How to lower cholesterol

Many processes that occur in the human body occur with the participation of cholesterol. This compound can be not only beneficial, but also harmful. The latter occurs when its level rises, and in a person against this background various cardiovascular pathologies and ailments begin to occur. If you do not keep the level of this substance under control, the formed plaques completely block the vessels, which can lead to death.

Elevated cholesterol can be lowered at home, but for this purpose you will have to reconsider your lifestyle. From the diet, it is required to exclude junk food, that is, normalize your diet. An important factor is passive physical activity, as well as taking certain medications. There are some methods of traditional medicine that can help lower cholesterol.

Each of these points requires a thorough study. All aspects, without exception, have their own specific nuances that must be taken into account.

Content

  • 1 What is Cholesterol "> 2 Cholesterol lowering foods
    • 2.1 Almonds
    • 2.2 Apples and citrus fruits
    • 2.3 Avocado
    • 2.4 Oat bran
    • 2.5 Blueberries
    • 2.6 Fatty varieties of marine fish
    • 2.7 General recommendations
  • 3 Cholesterol Raising Products
  • 4 Alternative cholesterol
  • 5 Exercise Against High Cholesterol
  • 6 Medicines for cholesterol
    • 6.1 Statins
    • 6.2 Niacin
    • 6.3 Sequestrants
    • 6.4 Fibrates
    • 6.5 dietary supplements
  • 7 Important Tips
  • 8 Summary

What is cholesterol?

The compound in question is a lipid, which is a fatty alcohol having a high molecular weight composition. Cholesterol plays an important role for the human body. Thanks to this component, normal metabolism is maintained, vitamins and hormones necessary for normal life are synthesized.

Only 20% of the total mass of cholesterol in the body comes with food. The rest is produced by the liver, whose work also depends on it. The compound is important for maintaining normal muscle and brain activity.

Cholesterol deficiency leads to impaired production of sex hormones. The substance is contained in every cell of the human body, and not just in the vessels. Its concentration in the latter may have the effect of "accumulation". When lipid metabolism is disturbed, the level of this compound rises. The substance begins to change - to crystallize. When this happens, the component, which has changed its shape, begins to settle in the blood vessels. Most of all, this property is manifested in "bad" cholesterol, which has a low density.

Such accumulations in vessels lead to the development of health problems. This cannot be ignored. If no action is taken, the condition will only worsen. In some cases, even death is possible. However, by adjusting your diet and turning to traditional and alternative medicine, you can lower cholesterol, and then, having a clear idea of ​​the mechanism of action on it, keep it under control.

Cholesterol lowering foods

Among healthy foods that help lower cholesterol, the menu should include:

Almond

Takes unconditional leadership in the category of products that normalize lipid metabolism. This nut contains high amounts of vitamin E, as well as antioxidants. Thanks to this composition, almonds are a product that prevents the development of atherosclerosis.

Apples and citrus fruits

They contain a high concentration of pectin, and when they get into the stomach, they form a viscous mass that removes excess cholesterol from the body even before it enters the circulatory system.

Avocado

It is known for its positive effect on the cardiovascular system and is recommended for use by those who suffer from pathologies of these organs. It contributes to the rapid withdrawal of bad cholesterol, because it contains monounsaturated fats. Avocados are most effective when cholesterol is at an average level, that is, it is still not going off scale.

Oat bran

An excellent inexpensive and affordable product that lowers cholesterol.

Blueberries

A berry rich in pterostilbene (antioxidant) has an effective effect on cholesterol, normalizing its level in the blood.

Fatty varieties of marine fish

Mackerel, tuna, and salmon contain a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, which have a positive effect on the human body and cannot be replaced by any other compounds. To maintain normal cholesterol, at least 100 grams of marine oily fish should be eaten weekly. This product protects blood vessels from the formation of blood clots and does not allow blood to thicken.

General recommendations

There are many sites and forums in which people share their experiences in lowering high cholesterol. Among them, there are those who receive many positive reviews where they write about the effectiveness of these methods. Especially often you can find recommendations in which they write that it is necessary to use a large amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids, pectin, fiber. Foods rich in these beneficial compounds help normalize blood cholesterol.

