Tips to Lower LDL Cholesterol

We know that in cases of arterial blockage, cholesterol is a significant constituent of the material that builds up. The conventional medical wisdom recognizes that the severity and frequency of such blockages are statistically greater with higher serum levels of LDL cholesterol. Many health professionals believe that that the culprit is actually damage that occurs to the lining of the blood vessels to which the cholesterol adheres. They believe that the vessel damage is but one manifestation of a more systemic pro-inflammatory condition and that the maintenance of high serum cholesterol levels is the body's reaction to that systemic inflammation. In other words, if your entire body is at in elevated inflammatory state, then the inflammation in the lining of the blood vessels actually attracts cholesterol as a sort of self defense mechanism and ultimately results in clogging of the affected vessels. But we should understand that this happens along with a host of other problems occurring simultaneously in other organ systems elsewhere in the body. Clearly, we all know by now that clogging arteries is not the only bad thing going on in this scenario. So my picking this apart is intened to provide you with a clearer picture of what is happening than to simply attribute this to some faceless pesky cholesterol generator gone awry.

This, by the way, reminds me of a story that was attributed to the developer of Chiropractic, Dr. BJ Palmer. In this story, he told of a time when he had occasion to see the carcass of a dead cow in a field. Upon inspection, he observed that the body cavity was full of fly larvae and reached the only logical conclusion... That the cow had died of a maggot attack. - LOL

Yes, I do believe that the cholesterol issue is more of a chicken or egg question than the medical establishment purports it to be (pardon the pun :). Conveniently, though, the non-pharmaceutical action steps you should take to correct the situation are identical whether your intent is to reduce your systemic inflammatory state or to lower your serum cholesterol levels. In fact, were it not for the medical industry's "solution" of prescribing statin drugs to force the cholesterol numbers down, I would say that the question is moot. But since cholesterol is a primary component of the the cell membrane, the "brains" of every single living cell of your body, blindly forcing cholesterol numbers down will eventually be shown to be another well-intentioned but not entirely correct approach to improving overall health.

It is with this background, that I present you with an edited version of "11 Tips to Cut Your Cholesterol Fast", which was originally written by David Freeman and published on MedPage Today. You can get the unedited version on MedPage where you will find that I removed their suggestion for statin drug prescription, "Tip #2", and a statement that "if your cardiovascular risk is high, you may need to take a cholesterol lowering drug." I'm not saying that there is no place for drug therapy, only that every single individual should only consult an MD about drug therapy for high cholesterol after attempting to address the other risk factors such as obesity, smoking, high blood pressure and poor dietary habits.

10 Tips to Cut Your Cholesterol Fast

Got high cholesterol? Learn what you can do to lower it quickly -- starting today.

If you think that the normal reading you got back in 2004 (or earlier) means you're in the clear, think again: Cholesterol levels often rise with age, and cardiologists say everyone 20 or older should be screened for high cholesterol at least once every five years, with more frequent screenings for anyone deemed to be at high risk for heart disease. If it's been awhile since your last cholesterol screening, now's a good time to ask your doctor if you're due for one.

The good news? If your fasting total cholesterol level exceeds the desirable level of 200, or if your low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad”) cholesterol is above 100, getting it down to a safer level could be easier than you think. In fact, with simple lifestyle modifications people often see significant reductions in cholesterol within six weeks.

Here are 10 tips from WebMD health experts on how to cut high cholesterol fast:

Get Your Personalized Cholesterol Health Assessment

1. Set a target.
You know you've got to get your cholesterol number down, but how low do you need to go? That depends on several factors, including your personal and family history of heart disease, as well as whether you have cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking.

If your risk is deemed high, "most doctors will treat for a target LDL of less than 70," says James Beckerman, MD, a cardiologist in private practice in Portland, Ore. If your risk is moderate, a target LDL of under 130 is generally OK, Beckerman says. If your risk is low, less than 160 is a reasonable target. "The trend now is to treat people earlier, especially if they have two or more risk factors," he says.

2. Get moving.
In addition to lowering LDL "bad" cholesterol, regular physical activity can raise HDL "good" cholesterol by up to 10%. The benefits come even with moderate exercise, such as brisk walking.

Robert Harrington, MD, professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C., urges his patients to go for a 45-minute walk after supper.

