Part of any healthy lifestyle is maintaining normal cholesterol levels. Far to many people suffer from high levels because dietary standards across much of the western world have slipped into more of a "fast food" lifestyle. This has had a profound effect on many peoples health including an increased risk for heart disease and stroke brought about by cholesterol produced plaques in the arterial walls.
So where do you start and what are some tips for lowering cholesterol naturally?
The first place to start is with your diet. By making serious changes to your diet you can lower your cholesterol significantly. Adding an exercise regimen to the mix will further decrease blood cholesterol levels with the added benefit of getting you in shape and feeling good.
With dietary changes it is best to start eating nutrient rich un-processed foods such as fruits and vegetables. These not only contain no cholesterol but are high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Natural plant sterols are also a good way to fight high cholesterol. Yogurt, fortified margarines, salad dressings, and cream cheese are known to contain phytostanols, which are a type of sterol.
If you are wondering what a sterol is it is also the main synthesized substance used in cholesterol lowering drugs but obtaining them from natural sources can have many of the same beneficial effects. Natural plant sterols can also be purchased in the form of dietary supplements at your local health food store. Lestrin is another plant sterol that can also be purchased as a supplement.
Avoiding saturated fats and Transfats is another cholesterol busting tip you should follow. Instead look for vegetable oils and foods that contain monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Many nuts such as walnuts contain these types of fats and are considered a good snack choice for those who are trying to lower their cholesterol.
One of the best known ways to naturally lower your cholesterol is fish oil. Also known as Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil from seafood, such as salmon, are known to help lower blood cholesterol levels and have a myriad of other positive health benefits as well. You can also take Omega-3's in supplement form if seafood just doesn't agree with you.
Many of the cholesterol fighting prescription drugs on the market today are called statins. Did you know that many of these statins are derived from red yeast rice which you can also purchase in supplement form. It is available in a form called cholestin which studies have shown to an effective cholesterol reducer in its natural form.
These are some of the more well known tips for lowering cholesterol naturally. It is important to talk with your doctor about any dietary or other cholesterol lowering strategies you wish to undertake before you do so.
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