Fortunately it is easy to combat this problem if you know how to lower cholesterol naturally. In fact for most people fighting this serious medical condition some simple lifestyle changes are all it takes to reduce it.

If you understand what cholesterol is and how it works in the body you can begin to see how you can control it through natural methods. Cholesterol itself is a fatty wax like substance produced primarily in the liver. Eighty percent is produced by the body while the other twenty percent we need is gotten through the foods we eat. It’s when that percentage from foods starts to go above twenty percent that we run into health issues.

Cholesterol is an important substance that the body uses to create and maintain cell wall membranes and manufacture many of the hormones we need to keep the body functioning. But high levels of cholesterol in the blood stream can lead to atherosclerosis which is a narrowing and hardening of the arteries. This in turn can lead to high blood pressure, clogged arteries, and blood clots.

Because high cholesterol is such a problem in our society medical science has come up with a variety of treatments and drugs to help those who have issues with this problem. But generally it is only in the most extreme cases that prescription medication needs to be used. Normally natural processes work best in the fight against high cholesterol.

The first thing you will be advised to do upon learning that you have high cholesterol is to start making changes to your diet and get more exercise. A low cholesterol diet is more then avoiding foods that contain cholesterol, it is about changing the way you prepare your meals and avoiding saturated fats and trans fats; both of which have been shown to increase blood cholesterol levels more then cholesterol containing foods. This means avoiding and eliminating fried foods and fatty foods from your diet completely.

Eating healthy is your best defense along with a sensible exercise program in the fight against cholesterol. Learning how to lower cholesterol naturally is a matter of doing a little research and the internet offers a wealth of information on this subject. Making the necessary lifestyle changes around diet and exercise are not that hard and the change it has on your overall health are well worth the effort.

LDL cholesterol, also known as low density lipoprotein, is the reason many of these drugs exist. LDL cholesterol is the primary culprit in the formation of arterial plaque. Plaque deposits can cause blockages and clots which are a major factor for heart disease and strokes. There are four classes of cholesterol drugs whose main function is to lower LDL levels in the blood stream. These include Statins, Bile Acid Binding Resins, Absorption Inhibitors, and Fibrates. While they work very well they also can have some discomforting side affects for some people, usually of the stomach and digestive system variety. Some people experience cramps, constipation, nausea, and bloating.
Another area of concern with high cholesterol is triglycerides. Triglycerides are fats that come from both animal and plant food sources. In particular saturated fat has been shown in scientific studies to raise blood LDL cholesterol levels more then dietary food cholesterol. Statins, Absorption Inhibitors, and Fibrates moderate and reduce the amount of triglycerides that find their way into the circulatory system.

Another side to the cholesterol equation is HDL, or high density lipoprotein, cholesterol. This is known as the good cholesterol and its primary purpose is to remove excess LDL cholesterol from the blood stream and deliver it to the liver where it is excreted from the body. While Statins, Absorption Inhibitors, and Fibrates are the primary drugs that do this the increase is not large. But in the battle against coronary artery disease every little gain is considered a victory.

There are a number of different drug companies making these types of drugs which can be found under many recognizable names, including Lipitor. The current advertising campaigns in all media types have ingrained many of these drug names in our collective conscious. Your doctor is the best source of information when it comes to deciding which drug will work best for you. It is also important to let your doctor know if you experience any side affects. With the multitude of drugs to choose from your doctor should be able to find one that works well without the side affects.

When cholesterol levels are high, it means you have too much yellow, mushy fat substance circulating in your blood stream, which can clog your arteries and restrict blood flow leading to heart attack, stroke or angina pain.

Another problem with cholesterol, is all the terms that come with it; such as, dietary cholesterol, serum cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Here is how to keep them all straight.

Dietary cholesterol is what is contained in food (mostly of animal origin). The American Heart Association recommends limiting your daily intake to 300 milligrams.

Serum cholesterol is what is in your bloodstream and what the doctor measures with a cholesterol test. (A reading less than 200 is desirable, a reading between 200 – 240 is borderline high risk, and a reading greater than 240 is high risk.)

HDL cholesterol (“High” Density Lipoprotein) is a distinct part of serum cholesterol that is considered “good” because of its artery cleansing ability. The “higher” the HDL level, the better.

LDL cholesterol (“Low” Density Lipoprotein) is considered to be HDL’s evil twin because of its artery clogging ability. The “lower” the LDL level, the better.

Here are 13 natural remedies that lower your cholesterol.

1. Watch your weight. Studies have shown that the more overweight you are, the more cholesterol your body produces. Every 2.2 pound rise in body weight elevates your cholesterol 2 points. Aim for a diet composed of two-thirds fruit, vegetables, cereals and whole grains. Only one-third of your calories should come from meat and dairy products. (Which are often high in fat and calories.)

