This entry was posted 11 years, 9 months ago.
August 26, 2011
Many of us have quite high levels of LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol in our body, and an effective cholesterol lowering technique is an issue of interest for many people. Usually, the first recommendation to those who are on the way to cholesterol lowering is to decrease the amounts of saturated fat in the diet. However, recently nutritionists found out that adding to our diet plenty of special cholesterol lowering foods like oats, lentils, soy products and nuts can be even more effective than cutting on saturated fats. In other words, eating more of the mentioned natural foods can help you more in cholesterol lowering than reducing daily fatty food consumption.
The scientists from the University of Toronto suggest that using such foods as tofu cheese, milk, meat substitutes and other soy products, beans, lentils, peas, and nuts (in small doses) can be very effective for cholesterol lowering. 
According to the Canadian specialists, following a diet rich in the mentioned foods for about 5-6 months can assist us in cholesterol lowering for up to 13 percent. Besides, following this type of diet for a ten-year period can help lower the risks of heart disease and other serious cardiovascular problems for as much as 11 percent.
During the experiments, 345 participants who were interested in practical cholesterol lowering to boost their health. They were divided into three groups, one of which was requested to use a low-fat diet including mainly fruit and veggies, and other two were advised on special diets rich in the mentioned cholesterol lowering foods. After 6 months it was found out that those who used a low-fat diet managed to drop only 3 percent of bad cholesterol levels, and those who used one of the diets rich in cholesterol lowering foods managed to achieve greater results: 13.8 and 13.1 percent.
However, experts underline that using cholesterol lowering foods will not make up for eating the foods with a high content of saturated fats. Victoria Taylor, an expert at the British Heart Foundation, comments on the study as the following: ‘People need to be aware that following this type of plan in the long term takes commitment. Eating a few nuts or having the odd portion of soya beans won’t make up for an otherwise poor diet. All the people in this trial were already eating a low-saturated fat diet, and this remains our first and foremost advice to people who want or need to reduce their cholesterol.’ Read more about this study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Also, check out other cholesterol lowering tips here.
Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.
August 26th, 2011 at 7:24 pm
When you can’t always eat the right way, or you do eat the right way, you still might need help. All natural herbs are the best way to help keep your bad cholesterol down. It’s better than filling your body with chemicals that might have side effects. Herbs are safe and non-habit forming.