10 natural remedies for high cholesterol

If your healthcare provider has recently expressed concern about your cholesterol levels, you’re not alone. About 86 million American adults have high cholesterol. Though high cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms, it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and heart attack if left untreated. Fortunately, lifestyle changes—diet, in particular—can help you lower your cholesterol naturally.

10 home remedies for high cholesterol

Along with a personalized action plan from a healthcare professional, which may include cholesterol-lowering medications, these natural remedies for high cholesterol can help.

1. Increasing fiber intake

Improving your diet is one way to lower cholesterol naturally. Increasing your fiber intake is a great first step. Fiber-rich foods can help flush out cholesterol from the body. “Increasing soluble fiber helps to lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels,” says Rickelle Tallent, RDN, LD, owner of Tallent Nutrition & Wellness in Las Vegas.

LDL stands for low-density lipoproteins and is considered “bad cholesterol.”

The good news is that there are many natural sources of soluble dietary fiber. Oats, barley, and psyllium (available in supplement form) are easy to find at most supermarkets. Other heart-healthy fiber sources include whole grains and lentils.

2. Reducing saturated fat intake

Understanding the type of fat you are eating is essential to a healthy diet. Eating foods high in saturated fat can increase cholesterol levels over time. If saturated fat consumption has led to high cholesterol, reducing the amount of saturated fat you eat can help decrease your levels.

Saturated fat is found in red meat, dairy products, and processed or packaged foods. When Amy Offutt, MD, medical director of Heart & Soul Integrative Medicine in Texas, has a patient with high cholesterol, one of her first recommendations is to cut out fast food. You can also decrease your saturated fat intake by swapping red meat for lean white meat, limiting dairy, and eating whole, home-cooked foods instead of processed foods or takeout. It is not necessary to stick to a low-fat diet; unsaturated fats—which can be found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil—are part of a healthy lifestyle.

3. Cutting back on sugar

A diet loaded with sugar is not good for healthy cholesterol levels. Research shows that high sugar intake is linked to increased LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and decreased high-density lipoproteins or HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels.

According to Dr. Offutt and Tallent, the relationship between sugar and cholesterol is a two-way street. Just as a sugar-rich diet can lead to high cholesterol, reducing sugar can also improve high cholesterol.

4. Consuming omega-3s

“Bumping up omega-3 intake helps to improve HDL ‘good’ cholesterol and triglyceride levels,” Tallent says. She adds that the Mediterranean diet, the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet all incorporate omega-3s in addition to the dietary suggestions mentioned earlier.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found naturally in many foods, including:

Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines
Nuts and seeds such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts
Plant oils such as olive oil and soybean oil

Some foods are also fortified with omega-3s. Fish oil supplements also contain omega-3s.

5. Exercising regularly

“Getting at least 150 minutes of exercise per week has shown to increase HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol levels,” Tallent says. “Both cardio and strength training positively affect your health, so aim for a combination of the two, increasing exercise intensity and duration as your fitness level improves.”

Not sure which physical activity to incorporate? Any consistent movement makes a difference, Dr. Offutt says. Her suggestions include:

Walking
Biking
Yoga
Weightlifting
Swimming

6. Practicing yoga

All movement is good for high cholesterol, but yoga is especially helpful for reducing high cholesterol levels. This could be because yoga is a type of exercise and a proven stress reducer, which is beneficial for overall health.

“Several studies have shown yoga to have a positive effect on cholesterol levels,” Tallent says. “Yoga can help to reduce stress levels and promote relaxation, which improves physical and mental health.”

However, more studies are needed to confirm the benefits of yoga on high cholesterol. It may be more effective when combined with overall healthy lifestyle changes, like diet.

7. Taking certain supplements

“Managing cholesterol levels can consist of various lifestyle changes, including supplements [or] vitamins,” Dr. Offutt says. “Fiber like beta-glucans and glucomannan, plant sterols, omega-3 fatty acids, berberine, probiotics containing lactobacillus, and vitamin C can all be helpful.”

There is also evidence that herbal supplements such as turmeric or liquid supplementation of apple cider vinegar can improve lipid profiles (cholesterol).

Of course, some supplements can have negative side effects or interfere with prescription medications. It is important to ask your healthcare provider before incorporating any new vitamins or supplements into your daily routine.

8. Managing weight

Obesity has been linked to higher LDL levels and lower HDL levels. In other words, there is a connection between being overweight and developing high cholesterol.

Fortunately, high cholesterol can be reduced naturally. Weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight can lower cholesterol levels within months.

9. Limiting alcohol

Alcohol and cholesterol have a dose-dependent relationship. In other words, the exact effects of alcohol on your cholesterol will depend on how much you are drinking. Exact measurements vary, but in general, light drinking can boost HDL (“good” cholesterol), while heavy alcohol use is linked to unhealthy cholesterol levels.

10. Quitting smoking

Research shows that the nicotine in tobacco decreases HDL and increases LDL levels, leading to an increased risk of heart disease and high cholesterol.

It’s not easy to quit tobacco use, especially if you have been a chronic smoker or chewer for years. Many people find that over-the-counter medications such as NicoDerm ease the process by reducing symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

How to treat cholesterol when natural remedies don’t work

Home remedies and lifestyle changes work best when carried out under the medical advice of a healthcare professional. And if a healthy lifestyle is not enough to keep your cholesterol at a safe level, your healthcare provider may prescribe high-cholesterol medications to help.

High cholesterol medications include:

Statins, such as Lipitor (atorvastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin), which block an enzyme the liver uses to make cholesterol
Ezetimibe, a selective cholesterol-absorption inhibitor, which impedes the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol from food
Bile acid sequestrants (cholestyramine, colesevelam, and colestipol), which indirectly cause the liver to use more cholesterol, lowering LDL in the bloodstream
Fibrates (fenofibrate, fenofibric acid, and gemfibrozil), which stimulate the process to remove certain fats called triglycerides from the blood and increase HDL levels
Niacin (nicotinic acid), which is typically prescribed alongside another cholesterol medication for high-risk patients
PCSK9 inhibitors such as Repatha (evolocumab) and Praluent (alirocumab), which help remove LDL from the bloodstream

The type and dose of cholesterol medication are based on a patient’s condition, response to previous treatments, age, and weight. The best way to treat high cholesterol in children and teens is through diet and exercise, but some providers may recommend prescription medication in certain situations. While some of these medications can be taken by children, teens, or pregnant women, it is important to discuss risks and possible side effects with a provider.

When to see a doctor for high cholesterol symptoms

High cholesterol does not typically cause symptoms, according to Dr. Offutt. Meaning, many people do not know their levels are too high. The good news is that cholesterol levels can be checked with a simple blood test.

“If an individual has known risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as a family history of high cholesterol, heart disease, or diabetes, it is advisable to get cholesterol and other measurements checked regularly,” Dr. Offutt says.

Because high cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms, knowing your risk is essential. Risk factors for high cholesterol include:

Family history of high cholesterol
Obesity
Type 2 diabetes
Age (the risk of high cholesterol increases with age)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends healthy adults get their cholesterol levels checked every four to six years. If you have any of the above risk factors, getting a regular cholesterol blood test is a good idea—at least every five years.

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