Research has shown that it is not so much the cholesterol that can have a negative effect on the heart, but the carrier of the cholesterol…the lipoproteins. In fact, the Framingham Heart Study done in 1977 found that in men and women 50 and older, “total cholesterol per se is not a risk for coronary heart disease at all.”

So why do we believe that LDL and saturated fats are so bad for us? This is due to studies that showed eating saturated fats increased the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood. This led to the assumption that it was the saturated fat that was the culprit. The assumption is false as clinical trials have shown there is no compelling evidence that saturated fat in the diet causes heart disease.

Another reason for the belief that LDL is bad are drugs like Zocor and Lipitor which lower LDL cholesterol and also prevent heart attacks. This is understood as cause and effect, and is so prevalent that the FDA now approves drugs to prevent heart disease based solely on evidence they lower LDL cholesterol. The problem is these drugs have multiple actions and it is like saying aspirin prevents heart attacks by getting rid of headaches.

Recent testing, such as the trials of Vytorin and torcetrapib, a drug that both lowers LDL while raising HDL…which was halted before completion as it appeared to cause both heart attacks and strokes…have not proven the cause and effect of LDL on heart disease. Estrogen replacement also lowers LDL, but has had no positive impact on lowering heart disease. The same is true for eating less saturated fat.

Statins may be effective as they reduce inflammation, which is considered a risk for heart disease. They also help to keep the walls of the arteries healthy. Statins also have an effect on the lipoproteins themselves. They reduce the number of low density lipoproteins in the blood, including the most dangerous form of LDL, which are very small and dense lipoproteins.

So what are we to make of these seemingly conflicting claims and counter-claims? First we need to to examine our assumptions on how to deal with the problem of heart disease, which is at epidemic proportions in much of the world. We need to get rid of the idea that all of our health needs can be found in a bottle.

Physical activity done at a level that triggers the natural energy cycle and balance that we all possess will determine our diet. We have been putting the cart before the horse. Diet is secondary and completely dependent on your activity level. The primary source of so many of our current health problems is our sedentary life-style.

A healthy heart is an active heart. It really is that simple. No rocket science here, just the common sense that we all possess but have been lulled into abandoning in the tidal wave of hype coming from the interests that care much more about making money then they do about our health.

This leaves us with a choice of two ways how to lower cholesterol with herbs and they are a) take individual herbs to achieve each of the desired outcomes, or b) use a natural blended supplement which has various herbs etc… in it which can help our bodies do what is required and are blended together in the right quantities to form one single supplement. Of course of the two we want to use option b as it will work out cheaper and easier to do.

So now that we know a blended supplement is the most effective way how to lower cholesterol with herbs, what ingredients should we be looking for in the supplement? Well, there are various options, but ideally you want your blended supplement to contain the following proven cholesterol controlling ingredients;-

1. Policosanol – This is extracted from various sources including rice bran and beeswax, and it has been found to be so effective at reducing LDL production that it has been compared to statins just without all of the nasty side effects. It works because it contains an alcohol within it and this alcohol helps to increase HDL as well as prevent the liver from producing too much of the enzyme that creates LDL.
2. Lecithin – This helps you in a couple of ways, firstly it helps to dissolve LDL cholesterol in the blood, and secondly it stops excess LDL being absorbed by turning it into bile salts which are then excreted.
3. Phytosterols – These are plant based sterols which are very similar in molecular structure to cholesterol. With this being the case what happens is that they end out competing for the same space to be absorbed in to the gastrointestinal tract as the cholesterol, therefore less cholesterol is absorbed.
4. Theaflavins – These are derived from fermented green tea, and they have two roles to play. First of all they increase HDL and decrease LDL, additionally they are also very strong anti – oxidants which means your body has less oxidized cholesterol floating around inside it.
5. Oryzanol – This is taken from the outer hull of rice and has many different properties in it that help to combat cholesterol. In summary though it is very effective at turning cholesterol into bile salts for excretion.
6. D-Limonene – Extracted from the skin of citrus fruit, this non toxic oil is a natural solvent which when it builds up in the liver inhibits the production of the cholesterol creating enzyme.

As mentioned earlier, you can get all of the above individually from health food stores, but as you can imagine it would probably be quite costly, and not only that it is a lot of supplements to take. And yes you could pick and choose individual supplements to take instead of all of them, however doing that would not be really be the most effective way how to lower cholesterol with herbs.

