Cholesterol is a type of fat that is vital for life. It is a building block for many metabolic processes in the body including making hormones, supporting cell structure and making bile. Cholesterol can be found in certain foods (e.g. meats, dairy products, eggs), and is also made by your liver. Too much cholesterol can be detrimental to your health by promoting fatty plaque deposits in blood vessels, known as atherosclerosis, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease.
If you haven’t had your cholesterol levels checked, ask our Gold Coast Naturopath Practitioner about having them tested today!
Cholesterol: The Good and the Bad
When you get your cholesterol levels check, our Naturopath Gold Coast Practitioner will be interested in two main types of cholesterol: high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. HDL is essentially the ‘good’ form of cholesterol while LDL is the ‘bad’ form of cholesterol. If the ratio of HDL:LDL is out of balance (i.e. not enough HDL, too much LDL), this puts you at increased risk of heart disease.
Our Naturopaths Gold Coast Practitioner can identify if you have unhealthy cholesterol levels and prescribe specific natural supplements to restore balance between the good and bad types of cholesterol.
Five Simple Steps to Lowering Cholesterol
Diet and lifestyle changes must form the foundation of any cholesterol lowering plan.
1. Follow a cholesterol lowering eating plan. Important dietary changes to improve your general cardiovascular health include:
• Eliminate damaging trans fats found in fast foods, fried foods and baked goods. Trans fats increase your risk of developing heart disease by increasing the ‘bad’ cholesterol.
• Reduce your saturated fat intake by consuming only lean meats. Too much saturated fat can cause weight gain and increase your cholesterol. • Increase the amount of good fats you eat from cold water fish, nuts and seeds.
• Follow the principles of the Mediterranean diet which is rich in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil and garlic. People following the Mediterranean diet have the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease in the world.
• Cut down on sugar in your diet. Soft drinks, fruit juices and processed foods frequently contain ‘hidden sugars’. When there is an over-supply of sugar the body converts this to fat which negatively affects cholesterol balance. Cholesterol Questions Answered
2. Lose weight. If you are overweight, weight loss is an essential part of reducing your cholesterol levels. If you need to lose weight, our Practitioner can support you with a clinically-proven, specialised weight loss program.
3. Get moving. Daily physical activity is vital for improving cardiovascular health, stabilising cholesterol levels and for weight maintenance.
4. Adopt a healthy lifestyle. It is also important that you also address factors such as stress and smoking, as these can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Talk to our Practitioner if you need help managing stress or quitting cigarette smoking.
5. Supportive supplements from the natural dispensary. As well as the dietary and lifestyle strategies already suggested, the following Natural Medicines may also help prevent and/or treat high cholesterol:
6. Sugar Cane Wax Sterols – Sugar cane wax sterols (or policosanols) are nature’s answer for mildly elevated cholesterol. Sugar cane wax sterols help reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol.
Start Making Changes Today!
Start making changes today. It is never too late to improve your health, and the simple dietary and lifestyle modifications outlined here, along with appropriate supplementation, can add years to your life and life to your years!
Discuss your cholesterol levels with our Gold Coast Homeopaths Practitioner today! CALL 07 5518 7608
