8 effective folk remedies for lowering blood cholesterol

How to lower cholesterol at home

Surely, many have heard about the dangers of cholesterol and the danger of its detection in human blood. At the same time, it is not always specified that a person cannot live without this organic substance. There are certain norms for its content in the human body, the violation of which leads to various diseases.

It is maintaining the correct balance that allows the body to carry out metabolism and synthesize the necessary vitamins. Therefore, before getting rid of cholesterol, it is worth learning more about it. After presenting important information, we will tell you in detail how to reduce cholesterol at home using folk remedies.

Because medications are not always required to combat it.

What is cholesterol

There are several main groups of transporter proteins that deliver cholesterol to various organs and tissues:

1. High molecular weight (abbreviated LPVL or HDL) are high-density lipoproteins, which are a lipoprotein class of blood plasma, often called “good” cholesterol;
2. Low molecular weight (abbreviated LDL or LDL) are low-density lipoproteins, also a class of blood plasma and related to the so-called “bad” cholesterol;
3. Very low molecular weight (abbreviated VLDL or VLDL) is a subclass of very low density lipoproteins;
4. Chylomicron is a class of lipoproteins (i.e. proteins) that are produced by the intestines as a result of the processing of exogenous lipids (a group of organic fats), distinguished by their significant size (diameter from 75 to 1.2 microns).

Approximately 80% of the cholesterol contained in human blood is produced by the gonads, liver, adrenal glands, intestines, and kidneys, and only 20% enters the body with food. Cholesterol plays an important role in the life cycle of living organisms. This organic compound is involved in the production of essential steroid hormones (estrogen, cortisol, progesterone, aldosterone, testosterone, etc.) by the adrenal glands, as well as bile acids.

The normal functioning of the human immune and nervous system is impossible without cholesterol. Thanks to this substance, the body synthesizes vitamin D, which is crucial for calcium-phosphorus metabolism.

Cholesterol norm

The generally accepted cholesterol standards in medicine for men and women differ slightly.

• For men aged 15 to 30, the cholesterol norm is 2.911-6.321 m/l. From 31 to 50 the norm is 3.571-7.151 m/l.
• For women aged 15 to 30, the cholesterol norm is 3.07-5.76 m/l. From 31 to 50 the norm is 3.38 6.97 m/l.

After 50 years of age, cholesterol may increase slightly in men and this is dangerous to health. In women after 50 years of age, on the contrary, cholesterol begins to actively decrease, but it is also necessary to monitor your health and adhere to proper nutrition.

Why is an elevated level dangerous?

With high “bad” cholesterol (LDL and VLDL), due to a long-term defect in fat metabolism, serious cardiovascular complications may develop:

1. Cardiac ischemia. It is caused by damage to the coronary arteries by atherosclerotic plaques, which gradually reduce the flow of blood and nutrients to the heart muscle. When the blockage of the vessel is significant, angina pectoris is formed - chest pain with any physical activity. When the artery is completely blocked, myocardial infarction develops - necrosis of the heart muscle and disruption of systemic hemodynamics.
2. Stroke. It can be ischemic (obstruction of the lumen of a cerebral artery by a migrating thrombus, followed by necrosis of the brain substance) or hemorrhagic (the main cause is atherosclerotic damage to the vessels of the central parts of the nervous system with increased permeability and fragility, when any stress factor (hypertensive crisis, blood clot) can lead to rupture and melting of brain matter).
3. Chronic cerebral ischemia. It is a narrowing of the extracranial arteries with decreased oxygenation of the brain. The severity of cognitive functions (memory, attention, thinking) gradually decreases, and atrophic and dystrophic changes form.
4. Atherosclerosis of the vessels of the lower extremities. They lead to various gait disturbances (“intermittent claudication”) and necrosis of the distal parts of the legs (fingers, feet).

Against the background of atherosclerosis, blood viscosity increases significantly, which aggravates the course of other somatic pathologies, and the activity of other components of the metabolic syndrome (arterial hypertension, obesity, type II diabetes mellitus, gout) sharply increases.

