Contents:
- Medical Video: Lowering Cholesterol - Mayo Clinic
- Overview of cholesterol
- Cholesterol-lowering food source
- 1. Olive oil
- 2. Oatmeal and high-fiber foods
- 3. Soybeans
- 4. Nuts
- 5. Salmon
- 6. Kuaci bargains
- Are there cholesterol-lowering fruits?
- 1. Avocados
- 2. Guava
- 3. Apple
- 4. Orange
- Choice of cholesterol-lowering drugs
- 1. Statins
- 2. Niacin
- 3. Bile acid binding drug
- 4. Fibrate
- 5. PCSK9 inhibitors
- Various natural cholesterol-lowering herbs
- 1. Green tea
- 2. Turmeric and ginger
- 3. Garlic
- 4. oregano oil
Medical Video: Lowering Cholesterol - Mayo Clinic
High cholesterol is a disease that many people complain about. If it's not immediately controlled, too high cholesterol can make you have a stroke and heart attack. Relax, you can overcome this high cholesterol problem by eating cholesterol-lowering foods, cholesterol-lowering fruits, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and natural cholesterol-lowering herbs. What are they?
Overview of cholesterol
In the human body there is cholesterol, which is a compound with similar properties fat which lives naturally in almost every part of your body such as the brain, nerves, muscles, intestines, liver and heart. Cholesterol comes from two sources, which are produced by the liver or through the food you consume.
The normal cholesterol rate recommended by doctors in general is below 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dl). If you do a cholesterol level test, make sure you get the results of HDL (good fat) and LDL (bad fat) details too. A good HDL level is 60 mg / dl, but the higher the number the better for you. Meanwhile, safe LDL levels are below 100 mg / dl.
Cholesterol-lowering food source
For those of you who have high cholesterol, you certainly want to know what are the cholesterol-lowering food sources that can be the savior of your life. Well, here are some cholesterol-lowering foods that you can count on, including:
1. Olive oil
Olive oil is one of the cholesterol-lowering foods that you can consume. Because, olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E. Both of these nutrients can reduce LDL cholesterol or bad fats, and increase HDL cholesterol, aka good fat.
You can mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil and olives in a salad or try frying and sautéing the food using the olive oil.
2. Oatmeal and high-fiber foods
Who doesn't know oatmeal? Most people prefer to consume oatmeal as a mainstay diet food. But in fact, oatmeal is also a cholesterol-lowering food, you know!
Oatmeal is good for health because it contains soluble fiber which can reduce LDL levels in the body. Fiber in oatmeal can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Eating 10 grams of fiber from oatmeal can reduce total cholesterol, including bad cholesterol aka LDL.
3. Soybeans
Food sources derived from soybeans such as tofu, tempeh, oncom, soy milk, or beancurd contain isoflavones. These isoflavones function as substances that can suppress bad cholesterol (LDL) so as not to develop more in the bloodstream.
Even so, there are things you must avoid. When processing food ingredients from soybeans, avoid cooking or adding ordinary cooking oil. To be healthier, exchange ordinary cooking oil with olive oil.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, which is equivalent to the POM Agency in Indonesia, recommends consuming at least 25 grams of soy protein per day as a cholesterol-lowering food.
4. Nuts
Beans are very suitable for consumption as a diet. In addition, peanuts can be a delicious cholesterol-lowering food.
Just as when you rely on it as a diet food, the high soluble fiber content in nuts can also help reduce your body's cholesterol levels.Eating peanuts such as beans, kidney beans, beans, or almonds regularly for 6 weeks can reduce cholesterol by up to 10 percent.
5. Salmon
Salmon enriched with omega-3 is useful for reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides and increasing the production of good cholesterol (HDL). Besides containing omega-3, salmon also contains EPA and DHA which are very good for health and work function of the heart organ.
A health association in America concluded that eating salmon, tuna, sardines, or mackerel, at least 2 servings in one week can provide a very optimal benefit in reducing bad cholesterol in the body. This means that fish is undoubtedly one of the main cholesterol-lowering foods for you.
6. Kuaci bargains
Who would have thought that the sunflower seeds, often called kuaci, turned out to be one of the cholesterol-lowering foods?
Kuaci contains copper which is good for the body. Tour jelly needs copper, because eating patterns that are low in copper intake will be more susceptible to increased levels of LDL bad cholesterol, and limited good cholesterol absorbed into the body.
