Reduce cholesterol in adolescents

[baloo1987]

Hello!

Can you pleas recommend any ways to reduce cholesterol naturally without the need or medications?

[Weeannie]

Morning balloo, I have reduced my cholesterol from 9.3. To 6.7 in just over a year by cutting down (not out) the stuff we know is bad, bread, cakes, biscuits, sweets, sugar in my tea and coffee etc. All the things we know we should do but don’t. I’m only 5’ 2” and weigh 8st. Works for me and has kept me off statins. Good Luck x

[sandybrown]

Depending on your general health and you re not on any medication, yes you can bring down cholesterol numbers. you have not mentioned your cholesterol numbers.

If you can control hidden and free sugar from all food and drinks, it works, it can be difficult. Regular exercise can also help. Give it a try, UK chemists can do basic cholesterol test, you can do this and have a reference number.

[sos007 Ambassador]

You must first understand why the body produces cholesterol. This substance is used:

-to make all your hormones

-to make vitamin D

-to make enzymes that help you digest food

-to make a patch or internal scab on an inflamed blood-vessel wall.

Source: drcynthiahorner.com/cholest...

This is why the human body needs cholesterol. If you look at the fourth point - to patch an inflamed vessel wall - that's where it causes a problem. However the problem is NOT the cholesterol itself, but the behaviour that causes the 'inflammation' to begin with.

If you want to naturally reduce your liver's cholesterol production, then you must change your behaviour that triggers inflammation or damage to your arterial wall.

The principle cause of inflammation is sugar and simple carbohydrates which are converted to sugar in the body. The other source of inflammation is excess body weight which increases blood pressure and creates more physical stress on the arterial wall resulting in damage. A lack of exercise also contributes in that your arteries need nitric oxide for the arterial lining (endothelium) to be more flexible and allow improved blood flow.

So natural ways to reduce cholesterol are:

- first - eliminate all sugars and simple carbohydrates from your diet, this includes avoiding soft drinks, fruit juices and limiting alcohol to one drink per day (ideally red wine) - watch this short video to understand simple carbohydrates vs complex carbohydrates:

youtu.be/6esFOqj_IaY(Not working as expected?)

- second - increase the fiber in your diet - rich sources of fiber included unsweetened oatmeal cereal; legumes - such as beans, chick peas and lentils, fruits and vegetables; Blueberries are essential to reducing cholesterol naturally so have 4-6 oz daily; apples are also an excellent source of fiber and make you feel full and satiated.

- reduce animal protein in your diet - your body only needs 3 oz of animal protein to get its required amino acids for muscle maintenance. That means only one meal per day that contains either fish or chicken. Red meats are high in iron and should only be consumed occasionally (once every couple of weeks). Animal protein is also calorie dense, so if you can manage to skip animal protein every other day, you will lose weight more rapidly. Replace animal protein with egg whites, nuts, 2% plain Greek yogurt, and mostly with legumes (beans, chick peas, lentils).

- third - lose weight - if you follow the guidelines above, you will lose weight naturally and quickly, without counting calories and without being hungry. Weight loss also reduces blood pressure which reduces the damage in your arteries that require cholesterol. You can load up on vegetables and fruit to avoid being hungry. Make an egg white omelette with diced vegetables like a red or green pepper, onions, then add sliced and pitted Kalamata olives and Greek feta, salt and pepper to taste. Cook in a half a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick pan.

- fourth - take 1,000 mg of vitamin C with each meal (ensure it doesn't contain sugar) - vitamin C helps the body produce collagen which will replace the need for your liver to produce some cholesterol; If you take at least 3,000 mg daily, your cholesterol should drop about 15% after a month;

- fifth - take full flush niacin - start with 500 mg and work your way up to as much as 1,500 mg. Niacin increases the HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers the bad (LDL) cholesterol. Take Niacin with a meal and a glass of cold water to minimize the 'flush' that it causes. The flush is a result of your blood vessels dilating - this is harmless but scares some people when it first happens. The flush diminishes with daily use and only lasts about 30 minutes at the beginning.

- sixth - walk at least 30-60 minutes per day - or find some form of exercise that elevates your heart rate that you enjoy enough to do daily.

For the record - I have done all of these things and do not take any medications in spite of having open heart surgery 3 years ago.

Read one of my posts here: healthunlocked.com/choleste...

Good luck.

[sos007 Ambassador]

@ Concerned - Thanks for your reply - I always enjoy the healthy dialogue. I won't speak to the WHO's views - I think you have to be careful to assess information from any source within the context of the statements being made. I have documented on this forum my diet and lifestyle and have attained my health objectives (except for Lp(a) - moving in right direction though), while consuming both complex carbs and lean animal protein (albeit very limited - twice per week).

I monitor my blood work, as you know, at least quarterly and am on target. Although I am aware of the glycemic index (it was invented by a Canadian you know) and do consult it when I'm unsure of something I'm considering eating, I generally have a pretty good idea of which foods to avoid that may be high in the GI load (different than index alone - in that it considers portion sizes), however I'm not overly focused on it.

My last test showed that whatever I'm doing has made me insulin sensitive so I must be doing things right for myself.

I have also realized, like yourself, that elevated cholesterol is not necessarily a reason for panic - but rather a sign-post to investigate further and consider making dietary and lifestyle changes.

Generally, foods that elevate insulin levels also elevate triglycerides and LDL, so they're certainly all related.

I encourage everyone to conduct an NMR Lipoprofile blood test as it looks beneath the surface of LDL cholesterol and also provides an insulin sensitivity score. This detailed assessment is a better foundation for potential pharmacotherapy than the standard lipid panel that doctors requisition. Especially those who are prescribed statins for prophylactic, rather than therapeutic reasons.