Expert commentary

Kardash Anton Borisovich

Therapist, cardiologist. Doctor of the highest category.

Treatment of atherosclerosis must be comprehensive. For prevention or in the initial stages, the use of folk remedies in combination with normalization of diet and lifestyle changes is allowed. In severe cases, medication support is required.

How to lower cholesterol without drugs?

There are many ways to help get rid of or reduce cholesterol at home.

You can follow a light low-fat diet. It should not contain animal fats. Light sports and gymnastics help a lot. Swimming is good for removing cholesterol from the body. You can use folk remedies and drink herbal tinctures. You should definitely exclude alcohol and cigarettes from your daily life. They worsen the metabolism in the body. You need to regularly monitor your body weight.

If you increase physical activity, this will help normalize your heart rate. With a stable pulse, the circulatory system begins to function correctly. Reducing body weight and cholesterol reduces the risk of plaque formation. For older people, moderate exercise is recommended. You can add morning and evening walks of up to 5 km to your daily lifestyle. Walking can be done by bicycle. Light physical activity reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke by 50%.

Let's take a closer look at the various ways to lower cholesterol without drugs.

Cleaning blood vessels with milk

You can get rid of cholesterol plaques with the help of recipes containing milk and other ingredients.

Milk and tea

Pour milk into the mug (1/5 of the total volume) and add tea leaves to the top. Take a drink every 2 hours. Duration of the course is 2 – 5 days (depending on how you feel). During treatment you should not drink or eat anything else. It is forbidden to add anything to the composition in the morning and lunch hours. But after 15 hours (3 pm) it can be sweetened with honey or granulated sugar.

Milk and lemon

The duration of the course is 14 days. The product not only cleanses blood vessels well, but also helps strengthen the myocardium. You will need (for 1 day) milk (1 l) and lemon (3 pieces). In the morning, immediately after waking up, you need to drink 330 ml of milk and the juice of 1 lemon. Do the same at lunchtime and at night. During the entire treatment period, you must adhere to a vegetarian diet, excluding any meat products.

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TOP 10 tips for quickly reducing cholesterol

Reducing your blood cholesterol to improve your heart health means lowering your triglycerides and sticky LDL cholesterol (called "bad") and increasing your protective HDL (good) cholesterol.

Let's look at the TOP 10 tips for quickly reducing cholesterol at home:

1. Eat more Omega-3 fats and take CoQ10. Take a fish oil supplement with food daily to increase HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and improve C-reactive protein (CRP). The American Heart Association recommends 2-4 grams (2000-4000 mg) of DHA + EPA* daily to lower triglycerides; 1 gram (1000 mg) of DHA + EPA daily will provide protection against cardiovascular disease. Try also eating more wild salmon or sardines, as they are high in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury.
2. Eat more avocados, nuts and seeds, and olive oil. These foods are rich in phytosterols (also known as plant sterols), which are effective in helping regulate cholesterol levels. Phytosterols can also be taken in supplement form.
3. Eliminate trans fats (hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats) from your diet. Trans fats are found in many coffee creamers, creams, most margarines and popcorn, fried foods, and many processed foods, especially fast foods. Trans fats contain LDL particles, which cause many serious diseases and also lower HDL.
4. Provide yourself with magnesium. Eat more magnesium-rich foods such as pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, salmon, soybeans and whole grains. The endothelial cells lining arterioles lose their ability to reject hydrogenated fats if their environment is depleted of magnesium. It is estimated that about 70% of people in the United States suffer from magnesium deficiency.
5. Reduce your sugar intake. Reducing the glycemic index of consumed foods (to an average of 46 versus 61 on a 100-point sugar scale) over a week increases HDL by 7%. One study found three times higher CRP levels in women whose diets included high-glycemic index foods compared to those who ate low-glycemic index foods. Spikes in blood sugar increase the stickiness (glycosylation) of red blood cells.
6. Eat more soluble plant fiber. Oats and oat bran, brown rice bran, peas, legumes (especially soybeans), lentils, flaxseeds, okra and eggplant are good sources of soluble fiber. Oat bran (100 g per day) reduced LDL cholesterol by 14% in men with high cholesterol.
7. Take vitamin D3. Vitamin D (the “sunshine vitamin”) has been found to be extremely important for the body for many reasons, and high doses are much less toxic than previously thought. Recent studies have shown that even small daily doses of 500 IU. Vitamin D supplements helped reduce CRP by 25% in seriously ill patients, and some patients experienced significant increases in HDL cholesterol after taking vitamin D supplements.
8. Eat more blue, purple and red fruits. Polyphenols from blueberries, pomegranate, cranberries, red grapes and unfiltered olive oil help increase HDL. Eating about 5 ounces (150 g) of berries, puree or nectar per day (blueberries, lingonberries, black currants, strawberries, raspberries and chokeberries) can increase HDL by 5% over 8 weeks. After 1 month of drinking 6 ounces of pure cranberry juice daily (usually diluted with 3 parts water), HDL increased by 10%. Cranberry juice increases plasma antioxidant levels and HDL cholesterol levels. This corresponds to an approximately 20-40% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease.
9. Train, relax, smile more. Exercise reduces inflammation, increases HDL, helps insulin control blood sugar, and reduces stress. Staying physically fit (at least 30 minutes of exercise 4 to 5 times a week or walking more than 130 minutes a week) reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by about 50%, regardless of cholesterol levels. Observations of older people leading a sedentary lifestyle showed that within 6 months their CRP worsened by 15%, that is, by the same amount as when taking statins.
10. Try something new. Try niacin (niacin), dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa), curcumin (turmeric extract), kale juice or hibiscus tea to boost your HDL levels. Use vitamin K2 to move calcium from arterial plaque into bones. Reduce LDL and your risk of cancer with oriental mushrooms (boiled for at least 5 minutes).

