How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally

To lower cholesterol, learn where it comes from.

A high blood cholesterol level substantially increases your risk for developing coronary heart disease, the most common cause of death among American men and women. Because lifestyle factors influence the amount of cholesterol in your circulation, natural methods frequently prove effective in lowering your blood level. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends natural interventions called therapeutic lifestyle changes, or TLC, as the first line of treatment for lowering a moderately elevated cholesterol level.

Things You'll Need

• Spiral notebook
• Food scale
• Bathroom scale

Instructions

Reduce Dietary Cholesterol

1. 

   Consulting with a dietician is important, particularly if you have a medical condition.

   Talk with your doctor about beginning the TLC diet to reduce your cholesterol level. Ask for a referral to a consult with a dietitian, who will help you devise your low-fat nutrition plan. Working with a dietitian is particularly important if you have a medical condition that influences your dietary choices, such as diabetes, kidney disease or inflammatory bowel disease.

2. Reduce your daily consumption of cholesterol to less than 200 mg by limiting your intake of animal-derived foods, such as liver, beef, pork, duck, luncheon meats, hot dogs, sausage, whole-milk dairy products and eggs. The American Heart Association recommends limiting your combined daily meat, poultry, fish and seafood consumption to no more than 6 ounces for a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet.

3. 

   Track what you eat to keep tabs on your cholesterol intake.

   Track your daily consumption by recording the cholesterol content of your meals and snacks in a food diary. You don't need a fancy journal; an inexpensive spiral notebook works well. Use your food diary as a physical cue to help keep you on track with the TLC program.

4. Drink plenty of fluids. Water does help keep our blood hydrated and therefore more fluidic -- flushing out waste. Concord grape juice is being studied as a wonderful source of substances that help keep our veins flexible and clear. Fresh apple cider is a great source of soluble pectin. Most fresh juices are high in antioxidants that contribute to lower cholesterol levels.

Reduce Saturated Fat Intake & Increase Dietary Fiber

1. 

   Ground beef. among many other foods, is high in saturated fat.

   Limit your consumption of saturated fats to less than 7 percent of your total daily calories. This dietary change is important because consumption of saturated fat increases your total and "bad" cholesterol levels. Talk with your doctor or nutritionist to determine how many grams of saturated fat constitutes your daily limit; this number varies depending on your total daily calories.

2. Reduce your intake of animal fats and vegetable fats that contain a high concentration of saturated fat, such as coconut oil, cocoa butter, and palm and palm kernel oil. Many food manufacturers add these so-called tropical oils to processed baked goods and snack foods; check the nutrition information on food packages to determine the amount of saturated fat per serving.

3. 

   Substitute unsaturated fats, like olive oil, for saturated fats, like butter.

   Substitute heart-healthy unsaturated fats for saturated fats in your nutrition plan. For example, use olive or canola oil as a substitute for butter in your cooking. This dietary swap helps lower your total and bad cholesterol levels while increasing your level of HDL, or "good" cholesterol.

4. Track your daily consumption of saturated fats in your food diary. Review your progress daily or every other day to determine potential pitfalls in your cholesterol-lowering nutrition plan.

5. 

   Eat whole-grain breads instead of refined wheat or other grain products

   Choose whole-grain cereals and breads instead of products made from refined wheat and other grains. The fiber present in whole-grain products lowers your cholesterol level by reducing dietary absorption of the fat.

6. Increase the amount of fruit, vegetables and dry beans in your diet to augment your daily fiber intake. Peas, brussels sprouts, carrots, oranges, grapefruit, pears, strawberries and raw apples contain exceptionally high levels of cholesterol-lowering, soluble fiber. The American Heart Association recommends 25 g of fiber daily to lower your cholesterol level and risk for heart disease.

Manage Your Weight & Stay Active

1. 

   Reduce calorie intake to promote weight loss -- if you have extra weight -- which can reduce the amount of "bad" cholesterol you ingest.

   Reduce your daily calories to a level that promotes weight loss if you are overweight or obese. Losing weight can significantly reduce your cholesterol level, especially the concentration of heart-damaging LDL, or "bad" cholesterol. Talk with your doctor or dietitian to determine your target daily caloric intake. Slow, steady weight loss is the most healthful approach to weight management.

2. Get at least 20 to 30 minutes of exercise daily to promote a reduction in your blood cholesterol level. Regular exercise provokes changes in your metabolic processing of cholesterol and triglycerides, eventually leading to reduced concentrations of both fats in the bloodstream.

3. 

   When exercising, focus on activities that you might like, not those that feel like a chore.

   Choose moderately intense activities that interest you, such as walking, cycling or swimming. The amount of time you devote to exercising each week influences the magnitude of the effect on your blood cholesterol level. The more time you invest in moderate physical activity, the greater the cholesterol-lowering effect produced.

Tips & Warnings

• The American Heart Association recommends reducing the amount of cholesterol in your meat dishes by broiling, baking or grilling instead of frying; removing the skin from chicken and turkey before cooking; trimming fat from meat; and choosing lean cuts of beef and pork.

• Substitute beans for meat in some of your meals to increase your fiber intake and reduce your consumption of cholesterol and saturated fats.

• Have your blood fat levels checked three months after beginning your natural cholesterol-lowering program to determine your progress. Your doctor may need to adjust your regimen if your cholesterol level remains dangerously elevated.

• Talk with your doctor before beginning a new exercise regimen to be sure it is safe for you.

• Call 911 if you experience signs or symptoms of a heart attack, including chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, profuse sweating and pain in the arm, jaw or neck.

References

• National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: What is Coronary Heart Disease?
• National Cholesterol Education Program: Adult Treatment Panel III At-a-Glance
• American Heart Association: Cooking for Lower Cholesterol
• USDA: National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18, Cholesterol (mg) Content of Selected Foods per Common Measure
• Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol: Out with the Bad, In with the Good
• American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
• American Heart Association: Whole Grains and Fiber
• National Cholesterol Education Program: High Blood Cholesterol: What You Need To Know
• Fit Facts from the American Council on Exercise; Managing Cholesterol with Exercise; Ralph La Forge, M.S.
• National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: What are the Signs and Symptoms of a Heart Attack?

Resources

• National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: How Is High Blood Cholesterol Treated?