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How to lower cholesterol at home without drugs?

The word "cholesterol" we fretful frown, imagining fatty plaque in the walls of blood vessels, overweight, risk of heart attack and other horrors which frightens us the modern promotion of a healthy lifestyle. But before you make this concept almost a dirty meaning, let's understand what is cholesterol and what is its role in our body?

Cholesterol is a building material with which cells are updated and produced vital substances: hormones, enzymes. About 80% of the liver provides cholesterol, but 20% we must get from food to stay healthy. The name of the person involved in today's conversation is formed from two Latin words: bile (chole) and hard (stereo), for the first time since cholesterol was discovered in the form of solid yellow substances in the gall stones. But if we need it, why everyone says that excess cholesterol a person faces negative consequences?

The fact that cholesterol is of two types:

  • LDL – low density lipoprotein;
  • HDL – high-density lipoprotein.

The first type is called "bad"cholesterol, and the second type is"good". The fundamental difference between them in chemical composition, but in structure and physical properties.

Bad cholesterol liquid and sticky, he therefore, coming from the liver, is spread through the vessels and adheres to their walls, especially in those places where there is damage, worn areas and irregularities. Of course, the older a person is, the more such defects, and the higher the risk of plaque formation.

Good cholesterol is dense and hard, so he on the contrary, like the brush for the dishes, cleans the debris from the inner surface of blood vessels. That's why it's safe to say that the negative health consequences causes not only an excess of bad cholesterol, but the lack of good. And if we want to safely protect yourself from atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke, you need to move in two directions at once, and to increase the level of good cholesterol is much more important than to reduce the level of bad.

Important: the lower levels of LDL in the blood by 1% reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 1%, while raising HDL by 1% reduces the same risk on average by 2-4%.

Any person over the age of 45 who are overweight,should twice a year to take a blood test to determine levels of LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels to take timely measures in case of a critical imbalance. And today we will tell you how you can at home without resorting to medications quickly and effectively reduce the level of bad cholesterol, and raise the level of good to for many years to maintain good health.

The content of the article:


Ways to reduce cholesterol in the blood without pills

The first thing that comes to mind is, of course, a change in diet, it is from the foods we eat, depends on the lipid balance of our blood. But we will start this important conversation is not with diet and physical activity. Just made friends with the sport and regularly finding time to simple and pleasant experience, you can significantly improve your health.

Important: the greatest risk is not high LDL levels and its combination with low levels of HDL. So a simple review of the diet is not enough to remedy the situation – will have to add physical activity.

How to raise the level of "good"cholesterol and lower"bad" with the help of physical activity?

Cardiologists and fitness trainers reveal the secrets of perfect health and protection from cardiovascular disease:

  • It is best to cope with the bad cholesterol help aerobic exercise, especially running. When the person long time does repetitive rhythmic movements in the open air, it sets smooth, slightly rapid pulse. The oxygen entering the blood, provides a gradual burning of fat, including bad cholesterol inside blood vessels. He just does not have time to linger and be deposited in the form of dangerous atherosclerotic plaques. Proven professional runners LDL in the blood burns up to 70% faster than people not involved in sports;
  • Muscle man must constantly be in good shape, it prevents bad cholesterol to do its "dirty work." Therefore, even older people, having a large excess weight and complex problemshealth, must, at whatever cost, to give yourself a feasible physical activity: to walk in the fresh air, ride a bike, dig in the garden. The longer a person lies on the bed, indulging in apathy and bad mood, the sooner the day will come when he won't be able to get out of that bed;
  • The study of Western of cardiology show that elderly patients every morning performing a forty-minute walk in the fresh air, the risk of sudden death from heart attack and stroke are reduced by half – 50%! It is important to ensure that the pulse of elderly person during walking is not increased by more than 15 beats from the physiologically normal values.

Important: if the male and especially the female figure begins to resemble an Apple, is a signal to think about health. A waist circumference of adult men should not exceed 94 cm; adult female – Normal 84 cm ratio of circumference of waist to circumference of hips in men, 0.95 in women – not more than 0.8. In other words, if your stomach is almost thicker thighs– it's time to sound the alarm and to lose weight!


