Ayurvedic Medicine for Cholesterol
What do you mean by Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy and fat-like substance found in all body cells. The body needs cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help to digest food. Our body produces all the cholesterol it requires. It is also found in food from animal sources, such as egg yolks, meat, and cheese. The cholesterol level, which is less than 200 mg/dl is normal, 200 to 239 mg/dl is borderline high and at or above 240 mg/dl is greater or very high. When the body can’t clear cholesterol from the bloodstream, excess cholesterol can deposit along artery walls. When arteries get stiff and narrow due to accumulations, the heart is forced to work overtime to move blood through them.
Causes
- Unhealthy eating habits
- Lack of physical activity
- Chronic kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Hypothyroidism
- Lupus
- Familial history
- Some types of medications are taken for specific health problems such as acne, cancer, high blood pressure, HIV / AIDS, and organ transplants.
Risk Factors
- Poor diet
- Obesity
- Age
- Lack of physical activity
- Smoking and alcohol
Complications
- Atherosclerosis
- Heart attack
- Chest pain
- Stroke
Prevention of Cholesterol
A healthy lifestyle change can lower and prevent cholesterol levels. It can be controlled by:
- Eat low salt diet
- Limit intake of animal fats
- Maintain healthy weight
- Daily physical activity for at least 30 minutes
- Manage stress
- Reduce the amount of intake of alcohol
- Quit smoking
Lifestyle and Home Remedies for Cholesterol
- Lose extra pounds
- Eat a heart-healthy diet
- Exercise regularly
- Don’t smoke
Herbs Used In The Treatment Of High Cholesterol
- Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna / Ven maruthu) – The bark of arjuna tree in the form of powder / chooranam used to dissolve the cholesterol & heart blockage
- Garlic (Allium sativum) – contains allicin, which has blood-thinning properties and lowers cholesterol.
- Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) – has high fiber content and helps remove excess cholesterol from the arteries and blood.
- Turmeric (Curcuma longa) – helps to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride concentration. It helps to improve the heart health and manage cholesterol levels.
- Ginger (Zingiber officinale) – has a good effect on lowering triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels. It is also used as a stomach soother.
- Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) – supports heart health and helps in reducing lower cholesterol levels.
- Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) – It’s rich in soluble fiber, making it a good food for controlling cholesterol levels.Â
High cholesterol levels and high blood pressure have a complicated relationship. The link between high cholesterol and high blood pressure goes in both directions. High cholesterol and high blood pressure are also the two main factors of heart disease and stroke because of the damage each one does over time. These are also among the cluster of conditions called metabolic syndrome. It raises the risk of diabetes as well as heart disease and stroke.
Lifestyle changes are the first step to improving conditions, eating a healthy diet, being more active, losing excess weight, and quitting smoking and alcohol. If needed, proper medication should be taken. Avoiding a salty diet and reducing stress-related activities might be very helpful in normalizing high blood pressure.
