Can you lower your cholesterol without drugs?
A bowl of my heart-healthy Best Granola swimming in some Almond milk can be helpful in lowering cholesterol: lots of whole grains, nuts and seeds will make your heart very happy, indeed!
A dear friend and I got into a conversation about cholesterol. She had recently been diagnosed with high cholesterol, and was trying to avoid having to take the cholesterol-lowering drugs. Yes, Gentle Readers, I am approaching the age in which I spend quantities of time chatting about cholesterol–weight loss–sun damage on my skin–and the like. Oh well. (What are you going to do?) The clock ticks and the days pass one by one–there’s no stopping them–at least if there is, I haven’t figured it out yet!
We live in an affluent country and we typically indulge in rich and tasty foods, and too many of them. Who can blame us? But as a consequence of this indulgent diet, we are fatter, and less healthy, than any body else on the planet! Most of our serious health problems–obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and the like–can be traced to our rich, fatty diet and our reluctance to exercise. High cholesterol is a problem, and tens of millions of Americans are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs—mostly statins—and many health “experts” have the opinion that many millions more should be taking them. I couldn’t disagree more.
Statins are HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, that is, they act by blocking the enzyme in your liver that is responsible for making cholesterol. They are a mixed bag, though, as most drugs (in my opinion) are. There are now nearly a thousand studies that show their adverse effects, and undesirable side effects include: muscle problems, immune dysfunction, cataracts, memory loss, anemia, and increased cancer risks.
Here’s a novel idea: if your health problem has been caused (and many times, this one has) by lack of exercise and the wrong diet, how about getting out there and exercising and changing the diet? What an idea!
Here’s an excellent article written by Helen Aitkinson, from EZine articles, which I hope will be helpful for you if you are trying to lower your cholesterol. And here’s a link to my Best Granola on the Planet, if you get motivated and want to make some for yourself! If you want to add foods that will lower your cholesterol, granola full of whole grains and nuts and seeds should definitely be in your arsenol!
Now–onward, Gentle Readers! Get healthy!