Lowering High Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body. Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly. But if you have too much in your blood, it can stick to the walls of your arteries. This is called plaque. Plaque can narrow your arteries or even block them.

Particles called lipoproteins carry cholesterol in the blood. There are two kinds of lipoproteins you need to know about: LDL and HDL.

• Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol make up the majority of the body's cholesterol. LDL is known as "bad" cholesterol because having high levels can lead to a buildup in the arteries and result in heart disease.

• High-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol absorb cholesterol and carry it back to the liver, which flushes it from the body. High levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

High cholesterol increases your risk for heart disease. People at any age can take steps to keep cholesterol levels normal.

Get a Blood Cholesterol Test

High cholesterol usually has no signs or symptoms. Only a doctor's check will reveal it. Your doctor can do a simple blood test to check your cholesterol levels. The test is called a lipoprotein profile. It measures several kinds of cholesterol as well as trigycerides. Some doctors do a simpler blood test that just checks total and HDL cholesterol.

The US National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that healthy adults get their cholesterol levels checked every five years.

Desirable Cholesterol Levels

Total cholesterol    Less than 200 mg/dL
LDL ("bad" cholesterol)    Less than 100 mg/dL*
HDL ("good" cholesterol)    40 mg/dL or higher
Triglycerides    Less than 150 mg/dL

There are things you can do to lower your cholesterol levels or keep existing levels low.

Eat a healthy diet

A healthy diet can help keep blood cholesterol levels down. Some foods have high levels of cholesterol in them, e.g. liver, kidneys, eggs and prawns are all higher in dietary cholesterol than other foods. But  the cholesterol in our food has much less effect on the level of cholesterol in our blood than the amount of saturated fat we eat. Avoid saturated fat (in meat and dairy foods) and trans fats.  Other types of fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, can actually lower blood cholesterol levels. Eating fibre (e.g. wholemeal bread, oats, fibrous fruit and vegetables) can also help lower cholesterol. Studies show that daily consumption of 2 ounces of nuts—like almonds, walnuts, and peanuts—lowers LDL around 5%.

For some people, eating too many carbohydrates can lower HDL (good cholesterol).

Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight or obese can raise your bad cholesterol levels. Losing weight can help lower your cholesterol. Losing weight can also make it easier to do day to day things, increase your self confidence and improve your mood.

Exercise regularly

Physical activity can help maintain a healthy weight and lower cholesterol. The US Surgeon General recommends that adults should engage in moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. Exercising has also been shown to have a positive effect on people suffering with anxiety, depression and osteo-arthritis.

Don't smoke

Smoking injures blood vessels and speeds up the hardening of the arteries. Smoking greatly increases a person's risk for heart disease and stroke, as well as cancer and other illnesses. It's expensive too.

If you don't smoke, don't start. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease and stroke. Your doctor can suggest programs to help you stop smoking.

Treat high cholesterol

If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe medications in addition to lifestyle changes. But don't expect it all to be done by medication. These lifestyle changes are important for other reasons too - not just for your cholesterol levels.

Using Supplements For High Cholesterol

Some nutritional supplements have been shown to reduce cholesterol:

• Artichoke extract  (also good for irritable bowel syndrome and problems with fat digestion)

• Garlic capsules (traditionally also used to ward off coughs, colds and other infections)

• Psyllium husks (also a safe constipation remedy that binds with cholesterol in the diet)

• Quercetin can protect against the effects of LDL bad cholesterol (and is also used by hay fever sufferers)

• Vitamin C - Cholesterol levels increase when vitamin C levels are low

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