a. Reduce overall fat, especially trans-fat commonly found in fried foods and margarine. Use oil or food that are high in Omega-3 fatty acid, such as olive, rapeseed oil, flaxseed and flaxseed oil. Omega-3 fatty acid increase serum HDL Cholesterol. Avoid polyunsaturated and saturated oil, as they increase the cholesterol and triglycerides levels. Stay with mono-unsaturated fat such as olive oil for all cooking needs.

b. Eliminate refined carbohydrates and sugar from your diet and substitute complex carbohydrates that have lots of fiber. Fruit should be the major source of sweetness in your diet. Fruits are filled with pectin and fiber, which work wonders in lower serum cholesterol.

c. Foods that have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol include oat bran, oatmeal, and dry beans out of a can. Oat bran has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 20%. Grapefruit - segments and membranes, not the juice - drives down cholesterol. Also fresh oranges, apples, garlic, onions, barley, ginger, and shitake mushrooms.

d. Eat lots of raw onion - at least half a medium onion a day. This has been shown to raise the good HDL cholesterol by up to 30%. Oat bran has also been shown to increase HDL cholesterol by up to 20%.

If you want a step by step dietary approach, My Detox Diet Protocol will help you to lower your cholesterol gradually.

You can also pick up many tips on how to change to a healthier lifestyle by reading my over 100 Anti-aging Strategies.

3. Exercise

No program is complete without a well-balanced exercise program. While most people think of exercise as a way to reduce body weight , exercise does much more, including reducing insulin resistance and impotence.

A well-balanced exercise must include three components:

a. Flexibility training
b. Cardiovascular training.
c. Strength training.

Ideally, about 2000 calories should be burned per week. Working out with 30 minutes of aerobics exercise at moderate intensity 5 times a week plus 15-20 minutes of strength training 3 times a week will accomplish this goal.

4. Natural Lower Cholesterol Agents

A. Soluble Fiber. Psyllium (Metamucil), a natural, water-soluble, gel-reducing fiber, which is extracted from the husks of blond psyllium seeds (plantago ovata), is a member of a class of soluble fibers referred to as mucilage.

Psyllium's total dietary content - 86 percent - is made up of 71 percent soluble fiber and 15 percent insoluble fiber. This compares to 15 percent total fiber and only five percent soluble fiber for oat bran. The soluble fiber in one tablespoon of psyllium is equal to 14 tablespoons of oat bran, another soluble fiber. For this reason, in contrast to oats, psyllium is added in relatively small quantities to other cereal grains to make food products.

Numerous studies have found that patients with mild to moderately elevated cholesterol levels can achieve a sustained reduction of about 10% in cholesterol level by consuming psyllium twice a day and adhering to the American Heart Association's (AHA) Diet.

Numerous landmark studies have been conducted to validate this. One is cited in the December 1, 1996 issue of the publication OBGYN News. This study was led by Dr. James Anderson, professor of medicine at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington. For six months, Dr. Anderson followed 248 patients who were all instructed to follow the AHA diet. Some patients were given Psyllium while others were given a placebo. The average cholesterol level for the study population was 229 mg/dl, with an LDL cholesterol of 154 mg/dl. After six months, members of the Psyllium plus diet group lowered their total cholesterol by 8.6% and their LDL cholesterol by 11.1%, versus those in the diet group who showed only a 4% reduction in both these levels. The researchers further note that the Psyllium worked best for those people with the highest cholesterol levels, with reductions of up to 25%.

Another well-designed controlled study, followed more than 100 adults with high blood cholesterol (levels greater than 220 mg/dl). The study followed men and women who ate a high-fat diet (40 percent or more of total calories) in comparison to those who ate a low-fat diet (no more than 25 percent of total calories). Researchers then compared the effects of adding 1 1/2 packets of Psyllium (Metamucil) twice a day on blood cholesterol levels with the effects of not taking the soluble fiber supplement.

After eight weeks, supplementation with Psyllium showed a small but significant decrease in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, regardless of the type of diet. Total cholesterol levels dropped a weighted average of 4.7 percent; LDL cholesterol levels showed a 6.6 percent decrease.

Soluble fiber causes loose bowel movements and may reduce gastro-intestinal motility on chronic use. Long term use should be directed under the supervision of a physician. Dosage: 2 times a day.

B. Niacin is very effective normalizing cholesterol and Lp(a), the relative of LDL cholesterol and another independent and proven risk factor for heart disease. Since therapeutic levels of niacin is high and can cause an unpleasant flushing sensation and headache, gradually increase your dosage over several weeks or use the flush-free form of niacin, inositol hexaniacinate. Dosage: 100 mg twice daily, increasing to 500 mg daily. More may be needed under the supervision of a physician.

C. Fish oil lowers blood triglyceride levels, may elevate HDL, and helps support heart health. Most research studies are based on a high dosage of 3,000 mg. daily. At this dose, most people developed a harmless fishy burp after consumption of fish oil pills. If you take at least 12 ounces of fish a week, fish oils are not needed. Dosage: 2,000- 3,000 mg

Laboratory Standard

From a laboratory test perspective of controlling cholesterol, the following parameters should be considered optimum:

� Maintain a healthy total cholesterol level at the upper limit of normal at around 200 mg/dl.

� High HDL level (more than 50 mg/dl) and a low LDL level (less than 130 mg/dl).

� Total cholesterol /HDL cholesterol ratio of less then 4.

� LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio of less then 2.5.

� Triglyceride level of under 150 mg/dl.

The best way to succeed is to limit the amount of simple refined carbohydrates (sugar), processed polyunsaturated fats (corn oil), and trans fats (donuts and fast foods), while maintaining a balanced diet of complex carbohydrates of low glycemic index type (green leafy vegetables that are grown above the ground), saturated fat from free-range animals (as in meat and butter), and moderate amount of cholesterol (in meat and eggs)

Summary:

Elevated blood cholesterol is a symptom of rising oxidative stress and sugar overload. Normalization of cholesterol level to the upper end of normal range around 200 mg/dl should be the goal. Too low (below 150 mg/dl) a cholesterol level is undesirable.

A three pronged concurrent approach is best, consisting of specific nutritional supplementation, a modified Mediterranean diet focused on low glycemic index foods, and a well-rounded anti-aging exercise program. Additional natural agents such as niacin, fiber, and fish oil in high dose can be added as an adjunct for short term use.

Message from Dr. Lam

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article. If you have areas you don�t understand, or if you have a specific health concern, feel free to write to me by clicking here.

About The Author

Michael Lam, M.D., M.P.H., A.B.A.A.M. is a specialist in Preventive and Anti-Aging Medicine. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University, and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine, California. He also holds a Masters of Public Health degree and is Board Certification in Anti-aging Medicine by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. He has authored numerous articles and the following books: The Five Proven Secrets to Longevity, How to Stay Young and Live Longer, Estrogen Dominance - Hormonal Imbalance of the 21st Century, and Beating Cancer with Natural Medicine.

For More Information

For the latest anti-aging related health issues, visit Dr. Lam at www.DrLam.com. Feel free to email Dr. Lam by clicking here if you have any questions.

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This article may, in its unabridged, unaltered form and in its entirety only, be reprinted and republished without permission provided that it is for personal and non commercial education use only and further provided that credit be given to the author, with copyright notice and www.DrLam.com clearly displayed as source. Written permission from Dr. Lam is required for all other use.

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