9 proven steps towards lowering levels of "bad" cholesterol

Step one: Smoking cessation

The detrimental effects of Smoking on health is not only clogging the lungs with tar and the development of persistent nicotine dependence. Regularly buying cigarettes, people have their own money buys infertility, impotence and cancer. Gradually destroys the whole body: brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, heart, blood vessels. No one organ or tissue type to which Smoking would not exert any harmful effects. Not only that modern manufacturers of cigarettes are doing everything possible to reduce the cost of their products. This means that natural tobacco in a pack less than half, all the rest is chemical additives, flavorings, essential of tar and carcinogens.

Important: tobacco tar is the strongest carcinogen. Scientists conducted experiments which showed that if the rabbit ear several times to lubricate tobacco tar, in this place a few months later, will develop cancer. And human carcinogens the tobacco act exactly the same as animals!

Step two: the right approach to alcohol

Extremes seldom benefit, and the person's attitude to alcohol is no exception. The abuse of alcohol is very harmful: in addition to the formation of persistent dependence and lossa man of moral character, alcoholism leads to a gradual destruction of the brain, liver, kidneys and blood vessels. But complete abstinence from alcohol is the omission of natural features, since high-quality alcohol in small doses has a beneficial effect on the composition of blood and the cardiovascular system.

The doctors ' advice on this score are contradictory: someone threatens a green snake, and someone calls to reject obscurantism and booze. It's a fad, but a human story – a much more serious indicator than a momentary mood of the medical community, lobbied by manufacturers of drugs and alcohol. Of the country where an integral part of culture is the drinking of good wines and spirits, have a higher life expectancy, and such depressing statistics of mortality from cardiovascular diseases in Russia. Take the same France, Spain, Portugal or Scotland with her love of good whiskey.

So how much you need to drink to reduce the level of bad cholesterol in the blood? It is enough to 50 ml of spirits or 200 ml of dry red wine per day. No less and no more. For our mentality it's ridiculous numbers is that since I drink so to drink. But the correct culture of drinking does not imply the desire to get drunk, and dosed drinking of alcohol is good for lunch or dinner to improve digestion and enrichment of the blood.

Step three: green tea instead of coffee

If health is, in principle, allows you to consume drinks containing caffeine, don't let it be coffee and natural green tea. It contains flavonoids, which promote the breakdown of LDL cholesterol, strengthen the walls of blood vessels and capillaries and increase of HDL. It is important to learn how to brew this drink, and use it wrongly. Green tea should be strong and bitter, and make the tea party recommended no more than twice a day, and in the first half of the day.

Step four: juice therapy

Natural organic acid contained in fresh juices from fruits and vegetables, effectively dissolve bad cholesterol, and therefore are the fastest and most effective means to cleanse the vessels at home. Juices is a delicious source of vitamins, minerals, fiber and a good mood. They revitalize, rejuvenate, helping to fight obesity, cellulite, and atherosclerosis, improve the complexion, the quality of nails, skin and hair. Therefore, the purchase of your new juicer is a wise investment in your health and your family's health.

Five-day course of purification of vessels from the badcholesterol, using freshly squeezed juices is carried out according to the following scheme:

Step five: fish oil and coenzyme Q10

Regular intake of fish oil significantly improves the performance of C-reactive protein in the blood called CRP. There are two more essential for human health amino acids: DHA and EPA, increase the content of which can be artificially.

According to the American heart Association, a daily intake of 2-4 grams of EPA and DHA reduces triglyceride levels to the physiological norm, and even one gram of these amino acids in a day is enough to protect against the risk of cardiovascular disease.

How to provide themselves with essential amino acids? For example, you can take coenzyme Q10 at a dosage of 90 mg/day, this will allow a few months to increase the levels of DHA in the blood by 50%. However, be aware that taking statins (drugs that reduce LDL levels) together with coenzyme Q10 is undesirable, as this combination of coenzyme worse to digest.

Step six: the rejection of TRANS fats

TRANS-fats are the real disaster of our time, because they are the bad cholesterol in its pure form, moreover, contains almost all ready products: confectioneries, fast food, meats and sausages, margarine and mayonnaise. Whatever we bought at the store, wanting to save time on cooking, we get TRANS fats that will settle on the walls of our blood vessels.

Research nutritionists show that if you reduce the calorie daily diet only 1% due to the failure of TRANS-fats, you can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease twice!

