Two other obvious symptoms of high cholesterol are miniature strokes and heart attacks. If you experience either of these things then it indicates very strongly that you should get checked out and if it is not high cholesterol then it certainly still points to a problem. Complicating matters however is that fact that not everyone realises that these ‘mini’ heart attacks or strokes even exist and it is possible for both to go by unnoticed. Pay particular attention to your health then if you fall into a high-risk group and look out for any crushing chest pains, headaches, loss of coordination or pains in the arms, back, neck or jaw which could signify the onset of a silent heart attack or miniature stroke.

If you experience any of these symptoms of high cholesterol and you have reason to believe you are at high risk, then make sure you get yourself tested immediately. However, often high cholesterol actually has no symptoms whatsoever and so even for healthy individuals caution should be taken to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle and regular checks should be carried out.

If your do discover that you have high cholesterol there are fortunately many different ways to lower cholesterol naturally. The first of these is obviously to monitor your diet and there are many foods that should be avoided to keep your cholesterol down.

To lower cholesterol naturally you should first ensure you avoid foods high in saturated fat, which follows from that fact that lipids is a term used to refer to fats and that all fats can add to the build up of arterial plaque. To lower cholesterol then, avoid lard, oil, butter, ghee, palm oil and fatty meals. This means that fast foods are generally out as are ready made foods such as microwave meals and tinned meals (no loss there really). Likewise fattier meats such as mince, bacon and lamb should be replaced by leaner sources of protein such as tuna or chicken. Alternatively you can also supplement with replacement amino acids or with protein shakes which will give your body the building blocks it needs to make essential repairs without damaging the arteries. Similarly dairy products such as milk and cheese should be limited – though low fat milk is less of a problem. Eggs too are notoriously high in cholesterol though mainly this is in the yolk, so by just eating whites you can remove the problem. Even some fruits and vegetables can be high in cholesterol, for example kiwi fruits and coconuts (randomly) so these too should be avoided.

Fortunately there are lots of small changes you can make to your diet to lower cholesterol naturally without completely starving yourself of anything remotely resembling taste… Little changes you can make to your diet include removing the butter from your bread (you really don’t need it with things like pate, spreads or jams), removing extra oil from your cooking (add sources such as passata or puree to your cooking first in order to prevent sticking), and switching to skimmed milk. Remember though that not all cholesterol is bad for you, and that fat is crucial for other functions within the body. It is therefore critical that you do not attempt to eliminate all fat from your diet or you will end up with dangerously low levels of HDL and could also suffer dry flaky skin and unhealthy nails and hair. The idea then is simply to strongly cut back on saturated fats, and to make sure that the fat you do get is healthy (go for essential fatty acids such as Omega 3) and controlled.

The other culprits for bad cholesterol are carbohydrates and you should limit your intake of these (particularly simple carbs such as sugar or sweets) as a high carb diet is linked to high cholesterol (hence those who consume more than 60% of carbs in their daily caloric intake being at particularly high risk). This means avoiding sweets and cakes as well as chocolate, crisps and other puddings/snacks. Try removing sugar from your tea and replace sweets with snacks such as raisins, cereal bars or yogurts to make this transition easier. Also bare in mind that your drinks can be high in fat and carbohydrates, this means mostly soft drinks as well as some alcoholic beverages. If you’re partial to lager or guiness for example try switching this for wine or spirits. Generally drinking lots of fruit drinks and water will be a far healthier option.

As well as avoiding foods high in cholesterol however you should also eat more of foods that lower cholesterol naturally. The first way to do this is to eat lots of extra fibre. High fibre foods lower cholesterol in a number of ways. Firstly it helps clear the digestive tract and intestinal tract, clearing them out by sweeping away blockages and plaque (as fibre is not digested by the body and passes through the system un-broken down). It also helps to prevent the liber from producing additional cholesterol and this makes it great as a way to help combat familial and genetic cases of high cholesterol. Finally fibre helps increase bowl movements meaning your body becomes more efficient in disposing of excess cholesterol.

Mack LeMouse

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