Cholesterol is one of the most frequently discussed topics at our clinic. If elevated, it is a cause for concern. The majority of our patients don’t want to take prescription cholesterol lowering drugs; either because they’ve heard they could be harmful, or they’ve had a previous bad experience with them.

Cholesterol is a very necessary substance in your body. It performs many important functions for you. Elevated cholesterol is not always a problem. Usually, elevated cholesterol is only a concern if the patient is insulin resistant. That means, if you have high cholesterol and you are obese in your torso or you have high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and elevated triglycerides, you need to take action to improve your health. Having high inflammation in your body is a problem too, because inflammation can cause damage to your artery walls, raising the risk of clots. If the cholesterol that’s already in your blood gets oxidized by inflammation, that can make it damaging to your arteries.

The following strategies may help you achieve a healthy cholesterol level:

Reduce the carbs in your diet

This may be the most important thing you can do to reduce your chances of getting heart disease. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates is linked to Syndrome X, type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. When we consume foods such as bread, rice, pasta, cereals, potatoes and corn, all these carbohydrates are converted into sugar in the body. When we consume sugar, insulin is secreted from the pancreas to allow sugar to be used for energy, and over time the excessive carbohydrates cause our bodies to no longer respond to insulin and sugar is stored as fat. Any excess carbohydrate is then converted to triglycerides or LDL cholesterol. Following a low-carb eating plan can support weight loss and lower cholesterol and triglycerides. See I Cant Lose Weight and I Don’t Know Why for a low-carb diet plan.

Taking care of your liver is critical

It is vital to take good care of your liver as approximately 80% of the cholesterol in your body is made in your liver. If your liver is functioning optimally, you should have a healthy cholesterol level. Great ways to take care of your liver include avoiding trans fats, reducing sugar and carbohydrate intake, eating vegetables and herbs and spices. There is detailed information in the book Cholesterol: The real truth.  Taking a liver tonic can make a vast improvement to liver health, and it is best to find one that contains B vitamins, milk thistle, selenium, taurine and turmeric.

Eat sufficient good fats

By good fats I am referring to Omega 3 fats which are found in oily fish such as sardines, salmon, herrings, mackerel and halibut. Omega 3 fatty acids are very beneficial to our heart health as they can lower blood triglyceride levels, lower blood pressure, decrease the rate of plaque accumulation, increase levels of HDH “good” cholesterol and help to break up any blood clots that may be present. Monounsaturated fats are also excellent at keeping your heart healthy and can be found in extra virgin olive oil, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, avocado and sesame seeds. This type of fat helps to lower cholesterol levels and may protect against cancer.

Consume lots of antioxidants

Antioxidants such as vitamin C need to be included in your diet to help protect yourself against heart disease. Antioxidants can defend against the damaging effects of free radicals in our body that can damage our cell membranes, DNA, artery walls and the fats in our bloodstream. Vegetables and fruits are very high in antioxidants, and it is important to eat a large variety of these foods as they each have unique benefits. One convenient way to get more vegetables into your diet is raw juicing.

Make sure homocysteine isn’t elevated

High homocysteine levels are a major risk factor for heart disease as homocysteine increases inflammation and atherosclerosis (build-up of plaque in the arteries), and also increases the chances of blood clots forming. Vitamins B6, B9 (aka folic acid) and B12 are essential for lowering your blood homocysteine levels. Good sources of folic acid include oranges, avocados, spinach, asparagus and any green leafy vegetable.

Try to manage stress

Many people underestimate how detrimental stress can be to their health. You may follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly, yet if you are experiencing a lot of stress you are likely to get sick. Stress hormones can cause inflammation throughout the body, cause weight gain, increase the chances of developing syndrome X and suppress the immune system. Stress causes cholesterol levels to rise as the stress hormone cortisol is made from cholesterol. Ways to reduce stress include meditating, yoga or deep breathing exercises. Tyrosine is great for reducing stress and anxiety.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

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