When researching diets for high cholestrol, there are a few that can be found on the market. Most of the diets call for the same foods, low fat, full of whole grains, vegetables, low calorie foods, fruits and lean meats.

The first diet on the list is the Mediterranean diet, based off of the eating habits of inhabitants of Greece and other countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea. This diet was first introduced in 1993 and has grown seemingly popular. The reason behind its success is due to an overall balanced diet that is enjoyable to eat. Even though the diet is high in fat these fats are all considered good fats. Olive oil is the main source of fat in this particular diet. Olive oil does not contain the high saturated fat that is found in animal based products, such as butter and milk. The Mediterranean diet has some added bonuses to it also, for example drinking 1-2 glasses of red wine a day or being able to eat pasta as long as it’s whole grains. Most of the cheeses you’ll eat on this diet are mozzarella and feta. A normal breakfast on this diet would be an egg white omelet with spinach and feta cheese, which is quite tasty. Lot’s of beans, lean meats and fish are all key elements from this diet that help reduce cholestrol.

If you have very high cholestrol your doctor might recommend the TLC diet, “therapeutic lifestyle changes”. The main focus of the TLC diet is to lower fat intake every day. This diet consists of the following: total of only 5 ozs of lean meat a day, fish and shellfish, tofu, egg yolks but only up to 2 a week, substitute egg whites in any recipe if possible, buy either fat free or skim milk, soy milk is another alternative, and eating 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Quaker oatmeal has a 30 day challenge on their website called the “smart heart challenge”. There are three steps to the challenge and it’s free to use. The first step is to check your levels beforehand, then make sure to eat a min of ½ cups of cooked oatmeal a day and limit foods that are high in saturated fat. Quaker oatmeal gives you a scoreboard that can be printed out or used online. Every day you record your heart points and track it for an entire month. The last step in the challenge is to exercise. By adding cardio exercise such as walking, you decrease your cholestrol levels. The website has a ton of resources on cholestrol, including recipes, tips and tricks for weight loss, treatment and general information.

High cholestrol can be treated by changing your diet and lifestyle, using drug-free natural methods and products, and also by drugs prescribed by a doctor. Medication can have side effects so it is important to know how to lower your cholestrol naturally.

How to lower your cholestrol by diet
Many people suffer from high cholestrol because of the food that they eat. They have unhealthy diets and consume foods that are too high in saturated fats and full of cholestrol. Saturated fat is found in animal products like whole fat milk, cheese, meat and butter. Another bad fat is trans fat or hydrogenated fat which is found in coconut oil, palm oil, commercially baked foods like cakes, cookies and pastries and also in fast food. These types of bad fat raise our cholestrol levels and put us at a greater risk of coronary heart disease. You can lower your cholestrol by simply replacing the bad fats in your diet with good fats that raise the good cholestrol in the blood to protect yourself against heart disease.
Simple changes to make:-
– Use polyunsaturated spreads instead of butter.
– Cook with olive oil.
– Bake with polyunsaturated spreads or olive oil instead of lard or butter.
– Reduce your intake of meat. Eat more oily fish or eat vegetarian meals and incorporate soya into your diet.
– Use fat free milk or soya milk instead of whole milk.
– Use cholestrol lowering products like those containing plant sterols which lower bad cholestrol and increase good cholestrol.
Fibre is also very important in lowering cholestrol. Soluble fibre is found in beans, pulses, wholegrains and fruit and vegetables. Replace meat in casseroles with beans and pulses, eat more fruit and vegetables and swap your usual processed white bread for a wholegrain bread.

How to lower your cholestrol by exercise
The best way to lower high cholestrol is to combine a healthy low calorie and low fat diet with a regime of aerobic exercise. Aerobic or Cardiovascular exercise works the large muscle groups and the heart and lungs. Not only will it lower your cholestrol but it will help you to lose weight and put you at a lower risk of many serious health problems. Examples of aerobic exercise are brisk walking, jogging, cycling, trampolining, step aerobics, dance aerobics and kick-boxing. Try to exercise at least 3-5 times a week for 20-30 minutes at a time.

How to lower your cholestrol by other natural methods
– Start taking vitamins and supplements known to lower high cholestrol such as Anti-oxidant vitamins (A, C and E) and Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Garlic supplements are also good for cholestrol and for protecting the heart.
– Consume wheatgrass juice – research has found this to be effective in lowering high cholestrol levels.
– Homeopathy – see a Homeopath for advice on which homeopathic medicines might work for you.
– High dose Niacin or Vitamin B3, when prescribed by a doctor, increases levels of good cholestrol.
– Herbs and spices such as Gugulipid, Cayenne pepper, cinnamon, turmeric and caraway seeds have all been shown to lower bad cholestrol levels. Use them in your recipes.

Learning how to lower your cholestrol by natural methods is much better than having to use medication.

Doctors’ now recommend that everyone over the age of 20 should have their cholestrol tested. If going to the doctor is too much of a hassle, you can now purchase an over-the-counter cholestrol test that can be done at home. Some of the newer tests are even able to provide a more accurate reading on your LDL and HDL levels, then before.

When getting your cholestrol tested it’s important to remember to fast for at least 9-12 hours before you’re scheduled to take the test. You can drink water, coffee and tea but with no sugar or cream in it. Whether at home or at your primary physician’s office all tests use blood to check your cholestrol levels.

If using an at home test that came in a kit, there will be a finger pricker. The instructions are easy enough to follow and can be performed at any time or place. Make sure you have a watch or timer that can be used to time the test. Before using the finger pricker wash your hands with soap and water, and then massage them to increase blood flow. The finger pricker is a one time use only, so make sure you are ready. When you’re ready to start prick your fingertip with the pricker. Inside the finger pricker is a needle that will draw blood and retract back into the pricker.