2. Watch your fats. Saturated fat elevates blood cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fat lowers blood cholesterol. So, it would be wise to cut back on such sources of saturated fat as meat, butter, cheese and hydrogenated oil. Replace these sources with fish, poultry, low-fat dairy products and polyunsaturated oils like corn, safflower and soybean.

3. Eat less eggs. You don’t have to cut them out completely. Just limit yourself to three whole eggs per week. Since only the yolk contains cholesterol, use the egg whites freely. You can substitute two egg whites for every whole egg. Even when baking. You can make scrambled eggs or an omelet using one whole egg with two to four egg whites.

4. Eat more beans. Beans, and other legumes contain pectin, which surrounds cholesterol and escorts it right out of the body. One cup of beans; navy beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, lima beans, soybeans, black-eyed peas and lentils, will all perform this cholesterol lowering activity.

5. Eat more fruit. Fruit also contains pectin. Try to eat a variety of fruit. For instance, a half a grapefruit at breakfast, an apple at lunch and some orange sections at dinner, could probably lower your cholesterol quite nicely.

6. Eat your oats, brans and barley. Oat bran, corn bran and barley appears to lower serum cholesterol in the same fashion as pectin rich fruits and does as good a job as beans. Oatmeal can also reduce cholesterol.

7. Eat carrots. Carrots also have pectin content. Studies have shown that eating just 2 carrots a day can lower high cholesterol 10 to 20%. That could be enough to bring levels into a safe range.

8. Drink skim milk. A compound in the nonfat portion of skim milk inhibits cholesterol production in the liver.

9. Take garlic. Large quantities of raw garlic can reduce harmful blood fats. Unfortunately, it can also reduce your number of friends. One gram daily of liquid garlic extract, however, can reduce your cholesterol level an average of 44 points in six months.

10. Fiber rich psyllium seeds. Psyllium seeds are the main ingredient of the bowel regulator Metamucil. Metamucil and other psyllium seed products may be a good alternative treatment when diet alone does not bring blood cholesterol levels down.

11. Exercise. One of the best ways to lower your levels of LDL cholesterol is through vigorous exercise. It also increases the body’s ability to clear fat from the blood after meals.

12. Do not smoke. A Swedish study showed that smokers tend to suffer from low levels of HDL cholesterol. But when a group of habitual smokers kicked the habit, they all experienced rapid and noticeable increases in HDL concentrations.

13. Drink Tea. The tannins found in tea may also help lower cholesterol. A study found that people on a high cholesterol diet that habitually drank tea had blood cholesterol levels within a normal range.

Some nutritional supplements that may help to counter cholesterol are Vitamin C, E and calcium. Studies have shown that when Vitamin C is added to a pectin rich diet, cholesterol drops even lower than with pectin alone. Another study showed that Vitamin E can significantly increase HDL levels. And yet another study showed that 2 grams of calcium carbonate taken daily, reduced cholesterol by 25% in 12 months.

Herbal supplements that are beneficial in lowering LDL levels include alfalfa, black cohosh, cayenne and ginseng. Skullcap may be beneficial for increasing HDL levels.

This is one case where creating a food product did not have the desired results. Trans fat does not occur naturally and was developed to help processed foods last longer while making them palatable. Unfortunately its effects on human physiology were never fully researched until 50 years after its development because it was assumed that vegetable oils derived from plant sources were safe. As science has learned more about the effects of different fats on the body this is no longer true. While some types of fat are safe others such as saturated fats and trans fats both are capable of raising cholesterol levels to unsafe levels.

Trans fats are bad for the simple reason that they raise the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood stream. LDL, or low density lipoproteins, are the bad half of the cholesterol equation. A high level of LDL cholesterol in the blood stream leads to excessive plaque build-up which blocks and clogs the arteries. This increase the risk for coronary artery disease which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, particularly if any of these plaque formations breaks free of the artery wall in the form of a blood clot.
The other half of the cholesterol equation is high density lipoproteins, or HDL cholesterol, which is the good cholesterol. It is considered beneficial because it function is to pick up the excess bad LDL cholesterol in the blood stream and return it to the liver where it is disposed of and excreted out of the body. Trans fat lowers HDL levels while increasing LDL levels which is the exact opposite of what we need to have happen in the prevention of heart disease.

There are alternatives to trans fat and saturated fat. Food and food products such as olive oil, peanut oil, and canola oil contain monounsaturated fats, which when eaten in moderation can lower blood cholesterol levels. Another good choice are foods that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as fish and nuts. Omega-3’s have been shown to help protect against the risk of heart disease and its complications.

Although many food manufacturers and restaurants are moving away from trans fats it still is important to read the nutrition labels on the food products you buy. Avoid restaurants that continue to use trans fat in their cooking processes and stop using cooking oils that are high in trans fat and saturated fat for home cooking. Doing these simple things can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease for you and your family.