterol. Normal bodies adjust to increased intake by cutting back on regular product. However, since one third of Americans are cholesterol responders their blood cholesterol does go up when they eat cholesterol. You probably don't know if you fall into this category so play it safe. Eat no more than four egg yolks a week. An average egg yolk contains 213 milligrams of cholesterol!



Eliminate fried foods



Buying low fat is just the beginning. You need to institute low fat cooking methods to keep the cholesterol from sneaking back in to your diet.

Remove fatty skin from chicken and turkey.

Don't fry foods. Roast, bake, broil, grill or poach them instead.



Use fat free marinades or basting with liquids like wine, tomato or lemon juice.

Use olive or canola oils for sauteing or baking. Both are very low in saturated fat.

Use diet, tub or squeeze margarines instead of regular. Watch for the term hydrogenated, which means some of the fat is saturated.



Eat vegetables and complex carbohydrates



Lowest fat foods of all are vegetables, fruits, grains (rice, barley and pasta), beans and legumes. Try substituting some of these for meat and high fat dairy products.

Don't douse your pasta with butter or your potato with sour cream.

Use tomato base sauces instead of cream base.

Use lemon juice, low sodium soy sauce or herbs to season vegetables.

Make chili with extra beans and seasonings while leaving out the meat.



Snack all you want



Yep, that's what we wrote. Snack several times a day on low fat foods. Yogurt, fruit, vegetables, bagels and whole grain breads and cereals are excellent for snacking. In fact, there is evidence that points to lower cholesterol levels in people who eat several small meals a day. Eating often can keep hormones like insulin from rising and signaling your body to make more cholesterol. Make certain that your total intake of calories doesn't go up when you eat more often.



Nuts to you!



Do you like nuts? If you do, sprinkle a few on your cereal, bake them into muffins or pancakes or add them to casseroles or stir-fries. Walnuts and almonds are especially good. Eating about three ounces of walnuts a day is shown to decrease blood cholesterol levels by 10% more than an already low fat, low cholesterol diet. Walnuts are high in fat, but it is mostly polyunsaturated fat, which is the kind that lowers cholesterol. Another study shows that about three ounces of almonds which are rich in monounsaturated fat, lowers LDL by 9%!



Drink fruit juices



You may have read about the low rate of heart disease in France. It led researchers to believe that the French habit of drinking red wine with meals contributes to this. Apparently some of the non-alcoholic ingredients in red wine raises HDL and suppresses the body from producing LDL.



Purple grape juice works the same way. It will work like red wine to lower the fat level in your blood. The LDL lowering effect of red wine and grape juice comes from a compound that grapes produce normally to resist mold. The darker the grape juice, the better.



Eat garlic



Cholesterol lowering effects of garlic have been demonstrated repeatedly in people with normal and high cholesterol. Eat all the garlic you can. It also seems to raise the HDL levels as well. If you are worried about the odor, take the tablets instead. They have proven to be nearly as effective as the cooked or raw cloves.



Take niacin carefully



We discussed niacin earlier. Remember as one of the B vitamins, it is proven effective for lowering LDL and raising HDL. It is also one of the cheapest drugs available for lowering cholesterol. But, without medical supervision it may not be totally safe. A dose high enough to lower cholesterol can cause extremely high blood sugar or liver damage.



Take vitamin E



Studies indicate that vitamin E may have a positive impact on lowering cholesterol when taken in fairly large quantities up to 800 IU per day. This is more than you can get from your diet alone. Larger amounts do not seem to cause any harm.



Further studies showed that even amounts of just 25 IU per day helps in preventing LDL from sticking to blood vessel walls. That amount is only slightly higher than the recommended daily amount (RDA) of 12 to 15 IU. It's interesting to note that even that small amount has an impact on preventing that hardening of the arteries.



Take Calcium



One study indicates that when 56 people took a calcium carbonate supplement, their total cholesterol went down 4 percent and their HDL increased 4 percent. That was taking a dosage of 400 milligrams of calcium three times a day with no harmful effects reported. That does refer to calcium carbonate.



