Lower Your Cholesterol : How To and Home Remedies

Cholesterol is a fatty molecule that is manufactured by your liver. You need cholesterol in order to help you manufacture certain types of hormones. However, too much cholesterol circulating through the blood can lead to develop some serious health problems.

The body uses cholesterol to produce many hormones, vitamin D, and the bile acids that help to digest fat. It takes only a small amount of cholesterol in the blood to meet these needs. If a person has too much cholesterol in the bloodstream, the excess may be deposited in arteries, including the coronary arteries of the heart, the carotid arteries to the brain, and the arteries that supply blood to the legs.

The only way to find out if you have high cholesterol is through a cholesterol test. A cholesterol test is a blood test that will look at the key lipids, or fats, that are in the blood, such as:

-LDL
-HDL
-Triglycerides
-Total cholesterol

If you have any of the conditions listed below, you are at risk of having high cholesterol and should get checked if you have not already done so:

-Sedentary lifestyle (lack of exercise)
-Poor diet
-Smoking
-Certain medications
-Age (the older you are, the more you are at risk)
-Family history of high cholesterol
-Certain diseases (diabetes, certain thyroid gland conditions)

Lowering your cholesterol reduces your risk of contracting heart disease and dying from a heart attack. Here are several tips and remedies on how to lower your cholesterol.

. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily as it stimulates the excretory activity of the kidneys.

. Onion juice reduces cholesterol level and works as a tonic. It cleans blood, helps digestive system, cures insomnia and regulates the heart action & helps in lowering cholesterol.

. A mudpack applied over the abdomen improves digestion and also improves the functioning of the liver and activates kidneys to promote excretion.

. Soy products or soy compounds known, as isoflavones are the best to regulate the cholesterol levels in the blood. They act as human hormones.

. Sunflower seeds are also highly beneficial in regulating the cholesterol levels and is good herbal remedies for cholesterol.

. Exercise such as swimming, running, and jogging,yoga and walking can also strengthen your heart, bones, and other muscles of the body, in addition to helping you to lose weight.

. Avoid foods rich in cholesterol and saturated fats like eggs; organ meats, cheese, butter, beef, whole milk and vegetable oils.

. A rich fiber diet is recommended for the patients with high blood cholesterol levels.

. Diet high in vitamin B6, choline and inositol are also effective in reducing blood cholesterol. Wheat germ and yeasts are the rich sources.

. Don't smoke. Smoking increases your cholesterol.

. Take fish oil for Omega 3. Omega 3 has many health benefits including lowering cholesterol naturally.

. Lecithin is a fatty food substance that is highly beneficial in controlling cholesterol levels. Egg yolk, vegetable oils, whole grain cereals, soybeans and unpasteurized milk are the best sources of lecithin.

. Boil 10 pieces of cinnamon sticks (2.5cm each) in 5 teacups of water and put a tablespoon of honey and drink this when it is hot. This is very effective natural remedy for cholesterol.

. Eating 1 clove garlic a day for 12 weeks helps in reducing cholesterol gradually.

. Take evening primrose oil to lower your cholesterol. Evening primrose oil helps to lower high blood cholesterol.


~sources:ehow.com,cholesterol.about.com~