H E A L T H Y Y O G I
YOGItimes magazine for the modern yogi
Your Cholesterol Naturally
by Rachael McCampbell
There are good and bad types of cholesterol, which are determined by the carrier molecule that transports them through the body called lipoproteins. There are two types of lipoproteins: LDL (low density lipoprotein) and HDL (high density lipoprotein).
• LDL = “Bad” cholesterol—it’s the one we want to lower.
• HDL = “Good” cholesterol. It removes the bad cholesterol from arteries—we want more of it!
These are the cholesterol levels (milligrams per deciliter) considered to be the range for good health: (NOTE: these levels differ slightly according to your sex and age—this is simply an average)
___________________Desirable Borderline ____Undesirable
Total Cholesterol Below 200 _______200-240 ___Above 240
HDL Cholesterol Above 45 _________35-45 ____Below 35
LDL Cholesterol Below 130 _______130-160 ___Above 160
Note: Some people are genetically predisposed to high LDL levels and should be under a doctor’s care for this condition.
There are several different lifestyle choices that can help control high cholesterol:
• Stop Smoking—it increases cholesterol levels dramatically!
• Lower Your Stress Level—continual stress taxes the immune system and releases stress hormones, like adrenaline, that elevate blood cholesterol levels. You may not be able to change your life immediately, but you can change your reaction to the stresses in your life. Mediation, yoga, mental imagery and therapy can help.
• Keep Your Weight Down—overweight people are at a greater risk for high cholesterol especially if the weight is concentrated in the abdominal region.
• Exercise Regularly—besides keeping your heart and body healthy, exercise is proven to lower cholesterol and raise HDL levels. Raise your heart rate and your HDL levels will rise as well!
Your total fat intake should be below 20% of your daily calories. For example, if you average 2,250 calories a day, don’t eat more than 450 calories from fat—or 50 grams of fat. Note: there are 9 calories per gram of fat.
The American Heart Association suggests that we keep our total daily cholesterol intake under 300 milligrams.
Some Tips to Lower Your Cholesterol Fast:
1) Eat Foods Low in Saturated Fats: Minimize food from animal sources and increase your plant and seafood intake. Check labels for “Hydrogenated” or “Partially hydrogenated” oils. The trans fatty acids in hydrogenated fats increase cholesterol levels dramatically. Fill up on fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C found in raw papaya, fresh orange juice, broccoli and yellow peppers helps lower cholesterol levels and prevent cardiovascular disease.
2) Increase Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Flaxseed and flaxseed Oil, salmon, tuna and mackerel are all foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These polyunsaturated fats have many benefits including lowering blood pressure and keeping blood platelets from clinging to each other. Eating fish is usually better than meat, but avoid lobster and shrimp as they are high in cholesterol.
3) Eat Oat Bran or Brown Rice Bran: Many studies have shown that eating oatmeal (not instant), oat bran or rice bran can cause cholesterol levels to drop into the double digits within weeks. Eat 1-2 ounces a day of oat bran (30-60 grams).
4) Cook with Olive Oil: Proven to lower LDL levels and raise HDL cholesterol, Olive oil (a monosaturated fat) provides a healthy alternative to other cooking oils. Canola oil and nut oils are good too.
5) Walnuts and Almonds: Almonds are a great source of arginine, an amino acid that gets transformed into nitric oxide—a potent blood vessel relaxer, which assists in the prevention of atherosclerosis. Walnuts have linolenic acid—a fatty acid similar to what is found in salmon. Nuts are high in calories and fat, so if you are watching your waistline, limit your intake to a handful day.
6) Eat Fiber-Rich Foods: Besides oat bran, there are other foods rich in soluble fibers that act like intestinal brooms sweeping out the unwanted cholesterol. Some of these are: beans, Brussels sprouts, okra, apricots, prunes and psyllium. In one study, 3 tsp. of psyllium a day over a two to four month period lowered cholesterol levels by 15%!
7) Soy Protein: Many tests have shown that the consumption of soy lowers cholesterol levels. However, there is now controversy over soy’s possible negative affects. An ABC 20/20 news article stated, “New studies have raised questions over whether the natural ingredients in soy might increase the risk of breast cancer in some women, affect brain function in men and lead to hidden developmental abnormalities in infants.” See the website: http://www.abcnews.go.com/onair/2020/2020_000609_soy_feature.html.
I suggest you use soy products in moderation until its safety can be verified.
8) Try Niacin Instead of Statin Drugs: Niacin, vitamin B-3, is naturally found in foods. However, taken in dosages of 1,000-3,000 milligrams a day (that is 50 –150 times higher than the recommended daily intake), the vitamin is rendered a drug, not a food supplement. Niacin has been proven to dramatically lower cholesterol but it has possible side effects such as flushing (hot flashes) and liver damage. Pregnant women and those with diabetes or gout should probably not take it. Niacin needs to be taken under a doctor’s care so that liver enzymes may be monitored. For those who can take Niacin but don’t like the flushing effect, there’s Inositol Hexaniacinate—a form of Niacin that Europeans have been using for over 30 years. Many people have had success lowering cholesterol by using Niacin at lower dosages—500 mg./day without side effects.
9) Graze: It has been proven that eating several mini-meals throughout the day lowers cholesterol levels. The body metabolizes fats better if given the chance to process them completely. Overloading the liver may cause free-floating fat and cholesterol to deposit in the arteries. This does not mean to overeat. Simply stretch your normal food and caloric intake out over the entire day.
10) Plant Sterol Supplements: If you just have to eat a high fat food such as a steak, try taking Phytosterol supplements—a naturally occurring plant compound that reduces the absorption of dietary cholesterol. It is suggested to take 200-250 mg. before meals.
Remember that for every 1 percent that you drop your cholesterol level, you lower your risk of heart attack by 2 percent for men and 3 percent for women!
A personal note: My fiancé had tremendous results by following the program in the book, The 8 Week Cholesterol Cure by Robert E. Kowalski. He got off Lipitor and within 3 months reduced his cholesterol level from 315 milligrams per deciliter to 202. If you are taking Lipitor, Zocor or any other statin drug, I suggest you consider (under your doctor’s care) changing your lifestyle and what you eat to naturally lower your cholesterol level.
Our bodies can heal themselves if we simply give them the chance!
Rachael McCampbell is a Polarity Practitioner and Craniosacral Therapist in West Los Angeles and can be reached at 310.475.4374.