Simply remove from the menu 2 grams of TRANS fat, take away from two thousandonly twenty calories (but very harmful) and you will make yourself the best gift.

Buying at the store finished products, carefully read the information on the label. If it says that the product contains no TRANS-fats, in practice, this means that there is less than 0.5 g per serving. And yet, under the concepts of "storyboy"or"hydrogenated" hiding all the same TRANS-fat, which threatens us with diabetes, a heart attack, stroke and cancer.

Step seven: acceptance of magnesium

Endothelial cells lining our blood vessels from the inside, can not effectively repel the molecules of LDL, if they do not have enough magnesium. A deficiency of this valuable mineral leads not only to increase the level of bad cholesterol, but also to the development of migraines, muscular and cardiac weakness, angina and ischemia.

People suffering from migraine all his life, frequency and severity of attacks reduced by 40% with regular use of vitamin-mineral complexes, enriched with magnesium.

If diagnosed with magnesium deficiency, it is recommended to start taking it in a dosage of 250 mg per day, and preferably in combination with calcium because these minerals are better absorbed and more useful. In the diet it is recommended to add oily fish, whole grain bread, pumpkin seeds and sprouted grain wheat is the best natural sources of magnesium.

Step eight: decrease the use of sugar

About the dangers of white sugar said a lot, but do you know how hard it is excessive consumption exacerbates the situation with a high level of bad and low good cholesterol?

Studies have shown that if you lower the glycemic index of food consumed from 61 to 46, it can be a week to raise HDL levels in the blood by 7%.

It is also important that sharp increases in the level of blood sugarresulting from ingestion of large doses of simple carbohydrates, increase the stickiness of red blood cells, that is, thicken the blood and cause blood clots. So if you want to protect yourself from atherosclerosis and thrombosis, reduce sugar intake, or avoid it altogether, replacing, for example, natural honey.

Step nine: taking vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 is called the sunshine vitamin: for example, in a single day stay on the beach our skin cells produced from 10-20 thousand M. E. this valuable substance, but even the inhabitants of the Sunny, warm regions suffer from a shortage vitaminaD3. According to various estimates, from 60 to 80% of our population in need of taking vitamin supplementsto the condition of the blood vessels, skin and bones remained good until old age.

Previously it was thought that vitamin D3 cannot be taken in large doses, because then it can have on the body of toxic action.

But more modern research shows that taking at least 500 M. E. of vitamin D3 per day can lower CRP, a protein indicator of bad cholesterol on average 25%. Some patients at the same time raising HDL. Overall, a surplus of vitamin D3 reduces the risk of the development of human dangerous diseases leading to death.

To provide themselves with an essential vitamin and can in a natural way: for example, in a glass of cow's milk it is about 100 M. E., and a hundred grams of fatty fish sockeye salmon – whole 675m graphics card.E. Keep in mind that intake of vitamin D3 capsules or tablets are contraindicated for people with serious dysfunction of the kidneys and the thyroid gland, and patients with sarcoidosis.

What foods reduce cholesterol levels in the blood?

Some foods contain phytosterols, natural sterols, effectively regulating the ratio of good and bad cholesterol in the blood. Knowing about their problems, it is possible to enrich the diet of the corresponding products, and normalize lipid balance, without almost any effort.

For example, if every day to eat 60 g of almonds, you can increase the content of HDL by 6%, while lowering the LDL by 7%.

The list of Champions among the products that contain beneficial phytosterols (100 g weight):

Avocado

This nutritious fruit is a leader in the content of beta – phytosterol among all fruits and vegetables. Just one medium avocado halves, that is, seven tablespoons of pulp is enough for three weeks can reduce total cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood by 8% and raise levels of goodcholesterol by 15%.

Nuts and seeds

All seeds and nuts are very rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, and therefore they enrich our body of good cholesterol. Doctors recommend at least five times a week indulge yourself with a handful of 30 g of your favorite nuts: forest, walnuts, cashew, almond, Brazil, pistachio. Seeds, especially Flaxseed, contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, so they too should add to your diet, such as spicy seasoning for vegetable salads. Try to sprinkle food lightly roasted sesame seeds and flax that contribute to the aroma, decorate the dish, and at the same time will help raise HDL levels.