In the kit came a test with a designated area for you to drop your blood on. Squeeze your finger over the correct spot onto the test and then follow the rest of the directions. Once you have finished the test check your readings with your doctor, if you have any questions. Some home tests will be able to tell you your total cholestrol and HDL while others will just tell you your total level.

The at home cholestrol tests are fairly cheap and can be bought at almost any drugstore. Some common brands are Cardiochek, Home Access, Q-Steps and First Check, all ranging in pricing for $20.00 or less. When buying an at home test if you have any questions, talk to the pharmacist before deciding to purchase one.

If you opted to go to your doctor’s to have the test done they’ll use a needle to draw out the blood. The procedure is simple and takes only minutes. By wrapping an elastic band around your arm, the nurse is able to swell a vein and take a sample. Having the test done at your doctor’s is better then just doing an at home kit. At your doctor’s you can discuss what your readings mean, what steps you will need to take to reduce your cholestrol and what medications you might need if your readings are high.

High bloodpressure (Hypertension) and a high cholestrol level in the blood are both risk factors of cardiovascular disease, strokes and many other serious diseases. cholestrol can build up in the arteries causing narrowing of the arteries and high blood pressure causes a strain on the blood vessels of the vascular system which can damage and narrow them too.

Narrowing of the arteries reduces blood flow to vital organs like the heart and brain and also clots can form. If this happens we can suffer a heart attack or stroke. Being overweight increases our blood pressure and increases our cholestrol levels. It is important we know how to lower blood pressure and cholestrol by losing weight to protect our health.

So, do you know how to lower blood pressure and cholestrol by losing weight?
To lower your blood pressure and cholestrol levels you need to change your lifestyle. Ways to lose weight and increase exercise:-
– Join a gym – Get assessed by a personal trainer in a gym who can devise a program of exercise specifically for your needs.

– Start an exercise regime of your own – Aerobic exercise is important in reducing blood pressure, reducing cholestrol and shifting a few pounds. Aerobic exercise is exercise that exercises the cardiovascular system – the heart and lungs. Walk briskly or jog, cycle, do aerobics, skipping, kick boxing and roller blading. Do aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week for at least 20-30 minutes. Some doctors now recommend exercising 5 times a week for good health.
– Reduce calorie intake – Eat lower calorie foods, cut down on treats like junk food and biscuits, choose lower calorie alternatives to your normal food.
– Eat more fruit and vegetables – Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
Other tips on how to lower blood pressure and cholestrol by losing weight:-
– Reduce your intake of saturated fat and trans fat which raise cholestrol levels and blood pressure. Saturated fat can be found in meat and dairy foods such as cheese and butter. Trans fat can be found in commercially processed foods such as biscuits and cakes, and also foods containing coconut and palm oils. Use polyunsaturated or mono unsaturated fats instead like olive oils and polyunsaturated margarines. Change to low fat or fat free milk or use cholestrol lowering milks which contain plant sterols known to reduce cholestrol levels.
– Change your cooking methods. Instead of frying or deep fat frying in fat you should grill, steam or microwave food.

The above information tells you how to lower blood pressure and cholestrol by losing weight. Eat foods that contain good nutrition and exercise regularly to keep healthy.

Doctor’s now recommend that anyone over the age of 20 get a blood test done to find out their cholestrol readings. Once you know what your readings are you and your doctor can decide what lifestyle changes you will need to make, if any.

There are two types of cholestrol that are looked at when you get tested, LDL and HDL. LDL stands for low density lipoproteins; this is known as the bad cholestrol. Too much LDL can cause a plaque build up which can lead to clogged arteries. HDL stands for high density lipoproteins, otherwise known as the good cholestrol. HDL is responsible for removing LDL and taking it to the liver where it will be metabolized into bile and removed from the body. Your cholestrol readings will tell you how much of each lipoprotein you have in your system.

After the blood test is done your doctor will combine the amount of HDL and LDL that you have. This is the basis for any further treatment needed to reduce cholestrol. There are different ranges of cholestrol readings, ranging from normal-high.

A normal cholestrol reading will have a total level of 200mg/dl or less with LDL levels falling around 130mg. If you fall into this range you’re considered to have normal and healthy cholestrol. Hearing this might make you want to run out to the closest McDonalds, but don’t. Continue to have a healthy diet and exercise, so that your cholestrol will maintain its current level. There are some vitamins on the market that can even help you to maintain your current cholestrol.

If your reading comes out to a total cholestrol level between 200-239mg/dl and a LDL level that ranged from 130-159mg/dl you fall into the borderline group. People in this category need to make some minor adjustments to their lifestyle. Doctors’ will suggest a healthy diet consisting of lean meats, low fat dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Beginning a cardio vascular workout, would also be a good suggestion for someone in this group.

A reading that has a total cholestrol of 240mg/dl and higher and a LDL of 160mg/dl is considered high. Anyone that falls into this range is at a risk of getting heart disease, having a stroke or heart attack. Depending on the patient and the extent of risk, doctors would most likely prescribe medications at this point. If a diet and exercise program is not already in place, one is not only suggested but highly enforced. Sometimes cholestrol can be lowered with diet and healthy alternatives instead of medications like statin drugs that have side effects.

cholestrol readings are important, and since there are no known symptoms of high cholestrol it’s important to get tested early. If your cholestrol is normal continue to get checked every five years and maintain a healthy lifestyle.