To get your triglycerides and cholesterol back down to a normal level, you will have to make some dietary changes. For people who have high cholesterol levels from eating too many fattening foods, cholesterol lowering can be accomplished by as much as 10-20% from dieting alone. Reducing calories to 1,200-1,500 for women and 1,500-1,800 for men will help you lose 2 pounds per week.

When losing weight, you shouldn’t drink more than one serving of alcohol per day and you should be ingesting eight cups of water daily. Adding just 30 minutes of exercise per day, either all at once or in 3 intervals of 10 minutes, can work wonders for heart health.

When cooking, replace butter with olive oil, canola oil or peanut oil. In many baking recipes, you can use applesauce instead of butter, believe it or not! Dieticians recommend eating no more than 5 ounces of meat per day, substituting ½ cup of beans to get your protein and eating no more than 2 egg yolks per week. To reduce cholesterol and triglycerides and extend your life, you’ll be limiting carbs, sugars, fat and alcohol but your replacement diet doesn’t have to be torture.

In fact, many companies are manufacturing sugar free sweets and low fat ice cream to help tame those cravings. Once you use discipline over an extended period of time, you’ll find that these foods have lost their luster and no longer have control over your life or your health.

You may have heard that cholesterol and triglycerides often require prescription drugs to help the body get back to business. Statins are the most effective and commonly used drugs because they produce little side effects and they can quickly halt the progression of coronary artery disease. They work by reducing bad cholesterol and boosting good one to restore balance. Statins on the market include: Lipitor, Lescol, Mevacor, Pravachol, Zocor and Crestor.

Sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet and obesity are nowadays the most common causes of high cholesterol and consequently, heart disease and stroke. Lots of people these days suffer from weight problems due to inappropriate diet (excessive consumption of foods rich in saturated fat, carbohydrates and salts) and lack of physical exercise. In order to efficiently prevent the development of serious complications associated with high cholesterol, overweight patients with cholesterol problems are advised to exercise daily and to respect an adequate, healthy diet.

Age and gender are also factors that considerably influence cholesterol levels. Although persons can be faced with cholesterol problems at any age , cholesterol levels gradually increase with age. Despite the fact that men are more likely to be faced with high cholesterol levels at a certain point in life, women can also suffer from heart disease and other conditions as a consequence of high cholesterol. While men are more exposed to developing heart disease due to high cholesterol after the age of 40, women rarely develop such problems before menopause (usually prior to the age of 50).

Genetic heritage is another very important factor that contributes to cholesterol problems. Persons confronted with high cholesterol levels due to genetic dysfunctions either produce excessive quantities of the substance or are unable to properly eliminate the substance from the body. On these premises, cholesterol levels are very difficult to control and even the most efficient cholesterol – lowering medications may sometimes fail to normalize cholesterol values in such categories of people.

A high cholesterol level is medically defined as more than 240 mg/DL total. Your doctor may also divide your cholesterol level into “good” cholesterol or HDL cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol or LDL cholesterol. If your HDL cholesterol is above 40 mg/Dl this is considered ideal. Your LDL cholesterol level, however, should be less than 100 mg/DL. Any reading above this puts you at a greater risk for heart disease or heart attack. HDL cholesterol is considered good because it is this type that is carried out of the blood stream to the liver where it is broken down and expelled from the body. LDL cholesterol, however, is the kind that builds up in your blood vessels and arteries.

If your doctor deems your cholesterol level is high, there are several things you can do to lower this level. These things include eating a healthy low-fat diet and exercising regularly. Not only does the healthy diet and exercise help lower you cholesterol level, it can also help lower your weight which in turn decreases you chances of heart disease. If you are a smoker you should consider stopping. Also, limit your intake of alcohol and sugar. After trying all these things, if your cholesterol level is still not ideal, your doctor can put you on cholesterol lowering prescription medication. Remember, though, cholesterol medications can damage your liver, so they should be used only after other options have been exhausted.

Increase the intake of Vitamin E – It is advised to increase your intake of Vitamin E to 400 international units to prevent the oxidation of bad cholesterol where the cholesterol hardens into the arterial plaque thus giving rise to heart attack. It also raises the level of HDL. You can include Vitamin E as dietary sources or include vegetable oils, nuts or grains in your diet.

Eat your breakfast – People who skip the breakfast have higher cholesterol levels than those who have breakfast everyday. This is because they tend to eat unhealthy foods which are high in fats.