Remember that lowering your cholesterol levels too much can increase your risk of depression, aggression, and brain hemorrhage. Cholesterol is essential for the formation of brain cells, memory, fighting infections and cancer (and producing hormones, including vitamin D). The key is to reduce inflammation and cholesterol oxidation, along with a healthy diet, exercise and rest, and increase healthy HDL when possible.

Lifestyle change

The use of medications or traditional medicine methods will not lead to the desired result without adjusting your lifestyle and diet.

To restore adequate lipid metabolism in the body, the Russian Society of Cardiology recommends following the following list of recommendations:

1. Maintaining body weight. Overweight and obesity, especially of the abdominal type, are key factors in the formation of metabolic syndrome and the development of hypertension and atherosclerosis within a few years. The optimal body mass index should be from 25 to 30 kg/m2 (calculated using the formula: weight (kg)/height (m)2. Waist circumference should not exceed 94 cm for men and 80 cm for women.
2. Regular physical activity. It has been proven that an active lifestyle helps lower total cholesterol and triglycerides and increase high-specific gravity lipoproteins. The daily norm of steps according to the World Health Organization is 8 - 10 thousand. Regular training is also necessary (at least 40 minutes a day, 5-7 times a week).
3. Nutrition correction. The amount of fat consumed should be 25-35% of total calories. The amount of saturated fat for healthy individuals is up to 15%, for patients with coronary artery disease - up to 10%, for individuals with dyslipidemia - 7% of the daily energy value. Both excessive increase and decrease in fat are dangerous. With an “overdose,” the risk of atherosclerosis increases; with a decrease, the HDL concentration decreases. The diet should be rich in fruits and vegetables, seafood (sardines, mackerel, halibut, tuna). The amount of salt per day is no more than 5 g.
4. Rejection of bad habits. It has been proven that smoking is directly related to atherosclerotic lesions of the coronary arteries and the development of coronary heart disease at an early age (up to 40 years). Alcohol abuse provokes an increase in TAG.

Expert commentary

Kardash Anton Borisovich

Therapist, cardiologist. Doctor of the highest category.

The recommendations described not only help reduce cholesterol levels, but are also key factors in preventing dyslipidemia in the future.

Folk remedies for lowering cholesterol

To understand how to lower cholesterol, we suggest considering not only commercial drugs. Bringing elevated levels back to normal is often achieved using folk remedies at home.

