How to Lower Cholesterol

Regular monitoring of blood cholesterol and blood pressure should be done because they have no warning sign in the initial stages. High cholesterol in the body along with obesity, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, alcoholism is a major risk factor for heart attack & stroke.

Ways of Lowering Cholesterol

Regular check up once in every 5 years from the age of 20 is advised. It is compulsory for selective group of people with, 

- A family history of early coronary heart disease, or other lipid disorders.
- Obesity.
- Diabetes & hypertension.
- Disorders of pancreas.
- Those undergoing kidney replacements.
- Menopause.

Once you are found to have higher lipid content in the blood, consult your doctor regarding the appropriate changes in your life style.

Some of the tips are:

1. Eat a lipid or cholesterol lowering diet: Replace saturated & trans-fat and cholesterol to poly unsaturated fat, diet with vegetables, fruits, high fiber grains, fish etc.

When you eat meat, see to that the excess fat is drained off while boiling or cut-off all visible fat, the skin is removed off the poultry pieces, no yolks in the egg dishes.

2. Physical activity: Physical activity for at least 30 minutes every day helps to achieve ideal bodyweight, by burning excess calories.

3. Reduce smoking and alcohol consumption: Because they increase triglyceride levels in the blood and thus are the important causes for primary as well as secondary lipid disorders.

4. Reduce stress: A pleasant life style with planned schedule, minimum stress and overload, with adequate rest and sleep are also important for a healthy heart.

5. Hormone replacement therapy: Usually premenopausal women are not affected with hyper cholesterolaemia, the cause attributed to estrogen hormone. However, after menopause because of reduced hormones, risk of cardiovascular disease rises sharply. So women after menopause should be offered female replacement therapy despite having normal cholesterol level.

6. Lipid or cholesterol-lowering drugs: Drug therapy should be the best option next to diet & lifestyle changes. Many drugs are available in the market, that can be used individually or in combination.

Few drugs for reducing cholesterol are:

• Statins – This group of drug reduce LDL cholesterol by 30 – 40 %.
• Bile acid binding resins – This group of drug reduces LDL cholesterol. These resins bind to bile and hence promote faster disposal of cholesterol.
• Fibrates – Fibrates raise HDL concentrations & reduces Triglycerides, with mild effect on LDL level.
• Niacin – Lowers triglycerides, LDL cholesterol & increases HDL cholesterol. Selective cholesterol absorption inhibitors – This group of medications prevents the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine.

In general, it is wise to keep away the fat by reducing the lipid intake, a healthy life style and medication prescribed by your health care team promotes to have control over the cholesterol. In a nutshell, reducing curry, worry & hurry can keep your heart hale & healthy.

See additional information by clickin on how to lower cholesterol levels without medications and how to reduce cholesterol with diet and exercise.

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