Unless you have a genetic condition known a familial hypercholesterolemia (FH for short) where the liver continually pumps large amounts of cholesterol into a person's blood stream the chances are very good that you can substantially lower blood cholesterol levels naturally.

Ideas abound about how to lower your cholesterol. Some suggest statin prescription medications such as Crestor and Lipitor are the answer, but pundits voice their concerns about dropping cholesterol levels too low. Statins also produce muscle pain along with a number of other side effects which these same pundits are quick to point out. But ultimately when used a tool which is part of a larger tool kit statins can be a very effective option. On the other hand when they are used as a sledge hammer to drive cholesterol down many feel they are somewhat ineffective if not dangerous.

Some of the risk factors for high cholesterol that you should be aware of are smoking, diabetes, being as little as 20 percent overweight, and inactivity. Cholesterol levels increase as people age and are generally higher in men than in women, although levels increase in women after menopause.

But while there are varying opinions as to how to lower cholesterol what is for sure is that the above risk factors can make your blood cholesterol levels bounce around like a lottery ball during a Saturday night drawing. While this may be the case one there is one way to lower cholesterol that works well for almost everyone, and that is diet modification.

Studies show that diet alone can reduce bad cholesterol by over 30 percent in a two to three week period.

In order to achieve these stellar results you must learn the difference in fats and then become an expert label reader to make sure that you are not being mislead by cleaver or confusing labeling. The good guys when learning how to lower cholesterol are monounsaturated fats (nuts, olive oil) and polyunsaturated fats (fish) including the very beneficial omega 3 fatty acids. The bad guys are saturated fats. Saturated fats increase cholesterol levels more than any other fats. In many ways they are the person you can easily fall in love with only to find out they have a checkered past. Foods high in saturated fats are some of our favorites including meats, non-skim dairy products (milk, cheese, butter), processed meats (bologna, salami), coconuts, palm oil, and artificially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

How to lower your cholesterol through diet is a fairly simple equation. By combining your new found knowledge of saturated fat with a large dose of willpower you will be poised to produce excellent results in a short period of time. Many natural health minded individuals are finding that by adding natural cholesterol reducing remedies to this equation they are able to achieve even better results. Certainly everyone is different, and working with your doctor to find the best solution for your unique set of circumstances is always a good idea.



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There are four factors you want present on your cholesterol readings to be able to accurately interpret them for yourself. This helps you select the right treatment if any is needed, and puts you in control of your health.

Good cholesterol readings look like this:

Total Cholesterol: 200 mg/dl
LDL: Less than 100 mg/dl
HDL: At least 40 mg/dl
Triglyceride: Less than 150 mg/dl

Whilst many people focus on the total levels, this can in fact give a false reading of your health. It is the relationship between the LDL and HDL levels that is more important and here's why.

LDL or low-density lipoprotein is mostly made up of fat and only a little protein and excess amounts of this can lead to an increased risk of a heart attack or stroke.

HDL or high-density lipoprotein on the other hand is composed mostly of protein and only a little fat and helps to remove excess LDL and return it to the liver for disposal. The more of this type you have, the better it is for your health.

Your triglyceride level is important, although it is a different type of fat, as it comes from your food. Most of it is stored as fat which is an important source of stored energy but some is also present in the blood and together with LDL can cause problems if too high.

As you can see from the example above, a 3 or 2:1 ratio of LDL to HDL is ideal and even if your total levels exceed 200, if you have a healthy amount of HDL, you are not necessarily at risk.

If you have had a test and want to improve your cholesterol readings, there are a number of ways to achieve it without having to use the harmful statin drugs which doctors all too readily prescribe today.

Taking more exercise is important as it helps to increase your HDL and can be in the form of a walk if you do not want to exert yourself too much!

Cutting down on saturated fats like those in dairy and red meat and eating more fruit, vegetables, oatmeal and fatty fish like tuna and hoki will also help.

As over 80% of your cholesterol comes from your liver, a natural cholesterol supplement can make a real difference as it helps to lower your overall production and reduce the absorption in the gut. The good ones have been shown to be as effective as the statin drugs but without the side effects.

I hope this sheds some light on your cholesterol readings and that you can see there are natural and highly effective ways you can maintain them at healthy levels to help you avoid heart disease.



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Cholesterol floats freely though your blood stream guided along by the lipoproteins LDL (bad) and HDL (good). Elevated levels of this waxy, fat like substance have been linked with an increased risk of atherosclerosis, a condition in which blood vessels are narrowed by fat deposits, ultimately impeding blood flow to vital organs. Over time the accumulation or arterial cholesterol (plaque) may be sufficient to produce a heart attack or stroke. Now that we have laid a little ground work let's get down to business and discover the 5 causes of high cholesterol that everyone should be aware of?

*Saturated fat: Saturated fat is the boogey man in the world of high cholesterol and perhaps the single most important of the 5 causes of high cholesterol. Saturated fat is found in large amounts in organ meats, coconuts, sweetbreads, high fat dairy, processed meats, chicken and turkey skin, along with many other popular foods. According to the American Heart Association saturated fat should account for no more than 10 percent of total calories.

*Diabetes: Diabetes have blood insulin levels, the hormone produced by the pancreas and used to digest food. You are saying to yourself that can't be right, I have heard the opposite. Let me explain, while it is true that diabetics do produce less insulin than healthy people their cells simply don't process it efficiently, thus leaving it circulate in the blood until it is excreted from the body. This cycle produces very high blood cholesterol levels that could be double the number considered to be high risk!

