For some people it is necessary to combine cholesterol lowering medications with changes in life habits to get enough of a reduction in cholesterol.
Your doctor can help to decide which combination of cholesterol-lowering activities is right for you.
Fortunately though, most people can control their total serum cholesterol by following a healthy diet; maintaining a healthy weight for their age, height, and body type; and participating in a regular exercise program.
A healthy diet includes the daily recommended servings of fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. While you don’t need to give up all red meats and foods containing saturated fats, they should be eaten in moderation. The key to a healthy diet is not to deprive yourself of foods you like, but to balance them with more healthy foods.
Choose foods low in cholesterol
Whilst dietary cholesterol can raise your blood cholesterol level, it is usually not as much as saturated fat. So it is important to choose foods low in dietary cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol is found only in foods that come from animals. Many of these foods are also high in saturated fat.
Foods from plant sources do not have cholesterol but can contain saturated fat. To lower the amount of cholesterol in your diet, choose plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat or nonfat dairy products, and moderate amounts of lean meats, skinless poultry, and fish.
Recent studies have shown that cholesterol lowering in people without heart disease greatly reduces their risk for developing CHD, including heart attacks and CHD-related death. This is true for those with high cholesterol levels and for those with average cholesterol levels.
Treatment of high cholesterol depends upon its cause. Where high cholesterol is caused by a diet high in fatty foods, it can be lowered by altering your diet.
Foods to avoid include:
– whole eggs
– shellfish
– organ meats such as liver, brain, heart, kidneys
– snacks that are high in saturated fats
– lunch meats that are high in saturated fats
– fried foods
– and desserts that are high in fats.
Some tips for lowering your fat intake include:
– removing the fat from meats before cooking them
– using egg whites instead of whole eggs
– and using skim milk and other low fat dairy products
A diet high in fresh fruits, grains, vegetables, and beans is important to good health. Read the labels on the products you buy; sometimes just reading the ingredients of unhealthy foods is enough to prevent you from buying them!
Some people, such as those whose high cholesterol is caused by an inherited disorder, must take medication to control their cholesterol levels, in addition to following a healthy diet.
Commonly prescribed medications include:
– cholestyramine
– colestipol
– lovastatin
– pravastatin
– simvastatin
– probucol
– gemfibrozil
– or niacin
Like most drugs, these have possible side effects that your health professional should discuss with you. Where high cholesterol is caused by disease, treatment is specific to the underlying disease. Everyone with high cholesterol also benefits from a doctor-approved exercise program.
Exercise increases circulation and helps remove the toxins and impurities that have accumulated in the physiology
These deposits are a major factor in the breakdown of the resistance of the body. Exercise is a key procedure for helping the body’s natural internal cleansing processes.
Exercise Instructions for all body types
Meditation Reduces Serum Cholesterol Levels
Stress and anxiety are among the factors that can increase cholesterol levels. The regular practice of Vedic Meditation can reduce stress and anxiety, which naturally helps reduce cholesterol in the blood to healthier levels.
Related Topics:
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is something your body makes to build cell membranes, hormones, and for insulating nerves. It’s also a vital part of the digestive process….
What Makes Your Cholesterol High or Low?
The level of cholesterol in the bloodstream greatly affects the risk of developing heart disease. The higher the level of blood cholesterol, the greater the risk …
… the combination of Vedic Meditation, for twenty minutes twice a day, with a good diet – especially a low fat, low salt diet – and physical exercise, should see a dramatic change in your health.
Vedic Meditation is one of the most powerful techniques available for reducing stress and anxiety. It is also one of the easiest to learn and simplest to practice.
If you are in Auckland (NZ) call me, Warwick Jones, on 09 419 5380, or email to to find our how Vedic Meditation could help you achieve better health.