Being told that you have high cholesterol is not something to be taken lightly. Elevated cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease or stroke if left untreated, says the Mayo Clinic. Your cholesterol levels consist of two forms of cholesterol. They are low-density lipoproteins, LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, and high-density lipoproteins, HDL, or "good" cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is the kind that attaches itself to the lining of your arteries and can lead to narrowing or blockage. The HDL cholesterol is important because it helps the body eliminate excess LDL cholesterol so it won't be as likely to attach to the artery walls. Triglycerides are also measured when testing for cholesterol. These are lipids formed from the excess fat and calories you eat. It's also important to keep your triglyceride levels low, according to the Mayo Clinic. There are several herbal supplements and foods that can help to lower your overall cholesterol levels, reports the National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM. Before you begin to take any of these, talk to your health care provider.
Flax Seed Oil
A research study that looked at the effects of flax seed oil on cholesterol was conducted at Peking Union Medical College Tumor Hospital and Institute and published in the June 2008 issue of "The British Journal of Nutrition." The research concluded that flax seed oil was successful in lowering overall cholesterol levels. To get this benefit, the seed of the flax plant is either ground up and added to foods or used to make flax seed oil and taken as a supplement. Don't heat flax seed oil or it will lose its healthful properties. Keep flax seeds and flax seed oil refrigerated and use them within the first few weeks or they will spoil, according to the NCCAM.
Garlic
Garlic is not only a popular culinary ingredient, but it's also beneficial in reducing blood cholesterol, according to a a recent study. This study took place at Mansoura University Department of Zoology in Egypt and it was published in the June 2010 issue of "International Journal of Clinical And Experimental Medicine." The research investigated the effects on cholesterol in rats when given garlic supplements. The results showed that the garlic helped to reduce the overall blood cholesterol levels in the animals. If you want to take garlic without the heavy breath, there are odorless garlic supplements available.
Grape Seed Extract
Grape seed extract has been shown to lower risks of heart problems and stroke, while lowering cholesterol levels. This was the conclusion of a recent research study conducted at Queen Alexandra Hospital Academic Unit of Diabetes & Endocrinology in Portsmouth, England. The results were published in the May 2009 issue of "Diabetic Medicine: A Journal of the British Diabetic Association." The test subjects showed marked improvements in cholesterol levels as a result of the grape seed extract supplements.
Red Clover
Red clover is another herbal supplement that may be able to help in your efforts to lower your cholesterol. An animal study performed at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences Cardiovascular Research Center in Isfahan, Iran, and published in the August 2007 issue of "Phytotherapy Research," had very promising results. The study concluded that using red clover caused the triglycerides and LDL levels to be significantly reduced in the test animals, while the HDL levels were increased.
Soy
Soy is an easy ingredient to add to the diet and it may offer cholesterol-lowering benefits. A study held at Kyungpook National University Department of Food Science and Nutrition in Kaegu, Korea, supports the use of soy for this purpose. The results were published in the June 2009 issue of "Molecular Nutrition & Food Research" and concluded that the HDL levels in the animal test subjects were significantly increased by using soy.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon, too, has been shown to help to lower overall cholesterol in a recent research study. This study was published in the October 2009 issue of "International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine" and showed that when animals were given cinnamon supplements, their antioxidant and HDL levels were raised and their LDL levels were reduced. So, you might consider adding cinnamon to your morning coffee or oatmeal to help your cholesterol levels.
Cranberry Juice
Having a glass of cranberry juice each day may help to lower your cholesterol. Or, if you don't like the juice, you can take cranberry capsules as a supplement to your diet. This has been shown to benefit cholesterol levels in a research study conducted at Laval University Institute of Nutraceutical and Functional foods in Quebec, Canada. The results of this study were published in the August 2006 edition of "The British Journal of Nutrition." After the men involved in the study drank increased daily amounts of cranberry juice over a 12 week period, their HDL cholesterol levels were shown to be higher than before the study.
Ginger
Ginger may be another great ingredient to add to your diet for reducing your cholesterol levels. It can also be taken in capsule form as a supplementl. A very recent study that took place at the Cairo University Department of Pharmacology in Cairo, Egypt, showed ginger's promise as a cholesterol-lowering supplement. This study was published in the August 2010 issue of "Inflammopharmacology" and concluded that when the test animal subjects were given ginger supplements, they had lower LDL and triglyceride levels as a result.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: High Cholesterol
- MayoClinic.com: HDL cholesterol: How to boost your 'good' cholesterol
- PubMed.gov: Antihypercholesterolaemic effect of ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale) in rats.
- PubMed.gov: Dietary flaxseed lignan extract lowers plasma cholesterol and glucose concentrations in hypercholesterolaemic subjects.
- PubMed.gov: Favourable impact of low-calorie cranberry juice consumption on plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations in men.
