How to reduce hypercholesterolemia naturally?

From the Guidelines

To lower cholesterol naturally, focus on dietary changes and lifestyle modifications, including incorporating heart-healthy foods, regular physical activity, and weight management, as these approaches can reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol by 10-15% within three months, as supported by the most recent and highest quality study 1.

Key Recommendations

• Incorporate heart-healthy foods like oats, barley, beans, nuts, fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), and plenty of fruits and vegetables rich in soluble fiber, as they can help reduce dietary cholesterol intake and increase cholesterol excretion 1.
• Replace saturated fats with healthier monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts, as they can help improve your body's ability to process fats 1.
• Limit consumption of red meat, processed foods, and foods high in trans fats, as they can increase cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk.
• Regular physical activity is crucial, aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly, such as brisk walking, swimming, or cycling, as recommended by the 2013 AHA/ACC guideline on lifestyle management to reduce cardiovascular risk 1.
• Weight management is important, as losing even 5-10% of body weight can significantly improve cholesterol levels.
• Avoid smoking and limit alcohol consumption, as they can increase cardiovascular risk and negatively impact cholesterol levels.
• Include plant sterols and stanols found in certain margarines and supplements, which can help block cholesterol absorption, with maximum effects observed at plant stanol/sterol intakes of 2 g per day 1.

Benefits of Lifestyle Modifications

• Reducing dietary cholesterol intake and increasing cholesterol excretion can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
• Improving your body's ability to process fats can help reduce cardiovascular risk.
• Regular physical activity and weight management can help improve overall health and reduce cardiovascular risk.
• Avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol consumption can help reduce cardiovascular risk and improve overall health.

Important Considerations

• It is essential to consult with a healthcare professional before making any significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.
• Individual results may vary, and it is crucial to monitor cholesterol levels and adjust lifestyle modifications as needed.
• A comprehensive approach to lowering cholesterol naturally, including dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, and regular monitoring, can help achieve optimal results and reduce cardiovascular risk.

From the Research

Lowering Cholesterol Naturally

To lower cholesterol naturally, several factors can be considered:

• Dietary changes: Limiting intake of saturated fatty acids (SFA) to <10% of total daily energy for the general healthy population and further (e.g., to 5-6% of total daily energy) for patients with hypercholesterolemia, as recommended by 2.
• Replacing SFA with unsaturated fatty acids, particularly polyunsaturated fatty acids, may reduce the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) 2.
• Increasing physical activity: Aerobic exercise is significantly associated with higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels 3.
• Nutrition education: A 10-week physical activity and nutrition education intervention in overweight and obese adolescents significantly reduced body mass index (BMI) and showed trends of a decrease in blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 4.

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise has several benefits for cholesterol levels and overall health:

• Reduces BMI and waist circumference in overweight and obese individuals over the age of 60 years 5.
• Improves HDL-C levels, with a significant association between aerobic exercise and higher HDL-C levels 3.
• May reduce the risk of ASCVD by influencing pathways affecting inflammation, cardiac rhythm, hemostasis, apolipoprotein CIII production, and HDL function 2.

Dietary Considerations

Dietary factors can also impact cholesterol levels:

• A direct association between BMI and total cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol, has been found in men, while HDL-cholesterol is inversely related to BMI in both sexes 6.
• Higher BMI is more frequent in less-active men, and dietary intakes of carbohydrate, total fat, and saturated fatty acids are directly associated with BMI in men 6.
• Replacing SFA with unsaturated fatty acids, particularly polyunsaturated fatty acids, may reduce the risk of ASCVD 2.