How To Lower Your Cholesterol Without Statins

If you are tired of all the side-effects of statins, or just concerned of the potential dangers of taking statins and their high cost, the following story is for you.

I found a great article titled "Escape from Statins," by Michael Perry, while doing the research for this post. The article is about Michael's journey in reducing his serum cholesterol without the use of statins.

With a diet change and an exercise routine, he was able to lower his LDL from 178 mg/dl to 120, and increase his HDL from 39 to 45. The diet change that reduced his LDL is called the "dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods."

Dietary Portfolio

The dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods was created by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto. As described in the Harvard Health Publications article "Portfolio Beats Low-Fat Diet For Lowering Cholesterol," this diet did a better job at lowering cholesterol than the low-fat diet recommended by the American Heart Association. It basically consists of

• Margarine enriched with plant sterols
• Oats
• Barley
• Psyllium
• Okra
• Eggplant
• Soy protein
• And whole almonds

More specifically

"All participants in the study followed a heart-healthy diet that was low in saturated fat (minimal butter and other dairy fats, beef fat) and rich in fruits and vegetables, beans and whole grains. Those in the portfolio group added cholesterol-lowering foods. For someone eating 2,000 calories a day, these included:

• A handful of nuts each day.
• Two teaspoons of sterol-enriched margarine, such as Benecol or Take Control.
• Two servings a day of soy-based foods, such as a glass of soy milk or a soy burger.
• Two servings a day of foods rich in soluble (viscous) fiber, such as oatmeal, psyllium-enriched cereals, barley, and vegetables such as okra and eggplant."

11 Foods That Lower Cholesterol

In another Harvard Health Publication titled "11 Foods That Lower Cholesterol," it states that foods rich in soluble fiber, which is also known as viscous fiber, is best for lowering cholesterol. This type of fiber binds with cholesterol and removes it from your digestive system before the cholesterol can be absorbed into your bloodstream.

The 11 foods are

• Oats - good source of soluble fiber
• Barley - an excellent source of soluble fiber
• Beans - good source of soluble fiber
• Eggplant and okra - excellent sources of soluble fiber
• Nuts, especially almonds, walnuts and peanuts, reduce LDL
• Vegetable oils in place of butter - especially extra virgin olive oil and canola oil
• Apples, grapes, strawberries and citrus fruits are good sources of a soluble fiber called pectin, which lowers LDL
• Foods fortified with sterols and stanols. Some spreads that are fortified with Plant Sterols are Benecol, Taking Control and Phytrol.
• Soy protein found in soy beans, tofu and soy milk can lower LDL
• Cold Water fish like herring and sardines are rich in omega-3 fats, and reduces LDL levels by replacing red meats which tend to boost LDL levels. These fish also reduce triglyceride levels.
  
• Fiber Supplements containing psyllium provide soluble fiber.
  

Changing your diet to one that is rich in these 11 foods in combination of an exercise routine will increase your health and fitness, and reduce your risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and strokes.

Charles