How to reduce cholesterol?

Lipids are fatty substances found in blood. Though a certain amount of fat is important for the body’s normal working, too much fatty substance may prove dangerous. The daily requirement of fat is not known with certainty. During infancy fats contribute 50 % of total energy intake. Increased fat intake in recommended during pregnancy and lactation period. High levels of fat contribute significantly to the development of heart and diseases of blood vessel leading to stroke. If detected in time, this situation can also be corrected. Hence, a lipid profile test is essential.

Go for a lipid profile at least once in a year specially the following category of persons,

1. You are above 40 years.
2. Family history of heart diseases including High blood pressure, heart attack, stroke.
3. If you are overweight.
4. If you are in sedentary occupation.
5. If you are a Diabetic patient

When to perform the test:
One needs to fast before having a lipid profile performed. For 12 to 14 hours before the test, only water is allowed. For healthy individuals with no other risks of heart disease to be screened for cholesterol and HDL every five years. You do not need to have a full lipid profile. However, if you have other risk factors or have had high cholesterol in the past, you should be tested more regularly and you should have a full lipid profile.

Lipid Profile – Normal ValuesTest Normal Values
Serum Cholesterol American Heart Association recommendation
Normal up to 200 mgs/dl
Borderline Upto 239 mgs/dl
Elevated if > 240 mgs/dl. On repeated values.

Serum Triglycerides
< 180 mgs/dl. Normal. Elevation of values to be considered only if repeated values are high. HDL Cholesterol 30 – 60 mgs/dl LDL Cholesterol 100 – 190 mgs/dl Borderline >190 mgs/dl. Risk

Total/HDL Ratio < 4 Normal 4 – 6 Low Risk > 6 High Risk

DIETARY GUIDELINES TO REDUCE YOUR BLOOD LIPIDS

Non vegetarian diet
allowed- Chicken, turkey, veal, rabbit. All white fish, e.g. cod, haddock, plaice. Oily fish, e.g. herring, mackerel, sardines, tuna, salmon.Egg white.
In moderation– Lean beef, bacon, ham, pork, lamb; liver, Fish fried in suitable oil. Oysters, mussels. Occasional scampi, prawns, shrimps, lobster.
avoid totally- Visible fat on meat breast of lamb, belly pork, streaky bacon, sausages, duck, goose, pork pies, meat pasties. Skin on poultry.
Fish roe, fish fried in hard fats.

Fruit and vegetables
allowed- All fresh and frozen vegetables. Peas, beans, sweetcorn. Red kidney beans, lentils, chick peas, potatoes – eat skins wherever you can. Fresh fruit, unsweetened tinned fruit, dried fruit. Walnuts, chestnuts
moderate- Avocado, pears, fruit in syrup; crystallized fruit. Almonds, hazelnuts.
avoid- Chips or roast potatoes cooked in solid fat. Oven chips. Potato crisps. coconut

Sweets
allowed- Clear pickles. Sugar-free sweeteners, e.g. saccharin tablets or liquid; aspartame sweetener.
moderate- Sweet pickles and chutney; jam, honey, syrup, peanut, butter, curd. Boiled sweets, peppermints. Sugar, glucose, fructose.
avoid – Chocolate spreads, candy bars, toffees, chocolate, coconut bars.

Dairy products
allowed- Skimmed milk. Low-fat cheeses (e.g. cottage cheese), Very-low- fat yoghurt.
moderate– Semi-skimmed milk. Low-fat yoghurt.
avoid- Full-cream milk, evaporated or condensed milk, cream, Regular fat cheeses, cream cheeses. Full-fat yoghurt.

Cereal Products
allowed- Wholemeal flour, wholemeal bread, wholegrain cereals, oatmeal, cornmeal, porridge oats, sweetcorn, wholegrain rice and pasta, crisp breads, oatcakes.
moderate– White flour, white bread, sugary breakfast cereals, oatbran, white rice and pasta, plain semi-sweet biscuits,
avoid- Fancy breads, e.g. cheese biscuits.

Beverages
allowed- Tea, coffee with skimmed milk, mineral water, sugar-free soft drinks, unsweetened fruit juice. Clear soups, home-made vegetable soup.
moderate- Sweet soft drinks, low-fat malted drinks or low-fat chocolate (occasionally). Packet soups, meat soups.
avoid- Full-fat malted drinks, drinking chocolate. Cream soups. Non-dairy coffee whitener

HOMOEOPATHIC MEDICINES:

1. Homoeopathic medications will help you to reduce your blood lipids along with the strict diet contorl.
2. Some Homoeopathic medications will also help in increasing HDL cholesterol, which is the safest and heart friendly cholesterol.
3. Homoeopathic medications available for altered lipid level are in different forms e.g. Pills, Mother tincture form and also in drops.
4. Consult qualified Homoeopathic doctor for effectively planning anti cholesterol treatment.