Lowering Cholesterol Naturally

Cholesterol Lowering Program from The Center for Nutritional Medicine

Understanding Healthy Cholesterol Levels . . . How's Yours?

Total cholesterol is the number most often considered when deciding to take a cholesterol lowering drug or supplement. Most doctors now recommend that your total cholesterol be below 200 and we agree with this.

This 200 number is not magic…it is not true that below 200 you are "safe" from health concerns, and above 200 you are not. The higher your cholesterol, the higher your risk of atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries), heart disease, and stroke. Even a cholesterol of 200, brings a higher risk of these diseases, than a cholesterol of 180. And 220, is much better than 260.

Conversely, you need cholesterol to make your hormones, especially the adrenal hormones, and the sex hormone testosterone. We do not recommend a cholesterol below 140 because of this.

The total cholesterol is broken down into LDL, the "bad" cholesterol, and HDL, the "good" cholesterol. LDL is considered bad because of its size, and studies have found that it does the most damage to the arteries. HDL is not as damaging, and when high, has been found to be protective.

Cholesterol Lowering Diet to Increase Anti-Oxidents

Traditional labs and doctors are not as concerned about a LDL between 100-130, but we don't agree.

Recent studies show that plaques and clogging of the arteries are caused by "oxidized" or damaged cholesterol. This damage happens from "free radicals" and even if your numbers are "good", you need to make sure you are taking enough anti-oxidants in your diet through food and supplements to make sure the cholesterol stays healthy. Center for Nutritional Medicine Online Store - Oxygenics

Cholesterol is affected by estrogen, this is why post-menopausal women often see their cholesterol go up, as their estrogen goes down. Hypothyroidism can also cause cholesterol to be elevated.

Cholesterol is made in your liver from the food in your diet. Too much sugar in your diet will cause your liver to make cholesterol to store, because your body can't use it all up when you eat it. 80-85% of cholesterol is made from glucose, and the rest is made from fat, especially saturated and trans ("partially hydrogenated") fats. This is why we believe the focus needs to be on eating less sugar.

Your Successful Cholesterol Lowering Program Includes Diet & Supplements

Cholesterol has a natural life cycle in the body and is excreted through the liver into the bile. If there is good bile flow, and plenty of soluble fiber in the bowel, the cholesterol will be pulled out of the body. If there is not enough fiber in the bowel, the cholesterol will be reabsorbed. Herbulk is a type of fiber found especially good at binding and removing cholesterol. 1 serving daily, 1 scoop mixed in water or juice, will provide 3 grams of soluble fiber. Fiber treatment can lower cholesterol anywhere from 5%-26%.

Fish oils are essential fatty acids (EFA's). They are called "essential" because your body cannot make them, so you must ingest them or you will become deficient. Fish oil is made of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids, EPA and DHA. These Omega 3's are especially good at lowering Triglycerides, another measure in the lipid profile that is often elevated.

EPA and DHA are also important for many functions in the body, including lowering inflammation, improving brain function and depression, improving sugar metabolism and insulin resistance. It is an integral part of all the treatment programs at the Center for Nutritional Medicine. Our product is called EPA/DHA 720 because there is 720 mg of EPA/DHA per capsule. The basic dose of fish oil is 2 capsules daily, but to raise HDL and lower Triglycerides, the dose should be 3 grams daily, or 2 capsules twice daily. However, always check with your doctor first before taking this higher dosage, especially if you are taking any blood thinning medication such as coumadin.

Policosanol is a lipid lowering agent that is derived from sugar cane wax. It is thought to work by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis in the liver, by a mechanism different than "statin" drugs. The precise mechanism of action is not understood yet. But we do know that it is safe, and that at doses of 20 mg per day it lowers total Cholesterol by 17-21%, and LDL cholesterol by 21-29%. It also raises HDL by 8-15%. Our product is called Cholarest. And it should be taken 1 pill twice daily with food.

Benefits of "Plant Sterols" in Lowering Bad (LDL) Cholesterol

Studies have shown that "plant sterols" can lower LDL Cholesterol by 5-17%

Plant sterols have been in the news for several years, and can be found as an additive in margarine like Benechol. Plant sterols work by binding cholesterol in the bowel and preventing re-absorption.

In our medical practice, we use plant sterols that can be taken as a pill, in Meta-Sitosterol. This should be taken 1 tablet with each meal.

Cholesterol Essentials 4 Pack. Includes: Herbulk, EPA/DHA 720, Cholarest, and Meta-Sitosterol, available as a discounted package through our online store. Center for Nutritional Medicine Online Store

Find a better way to lower cholesterol without adverse side effects of pharmaceuticals.

The most common pharmaceutical treatment of high blood cholesterol is the prescription of statin drugs such as Lipitor.

Most patients who come to The Center for Nutritional Medicine with high cholesterol come to us because they are experiencing side effects from these drugs, which include stomach upset, liver problems that resulted in abnormal liver tests, and mild to severe muscle cramping and/or pain.

They want to find a better way to lower their cholesterol without these adverse side effects.

The Center for Nutritional Medicine Can Help you by Lowering Cholesterol Naturally

Other patients come to us with a new diagnosis and hope to lower their cholesterol in a more natural way.

In the many years we've used the supplements in our cholesterol lowering program, none of our patients have reported side effects, and we have never needed to stop any because of this.

For most people, this is the better way to go.

We have seen this program, diet and lifestyle changes plus supplements, reduce total cholesterol by up to 70 points, and would be a good way to start for people with cholesterol levels below 300.