Take a multivitamin it can't hurt



While you are building your calcium and vitamin E intake, remember the old standby, vitamin C. It is the number one immune system booster and also drives up HDL. A study of people who took more than 60 milligrams of vitamin C per day (60 milligrams is the RDA) had highest LDL levels.



Fill up on fiber



Remember several years back when oat bran was the latest craze for lowering cholesterol? Later studies arrived at inconsistent results, but the medical community do agree that soluble fiber, the kind found in oat bran, does help lower LDL and raise HDL. As little as three grams per day of fiber from oat bran or oatmeal can be effective.



There are 7.2 grams of soluble fiber per 100 grams of dry oat bran and five grams of soluble fiber per 100 grams of dry oatmeal. There are other sources of fiber as well such as barley, beans, peas and many other vegetables. Corn fiber is also good for reducing LDL, lowering it by as much as 5 percent in a recent study. Researchers used 20 grams of corn fiber a day.



That would be a bit difficult for the average user when you take into account that one serving of corn has three grams of corn fiber. But, every little bit does make a difference. Pectin, which is found in fruits like apples and prunes, reduces cholesterol even better than oat bran, as does psyllium which is the fiber you find in many breakfast cereals and bulk laxatives.



Quit smoking



Smoking promotes the development of atherosclerosis. Tobacco smoke is actually more damaging to the heart than the lungs. Smokers have a higher chance of having a heart attack (three times greater than nonsmokers) and a greater risk of dying of the attack (twenty one times greater than nonsmokers.) Tobacco smoke contains carbon monoxide, which is uniquely damaging to the heart. Not only does it reduce the amount of oxygen the heart receives, it also actually damages the cells of the heart, rendering them less able to produce energy and thereby weakening the hear.



In addition to the dangers of carbon monoxide, there's the danger of the nicotine. Nicotine interferes with the electrical impulses that cause the heart to beat. When the blood flow is compromised, the heart can beat in a fast, uncontrolled, irregular beats that actually cause a heart attack. If you smoke, reducing the risks of atherosclerosis is yet another reason to stop. Even if you have smoked for years, stopping now can still immediately help combat the development of atherosclerosis



Reduce sugar intake



Many people don't realize that sugar affects cholesterol and definitely affects triglycerides. Sugar stimulates insulin production, which in turn increases triglycerides. Men in particular, seem to be sensitive to this effect from sugar. The mineral chromium which helps to stabilize blood sugar, can also raise the level of HDL. 100 mcg of chromium three times daily can help to improve your cholesterol levels.



Eliminate alcohol



The jury is still out and the different schools of thought are still at odds regarding the benefit or lack of benefit to consuming alcohol. This suggestion has nothing to do with our previous discuss on red wine. A moderate amount may be helpful. The problem is that to one person a moderate amount might be a glass of wine with their meal, while to another it might be a half bottle of Scotch!



Anything above the arbitrary 'moderate' amount elevates serum cholesterol triglycerides and your uric acid levels as well as potentially increasing blood pressure all of which promote heart disease. So, the best bet would be to eliminate it totally.



Eliminate caffeine



We Americans definitely have a love affair with our coffee! People who drink large amounts of caffeine (more than 6 cups a day) are far more prone to elevated cholesterol. That connection does not hold for tea drinkers. Limit your coffee intake to no more than one cup a day and eliminate caffeinated sodas entirely.