So, if you like eating pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, especially those without fresh salt, this can slowly reduce bad cholesterol in the body if accompanied by a healthy diet.
Are there cholesterol-lowering fruits?
Besides relying on cholesterol-lowering foods, there are various cholesterol-lowering fruits that you can also try. This is certainly good news for those of you who like to eat fruit but have high cholesterol problems.
Fruits contain pectin, a type of water-soluble fiber that can bind bile acids. When fiber binds to bile acids, these bonds can reduce the absorption of fat and cholesterol in the blood.
In addition to fiber, fruits also contain chemical compounds that can increase HDL levels, aka good cholesterol in the body. The various cholesterol-lowering fruits that you can consume are:
1. Avocados
Are you looking for an easy to find cholesterol-lowering fruit? Try to eat avocados.
Avocados are one of the cholesterol-lowering fruits that contain monounsaturated fatty acids which can help increase HDL good cholesterol levels, while reducing LDL levels, aka bad cholesterol. Avocados also contain beta-cystosterol, a type of vegetable fat that serves to reduce the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food.
But remember, avocados are also quite high in calories and fat, you know. Each avocado contains about 300 calories and 30 grams of fat. So, you may eat avocados as long as they are limited in number.
2. Guava
Guava contains vitamins and antioxidants that can protect heart cells from free radicals. Not only that, you can also use guava fruit as one of the cholesterol-lowering fruits.
One guava fruit is rich in potassium and soluble fiber which helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure. At the same time, the vitamins and minerals can also increase HDL good cholesterol levels to prevent various heart diseases.
This is evidenced by a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology that examined cholesterol levels in 12 people. Participants are asked to regularly eat guava before eating for 12 weeks.
As a result, participants experienced a decrease in total cholesterol by 9.9 percent and an increase in HDL by 8 percent. This means, guava fruit is no doubt a natural cholesterol-lowering fruit for the body.
3. Apple
Apples, especially parts of the skin, contain pectin. Pectin is a type of soluble fiber that can rinse bad LDL cholesterol in the body. This pectin works by absorbing bad cholesterol and fat from food and removing it through urine and feces.
Apart from being rich in fiber, apples also contain high levels of polyphenols, which are a kind of powerful antioxidant that can reduce inflammation. By regularly eating apples, your heart will be healthier and avoid the risk of heart disease.
4. Orange
Who doesn't like this orange one. Besides the beautiful and refreshing colors, oranges also include cholesterol-lowering fruits, you know!
You certainly know that oranges are a good source of vitamin C for the body. This vitamin C content can help prevent the accumulation of LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Just like other cholesterol-lowering fruits, oranges are also rich in water soluble fiber that can bind cholesterol from food. This fruit also contains d-limone, which is a chemical compound that can dissolve cholesterol in the body.
In fact, Jidong Sun, a researcher from the University of Nebraska in the United States, revealed that the d-limone compound in oranges can help inhibit the development of breast cancer and colon cancer.
Choice of cholesterol-lowering drugs
If you have eaten cholesterol-lowering foods or natural cholesterol-lowering fruits, but LDL bad cholesterol levels still don't decrease, maybe it's time for you to try taking cholesterol-lowering drugs.
Consult with your doctor about the type of cholesterol-lowering medication that suits your condition. Cholesterol-lowering drugs that may be prescribed are:
1. Statins
Statins have been used for more than 20 years as a safe and effective cholesterol-lowering drug. For this reason, statins are the first drugs prescribed by doctors to reduce bad LDL cholesterol.
Examples of cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins include:
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
- Fluvastatin (Lescol)
- Lovastatin
- Pitavastatin (Livalo)
- Pravastatin (Pravachol)
- Rosuvastatin calcium (Crestor)
- Simvastatin (Zocor)
Statins can indeed help lower your cholesterol. However, do not be dependent. Just like other types of drugs, statins also have side effects that you need to pay attention to.
Some people who take cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins often complain of easy drowsiness, dizziness, or indigestion (constipation, diarrhea, or flatulence). However, you don't need to worry first. These side effects tend to be mild and can disappear a few weeks after you stop taking statin drugs.
2. Niacin
Niacin or vitamin B3 is also known as nicotinic acid. You can find niacin naturally in various foods such as milk, eggs, fish, beef, chicken, and nuts.