1. Honey mixture. Since you can reduce blood cholesterol with folk recipes, it’s worth considering another one at home. Pass 1 kg through a meat grinder. fresh lemons with zest. Do the same with 2 heads of garlic. Mix all ingredients with 250 ml. liquid honey. To reduce indicators quickly and effectively, you need to eat 20 grams every time before meals. ready-made product.
2. Dandelion. Dry dandelion roots or purchase them at the pharmacy. Turn to dust. It should be taken three times a day, 7 grams. before the meal. The first course is carried out continuously for 5-6 months. After this, take the powder occasionally as a preventative measure.
3. Garlic tincture. Turn 200 g into porridge. garlic in any available way. Pour in 100 ml. alcohol Let the product stand in a dark room for 10-12 days. Strain and store in an airtight glass container. The tincture should be taken 2-3 drops three times a day.
4. Linen. Flaxseed contains various vitamins, amino acids and minerals that help normalize sugar and fat deposits in the circulatory system. Flax can be consumed by adding it to a regular dish, as well as brewing it as infusions and decoctions.
5. Sunflower. You need to prepare a decoction from sunflower. Take its roots, seeds and leaves. Dry the raw materials. Mix with 3 l. a glass (250 ml) of boiling water of dry, pre-prepared ingredients. Boil the mixture for 5-7 minutes. After cooling, filter. Use 800-900 ml. daily.
6. Rose hip. An alcohol tincture made from rose hips will help fight high cholesterol. To do this, 125 g of pre-crushed fruits are poured with 250 g of vodka or alcohol, left for 14 days and consumed 10-15 g before meals.
7. Linden. Another medicinal plant widely used at home. Linden inflorescences help lower cholesterol. A powder is made from them, which is taken three times a day, one teaspoon for a month.

Cleansing blood vessels with herbs

Folk recipes with herbs show good results, but they generally need to be taken in long courses.

Herbal mix

It is necessary to combine (take the components 1 tsp each) the following herbs:

• pharmaceutical camomile;
• immortelle;
• yarrow;
• young birch buds.

1 tbsp. l. Brew the composition with boiling water (500 ml). Leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Filter, squeeze out the cake. Put honey (1 tsp) in the drink, drink 250 ml in the evening and after that don’t drink or eat anything. Drink the rest in the morning 20 minutes before breakfast. The duration of the course is 14 days.

Clover

Brew dry clover inflorescences (1 tsp) with bubbling water (200 ml) and boil in a water bath for 5 minutes. Leave the product to infuse for 40 minutes under a warm hood. Filter and drink 1 tbsp. l. 5 times a day 30 minutes before meals. The duration of the course is 21 days. Then a week-long break and repeat treatment is necessary. In total you need to take 3 courses.

Clover can be used to prepare an alcohol tincture, which has a strong anti-sclerotic effect. Dried flowers (2 tbsp) pour vodka (200 ml). Place in the dark for 2 weeks. Take 30 drops, pre-diluted in water, 40 minutes before main meals.

St. John's wort

The active components present in St. John's wort slow down the process of cholesterol production by liver cells. In addition, they promote the active removal of low-density lipoproteins. Recipes:

• 1 tbsp. l. pour boiling liquid (200 ml) over the product. Infuse, filter. Drink 1/3 of a glass in the morning, at lunch and in the evening. Duration – 3 weeks.
• Dried St. John's wort (1 part) pour vodka (5 parts). Stand in the dark for 10 days. For a month, drink 30 drops (pre-dilute in a small amount of water) in the morning, at lunch and before bed.

St. John's wort helps lower blood cholesterol levels and cleanse the walls of blood vessels

St. John's wort is contraindicated at elevated body temperature, photosensitivity, in the presence of problems with blood pressure (consistently high levels), while taking antibiotics. The herb enhances the effect of anesthetics and antidepressants, but reduces the effect of cardiac, antitumor, antiviral drugs and oral contraceptives.