Gaetane Ross is a Certified Natural Health Consultant who has spent 4 years focusing on Nutrition and Health. She also specializes in Alternative Medicine. Gaetane's mission is to positively transform the lives of everyone she meets by providing advice on Healthy Living.

http://Live-O-Natural.com

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Almonds Aid Weight Loss and Lower LDL Cholesterol

Almonds are stars of cholesterol research
In a four week study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 46 healthy human subjects were divided into three groups. The control group ate a low saturated fat diet based on milled whole-wheat cereals and low-fat dairy foods. The second group ate the same diet and also took the statin drug lovastatin. The third group ate a diet high in almonds plus plant sterols, non-meat protein and fiber. LDL cholesterol decreased by 8 percent in the control group, 30 percent in the statin group, and 28 percent in the almond group.
Another study, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that heart disease risk correlates not only with cholesterol levels, but also with inflammation of blood vessels. Following a diet that includes almonds effectively lowers not only LDL cholesterol levels but also C-reactive protein levels, a key marker of inflammation. Inflammation is hard on the heart because it increases the development of atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) and causes the heart to have to pump faster and harder to get its job done.
In this study, 34 people followed a dietary plan, called the Portfolio Eating Plan, which included almonds. In this group, C-reactive protein levels fell 24 percent from baseline, an amount similar to the reduction achieved by taking a statin drug, only without the life draining side effects of taking the drug.
Another study examining this same group and reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when directly compared to first-generation statin drugs, the Portfolio Eating Plan diet with its emphasis on almonds is just as effective in lowering LDL cholesterol below the recommended range for heart disease prevention.
Five large human epidemiological studies, including the Nurses Health Study, all found that nut consumption is linked to lower risk for heart disease. Researchers studying data from the Nurses study found that substituting nuts for an equivalent amount of carbohydrate in an average diet resulted in a 30 percent reduction in heart disease risk. They found a 45 percent reduction when fat from nuts was substituted for saturated fats.
Almonds protect against cardiovascular disease and diabetes
Almond's ability to reduce heart disease risk may also be due to the huge amounts of the antioxidant vitamin E found in these nuts, and the LDL lowering effect of the monounsaturated fats they contain. When almonds are substituted for more traditional fats in human feeding trials, LDL cholesterol is reduced from 8 to 12 percent.
A quarter cup of almonds contains 99 mg of magnesium and 257 mg of potassium. Magnesium is a natural channel blocker. When magnesium levels are high, veins and arteries relax, lessening resistance and allowing increased flow of oxygen and nutrient rich blood. Potassium is involved in nerve transmission and contraction of all muscles including the heart. It is another mineral essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Almonds help stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent free radical producing insulin spikes.
The Journal of Nutrition reports a study of 15 healthy people who ate 5 meals with comparable amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fat. Two meals consisted of bread only. Three meals consisted of almonds, bread, parboiled rice, and instant mashed potatoes. Blood samples taken after each meal showed levels of blood sugar and insulin were lower following the almond meal, and levels of protective antioxidants increased. This study demonstrates the powerful anti-aging effect of almonds as well as their ability to ward off diabetes.
The more almonds eaten as part of a meal, the lower will be the glycemic index of that meal, and the smaller the rise in blood sugar levels produced by that meal. The benefit of eating almonds is dose dependent.
Healthy fats in almonds aid in weight loss
Nuts contain lots of fat, and many people still operate under the idea that fat makes you fat, so nuts are often sunned. However, review of the data from the Nurses' Health Study shows that frequent nut eaters are thinner on average than those who almost never consume nuts.
One reason nuts help with weight loss is their nutrient density. A body that is well nourished no longer craves food. The traditional American diet is so depleted of the nutrients needed by the body that the body continues to send hunger signals. In response to these signals, more nutrient deficient food is eaten and more hunger signals are sent. It is a vicious circle that leads to steady weight gain as the years go by. Eating nutrient rich almonds and other nuts breaks this vicious circle allowing for the feelings of fullness and satiety to set in.
In a study published in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, researchers found that adding almonds to a low calorie diet can help overweight individuals drop pounds more effectively than a low calorie diet high in complex carbohydrates. Of 65 overweight participants, those that ate the almond enriched low calorie diet consumed 39% of their calories in the form of fat. Participants that ate the low calorie diet high in complex carbohydrates consumed only 18% of their calories from fat. Both diets supplied the same number of calories and equivalent amounts of protein.