Apart from food, niacin is also available as a cholesterol-lowering drug commonly prescribed by doctors. Examples of cholesterol-lowering drugs containing niacin are Niaspan and Nicoar.
Before taking cholesterol-lowering niacin drugs, ask first the possible side effects that will occur. Usually, the side effects of niacin are headaches, tingling, itchy or reddish skin.
3. Bile acid binding drug
Other cholesterol-lowering drugs that may be prescribed by a doctor are bile acid binding drugs. This drug works by binding bile from the liver and preventing it from being absorbed back into the blood.
Cholesterol is used to make bile acids, which are needed to digest food. When bile acids are bound, the body uses excess cholesterol to form more bile. As a result, cholesterol in the blood will decrease.
Examples of bile acid binding drugs include colestyramine (Prevalite), colesevelam (WelChol), and colestipol (Colestid). However, be careful with side effects. Cholesterol-lowering drugs of this type can cause reactions in the form of muscle aches, back pain, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
4. Fibrate
For those of you who have high triglyceride levels, your doctor may prescribe a type of cholesterol-lowering medicationfibrate. In addition to reducing triglyceride levels, this drug can also increase your HDL good cholesterol levels.
Examples of types of cholesterol-lowering drugsfibrateare fenofibrate and Gemfibrozil (Lopid).
5. PCSK9 inhibitors
PCCK9 inhibitors are the most recent type of cholesterol-lowering drug. This drug is used in people who cannot control their cholesterol with a healthy lifestyle or statin drugs.
This drug works by blocking a protein called PCSK9 so that the body more easily removes LDL from the blood. Examples of PCSK9 inhibitors are alirocumab (Praluent) and evolocumab (Repatha).
Because this drug is new, further research is needed regarding the possible side effects. However, the drugs alirocumab and evoloumab usually cause side effects such as itchy skin, fever, and flu.
Various natural cholesterol-lowering herbs
Some people may prefer natural herbal ingredients rather than taking drugs. He said, herbal ingredients tend to be safer than drugs that contain certain chemicals.
This is actually just fine. However, before consuming natural cholesterol-lowering herbs, you must first obtain a doctor's permission, yes. This aims to prevent the risk of side effects that can occur in your body.
Various natural cholesterol-lowering herbs that you can use are:
1. Green tea
Green tea has long been believed to rinse fat deposits from the body. That's why, green tea is one of the natural cholesterol-lowering herbs that can reduce LDL bad cholesterol in the body.
Green tea can reduce cholesterol by 2 to 5 percent. In addition, green tea also contains low calories that are suitable for your diet friends.
2. Turmeric and ginger
These two ingredients are certainly very easy to find in the kitchen. Besides making delicious dishes, turmeric and ginger you can also use as a natural cholesterol-lowering herb, you know!
This was revealed by Sharon Zarabi, RD, a nutritionist and personal counselor for weight-loss surgery patients at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. He said that these two natural herbs can stabilize blood fat levels by lowering triglyceride and cholesterol levels, as reported by Everyday Health.
3. Garlic
Garlic has been known as a herbal medicine for a long time. Eating raw garlic is known to help prevent blood clots, lower blood pressure, and protect the body from various infections.
The growing age, experts found that garlic can be used as a natural cholesterol-lowering herb. Because, garlic can help reduce plaque deposits in the arteries.
This means that blood flow will run smoothly and prevent the risk of heart disease. To reap the benefits of garlic as a natural cholesterol-lowering herb, try to eat 2 to 4 garlic cloves every day.
4. oregano oil
Oregano has been used since ancient Greek times as an antiseptic. As science develops, oregano which is processed into oil can in fact be used as a natural cholesterol-lowering herb.
Oregano contains omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, tryptophan, tyrosine, and arginine. All these natural ingredients cause oregano oil to effectively reduce cholesterol while maintaining heart health.
Oregano oil is highly antioxidant compared to other types of food. The proof, oregano oil contains 42 times more antioxidants than apples and 12 times more than oranges. Because the antioxidant content is high, oregano oil is considered effective in keeping heart cells from damage and free radicals.
To reap the benefits of oregano oil as a natural cholesterol-lowering herb, dilute one spoonful of oregano oil with a spoonful of pure olive oil. Use it to rinse your mouth for a few minutes and swallow it slowly.
However, be sure to consult with a doctor first before you use any natural cholesterol-lowering herbs.
