Raised Cholesterol..It can be changed without medication

Cholesterol is a great buzz word and one which many are so scared of. The first thing I say to all of my clients is, please understand high cholesterol levels on their own will never kill you, so that’s good news. High cholesterol levels are a great indicator that something else is not working properly in the body. This fact must be thoroughly investigated.Therefore being treated alone just for cholesterol will long term not treat the underlying cause for raised levels in the first place. There are many different reasons for raised cholesterol, genetics /family history to other heart health problems to dietary problems to stress, sleep hormonal imbalances, poor bowel elimination, high triglycerides, high homocysteine , high inflammatory markers in the body etc.
Yes, did you know that most of the clients I treat with high cholesterol do not go to the loo every day for a number 2! and if they do there bowel is usually not being completely emptied. Cholesterol is removed by the uptake of bile through the large intestine/bowel. Therefore if you are not going to the loo every day then how can your body get rid of excess cholesterol? Increasing fibre slowly can sometimes make a big difference to this depending on the root of the problem in the first place. Rice bran added to your breakfast cereal or something like that can make a big difference for some people.
Cholesterol is a hormone . It is the precursor to all of the other hormones in the body such as testosterone, oestrogen’s, cortisol, etc and it plays a very important role in the body at the correct levels.

Cholesterol at high levels untreated as I have said above is not good for us especially when the HDL levels are low and the LDL levels are high.
A simple way to remember is H in HDL( High density lipoproteins) is good and it is best for you when these are high, so H = high. L for LDL ( low density lipoproteins) are not good for you so it is best these levels are low. L in LDL = Low. Cholesterol is broken down in the liver, many people I treat with high cholesterol are already taking statins longterm. These block up the liver and can interfere with the production and function of C0Q10, if you are taking statins, start taking COQ10 Daily. Look at ensuring you have a healthy liver, as when it is congested your cholesterol and other toxins will be high too. diets high in alcohol, starch and sugars clog the liver and affect its efficient function.

The most important thing is to ensure your triglycerides ( which are the sticky part of the fat in the blood) is low and within the normal range. Many people do not know this! This is far more serious than raised overall cholesterol levels.
Total Cholesterol: less than 5.0mmol/L
LDL less than 3.0mmol/L
HDL greater than 1.0mmol/L
Trigyclerides less than 1.7mmol/L
The interpretation of some of these results can differ from one health professional to another. In extreme cases medication is certainly needed but it is not needed by everyone. Change of diet, more exercise, more sleep, and better handling of stress and proper absorption of nutrition and the food you eat in the first place is absolutely paramount to having a happy healthy, bowel, heart and liver!

What are your cholesterol levels?
Have you a history of heart disease in the family?
Are you taking long term medication for cholesterol or other health matters?
Have you spoken to your doctor or other health professional and asked about other options?

Always remember there is another way and that is empowering in itself.