10 Foods That Help Lower Cholesterol

With 1 in 5 people testing high for cholesterol it’s no wonder cholesterol-fighting drugs are the most popular ones on the market. Lipitor is the most prescribed cholesterol lowering medicine world-wide; and though it is handed out like candy, there can be some nasty side effects when taking these kind of drugs including, aggression, hostility, headaches, muscle pain, and diarrhea.

On the other hand, eliminating high fat processed foods and eating whole grains and vegetables instead can easily lower high cholesterol. To help control high cholesterol levels due to genetic factors recent studies suggest that a more natural approach would be to take a red rice yeast extract along with eating a whole foods diet and adding exercise. However, when transitioning on to a higher quality diet make sure to have your medical practitioner monitor your statin levels, as you will need less and less until they become a distant memory.

The following list are specific foods known to help cleanse cholesterol build-up in the arteries and heart. This is due to their high levels of fiber, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Lecithin, Vitamin E, C, Niacin and Rutin.

Legumes: beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, mung and soybeans and their sprouts. (Non-GMO)
Whole Grains: buckwheat, rye, amaranth, quinoa rice, and sprouted hard winter wheat.
Vegetables: radish, horseradish, hot peppers, onions, garlic, leek, scallion, shallot, chive, leafy greens, cabbage, spinach, carrot greens, kale, broccoli, parsley, asparagus, bell pepper, celery, sea vegetables, cucumber, chlorella, mushrooms.
Fruits: citrus, tomato, rose hip, banana, and persimmon.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, hazelnut, flax seed, chia seed, pumpkin seed, poppy seed, walnut, sunflower sprouts.
Fish: sardine, salmon, mackerel, and deep/cold-water fish.
Raw honey and Pollen
Herbs: Hawthorne berry, dandelion root, burdock root, chaparral, peppermint (for heart palpitations and strengthening heart muscle), cayenne pepper, ginger, rhubarb root, yarrow, chamomile, motherwort, valerian.
Oils: Naturally you will want to avoid the so-called “bad saturated fats” and focus on getting a balance of the “good fats”, such as the Omega-9, Olive, Hazelnut, Almond and Sesame oils; and the Omega-3 and 6, Walnut and Grapeseed oils. It has been proven that a balanced intake of Omega-3 and 6 oils along with high levels of Omega-9 significantly reduce the risk of dying from a cardiovascular related disease.

Most importantly eat a wide variety of whole foods to insure you receive all the essential nutrients you need to keep your body strong, healthy and drug free.