Olive oil

Each tablespoon good olive oil enriches your food 22 more by the milligram of phytosterols. If replace all is used when cooking animal fat with olive oil can reduce LDL levels in the blood by 18%. While unrefined olive oil has a positive effect on the state of the endothelium, and heals minor damage inside the vessels and preventing the formation of cholesterol plaques.

Fatty fish

The main supplier of healthy omega-3 fatty acids in our fatty ocean fish (salmon, halibut, chum salmon, sardines, mackerel, sockeye salmon). The only disadvantage of this category of food – the high cost due to difficulties with the extraction and dilution. Salmon and sockeye salmon contain the greatest amount of omega-3 in them are the smallest among marine fishes, the content of heavy metals, particularly mercury. But such valuable species regularly caught by poachers, and in artificial ponds spawn reluctantly. That's why salmon is so expensive, but if the budget allows, it is imperative to buy and eat this healthy product.

Important: fish, pan-fried with fat, loses almost all useful properties, and even becomes harmful. To preserve the precious omega-3 fatty acids, it needs to be baked in foil or steamed. Also it is not recommended to reheat the fish (and any other products) in a microwave oven as microwaves destroy the cell structure of food.

Fruits and berries in blue, purple and red

Red, purple and blue color of the fruit indicates the content of polyphenols, and these natural substances naturally regulate lipid balance of the blood, stimulating the production of good cholesterol by the liver and removing bad cholesterol from the blood vessels. If for at least two months of daily use of 150 g berrypuree or juice, can raise HDL levels by 5%. Very useful in this respect, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, blueberry, blueberries, currants, red grapes , and especially cranberries, which in addition to the polyphenols contains great amount of antioxidant vitamin C. half a Cup of cranberry juice a day will allow you to increase the HDL levels by 10% and simultaneously to protect yourself from cancer.

Important: all the fruits and berries of red, Burgundy, purple, blue and grey colors contain beneficial polyphenols, regulates the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. So add these fruits in your diet is necessary for all people with a poor lipid blood tests.

Whole grains and oatmeal

If you have a high level of bad cholesterol, the first thing to do is to abandon the sandwiches of white bread and sweet rolls for Breakfast. Instead, it is better to eat porridge, muesli, wholegrain bread and cereal, so you will enrich the body with fiber and will help to eliminate LDL from the body through the intestines. All unprocessed cereals useful: buckwheat, wheat, oats, rye, millet, wild rice. But refining removes valuable fiber, leaving only the carbohydrates. Sprouted grains are good because they have a lot of fatty acids that increases HDL levels. Muesli with nuts perfect for Breakfast for the same reason.

The group of students of one us medical universities for four weeks, replaced my usual Breakfast two biscuits from oat bran. As a result, the LDL levels in their blood decreased by 5.3%. Another study was conducted involving two groups of people: the first is simply adhered to a healthy diet with low cholesterol, and the second received daily for 2-3 cups of oatmeal. In the end it turned out that oatmeal accelerates the normalization of lipid balance in the blood by 20%.

Corn

Corn is lower in calories than other cereals – 100 g contains only 97 calories. Cholesterol, but there are a lot of fiber, vitamins and minerals, in addition, corn is one of the most delicious cereals, so modern American nutritionists actively promoting the regular consumption of corn flakes, crispbread and cereals. This reduces the level of bad cholesterol in the blood less efficiently than with Hercules or wheat.

Policosanol

This substance is produced from sugar caneand sold in health food stores and pharmacies in the form of biologically active food supplements. Policosanol not only lowers LDL levels but also prevents blood clots, reduces appetite, helps to lose weight and normalize the blood pressure.

Beans and soybeans

All legumes (peas, beans, soya, beans, lentils) are rich in fiber, which is essential for the excretion of bad cholesterol through the intestines. But the advantage beans before grain is in the content of easily digestible vegetable proteins. People with high LDL levels doctors recommend replacing red meats legumes. To diversify your diet you can also use the original Asian food products – miso, tofu and tame made from fermented soybeans.

Beans is a valuable source of soluble dietary fiber called prebiotics (oligosaccharides, inulin). These substances reduce the lipid deposition in the liver, lower the levels of triglycerides in the blood and promote breeding in the body of another useful group of substances, probiotics. For example, probiotics such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria successfully feed on the products of fermentation of prebiotics inulin and oligofructose in the intestine, at the same time reducing the level of LDL by 5-8% and increasing HDL by 25%.