It is necessary to limit or completely abandon butter in favor of:

  • sesame seeds;
  • soybean;
  • flaxseed;
  • olive.

These vegetable oils must be consumed unrefined and not used for frying. They should be taken fresh, that is, as a dressing for salads and other dishes.

Cholesterol Enhancing Products

To normalize cholesterol, you should completely remove fatty foods of animal origin from your usual daily menu:

  • pork
  • lamb;
  • fat;
  • butter;
  • sour cream.

Instead of animal fat, preference should be given to the above vegetable oils. In addition, it is useful to eat a variety of cereals, seeds, fruits, herbs, vegetables.

White bread and rich sweet pastries, as well as eggs, are banned . Instead of the usual, you should eat whole grain bread from wholemeal flour. Alternatively, you can take bran.

It is recommended to focus on food that is rich in fiber. Champions in this category of products are vegetables, among which preference should be given to green salad, beets and cabbage. In pharmacies and departments specializing in healthy eating, fiber is sold ready-made.

Folk remedies for cholesterol

Before the advent of traditional medicine, there were many ways to avoid heart and vascular diseases that develop against the background of high cholesterol. In addition, there are prophylactic agents that allow timely prevention of lipid metabolism disorders, as well as positive effects on the general condition of the body.

Here are some recipes you can use to fight high cholesterol:

  1. Infusion made from valerian root, natural honey, dill seed, perfectly cleanses blood vessels, soothes the nervous system and strengthens the body.
  2. Garlic oil is good at lowering even the highest levels of cholesterol. Preparing the tool is quite simple. Ten garlic cloves are passed through a press and then poured into 500 ml of olive oil. Insist oil for at least a week, and then use it as dressing for salads and other dishes.
  3. The alcohol tincture on garlic is recognized as quite effective and has many positive reviews as a means that reduces high cholesterol. It is prepared from three hundred grams of chopped peeled garlic and a glass of alcohol. Insist composition in a dark place for 8-9 days.

Take the drug with a gradual increase in dosage. First, drink 2-3 drops per day, and then bring the amount to 20. Next, everyone does the opposite, that is, reduce the number to a minimum. In other words, the day after drinking 20 drops, tinctures gradually reduce their number to 2.

The total duration of the course is two weeks. During the first tincture is taken with an increase in dosage, and the second with a decrease. To soften the effect provided by the product, since it is quite unpleasant in taste, it should be consumed simultaneously with milk. Repeat treatment with garlic alcohol tincture is recommended no more than once every three years.

Often in the fight against high cholesterol, a variety of medicinal herbs are used:

  1. Linden powder . This folk remedy is taken orally. It is obtained from lime blossom. In dried form, this raw material can be purchased at any pharmacy. The flowers are ground in a coffee grinder and drunk three times a day, one teaspoon each. The duration of treatment is thirty days. After a two-week break, therapy is resumed again, taking the powder, washed down with plenty of water, for another month.
  2. Propolis tincture . Another effective blood vessel cleanser. It is taken thirty minutes before a meal. The dosage is 7 drops, which are diluted with two tablespoons of ordinary drinking water. The total duration of taking this drug is 4 months, during which an excess of cholesterol will be excreted.
  3. Kvass of the yellifer . This is an excellent folk remedy that helps get rid of high cholesterol. Jaundice is sold in a pharmacy. In addition, this grass can be collected with your own hands. The main thing is to properly prepare this drink. Kvass not only helps to clean blood vessels, but also has a beneficial effect on memory, relieves irritability and headaches, and also normalizes blood pressure.
  4. Golden mustache This herb is also used in the fight against high cholesterol. Golden mustache tincture can be used on a regular basis. It helps to prevent further increase in cholesterol, that is, to keep its level under control.
  5. Calendula tincture . This is another effective tool that will help solve the problem with blockage of blood vessels. She is drunk during the month three times a day, 25-30 drops.

