Cholesterol is a substance with dual significance, as it is beneficial to the body and simultaneously very harmful. It all depends on its quantity: normal cholesterol helps cells to multiply, nourishes muscles, protects nerve endings, and performs a host of other good and entirely natural functions; excess cholesterol, however, becomes the main “weapon” against the healthy walls of blood vessels, disrupting the functioning of the circulatory and cardiovascular systems.
The most effective way to overcome elevated cholesterol is through folk remedies treatment. Before starting treatment, have a blood test done – perhaps you don’t need to lower your cholesterol at all. Pay attention to the levels of beneficial (HDL) and harmful (LDL) cholesterol. If the level of the latter is above 3.37 mmol/l, then treatment is still necessary.
Lowering cholesterol with supplements
Cholesterol is usually reduced comprehensively: proper nutrition, getting rid of harmful habits (smoking, excessive alcohol and coffee consumption), regular physical activity, and sports (to help muscles absorb more cholesterol and become stronger).
Doctors recommend additionally taking dietary supplements, such as omega-3, niacin (nicotinic acid), vitamins C and E, calcium. However, there are also options for such supplements in folk remedies treatment for elevated cholesterol in the blood.
• Green tea contains tannin, capable of controlling cholesterol levels.
• Lemon sorghum oil prevents the formation of cholesterol from simple fats.
• Spirulina algae (available in tablets or powder) lower overall cholesterol levels.
• Barley, rice, and oat bran are rich in beneficial fiber and can significantly reduce LDL cholesterol.
• Activated charcoal has the property of binding to cholesterol molecules and removing them from the body along with gases.
What to include in the diet?
Folk remedies treatment for elevated cholesterol includes selecting the right foods. It is recommended to create a new diet that includes:
• Fish – beneficial for lowering cholesterol levels, especially fatty varieties and mackerel. The main thing is to cook it properly: when boiling, steaming, and grilling, excess fat is removed, leaving only beneficial substances. It is better to avoid frying.
• Lean meats – poultry and rabbit positively affect cholesterol levels. Eating lean veal and beef up to 200 grams per day will also not harm.
• Dairy products – they contain very little fat, so they help to get rid of excess cholesterol.
• Soups – fish, mushroom, or vegetable soups are beneficial, but it is worth avoiding meat broths.
• Oils – olive, corn, soybean, flaxseed, sesame, and refined sunflower oils are considered beneficial for cholesterol removal when added to cooked food. It is better to avoid margarine, cottonseed, and cream butter.
• Juices – apple, beetroot, cabbage, citrus, berry, and celery juices. Juice therapy is one of the best folk remedies for treating elevated cholesterol.
• Fruits – many fruits contain pectin, which can reduce cholesterol levels by 7.6% in 2 months. More preference should be given to grapefruits and other citrus fruits, as they contain the highest amount of pectin.
• Vegetables – eggplants, corn, tomatoes, beans, fresh garlic, beets, and especially carrots are effective in combating elevated cholesterol. They also contain a large amount of pectin, and if combined with onions or broccoli, the effect will be even stronger. However, fried consumption should be avoided.
• Grains – oats, buckwheat, unpolished rice, bran, and other cereals are excellent for combating cholesterol. It is essential to include coarse bread in the diet instead of white bread.
• Nuts and seeds – it is recommended to consume about 30 grams of any nuts per day for five days, with walnuts and hazelnuts considered the most beneficial. Sunflower, flaxseed, sesame, and pumpkin seeds help to increase beneficial cholesterol. By the way, walnut treatment is more suitable for men to maintain HDL at a normal level.
Here are the translations of the folk remedies for combating high cholesterol:
Garlic
Mix 5 drops of garlic juice with a tablespoon of honey and take it three times a day after meals.
A mixture of 350 grams of crushed garlic soaked in 96% alcohol should be kept in the refrigerator. Apply it four times a day with skim milk (50 grams), starting with 1 drop. Gradually increase the number of drops to 15 and then reduce it back to 1. It cleanses the vessels and improves heart function.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn is used in winter during the first frosts. You need to eat 5 berries four times a day for 4 days, then take a break for 10 days. It is desirable to repeat the entire procedure 3 times.
Celery
Treatment of high cholesterol with folk remedies cannot do without celery. The only exception is for people with low blood pressure who should not take it.
The stems of the plant are cut and kept in water for 2-3 minutes. Then drain the water, sprinkle celery with sesame seeds and a little sugar, add salt, and pour healthy oil over it. It’s a satisfying and tasty dish, you can eat it anytime and in any quantity.
Decoctions and infusions
Grind licorice root into powder. Pour a couple of tablespoons into half a liter of boiling water and continue boiling for 10 minutes. Strain the decoction and drink it four times a day, 70 ml each time, for 2-3 weeks. Repeat the course in a month.
Pour a tablespoon of dried and ground blue cohosh roots into one and a half glasses of water. Put the mixture to boil over low heat for half an hour. Take the decoction after meals (after 2-3 hours) by the tablespoon, as well as before bedtime. It reduces stress, pressure, and cholesterol levels.
Mix and grind black hawthorn (3 parts), cornel bark (2 parts), sea kale, chamomile, dog nettle, lingonberry leaves, wood sorrel, and corn silk.
Pour a tablespoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water and let it stand over a water bath for a quarter of an hour, then let it infuse for an hour. Drink half a glass after meals.
In a glass of warm water, put 2 tablespoons of clover and heat it for a quarter of an hour over steam. Strain the infusion and drink 2 tablespoons before meals.
Drink calendula infusion or decoction three times a day before meals for a month. Additionally, take a 4% propolis tincture, 7 drops, for one-third of a year.
Folk powders
Grind dried flax seeds into powder and add them to food to calm the heart and prevent blood pressure spikes.
Eat a teaspoon of ginger powder every day. It can be added to dishes; it goes well with vegetables and fish, which should be included in the diet for high cholesterol.
Dry dandelion roots and make healing powder from them. Take it daily, a teaspoon before meals, to help remove cholesterol from the body.
Grind dried lime flowers into a coffee grinder, and eat the resulting flour by the teaspoon three times a day for 4 weeks. Repeat the course after two weeks. You can wash it down with water.