Carrots

Only two juicy carrots a day, and a few months, the LDL levels in your blood will drop by 10-20%. And the benefits of carotene, which carrots are rich there, and recall too.

Garlic

Normal garlic is the most effective tool in the fight against bad cholesterol, because this vegetable contains the most natural statins. Rich garlic and the volatile, natural antibiotic, so its use is useful from any point of view. Deficiencies in garlic are only two: a specific flavor, which many people just do not taste this product, and aggressive action on mucous membranes of the digestive tract, making the garlic not recommended for patients gastroenterologists.

Red yeast rice

A byproduct of fermented red rice – monacolin K effectively reduces the level of triglycerides, so lovers of Asian cuisine are in pole position. Red yeast rice is used in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and other regions of South-East Asiaas a flavoring and food coloring, but in some European countries this product is banned therefore it is difficult to get.

Cabbage

That's really what product you can easily enrich your diet is the beloved white cabbage. Fresh cabbage juice, and diets from the cabbage perfectly displays the body of excess cholesterol, so doctors recommend to eat every day at least one hundred grams of fresh, stewed or pickled cabbage. This vegetable is rich in fiber and vitamins, and contained in it organic acids gently cleanse the blood vessels from the inside.

Commiphora Mukul and turmeric

Not only South Asian but also some Arabic traditional products are effective in reducing the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. The plant Myrtle, also known under the ethnic names guggul and Commiphora Mukul contains natural resin, excellent cleaning vessels from cholesterol plaques. But the name "turmeric" is probably familiar to you – this fragrant spice is added to the pilaf, and receive from it the eponymous dye curcumin, with which products (butter, mayonnaise) give an appetizing yellow color. Turmeric – a powerful natural antibiotic and purifier of the blood vessels of cholesterol.

Fresh herbs

The composition of any fresh herbs – dill, parsley, celery, spinach, beet tops, lettuce lettuce – are high in fiber and lutein, carotenoids and organic acids, cleansing the blood vessels from accumulation of fatty deposits. That's why, for example, in the North Caucasus, where the green is an integral part of the traditional cuisine, the people are renowned for good health, harmony and longevity.

Interesting information: Can I eat butter, eggs, shrimp and drinking alcohol high cholesterol?


Conclusion and an example menu

So, in order to reduce the level of "bad"cholesterol and raise levels of"good", you need to make in your diet some useful changes:

  • To give up bread and pastry made with white flour in favor of cereals, bran and bakery products from raw grain, as well as to enrich your diet with nuts, seeds and legumes instead of fatty meat and sausages;
  • Regularly eat nutritious vegetables, fruits, berries and fresh herbs, drinkfresh juices, use honey instead of white sugar;
  • At least once a week as a main dish serve fatty ocean fish cooked in the oven or steamer;
  • Quit Smoking (if you smoke), and alcohol to limit a glass of dry red wine per day. Grapes contain resveratrol, a natural phytoalexin, which effectively reduces the level of LDL in the blood;
  • Start taking fish oil, coenzyme Q 10, magnesium or vitamin D3, depending on the test results and prescribed by your doctor.

Anticholesterolemic sample menu for one day:

  • Breakfast: serving of cereal, wild rice or any other cereal with olive oil, an omelette with two egg whites, Cup of green tea or coffee drink from chicory with honey, oatmeal cookie or a couple of whole-grain crisp bread.

  • Second Breakfast: two or three of any fruit or Cup of berries, Cup of broth hips, crackers or oatmeal cookies.

  • Dinner: portion of vegetable soup of cabbage, beans, green peas or lentils, a piece of baked fish with vegetable salad, a glass of freshly squeezed fruit or vegetable juice, whole grain bread.
  • Afternoon snack: salad of carrots and cabbage with olive oil or a couple of any fruit.
  • Dinner:baked piece of chicken, veal or Turkey with a side dish of vegetables or mashed potatoes, a serving of cottage cheese with fruit or berries, a Cup of green tea with honey, oatmeal cookies or bread.
  • Before bed: a glass of kefir or yogurt.