After six months, those on the almond added diet had greater reductions in weight, body fat, total body water, and systolic blood pressure. Those eating almonds had a 62 percent greater reduction in body mass index score, 50 percent greater reduction in waist circumference, and 56 percent greater reduction in body fat compared to those on the low calorie complex carbohydrate diet. Among those with diabetes, medication reductions were sustained or further reduced in 96% of those on the almond added diet.
A study reported in an WHFood's article on almonds, involving 8865 adults found that those who ate nuts at least two times per week were 31% less likely to gain weight than were those who never or seldom at them.
The British Journal of Nutrition reports a study of 43 men and 38 women whose normal eating patterns were observed for 6 months. They were then told to eat about 2 ounces or one-quarter cup of almonds daily with no other instructions. They were then followed for another 6 months at the end of which researchers found their intake of monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, fiber, vegetable protein, vitamin E, copper and magnesium significantly increased. Their intake of trans fatty acids, animal protein, sodium, cholesterol and sugars significantly decreased.
Almonds are a good source of cancer preventing laetrile
The 1990's Adventist Health Study of a large population of California Seven Day Adventists found that eating nuts was one of the four top factors for extending longevity. These beneficial effects were found for men, women, vegetarians, meat-eaters, fatter, people, thinner people, the old, the young, and those who exercised and those who did not.
One of the likely reasons behind this finding is the high levels of laetrile contained in almonds. Laetrile, otherwise known as vitamin B-17, is a cancer cure that corruption has prevented from reaching the U.S. market. Commercial preparations of laetrile are obtained from the kernels of apricots, peaches and almonds. Its active ingredient, amygdaline, comes from the Greek word for almond. Laetrile has persisted as a known cancer fighter since the 2nd century A.D.
Almonds have prebiotic properties
Recently published work by the Institute of Food Research has identified potential prebiotic properties of almonds that could help improve digestive health by encouraging gut bacteria to flourish. A healthy and abundant population of friendly bacteria in the gut form part of the body's defense against harmful bacteria and are part of the body's immune system. Prebiotics are non-digestible parts of foods that are able to get through the upper part of the intestine without being digested or absorbed.
The California Almond Board sponsored a study to subject almonds to the same conditions experienced in the stomach and small intestine. They then added the digested almonds in vitro to mimic the bacterial fermentation in the large intestine and monitored its effect on the population of intestinal bacteria. The study, published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, found that finely ground almonds significantly increased the levels of beneficial bacteria. This effect was not seen when the fat content was removed from the almond preparation, suggesting that the beneficial bacteria used the almond lipids for growth, thus making it the basis of the prebiotic effect of almonds.
Almonds have even more nutrients and benefits
Almonds are high in trace minerals that are essential cofactors for production of superoxide dismutase (SOD), one of the body's endogenous antioxidants. SOD works in the mitochondria, the cellular furnace, to keep down free radicals that interfere with cellular energy production. Almonds are also good sources of the B vitamins necessary for recycling of another endogenous antioxidant, glutathione.
Studies have shown that eating nuts can lower the risk of developing gallstones by 25 percent. It helps prevent dementia, advanced macular degeneration, and stroke.
Getting maximum nutrition from almonds
Almonds right off the store shelf are better than no almonds, but they can be difficult to digest and eating too many may stress your pancreas. Almonds like all nuts contain phytate, nature's way of making sure the nut survives the winter to sprout in the spring. To gain maximum nutrition and digestibility from almonds, it's best to soak them before they are eaten. Almonds are one of only a few nuts that will actually sprout when soaked. Soaking neutralizes the phytate and allows the nutrients from the nut to be released.
Start with fresh, completely unprocessed almonds and soak them in water with a pinch of sea salt for about 12 hours. Then dry them at a temperature that does not exceed 105 degrees F. Be sure they are completely dried before putting them away. There are several good sources online for buying nuts suitable for sprouting.
Go nuts with almonds
Almonds make a great snack for adults and kids. Almond butter makes a delicious breakfast spread on warm toast, or a nourishing lunchbox centerpiece stuffed into celery ribs. Kids love almond butter and fruit sandwiches. Sprouted almonds are crispy and crunchy, making them a super addition to salads, casseroles, pasta, vegetables, and meats. Add cinnamon or other herbs and spices to sprouted almonds to turn up their nutritional level even higher. Add almonds to Chinese dishes and rice. Coat them with honey, or shoyu and roll in herbs, spices or raw cacao. Use your imagination.