It is not necessary to cook any tinctures, there are herbs that can be consumed fresh. Alfalfa belongs to such. If there is no way to collect it, you can try to grow a small amount of this herb yourself.

Exercise Against High Cholesterol

If you do not change your usual way of life to a more mobile one, it will not be possible to completely solve the problem of clogged vessels. Sports loads in one form or another must necessarily become one of the main components of comprehensive measures against high cholesterol in the blood. In addition, due to physical activity, the risks of developing a disease such as atherosclerosis are reduced.

Without sports, it is impossible to quickly and effectively cope with high cholesterol. Loads on muscle tissue make blockages in blood vessels begin to break. In addition, physical activity contributes to the fact that bad cholesterol begins to decline.

Another nice bonus is that thanks to the sport, it is possible to maintain oneself in great shape and have a toned figure, and timely prevent the deposition of subcutaneous fat. According to many scientific studies, athletes with high cholesterol levels are much less likely than those who do not play sports.

This does not mean that you need to become a professional athlete. It is enough to just do gymnastics, swim or attend a sports section that you like.

Cholesterol medications

Not always sports loads, normalization of nutrition, folk remedies help to quickly cope with high cholesterol. There are times when you can not do without medication. If therapy involves home treatment, you should pay attention to the following drugs.

Statins

They are a group of medicines that quickly and effectively affect excess cholesterol. They must be in the home medicine cabinet of anyone who is faced with a lipid metabolism disorder.

Among statins, the most noteworthy are: simvastatin, fluvastatin, pravastatin and lovastatin. These drugs are highly effective, therefore, they are always popular. Statins are taken before bedtime, when the level of cholesterol production is maximum. The indisputable advantage of this group of medicines is that they are well absorbed and practically devoid of side effects.

A nicotinic acid

It helps to get rid of excess cholesterol, but only when the drug is taken in large doses, which is not safe, since it can provoke a strong fever, accompanied by increased sweating.

Sequestrants

They are distinguished by a fast output rate of excess cholesterol. Among the positive properties of sequestrants, it should be noted that they block the absorption of fatty lipids through the walls of the stomach for a certain time.

Among the most popular and effective drugs of this group should be noted: Colestipol, Cholestyramine, Colestid.

These medications are recommended to be taken only in consultation with a specialist, since they have a number of restrictions on admission. In addition, it is forbidden to use these drugs with other drugs.

Fibrates

They are derivatives of fiber special acid, which have a similar effect to nicotinic acid, but in a less pronounced and progressive form.

Dietary supplements

They are not medicines, but are biologically active additives. They are not vitamins, but it is also impossible to rank them as food products. Supplements can be attributed to the intermediate option, but if you choose them correctly, they will not only improve your health, but also normalize the concentration of cholesterol in the blood.

The most affordable biological supplement that can be purchased in pharmacies is fish oil. It is available in capsules, which makes its reception not so nasty. Its benefit lies in the content of a special acid that suppresses the production of low density lipoproteins, that is, bad cholesterol.

Important Tips

There are some simple tips for lowering cholesterol at home:

  1. Stop being nervous . Do not strain and get annoyed over trifles. Due to stress, atherosclerosis often develops.
  2. Quit bad habits. You should refuse to drink alcohol and smoke. These habits adversely affect not only the blood vessels, but also the body as a whole.
  3. Walk more on foot. If there is no time for evening walks, you can simply not reach one stop either at home or at work, but go on foot. It is very beneficial and good for health.
  4. Get rid of extra pounds. Fat deposits contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.
  5. Constantly monitor your blood pressure. Atherosclerosis often develops against a background of hypertension.
  6. Watch the hormonal background. Impaired metabolism leads to a deterioration in lipid metabolism and provokes an increase in cholesterol.

Summarizing

Rapid lowering of cholesterol at home, if you follow the above tips and recommendations, does not present any special difficulties. You should not ask only the goal to lower cholesterol when it begins to go off scale. It’s best to prevent this problem than to deal with it later. This is especially true for the category of people who are at risk or have already encountered high cholesterol in the blood.

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