Shocked to see your high cholesterol levels? Thinking of eliminating fats altogether from your diet? That must be your first thought when your blood tests show elevated cholesterol, but would that help? Actually No.
Fat is not the only criteria or the reason for your bad heart health. Consuming more calories than your body needs or what your body can burn, end up being stored in muscles and other areas of the body. It can be carbohydrates, fats or whatsoever you eat, anything more than the required calories would just pile up. A regular exercise regime and dietary control are not just sufficient. Along with these healthy changes, you should also include some cholesterol-lowering natural supplements.
These natural cholesterol lowering supplements are a therapeutic botanical formulation which is developed from synergistic botanicals acting collectively and physiologically to reduce cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation in the arteries. These may help to lower cholesterol levels by around 30 to 40 points. Henceforth, lowering the risk of various heart conditions and heart failure.
The commonly used natural ingredients in these natural supplements are:
Fish oil: The natural supplements containing fish oil can help you lower your total cholesterol and triglycerides levels by 30% as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega- 3 fatty acids have been proved to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and sudden cardiac failure. Studies also suggest that omega-3 have antioxidant properties which help improve endothelial(inner lining of blood vessels) function contributing to heart benefit.
Psyllium: Dietary fiber is a great cholesterol buster but unfortunately, your diet doesn’t provide you with enough fiber to reduce cholesterol levels. Psyllium is a plant-derived fiber which has been seen to show a reduction in total cholesterol levels. A plant-based natural supplement containing psyllium can help you control your cholesterol levels along with healthy dietary habits.
Red Yeast Rice: Red yeast rice has been used as a medicinal product since ancient times and is a traditional Chinese culinary food. Research has shown a positive impact of red yeast rice in lowering the cholesterol levels by reducing LDL(Low- density lipoprotein) and therefore reducing cardiovascular risk.
Niacin: Niacin has been widely used to regulate abnormalities in plasma lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Niacin works by raising HDL(high-density lipoprotein) the good cholesterol hence controlling cholesterol levels.
Plant sterols and stanols: Plant sterols and stanols (phytosterols) are found naturally in plants. When taken in the form of supplements, they mimic cholesterol due to structural similarity and compete for absorption in the body. This helps in lowering of cholesterol levels.
Black Pepper Extract: Pepper is well known for its pharmaceutical properties such as anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. The piperine present in black pepper has been seen to reduce cholesterol levels significantly.
Barley: Recent research has shown that barley also helps in reducing total cholesterol and lowering LDL contributing to a healthy heart.
So supplementing your body with natural supplements alongside a healthy lifestyle gives a push in the reduction of cholesterol levels and makes your heart healthy.
Summing up the benefits of natural supplements:
– They help in reducing natural cholesterol production
– They improve cardiac muscle tone.
– They help in reducing inflammation in arteries.
– They provide antioxidant support to protect blood vessels.
Adopting healthy lifestyle habits like regular exercise, having a healthy diet and not just eliminating fats, shedding off the extra kilos, quit smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation and taking plant-based natural formulations will surely help you reduce elevated cholesterol levels and keep your heart healthy.
References:
https://www.medhelp.org/posts/Cholesterol/Barley-grass-for-lowering-cholesterol/show/2765282
https://heartuk.org.uk/cholesterol-and-diet/healthy-eating/plant-sterols-and-stanols
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12873710
https://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/omega3-fatty-acids
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/cholesterol-lowering-supplements/art-20050980?pg=1
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10837282
http://www.msdmanuals.com/home/disorders-of-nutrition/overview-of-nutrition/carbohydrates,-proteins,-and-fats
https://nccih.nih.gov/health/redyeastrice
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22736065