Peeke tells WebMD, "I ask people to get a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day. If you work at a desk, get up and walk around for five minutes every hour."

Whatever form your exercise takes, the key is to do it with regularity. "Some experts recommend seven days a week, although I think five days is more realistic," Richman says.

3. Reduce your consumption of saturated fat.
Doctors used to think that the key to lowering high cholesterol was to cut back on eggs and other cholesterol-rich foods. But now it's clear that dietary cholesterol isn't the main culprit. "Eggs don't do all that much to raise cholesterol," Beckerman says. Recent data suggests that excessive consumption of saturated fat correlates with higher cholesterol levels.

"One of the first things to do when you're trying to lower your cholesterol level is to take saturated fat down a few notches," says Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, the author of several nutrition books, including the forthcoming Tell Me What to Eat If I Have Heart Disease. "The second thing to do is to start eating more 'smart' fats," Magee says. She recommends substituting canola oil or olive oil for vegetable oil, butter, stick margarine, lard, or shortening while cutting back on fatty meats while eating more fish.

4. Eat more fiber.
Fruits and vegetables, including whole grains, are good sources not only of heart-healthy antioxidants but also cholesterol-lowering dietary fiber. Soluble fiber, in particular, can help lower cholesterol. Beckerman says it "acts like a sponge to absorb cholesterol "in the digestive tract. Good sources of soluble fiber include dried beans, oats, and barley, as well as fiber products containing psyllium. [This seems to contradict the finding that "dietary cholesterol is not the main culprit". But if you look at the reduction of saturated animal fats which are known to be raw materials that lead to the overproduction of the primary inflammatory agent, arachidonic acid, you can see that shifting the diet towards more anti-oxidant-rich fruits and vegetables will certainly help counteract that inflammation, and, thus, lower blood cholesterol as well - Dr. H].

5. Go fish.
Fish and fish oil are a great source of cholesterol-lowering omega-3 fatty acids. "Fish oil supplements can have a profound effect on cholesterol and triglycerides," Beckerman says. "There's a lot of scientific evidence to support their use." Fish oil is considered to be quite safe, but check with your doctor first if you are taking an anti-clotting medication. [Their beneficial effect is understood to shift the balance of fat metabolism away from the production of arachidonic acid, thus lowering system inflammation, and subsequently, reducing the maintenance of high serum cholesterol levels. - Dr. H]

Magee recommends eating fish two or three times a week. "Salmon is great, as it has lots of omega-3s,"she says. But even canned tuna has omega-3s, and it's more consumer-friendly. The American Heart Association also recommends fish as the preferable source of omega-3s, but fish oil capsule supplements can be considered after consultation with your physician. Plant sources of omega-3s include soybeans, canola, flaxseeds, walnuts, and their oils, but they don't provide the same omega-3s as fish. The biggest heart benefits have been linked to omega-3s found in fish. [ Beware of the fact that eating too much fish can expose you to additional mercury, which is a bad thing, so do this in moderation. - Dr. H ]

6. Drink up.
Moderate consumption of alcohol can raise levels of HDL "good" cholesterol by as much as 10%. Doctors say up to one drink a day makes sense for women, up to two a day for men. But given the risks of excessive drinking, the American Heart Association cautions against increasing your alcohol intake or starting to drink if you don't already.

7. Drink green.
Magee suggests green tea as a healthier alternative to sodas and sugary beverages. Indeed, research in both animals and humans has shown that green tea contains compounds that can help lower LDL cholesterol. In a small-scale study conducted recently in Brazil, people who took capsules containing a green tea extract experienced a 4.5% reduction in LDL cholesterol.

8. Eat nuts.
Extensive research has demonstrated that regular consumption of nuts can bring modest reductions in cholesterol. Walnuts and almonds seem particularly beneficial. But nuts are high in calories, so limit yourself to a handful a day, experts say.

9. Switch spreads.
Recent years have seen the introduction of margarine-like spreads and other foods fortified with cholesterol-lowering plant compounds known as stanols. [I haven't removed this item, but I will say that you're better off just eating less butter than adding hydrogenated fats, stanols or no stanols. Bottom line is that if it is a vegetable oil product that is solid at room temperature, you're better off sticking with the butter. Just try to eat less of it. - Dr. H]

10. Don't smoke.
Smoking lowers levels of HDL "good" cholesterol and is a major risk factor for heart disease.