How to Reduce Cholesterol Levels Without Drugs

Cardiovascular disease is accepted as being our Number 1 killer, as it is estimated that just under one million Americans die from heart disease each year.

Lowering cholesterol – in particular LDL cholesterol, the "bad cholesterol" (which forms plaque in our arteries which then impedes blood flow to the heart and the brain) - can greatly aid your overall cardiovascular functioning.

The causes of higher than normal cholesterol are eating too many animal products, in particular dairy products and red meat, and the liver itself producing too much cholesterol.

So how can one go about lowering cholesterol safely?

Let’s deal initially very briefly with factors that are not related to diet. These include getting some natural sunshine daily and maintaining a regular schedule of exercise of around 30 to 45 minutes duration, doing activities such as swimming, bicycle riding or walking, to help strengthen your cardiovascular system. Also, you should try to lose any excess pounds that you are carrying around on your body. Even losing 10 pounds can have a noticeable impact on your cholesterol. As well, of course, both alcohol consumption and smoking should be eliminated or at least minimized as much as possible. For alcohol, men should limit themselves to two drinks a day, and women just one.

More important perhaps is adjusting your diet. First some basic advice. Try to drink at least six glasses of water each day. Reduce the amount of dairy and animal foods you eat on a regular basis to less than 10% of your calorie intake. Try to eat lean cuts of meat and skim milk. Certain types of fish, including tuna, halibut and cod, contain a lot less cholesterol than does red meat. Other fish products including salmon and mackerel contain high levels of beneficial acids which help your cardiovascular health. Try to eat more foods containing dietary fiber, as well as fruits and vegetables (fresh) and stay away from hydrogenated oils and fried foods.

We’ll now review a few of the foods we can eat to help lower cholesterol. One great way to limit the cholesterol we eat from entering into our bloodstream is to eat a lot of whole grain fibrous foods. You should choose whole grain breads and pasta, and switch to brown rice. Try to eat more sprouts, nuts and seaweed too.

Vitamins B6, C and E have been cited as helpful. Other natural supplements that can be useful in lowering cholesterol levels include garlic , soy, grape seed extract, pantothine, chromium and carnitine. Some of these actually increase the levels of HDL (good cholesterol), which has a positive effect. Omega-3 fatty acids and plant sterols also can benefit your cardiovascular health. Another food that is thought to be very helpful in reducing cholesterol levels are blueberries. And try to drink every morning a nice blended natural fruit drink mixed with soy protein and spirulina.

Try to follow the above guidelines for two months - you can probably reduce your cholesterol levels . But if you find that your cholesterol levels continue to be high, you should speak with your doctor about it – you may need a herbal supplement or medication to help lower your cholesterol .

Article Source: http://www.a1-articledirectory.com

Michael Rupkalvis oversees the LifeFormulas website, which includes a blog about his day-to-day activities with the ITV Ventures home-based business. Amongst the products offered is Lipistat which is an all natural supplement that lowers cholesterol levels naturally, without drugs.

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