How to Lower Cholestrol
The first thing to understand is that our body makes Cholesterol. And the highly intelligent body that we have does not do anything without a purpose. So the fact that it produces Cholesterol means that we need it. In fact almost 75% of the Cholesterol is made by our Liver and only 25% we get from the diet. Our brain is mostly Cholesterol and the tests that we make for checking Cholesterol levels (the Lipid Profile) does not give usa proper indication of the Cholesterol levels. There are two types of Cholesterol, the HDL and the LDL and there is a balance that must be maintained between both of them. Even if the LDL is high, it does not necessarily indicate an alarming situation unless we check what kind of LDL it is. The light and fluffy type of LDL is the good LDL and does not harm the body. It is the small and dense type which is damaged and can be dangerous.
Just having high levels of Cholesterol also does to necessarily indicate heart disease. And most of the time, taking Statin drugs to lower Cholesterol can have serious side effects. A correct indicator of heart disease or plaque formation in the arteries is a test known as CAC test. It's a Coronary Artery Calcification test and it is the best indicator of deposits and mortality in general. An ideal number for this test would be zero (no deposits) abd as the number goes up it shows how much the artery is clogged.
To lower Cholesterol if you are worried by its numbers, the best thing to do is to make some lifestyle changes. Incorporating more fibre in the diet by way of vegetables and to benefit even further, eating fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi can be very rewarding. Any increase in the microbiome bacteria is very beneficial and foods like Kefir if taken regularly will be beneficial. Probiotic supplements can also help. However, the best way is through diet. Sometimes, if the bile formation is less or if the Gallbladder (where bile produced by the Liver is stored) has been removed, it can affect the bile regulation and since bile dissolves and regulates cholesterol, its deficiency can make the numbers rise. Taking a supplement known as Tudca can help increase production of bile and it also helps remove stones and sludge which may be blocking the flow of bile through the ducts. Taking Niacin (B3) will also help reduce cholesterol.
So instead of immediately starting on statin drugs, first try to determine if really it is the bad LDL which is your concern and then try some of the above mentioned diet and lifestyle changes like regular exercise and reducing sugar intake which will not only help lower your cholesterol, it will also save you from the bad side effects of statin drugs.
Vibhuti Misra
Holistic Health Specialist
+91 813 088 2160
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