Just Ask Terry
Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.
Q. Terry, “My total cholesterol is creeping up and my doctor wants me to consider going on a cholesterol-lowering drug. I have heard nothing but bad stuff about these drugs, and would rather go the natural way. What would you suggest?”
—Scott S., Kokomo, IN
A. Dear Scott, Cholesterol is not a bad thing! It is necessary for life, and it is very unhealthy to focus only on lowering a number. For long term heart health, you need cholesterol BALANCE. If you have good, healthy antioxidants on board, eat healthy fats, have daily activity, and have optimal levels of HDL cholesterol, you will most likely not have heart concerns, even if your total “number” is “high.”
Here is my list of supplements that might help you balance your cholesterol:
- Omega 3 fatty acids bound to phospholipids
- Indian Gooseberry
- Bioavailable Curcumin
- Whole crushed flaxseed (including flax hull fiber)
Remember that high
cholesterol is not the problem.
Low HDL cholesterol is a problem, along with inflammation in the blood vessels and oxidation of circulating cholesterol. So a better idea is to raise HDLs, reduce oxidation in the body and eliminate inflammation in the blood vessels. Did you know that for every 1% you raise HDLs, you get a corresponding 2-3% decrease in heart disease risk? And if your HDLs are high enough, you will not get heart disease, regardless of the total cholesterol number. Raise HDLs and balance cholesterol using clinically-proven
Indian Gooseberry (
Emblica officianalis). Published scientific studies show it reduces plaque in the arteries, impacts cholesterol synthesis, protects cells from oxidation, and in a human trial,
increased HDLs 14% while lowering LDLs 21% for a
much healthier cholesterol balance.
At the same time, reduce oxidation and inflammation with a highly bioavailable curcumin extract. Inflammation on the interior of the blood vessel is the first step in plaque development, and
curcumin will greatly inhibit this process. However, not just any curcumin will do. Curcumin is hard to absorb. In order to get therapeutic levels of curcumin in the blood stream, it should have clinically-proven enhanced absorption. I prefer curcumin extracts complexed with essential turmeric oils and naturally occurring plant phospholipids. I never recommend those blended with piperine for absorption, because piperine (extract of black pepper) is hard on the liver, and interacts with the majority of drugs on the market, including anti-seizure, blood pressure, heart rhythm, and cancer drugs.
Omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) are crucial for cholesterol balance and heart disease prevention/treatment. They balance cholesterol by reducing LDL while increasing HDL cholesterol, and reduce triglycerides. Omega 3s also have a great impact on systemic inflammation. But omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil are
very poorly absorbed, and are bound to triglycerides. Fish oils also oxidize (which creates free radical or oxidative damage) and are not bioidentical to the omega 3 structure in fish. The
better way to increase omega 3 fatty acids is to use salmon extracts utilizing Vectorization. This process yields a natural whole food omega 3 complex (not an oil!) that has 50 times the absorption of fish oil with no rancidity or GI upset.
And last, greatly increase fiber in your diet. Why? Because fiber soaks up and transports cholesterol your body is trying to eliminate. Less fiber means more cholesterol is reabsorbed during the elimination process, and more fiber means it is effectively carried out of your body. Try for a total of 25 or more grams a day of dietary fiber from food, and add supplements if you cannot reach or exceed this total with diet alone. My favorite way to get extra fiber is
whole, crushed flaxseed because you get fiber, you get the plant omega 3s, you get the cancer preventing properties of the lignans, and you get the other health benefits from flax as well. The healthiest flax I have seen is Nordic flax, grown in Scandinavian countries.
These steps will be much more effective at balancing cholesterol (shifting away from LDL and towards HDL) and preventing heart disease than any statin drug, and all without damaging or life-threatening adverse effects.
Good luck, Scott, with your mission to have better cholesterol balance using natural products. Terry
