15 home remedies to maintain your cholesterol levels

Learn the 15 home remedies you can use to help keep your cholesterol levels in check.

Here are 15 home remedies that may help keep your cholesterol in check:

1. Garlic:
   • Many studies have reported that garlic extract lowers blood levels of total cholesterol but only in the short term. It may act as a natural blood thinner, and it prolongs bleeding and blood-clotting time.
   • Intake of one clove of garlic a day may lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels by about 10 percent after a six-week intake, according to some studies. However, garlic is not a replacement for your prescribed medications.
2. Foods rich in soluble fiber:
   • Steel rolled oats, millets such as amaranth, barley, red rice, and other whole grains can help lower cholesterol levels. These contain soluble fiber that helps sustenance of “good bacterial colonies” in your gut.
   • Many studies have established a conclusive link between bacterial symbiosis (good gut bacteria) and soluble fiber. Therefore, many fruits such as apples and pears may provide these benefits, as do legumes such as kidney beans, red beans, and sprouts.
   • A bowl of unsweetened oats gives you about two grams of soluble fiber. Adding fruits such as bananas, apples, walnuts, apricots, or some strawberries may help your fiber intake, thus helping particularly with LDL (bad) cholesterol.
3. Fiber supplements:
   • Two types of supplements that contain soluble fiber (psyllium and methylcellulose) have been studied to assess their effectiveness in a slight reduction of LDL cholesterol levels.
   • Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a viscous soluble fiber gel when in the digestive tract. This gel-like substance can bind to fats in the food. This prevents its absorption into the bloodstream, causing the fats to be eliminated in the feces.
4. Avocados:
   • The buttery avocado mush makes for delightful dips or substitutes for store brought butter.
   • Although avocados are high in fats, they are a potent source of nutrients and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs).
   • Adding half an avocado to the diet daily can help improve LDL cholesterol levels in individuals who are obese or overweight. The avocado seed can be boiled in water, and this concoction sipped like tea has various health benefits.
5. Whey protein:
   • Whey protein when taken as a supplement, especially as a post-exercise snack, lowers both LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels. However, people with known kidney dysfunction must avoid whey protein.
6. Raspberries:
   • Tart red raspberries contain compounds called polyphenols that can knock down LDL cholesterol levels and help with your high-density lipoprotein (HDL; good) cholesterol levels.
   • A fistful of raspberries (or grapes, strawberries, or blackberries for that matter) with breakfast may just be what your heart needs.
7. Omega-3 fatty acids:
   • Some studies indicate that natural foods containing omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, mackerel, herring, walnuts, and almonds reduce blood triglyceride levels over time.
   • There are a slight increase in HDL (good) cholesterol levels when taken for about four months or more.
8. Pectins:
   • Pectin is a type of soluble fiber. Some vegetables are particularly high in pectin, which includes okra, eggplants, carrots, and potatoes.
   • Pectin supplements are also available in the market. It may help reduce your cholesterol levels when consumed regularly.
9. Olive oil:
   • Whether virgin, extra virgin, or cold-pressed, olive oil is high in MUFA that helps lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
   • The antioxidant content of olive oil may have a role in heart-friendly Mediterranean meals.
10. Red yeast rice:
    • This peculiar rice is a dietary staple in Asia and is used in traditional Chinese medicine.
    • Some small-scale studies report that red yeast rice may help lower cholesterol by its content of a compound called monacolin K.
    • Red yeast rice is the product of yeast called Monascus purpureus grown on white rice. It is available as a “supplement powder” in the United States. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautions using the so-called “red rice oral supplements” because they may be adulterated by a cholesterol-lowering drug called lovastatin.
11. Flaxseeds:
    • Humble flaxseeds contain soluble fiber and alpha-linolenic acid.
    • Flaxseeds are not only a source of high-quality protein and potassium but also contain lignans, which have estrogen-like cardioprotective properties and antioxidants.
    • It is best to chew on flaxseeds because store-bought “pills” or oils lack fiber, lignans, and proteins.
    • Two or three tablespoons of “freshly ground” flaxseeds added to cereals, yogurts, and salads can bring down your cholesterol level over time.
12. Soy products:
    • The American Heart Association has been conducting numerous clinical studies that provide some evidence regarding the lowered LDL cholesterol level in people who consume soy protein in place of animal protein.
    • Although findings are controversial, it may be a good idea to replace red meat with soy chunks and butter with edamame dips.
13. Tea:
    • Both green and black tea have demonstrated significant effects in the gradual lowering of LDL cholesterol levels over the years when taken without sweeteners and milk.
14. Supplements:
    • Supplements such as guggulipid (resin obtained from myrrh tree), policosanol (produced from sugar cane and beeswax), artichoke extract, and fish oil supplements have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels and increase HDL cholesterol levels in many studies, but the evidence in large-scale studies is lacking.
15. Spices:
    • Spices such as curcumin (turmeric), cinnamon, pepper, ginger, and coriander may help reduce lipid levels although we need to conduct large-scale studies to determine their exact efficacy and potential for interactions.

Along with dietary tips, exercising daily for a minimum of 30 minutes along with weight training for 20 minutes two times a week helps reduce your lipid levels.

Some cardiovascular exercises should be initiated only after discussion with your doctor. These include brisk walking, treadmill, swimming, cross-training, high-intensity interval training, and cycling.

How else can I maintain my cholesterol levels?

About 38 percent of Americans have cholesterol levels of more than 200 mg/dL. Because high cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and peripheral artery diseases, it is essential to keep your cholesterol levels in check. You may choose to get tested frequently to prevent complications that arise due to high blood cholesterol or hyperlipidemia.

There are two sources of cholesterol in the body—the liver (which synthesizes cholesterol daily) and diet (fried, greasy food intake).

Many cases of high blood cholesterol are genetic, although poor lifestyle, addictions to smoking and alcohol, unhealthy eating habits (fried, sugary, and ready-to-eat foods), and physical inactivity play a major role in many cases of hyperlipidemia.

Therefore, it is important to make healthy changes in lifestyle consistently to keep the lipid levels in control. These include maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding bingeing, maintaining normal blood sugar levels, and going for regular health checkups and blood tests to make sure you don’t have any risk factors (such as low thyroid hormone levels or hypothyroidism) that cause high blood cholesterol levels.

Medications can help improve your cholesterol levels, but they come with their own set of adverse effects, such as muscle weakness and elevation of liver enzymes (liver dysfunction), affecting the efficacy of other medication (drug-drug interaction).

You may, therefore, attempt to try lifestyle changes to improve your cholesterol levels. It is advised to discuss these remedies with your doctor because these may not be as effective as your cholesterol drugs, which are indispensable in some cases (familial hypercholesterolemia or ischemic heart diseases).