I have read a lot recently on lowering cholesterol and its importance. I have also seen that ministers in the UK seem to be considering giving everone over a certain age a statin daily. OK you might think, but then statins are not necessarily the totally good guy that they may appear to be. As a diabetic I have been given statins to reduce my cholesterol and of course have regular blood tests to check how things are going. One thing that has become apparant is that my triglicerides are not where they should be and also of slight concern is that my liver function is VERY slightly deteriorating. This lead me to do some research, and it appears that statins may be the culprit. I have decided that I will try and reverse the liver deterioration and improve the triglicerides naturally.


Research indicates that the First way how to lower cholesterol naturally is through Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) - exercise and food. However depending on your circumstances Lifestyle changes are sometimes difficult to make.
Exercise and Lose Weight. Everyone knows by now that the keys to good cardiovascular health are exercise and maintaining your ideal weight. Just a few minutes per day should increase your level of high-density lipoproteins (HDL or "good" cholesterol). Just 10 minutes of exercise first thing in the morning can increase your metabolic rate for the rest of the day. Consumption of water so that you are fully hydrated can increase your metabolic rate 24 hours per day. However I have chronic pain and am relatively sedentary and I cannot really change that part of my lifestyle.
Watch your diet and food.
Fitting in the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables (2 of one group and 3 of the other) helps take the place of some of the more processed snacks. Fruits and vegetables are mostly fat free. Maintain a diet that is made of 2/3 of vegetables and fruits and 1/3 of other foods, but I already do that and so I cannot really improve the food side of my diet either..
Latest research suggest that cholesterol lowering foods such as avocados, almonds, olive oil, soy beans, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, chili peppers, oat bran, beans (kidney, pintos, black, navy, etc.), onions, fatty fish, and flax seed play a crucial role in lowering LDL and sometimes raising HDL levels. They are all in my diet (except chili - yeuk!)
Stop Smoking - did that in 1993.
Ok, so I need a second way to lower cholestrerol

Nutritional Supplements.
There are clinically proven supplements on how to lower cholesterol naturally by 10 to 20 percent; there is solid proof and science backing up the claims on how to lower cholesterol naturally through supplements.

Policosanol.Policosanol has been subject to numerous clinical trials, which have reportedly proven its effectiveness on how to lower cholesterol naturally.
Policosanol works by helping the liver control its production and breakdown of cholesterol. Clinical studies show that policosanol is as effective as prescription drugs on how to loweri cholesterol naturally, without side effects.
For example, in a study of 53 diabetic patients, policosanol lowered total cholesterol by 14.2 percent, LDL (bad) cholesterol 20.4 percent and even raised the levels of HDL (good) cholesterol by 7.5 percent. SO I have ordered some policosanol.
Gugulipid or guggul-lipid.
Guggulipid is an ancient herb from India. Over recent years many clinical trials have proven its efficacy on how to lower cholesterol naturally and also it is one of the few substances that can effectively lower triglycerides.
In fact, these trials have shown this herb to be more effective in lowering cholesterol than the modern statin drugs, but with no side effects. Statin drugs do not lower triglycerides as I have found out from personal experience. SO I have ordered some gugulipids.
Fish Oil Supplements.
A lot has been written about the cholesterol lowering effects of omega 3 fatty acids and fish oil. However, is it really true that they lower cholesterol!? I found out that fish oil supplements do not prevent heart disease and lower cholesterol. Just eat fish twice a week is the better option. Click Here for more. So, no fish oil supplements for me.

Garlic Cholesterol.
In a large study of 220 patients, the garlic group took 800 milligrams of a powdered garlic for four months. This group experienced a 12 percent drop in cholesterol and a 17 percent drop in triglycerides. The placebo group had little change. So I shall add more garlic to my diet.
Flax Seed and Cholesterol.
Flaxseed is a whole grain that can be found in health food stores and some supermarkets.
In one study by Bahram Arjmandi, Ph.D., of Oklahoma State University, supplements of ground flax seed were given to 38 women with extremely high cholesterol levels were given bread and muffins containing 38 g of either sunflower or flaxseed four times daily.
After six weeks, flaxseed result on how to lower cholesterol naturally was: total cholesterol was reduced by 6.9 percent and LDL (bad) cholesterol by 14.7 percent.
Red Yeast Rice.
Red yeast rice has profound effects to lower cholesterol naturally.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It demonstrates that "red yeast rice significantly reduces total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and total triacylglycerol concentrations compared with placebo and provides a new, novel, food-based approach to lowering cholesterol in the general population." SO Red yeast rice for me also.


We shall have to see what the effects are, I expect that my mid year blood tests will show improved triglicerides, lower bad cholesterol and hopefully less liver deterioration. Time will tell. If there is no improvement then I shall simply stop the supplements. If there is a dramatic improvement I may stop the statins for six months and then see the state of my cholesterol.