Lowering Cholesterol Naturally: It Is Still The Best Approach
by Greg Post
zone3
When we were kids my brother used to say, "Do drugs." I think he was
kidding.
The truth is using drugs has become an epidemic. I don’t just mean
illegal drugs. You and I both know that prescription drugs are widely
abused in our culture. The first line of defense for many people is to
reach for the medicine cabinet.
The television commercials don’t help either. The pharmaceutical
companies have taken their message to the airwaves. We are now encouraged
to ask our doctor if Brand-X is right for us.
I am standing on my soapbox a bit here. But my complaint is not against
the many medicines that are available to help restore us to health. My
complaint is against using drugs when there are better alternatives.
Lowering cholesterol naturally may still be your best option in the
war against heart disease.
The third report of the Adult Treatment Panel (ATP III) agrees with me
on this. Actually it would be better to say that I agree with ATP III.
What does ATP III recommend?
Actually ATP III recommends the same approach you have probably heard
many times before. The recommendation is to make changes to your
lifestyle. At the very core of these changes we find the subject of
diet.
Why diet? Because what we eat – and don’t eat – has a strong influence
on how our bodies handle cholesterol. For example…
ATP III recommends that 25-35% of our total daily calories be composed
of fat. To me that seems like a lot of fat. However, less than 7% of the
total should be composed of saturated fat. You want to reduce cholesterol?
A good place to start is to cut down on your saturated fat intake.
Saturated fats negatively influence LDL cholesterol levels. Most
cholesterol management focuses on lowering LDL cholesterol. Saturated fats
cause LDL levels to rise. So every time we grab that burger on the run –
and I love a good burger – we are making it more difficult for our bodies
to keep our LDL levels down.
While we are on the subject of fats we should mention trans-fats. How
much of our daily caloric intake should be composed of trans-fats? 0%!
Trans-fats are a different breed. They are actually not saturated fats
at all. In fact they are polyunsaturated fats that have been pushed toward
saturation by a process called hydrogenation. Structurally they are still
unsaturated. However they act very differently in our bodies than do other
naturally occurring fats.
Many researchers have implicated trans-fats in the heart disease
epidemic of the 1990s. That is a loud message. It is a message that tells
us to stay away.
How do you know if you have trans-fats in the foods you eat? Read the
labels. Unfortunately food labels do not list trans-fats unless to say the
product contains none. Look instead for the phrase ‘partially
hydrogenated’. You might be surprised how many of the products in your
panty contain partially hydrogenated oils.
Now for some good news about fats.
ATP III recommends that up to 30% of your caloric intake be in the form
of polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. Unsaturated fats – in
most cases - do not have the same negative influence on cholesterol as do
saturated fats and trans-fats.
And just like those commercials that promise you more if you buy now…
there is more to unsaturated fats than merely not having a negative
influence on cholesterol.
Take omega-3 for example. Omega-3 fatty acids are among the essential
fatty acids that can actually improve your cholesterol profile. Among
other things, omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to…
• raise HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol)
• reduce LDL
cholesterol (the bad cholesterol)
• lower triglycerides
• reduce
blood platelet stickiness
You can get more omega-3 through certain vegetative sources like
broccoli and flax seeds. But the more potent forms are found in cold-water
fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna.
If eating fish everyday is not an option for you try omega-3
supplements. There are some that do not produce a fishy aftertaste and
contain no metal pollutants.
Reducing your intake of saturated fats and increasing unsaturated fat
consumption is one way to lower cholesterol naturally. So before you ask
your doctor if Brand-X is right for you, consider making changes to your
lifestyle. A grilled tuna sandwich may not be as readily available as that
burger that has been sitting under the heat-lamp for three hours, but it
may help you reduce your risk for heart disease. Got Fish?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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