Golden mustache

The composition of the plant includes a large number of flavonoids and phytosterols. The latter promote the active removal of “bad” cholesterol and regulate the course of fat metabolism. The recipe for alcohol tincture is as follows. Finely chop the stem joints (15 pcs), pour vodka (500 ml). Place in the dark for 14 days, shaking the jar with the mixture daily. Store the filtered product in the refrigerator.

Dissolve 30 drops of the composition in 100 ml of water and drink in the morning and evening before meals. Duration of treatment – ​​10 days. Then there is a break of the same duration and the therapy is repeated. The recommended dosage must be strictly followed. Exceeding it can cause vomiting, loose stools, headaches and general weakness. Contraindications: chronic kidney disease and prostate adenoma.

Chicory

The plant contains a large amount of inulin, which helps restore the gastrointestinal microflora. But this substance also prevents cholesterol from settling on the walls of blood vessels. A drink is prepared from chicory. 1 tbsp. l. pour boiling water (600 ml) of the product and boil in a water bath for 15 minutes. Judge and strain. Drink 1/3 of a glass during meals.

Treatment with chicory is prohibited for hemorrhoids, varicose veins, diseases of the liver, gall bladder, kidneys, cardiovascular system, gastric ulcers, and joint pain. Before starting to take the drug you choose, you should consult with your doctor to rule out possible contraindications. And it is also necessary to take into account the presence of allergies to the components of the composition.

Products for lowering cholesterol: TOP 10

Let's talk about how to increase good and lower bad cholesterol. So, what foods lower blood cholesterol? Where to get “good” cholesterol to maintain normal health.

For example, if you eat 60 grams of almonds daily, you can increase your HDL content by 6%, while simultaneously reducing your LDL content by 7%. It is recommended to soak almonds overnight and consume them in the morning, on an empty stomach (4 pieces are enough), and you will get amazing results.

List of record holders among products containing beneficial phytosterols (per 100 g of weight):

1. Sprouted wheat grains - 400 mg;
2. Sesame seed - 400 mg;
3. Sunflower seeds - 300 mg;
4. Pistachios - 300 mg;
5. Pumpkin seeds - 265 mg;
6. Pine nuts - 200 mg;
7. Flax seeds - 200 mg;
8. Almonds - 200 mg;
9. Olive oil - 150 mg;
10. Avocado - 76 mg.

These products contain phytosterols, natural styrenes, which effectively regulate the ratio of bad and good cholesterol in the blood. Knowing about your problems, you can enrich your diet with these products and normalize your lipid balance without making almost any effort.

What foods are high in cholesterol?

The following table will show which foods contain a lot of cholesterol:

As follows from the above list of foods that increase cholesterol, the largest amount of a compound harmful to the blood vessels of the human body is contained in:

• in fatty meats and offal;
• in chicken eggs;
• in high-fat fermented milk products such as cheese, milk, sour cream and butter;
• in some types of fish and seafood.

Also, fish fried in a frying pan with fat loses almost all its beneficial properties, and even acquires harmful ones. To preserve precious omega-3 fatty acids, it needs to be baked in foil or steamed. It is also not recommended to heat fish (or any other food) in a microwave oven, since microwaves destroy the cellular structure of food.

Physical activity and walks

Cardiologists and fitness trainers reveal the secrets of excellent health and reliable protection against cardiovascular diseases:

• Aerobic exercise, especially running, helps you cope well with bad cholesterol. When a person makes monotonous rhythmic movements in the open air for a long time, he develops a smooth, slightly increased pulse. At the same time, oxygen entering the blood ensures the gradual burning of fat deposits, including bad cholesterol inside the blood vessels. It simply does not have time to linger and be deposited in the form of dangerous atherosclerotic plaques. It has been proven that professional runners burn LDL in their blood 70% faster than people who do not exercise at all.
• Studies by Western cardiologists show that in elderly patients who take a forty-minute walk in the fresh air every morning, the risk of sudden death from heart attack and stroke is reduced by half - by 50%! It is only important to ensure that the pulse of an elderly person during walks does not increase by more than 15 beats from the physiologically normal value.
• A person’s muscles must be constantly in good shape; this prevents bad cholesterol from doing its dirty work. Therefore, even older people who are very overweight and have complex health problems should, by all means, give themselves feasible physical activity: walk in the fresh air, ride a bike, dig in the garden. The longer a person lies on the bed, indulging in apathy and bad mood, the sooner the day will come when he will not be able to get out of this bed at all.