Eat small meals frequently – Large meals have been shown to release the large amount of insulin, which in turn stimulates the production of the enzymes that increases cholesterol production by the liver. But eating small frequent meals without increasing the total calories will limit the insulin production and thus control the cholesterol and in turn heart diseases.

Add Vitamin C to the diet – Though other vitamins and minerals play an important role in the cholesterol production, Vitamin C is the most crucial vitamin for cholesterol control. It increases HDL level and is very beneficial if you get it from fruits and vegetables, since they have a special fibre called pectin. It surrounds the cholesterol and flushes it out of the digestive system before it gets into the blood. Include fruits like citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, apples and spinach which are rich in vitamin C and pectin.

Increase garlic intake – Take seven cloves of garlic a day will reduce the cholesterol levels significantly. If you cannot stand the normal garlic, then you can opt for odorless garlic pills, which are available in the local health stores.

Skip decaf – Avoid decaffeinated coffee since it has been shown to raise the LDL levels. This is because the beans used for decaf are far stronger than the normal beans.

Munch grapes – Grapes and their products have a compound which lowers the cholesterol significantly. So you can increase your intake of grapes, grape juice and wine to decrease your cholesterol level.

Have grapefruit – Grapefruit contains pectin which reduces cholesterol significantly. Hence people who consume grapefruits show a marked decline of cholesterol over 7 percent after two months of consumption.

Eat beans – Lima beans, kidney beans, navy beans, soybeans and other legumes have been shown to lower cholesterol as they have a high amount of pectin. Research has shown that people who consume about 11/2 cup of cooked beans a day have decreased their cholesterol levels by 20 percent within three weeks.

Cholesterol is considered as unnecessary substances that are found in the bloodstream. These substances find its way inside your body as you eat. Cholesterol can be found in meats, eggs, and other fatty food items. When you eat these foods too much, the result is a drastic increase in your cholesterol level. A lifestyle change is necessary to make sure that you won’t further elevate the cholesterol that is already inside you. In fact, you should try to eat foods that can help eliminate them instead.

A simple test of blood cholesterol can actually change your life. And because these tests are getting more accessible as time goes by, there s no reason why people shouldn’t watch their health conditions more seriously. Use the results of your blood cholesterol count to motivate you to lead a healthy lifestyle and follow a diet and exercise regime that can help you greatly.

The ideal number to obtain during cholesterol blood count is 200 mg/dL or lower. If you know for a fact that your family suffers from heart concerns, you might want to decrease your target. As much as possible, strive to a 100 mg/dL blood cholesterol count. On the other hand, the level of HDL level or good cholesterol in your body should be between 40 60 mg/dL.

Everybody aged 20 and above should perform regular cholesterol blood test. Checking one s cholesterol level every 5 years should be a good enough practice if you are not suffering from heart disease or any history of it. Otherwise, you might need to undergo the same test more frequently and with the help of a qualified health expert. Cholesterol blood count is also referred to as the lipoprotein profile test. If you don’t know how to analyze the results of the test, ask your doctor.

Taking a quality multi vitamin daily can decrease the risk for heart disease, and lower the risk for cholesterol to become elevated. Important components of the multi vitamin include vitamin B12 and folic acid has been shown to reduce the risk of developing heart disease by thirty one percent. Folic acid is important because it has been shown to decrease the blood levels of amino acids that can cause stroke, heart disease and hyperlipidemia. B vitamins are crucial within the body as they promote a healthy heart. Therefore a well rounded multi vitamin can increase your health and decrease your risk of developing not only heart disease, but many others.

If taking a multi vitamin, beware of the iron content-large amounts of iron have been known to discount the other heart healthy vitamins and increase blood cholesterol levels. Certain foods can lower cholesterol, while decreasing the risks of heart disease. Consider something so simple as a glass of orange juice, which contains plant sterols-drinking two glasses per day has been shown to decrease cholesterol. Cranberry juice is an alternative for those who do not enjoy the taste or texture of orange juice.

Red wine has been known to decrease cholesterol, in moderation of course – it seems to remove excess from the blood, it is also helpful in decreasing a chemical within the body that causes red blood cells to constrict. Other food types such as soy and tofu can assist in decreasing the cholesterol. After twelve weeks of soy infused diets participants in a study had shown decreased cholesterol by five percent over the course of the study. There are many foods that we can choose to eat that have beneficial effects on our health, rather than foods high in sugar or fats that only increase bad cholesterol within the body.