Natural ways to lower cholesterol:
There are alternatives to prescriptions
Thousands of us are seeking natural ways to lower cholesterol, rather than relying on prescription drugs, which can carry a long list of undesirable side effects. On this page, we've compiled a variety of strategies you can use to lower cholesterol naturally. Some of the natural methods outlined here have been shown to work just as effectively as cholesterol medications.
Natural ways to lower cholesterol - First one is free
Exercise regulary
According to a study published in the August 2009 Journal of Lipid Research, one hour a week of moderate excercise, such as a fast-paced walk, or a half hour of vigorous exercise, can significantly lower LDL or bad cholesterol levels in women.
The study involved almost 9,000 fairly sedentary adults. For each hour of moderate exercise or half hour of vigorous excercise, white women saw LDL (bad) cholesterol readings drop 4 milligrams and black women had LDL levels drop 10 milligrams. For post-menopausal white women, LDL levels fell 5.9 milligrams and black post-menopausal women saw their LDL readings drop 14.68 milligrams.
Men who were part of the study did not experience decreases in bad cholesterol levels.
Natural ways to lower cholesterol - Diet Changes
Eat probiotic yogurt
The second item in this list of natural ways to lower cholesterol is not as physically taxing as item number one. A small study published in 2006 found that individuals who ate less than one cup of probiotic yogurt daily for 4 weeks experienced a significant decrease in their LDL (bad) cholesterol numbers and also experienced an increase in their HDL or good cholesterol levels. A control group that ate conventional yogurt for 4 weeks saw their LDL cholesterol fall but did not experience an increase in good cholesterol.
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 Eat soluable fiber
Soluble fiber decreases your LDL or bad cholesterol because it reduces the absorption of cholesterol in your intestines. Ten grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic. That's why oatmeal can reduce cholesterol, it's a good source of fiber. The top 10 food sources of fiber as reported by www.whfoods.org, are:
cooked split peas, cooked lentils, cooked black beans, cooked barley, cooked lima beans, cooked navy beans, cooked kidney beans, boiled green peas, raspberries, and avocado slices. Other good sources of fiber are steamed broccoli, cooked yellow corn, blueberries and apples.
Add phytosterol-rich plants to your diet
Phytosterols or plant sterols have been shown in a 2000 USDA study to lower cholesterol levels significantly. What kinds of foods are loaded with plant sterols: sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, peanuts, wheat bran, almonds, brussel sprouts, green leaf lettuce, picked cucumbers, raw cauliflower, raw white grapefruit, and raw navel oranges.
Natural ways to lower cholesterol: Eat dark grapes and blueberries
Since I love blueberries, this is my favorite entry in our list of natural ways to lower cholesterol. Both blueberries and grapes contain pterostilbene, a compound that reduces cholesterol. Medical experiments have demonstrated that both blueberries can reduce cholesterol. Grapes also contain resveratol, which has been linked to lowering cholesterol. Dark-skinned grapes (red or black) contain more of these compounds than their green-skinned relatives.
One of the best natural ways to lower cholesterol is to eat the right foods. See more foods that lower cholesterol.
 Make sure to eat foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids
Several large clinical studies have shown that Omega 3 fatty acids work to lower cholesterol, and as a result the American Heart Association recommends eating fish with Omega 3 fatty acids twice a week. The best source of Omega 3 fatty acids is wild-caught salmon. Farm-raised salmon don't contain as many omega 3s due to the diet they are fed. Other fish that contains omega 3 fatty acids are halibut, shrimp, snapper, scallops and cod. You may also choose to supplement your diet with a high-quality, mercury free fish oil capsule.
Excellent source of organic berries & wild caught fish
One highly regarded supplier of wild caught salmon, recommended by a host of medical doctors and authors, including Dr. Andrew Weil, is
Vital Choice. Their seafood is pure, sustainably harvested, with a taste people are raving about. Visit
VitalChoice.com to find a wide variety of salmon recipes in the newsletter archive section. The company also offers the highest-quality organic blueberries, raspberries and nuts.
Natural ways to lower cholesterol - Herbs and supplements
Scientists have discovered a number of herbs and plant extracts can naturally lower cholesterol. Some of the effective supplements that are available are outlined below. A more complete list is on our cholesterol supplement page.
Red Yeast Rice
A chemical in red yeast, called mevinolin, is chemically identical to the generic statin-based drug, lovastatin, which was introduced in 1987. A prominent Chinese study showed that red yeast rice was nearly as useful in lowering cholesterol that the statin drug Zocor.
Guggulipid
Guggulipid comes from the sap of the commiphora mukul or myrrh tree native to India. Human studies in India have shown guggulipid to be effective in lowering "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides. One double-blind, 24-week Indian study involving 61 participants found the group taking the guggulipid supplement experienced a 12 percent lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Cholesto-Rite is an all-natural cholesterol supplement that contains gugulipid and red yeast rice. This product is manufactured in an FDA and GMP registered pharmaceutical facility under the supervision of an expert team of herbalists, naturopaths, homeopaths and responsible pharmacists. Cholesto-Rite is distributed by Native Remedies, and comes with a one-year guarantee and is part of a buy two, get one free program. To check out the product and see testimonials from individuals who use it, visit Native Remedies.
See more options for cholesterol-lowering herbs and supplements.
Policosanol: Sugar cane extract
Studies have shown that Policosanol, a natural substance derived from sugar cane, can significantly lower cholesterol. A double-blind study done at the National Center for Scientific Research, in Havana, Cuba found that daily intake of 20 mg of policosanol for 24 weeks lowered LDL or "bad" cholesterol by 27 percent and total cholesterol by 15 percent while HDL or "good" cholesterol increased 17 percent.
Cholest-Natural is an all-natural supplement which contains policosanol, plant sterols and citrus rind extract. This product is manufactured by a New Zealand company that conducts rigorous testing on the purity and efficiency of its products so that they exceed guidelines set by governments around the world, including Britain and the U.S. Cholest-Natural comes with a 90-day guarantee and is so effective there are dozens of unsolicited testimonials on the company's website in which customers share their cholesterol numbers before and after taking the product. See if Cholest-Natural is right for you.
Aloe vera
I've used many of the items in this list of natural ways to lower cholesterol. I can say that I saw my cholesterol levels drop pretty significantly (from 208 to 185) after consuming aloe vera juice. According to internationally-recognized natural health writer Mike Adams: "When used internally, aloe vera gel improves the quality of the blood and helps rebalance the blood chemistry in a way that lowers cholesterol and total triglycerides (in people with elevated levels). This is far safer than using statin drugs, which have extremely harmful negative side effects while depleting the body of nutrients such as CoQ10." Read more about aloe vera and cholesterol.
Ground flaxseed
Just two tablespoons of flaxseeds provide 146 percent of the recommended daily value of omega 3 fatty acids, according to the "World's Healthiest Foods" website, www.whfoods.com. One study with 40 patients with high cholesterol (more than 240) found that adding 20 grams of ground flaxseed to the diet for 60 days lowered cholesterol as much as a statin drug.
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The information on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice or diagnose or treat any health condition. The statements on this site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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