*Being Overweight: There most recent research revealed that being as little as 20 percent overweight raises a person's bad cholesterol (LDL) while lowering your good cholesterol (HDL). Not a good combination.

*Age: Well as we get older our bodies simply don't work as well. That free floating cholesterol that should be processed and sent on its way is allowed to hang around and ultimately accumulates in the arteries. While there is no magic number for elevated cholesterol it is not uncommon to see high cholesterol in men over the age of 45, and women over the age of 55.

*Inactivity: Oh boy, here we go again on this exercise kick. But let's face it when a person is inactive a myriad of health problems can arise including increased lipid cholesterol readings. You don't have to be a marathon runner to achieve cholesterol reducing results. Sports like golf, tennis, and even ping-pong can prove helpful. Walking is also great. On the other hand, shuffle board, curling, and dusting the lamps really won't do the trick. Now walking while carrying a dust wand or a curling ball might be something worth considering.

In this article we have covered 5 causes of high cholesterol. While we have tried to pick the top 5 causes of cholesterol there are others that didn't make the list including smoking, hypertension, genetics, and gender. Nevertheless the above information is a good starting point for bringing those stubbornly high cholesterol levels back into a healthy range. Along those lines many natural health minded people have found that by combining lifestyle modification with natural cholesterol reducing remedies they have been able to achieve remarkable results in a relatively short period of time. Natural cholesterol reduction remedies are not for everyone, but for some they are a viable alternative to prescription medications worth considering.



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If you are worried about high cholesterol, it helps to know the main causes so you find the best way of combating them. Here are the main 5 causes of high cholesterol.

#1 Hereditary Factors

If you have a close relative who is under 65 years old and suffers from heart disease, you have an increased likelihood of high levels.

A rare condition that can run in a family and only affects about one in five hundred people is called familial hypercholesterolemia. This results in very high levels of the bad or LDL cholesterol while the other levels remain normal.

#2 Age and Gender

How old you are can determine your levels too. As a rule, your cholesterol levels increase as you age and men have a higher chance of being affected than women.

#3 Exercise

Getting regular exercise helps to lower your bad levels and raise your good ones. Most of us are guilty of not getting enough, so it pays to try and stick to something! Even a 30-40 minute brisk walk everyday or at least 4 times a week really helps.

You just need to raise your pulse-rate for at least 20 minutes at least 4 times a week to gain the benefits.

#4 Weight

If you are overweight, you have an increased chance of having dangerous levels. This is because being overweight results in lower HDL or good cholesterol and increases your bad LDL.

#5 Diet High in Saturated Fat

Unfortunately, most of the foods we like contain saturated and trans fats which lead to more bad cholesterol. Foods like dairy, margarines, sunflower oil, takeaway food, pastries and potato chips all contain high amounts.

It is important to distinguish between food that contains cholesterol and ones which have a lot of fat. Recent research show us that high cholesterol foods like eggs and liver do not increase your blood cholesterol very much at all.

However, saturated fats stimulate your liver to produce more LDL cholesterol and this leads to blocking of the arteries and potential heart disease.

If you try to eat more healthily and exercise more, you can help to keep your levels more in balance and to provide an even bigger boost, a natural cholesterol supplement can help.

These can help to reduce the overall production and increase the good HDL to maintain a natural and healthy balance.

These are the main 5 causes of high cholesterol, and if you feel you may have unhealthy levels, you should consult your doctor and get a test done. It is recommended to have one every five years if you are over thirty to ensure your levels are healthy.



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Although you can be prescribed medication to raise HDL and lower LDL, you should always first look to address any lifestyle issues that may need correcting. For instance factors like smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and eating foods containing trans fats are all contributory factors towards low HDL and high LDL

However, as well as making life-style improvements, based on your high LDL levels as well as any additional health concerns you may have, your physician may well still determine that you will need medication to raise HDL and lower LDL. This can be achieved through several medicines. They could either be used on their own or in conjunction with each other. Gemfibrozil, clofibrate, reisins and nicotinic acid are some of the most frequent kinds of LDL cholesterol reducing drugs you will come across.

1. Clofibrate is an LDL decreasing treatment which additionally reduces the triglyceride ranges as well lifting the HDL cholesterol.
2. Gemfibrozil is prescribed for its ability to raise HDL.
3. Nicotinic acid - Is an LDL reducing treatment which functions within the liver by decreasing the quantity of blood fats. This can help lessen your LDL and triglycerides as well as in addition increasing the HDL cholesterol level.
4. Resins - Are a LDL cholesterol decreasing treatment which is also known as a bile acids binding drug. They will benefit by helping to reduce cholesterol levels by working within your intestines and encouraging the removal of LDL cholesterol. With this kind of treatment there is 3 kinds of drugs: Cholestyramine (Questran, Prevalite, Lo-Cholest), Colesevelam (WelChol), Colestipol (Colestid).
5. Statins - Probably the most commonly used medication. Statins have a truly powerful effect in decreasing LDL but also are regarded potentially dangerous because of their unwanted side effects. These can include damage to the liver, severe muscle pain and weakness and cognitive impairment. Commonly prescribed statins are:-

* Fluvastatin (Lescol)
* Rosuvastatin Calcium (Crestor)
* Pravastatin (Pravachol)
* Simvastatin (Zocor)
* Atorvastatin (Lipitor).



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