If a man's, and especially a woman's, figure begins to resemble an apple, this is a signal to think about health. The waist circumference of an adult man should not exceed 94 cm; adult woman - 84 cm. The normal ratio of waist circumference to hip circumference for men is no more than 0.95, for women - no more than 0.8. In other words, if your stomach is almost thicker than your thighs, it’s time to sound the alarm and lose weight.

Reduced stress levels

The normal functioning of the nervous system plays an important role in the regulation of processes occurring in the body. Constant stress, mental overstrain, insomnia can cause lipid metabolism failure, as a consequence of atherosclerosis.

If your psycho-emotional state is disturbed, you can take sedatives with herbal ingredients. Spend more time outdoors.

A simple breathing exercise will help you relax: inhale air for 4 seconds; hold your breath for 2 seconds; Exhale for 4 seconds; then hold your breath again for 2 seconds. The exercise is done for 3 minutes. It helps you relax and calm down.

To give up smoking

The harmful effect of smoking on health is not only the clogging of the lungs with tar and the development of persistent nicotine addiction. By regularly buying cigarettes, a person uses his own money to buy infertility, impotence and cancer. The entire body is gradually destroyed: the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, heart, blood vessels.

There is no organ or tissue type that is not harmed by smoking. Moreover, modern cigarette manufacturers are doing everything to make their products as cheap as possible. This means that there is less than half of natural tobacco in the pack; the rest is chemical additives, flavorings, essential resins and carcinogens.

Treatment of chronic illnesses

When thinking about how to reduce cholesterol at home, you need to consider that it can be a consequence of chronic diseases:

• hypertension;
• diabetes;
• autoimmune diseases;
• dysfunction of the kidneys, liver, pancreas;
• hormonal imbalances.

All these diseases disrupt metabolism, deteriorate blood vessels, increasing their permeability and reducing elasticity. This leads to the accumulation of low-density lipoproteins on the vascular walls, and atherosclerosis appears. Treatment of the underlying pathology is the primary goal in cholesterol-lowering therapy. After stabilization of the condition, lipid metabolism is normalized.

Juice therapy

A five-day course of cleansing blood vessels from bad cholesterol using freshly squeezed juices is carried out according to the following scheme:

• Day 1: 130 ml carrot juice + 70 ml juice from celery stalks;
• Day 2: 100 ml carrot juice + 70 ml cucumber juice + 70 ml beet juice, left in the refrigerator for 2 hours to remove unwanted substances;
• Day 3: 130 ml carrot juice + 70 ml apple juice + 70 ml celery stalk juice;
• Day 4: 130 ml carrot juice + 50 ml cabbage juice;
• Day 5: 130 ml orange juice.

Menu for 1 day for high cholesterol

An example of a menu for 1 day that can be used for high cholesterol:

High cholesterol: causes and treatment

Factors that may cause excessive levels of the substance in the blood include:

• Excessive body weight gained due to overeating.
• Various degrees of obesity.
• Many years of smoking experience.
• Improper liver function.
• Alcohol abuse.
• Diabetes.
• Excessive levels of adrenal hormones.
• Physical inactivity.
• Poor nutrition.
• Eating junk food, fast food and carbonated drinks.
• Insufficient levels of thyroid hormones.
• Sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work, lack of physical activity and sports.
• Insufficient levels of genital hormones.
• Excessive release of insulin.
• Kidney diseases.

Treatment methods

Medications are often used when other methods no longer work. In the initial stages, the problem can be dealt with without medications.

To maintain your body's health, try to spend more time outdoors, engage in physical activity, sports, and watch your diet. Such measures will help prevent the occurrence of various diseases and ailments, including increased cholesterol levels. Di&Di Corporation offers a wide selection of products for a balanced and healthy diet - dietary confectionery and groceries.