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Lower Your Cholesterol Levels Naturally: Tips for Your Diet

Are you gaining weight? Does this make you worry about your cholesterol level? Do you feel like you need to do something about your eating habits particularly your cholesterol diet?
What is the first thing to consider in a low cholesterol diet? Knowing the purpose of a low cholesterol diet will make you adhere to it more sincerely. Then before indulging in any strict diet, low cholesterol diet included, you have to know why some foods are safe to eat and why some are not. However, a lifestyle change that would include a good cholesterol diet as a first step would work best.
The basic of cholesterol lowering diet is the decrease in the total intake of saturated fat, calories, and cholesterol in the body to decrease weight. These types of foods are mainly fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables have very high fiber content; this soaks cholesterol like sponge and disposes it out of the body. Apples, oranges and pears are high fiber foods. This includes oats and carrots. Pasta, whole grains and potatoes are samples of complex carbohydrates.
If you want to go on a cholesterol diet you should minimize your intake of the day's total saturated fat calorie by 7% and fat by 25-35 percent. Limit your sodium intake by 2400 milligrams daily.
Remember, cholesterol lowering diet and maintaining a daily exercise are major factors in lowering the cholesterol level.
Here are some tips on cholesterol diet approaches:
•Taking fiber-rich foods such as whole grains as your primary source of carbohydrates. This should go hand in hand with an increase intake of fresh fruits and vegetables such as berries, oranges, apples, pears, grapes, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, tomatoes, dark leafy greens celery, squash and eggplant among others.
•Staying away from saturated fats which are mostly found in animal foods such as meat, poultry and dairy products is a good cholesterol diet. Opt for unsaturated fats instead, specifically omega-3 fatty. Good sources of these would be the vegetable and fish oils.
•Source out protein from soy protein, poultry, and fish instead of meat.
•Major lifestyle change as a part of cholesterol diet would mean weight control, exercise, and quitting smoking.
If you want to dine out and still stick on your cholesterol diet, here are some tips for you to follow so that you will be able to maintain your cholesterol diet.
•Find out which restaurants have low saturated fat and have a low cholesterol menu.
•Sharing your dish with your companion or taking some home is advisable, better yet, you can also ask for appetizer-size servings or a side dish.
•Ask to separate the gravy, butter, rich sauces and dressings. You can control your cholesterol and saturated fat much easier that way.
•Ask the extras (salad, fries, baked potato) to be left off or substitute them.
•If you are craving for pizza, order the one that has vegetable toppings (green pepper, onions, and mushrooms) instead of meat or extra cheese. Or to make it easier for you, order it with half of the cheese or no cheese at all.
•If your dining on a fast-food restaurant, order salads, grilled skinless chicken sandwiches (fried and breaded are a no no), regular-sized hamburgers or roast beef sandwiches. Avoid large burgers, sandwiches and french-fries.
•Choose the dishes that are cooked on a low cholesterol method (broiled, steamed, au jus, garden fresh, baked, roasted, poached, tomato juice, dry boiled and lightly saturated)
•Be mindful of dishes that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol. (butter sauce, fried, crispy, creamed, au gratin, au fromage, escalloped, parmesan, hollandaise, béarnaise, marinated,  stewed, basted, sautéed, casserole and pastry crust)
Take note that if you lose weight, your calorie needs will also be lowered. It will decrease the amount of saturated fat and the fat that you will be able to consume on the cholesterol diet.
If you are having a hard time of making changes with cholesterol lowering diet, consult a nutritionist or dietitian so that you can work up some sample diets.

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