Guide to Cholesterol Treatment Alternatives

if you are looking for cholesterol treatment alternatives, your doctor may have recommended statin drugs. If you know about the side effects of the drugs, you will be happy to hear that there are effective natural solutions.

The dietary recommendations include reducing meat and dairy products in the diet, but that is not always effective. If you eat less cholesterol, your body compensates by producing more. The waxy compound is essential for various functions of the human body.

When being transported in the bloodstream, the particles are harmless. It is only if they become oxidized on the arterial walls that they cause problems.

Only the LDL particles are actually dangerous. The HDL particles are larger, contain more proteins and do not clog up the arteries.

The latest studies indicate that reducing simple carbohydrates in the diet may be more effective than other recommendations. Foods like refined grains, white rice, pasta, breads, sweets, junk food and white potatoes cause a spike in insulin levels, which stimulates the liver to produce more cholesterol.

So, what should you eat? Fish, fruits, vegetables, brown rice, whole grains, beans, legumes, soy, olive and rice bran oil are good to start with. If you like beef, chicken and lamb, choose the grass-fed, free range or organic varieties. They are leaner and contain a healthier balance of fatty acids.

Taking rice bran oil is one of the cholesterol treatment alternatives available in supplement form. Policosanol, a substance extracted from raw sugar cane, is another. It does not cause elevated blood sugar or insulin levels.

Theaflavins and catechins found in black and green teas are beneficial. D-limonene, a type of oil extracted from citrus rind, is helpful too. Lecithin and phytosterols have been shown to improve blood profiles in several studies.

You don't see these cholesterol treatment alternatives advertised on TV, because the manufacturers are not allowed to promote the health benefits. If a supplement is found to treat, cure or prevent a disease, it becomes a drug.

An example is fish oil, which has been used by people for years as a remedy for painful joints and to lower blood triglycerides. Now it is produced by pharmaceutical companies, although the supplements are cheaper and readily available.

Some of the better supplements on the market contain all of the extracts and compounds mentioned above, because each addresses a different factor contributing to unhealthy LDL levels.

Cholesterol treatment alternatives that address only a single factor, such as high triglycerides or low HDL levels, are simply not that effective. Not only do we have to worry about the cholesterols in the foods that we eat and the LDL particles produced by the liver, we must also be concerned about re-absorption.

Once the particles make their rounds in the bloodstream and are returned to the liver, they are passed into the digestive system. About 95% of them are re-absorbed through the intestinal walls. So, they travel through the bloodstream yet again, increasing the risk that they will become oxidized.

The best cholesterol treatment alternatives are those that inhibit re-absorption, raise HDL levels and lower LDL levels. It might take a little research, but I have found that they are well worth the effort.

Jackie Leone is a consumer advocate and a dedicated researcher who has been on a search to find the lowercholesterolinfo.com best natural cholesterol balancing supplements available. Visit her website at lowercholesterolinfo.com lowercholesterolinfo.com to discover what she personally takes and why.