High Cholesterol - PART 3

More Cholesterol-lowering Supplements & Foods

Niacin - 1,500 - 3,000 mg daily

WHY: reduces total cholesterol & LDL and also increases HDL. It lowers LDL up to 25%, lowers triglycerides up to 50% and increases HDL up to 35%, according to studies.

Red Yeast Rice - 1,200 mg 2X daily

WHY: reduces total cholesterol by 11 to 32% and triglycerides by 12 to 19%.

NOTE: Take 25 to 100 mg of CoQ10 when taking this product to prevent deficiency.

Plant sterols or Beta Sitosterol - 1,000 to 1,500 mg 2X daily w/ MEALS

WHY: prevents the absorption of cholesterol from foods

Fish Oil (Better: KRILL oil) or Omega-3 - 2,000 to 3,000 mg of combined EPA & DHA

WHY: reduces cholesterol & triglyceride levels (by 50% if taking a high dose fish oil)

Fish oil is the primary treatment for high triglycerides in both conventional and alternative medicine.

A large Japanese study shows that patients who take omega-3 fish oil supplements lower their bad cholesterol by 26% and reduce their risk of heart attack by 19%. Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian from Harvard Medical School believes that taking two to three servings of fish every week already confers substantial health benefits.

Aged Garlic - 300 to 500 mg 2X daily

WHY: it reduces cholesterol & increases HDL

Barley Grass

This can suppress appetite which helps reduce weight gain. It also lowers blood cholesterol and contains selenium which is a form of antioxidant. Fresh Garlic WHY: Garlic contains allyl sulfides, which may help lower cholesterol levels. According to Dr. Robert Lin, a leading garlic researcher, taking 3 cloves of garlic a day can reduce your cholesterol levels by 10-15%. Cook garlic lightly. Don’t burn it, or else it will lose its health effects.

Guggul - daily total of 1,500 mg standardized to 5% guggulsterone (equivalent to 75 mg of guggulsterones).

WHY: This Ayurvedic herb reduces cholesterol & increases HDL levels.

Artichoke Extract - 1,000 mg 2X daily

WHY: reduces total & LDL cholesterol.

Pantetheine: metabolite of vitamin B5; 600 - 900 mg daily

WHY: reduces total & LDL & also increases HDL; effective for people with diabetes

Soy protein: 20 - 50 grams daily, preferably from non-GMO source

WHY: reduces total & LDL and increases HDL

Reishi: mushroom extract. 800 mg 2 to 3X daily

WHY: reduces cholesterol

Gooseberry: 500 - 1,000 mg daily

WHY: increases HDL, lowers LDL

Vitamin E: 400 - 800 IU of a mixed blend daily

WHY: prevents LDL oxidation

Vitamin C

WHY: reduces total cholesterol & LDL; prevents cholesterol oxidation

Numerous studies have shown that vit C reduces the risk of dying from heart disease. One of the mechanisms, in addition to its ability to prevent cholesterol oxidation, is that it is involved in the formation of bile salts. Bile is produced by the liver and released by the gallbladder to digest fats. Cholesterol is converted into bile salts & eliminate thru the digestive tract. Vit C enhances this process by improving bile-salt formation and thus cholesterol elimination.

Chromium or Chromium Picolinate: 200 - 400 mcg daily

WHY: reduces total cholesterol & increases HDL levels

Sytrinol: product containing natural citrus & palm fruit extracts

WHY: shown to significantly reduce total cholesterol & LDL and triglycerides.

Tocopherol/tocotrienol complex: 100 - 200 mg daily

WHY: shown to reduce total & LDL levels.

Antioxidant complex or a multivitamin

Take as directed on the label.

WHY: Several antioxidants prevent cholesterol oxidation.

L-Carnitine L-carnitine is used for conditions of the heart and blood vessels including heart-related chest pain, congestive heart failure (CHF), heart complications of a disease called diphtheria, heart attack, leg pain caused by circulation problems (intermittent claudication), and high cholesterol.

Flaxseed Flaxseed contains lignans which fight the effects of bacteria and fungus and protect the intestinal walls and aid arthritis. The oil is high in Omega-3 fatty acids but the levels can vary from the types and colors of flaxseed. The seeds come in a yellow and a brownish color and when taken appropriately have been shown to help reduce high blood pressure and influence the reduction of cholesterol levels.

Lemongrass (Tanglad)

Lemongrass removes the "bad" cholesterol from our body and improves blood circulation. Good for people having heart disease. Chelated Copper or Colloidal Copper Copper deficiency is known to contribute when it comes to the increase of cholesterol levels in the body. According to a number of different studies, copper is found to have the ability to reduce ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) and helps increase ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL cholesterol). This lowers the chances of cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks, strokes and atherosclerosis. Colloidal copper prevents aneurysm since copper produces elastin which makes our blood vessels more elastic. If you have hemorrhoids, varicose veins, body parts that sag, wrinkles, white, gray or silver hair, the odds are you have aneurysms developing in you somewhere, and you don’t want, of course, to die suddenly of a ruptured aneurysm when your body has been warning you for 10, 20, 30 years. Copper and zinc works in conjunction with each other and should be balanced for the thyroid gland to function properly. The TOP 10 foods that are very rich in copper are:

#1: Seafood (Oysters, Cooked)

Other Seafood High in Copper (%DV per 3oz cooked): Squid (90%), Lobster (66%), Crab (50%), and Octopus (31%)

(In Dr. Axe's list Beef Liver is #1. 3 oz: 14 mg (over 100% DV))

#2: Raw Kale (meron nito sa Sunday Centris tiangge)

You can boil it. Steaming may work better to preserve the copper level. I eat it RAW.

#3: Mushrooms (Shiitake, Cooked)

Other Mushrooms High in Copper (%DV per cup): White, cooked (39%), Morel, raw (21%), and Brown Italian, raw (18%).

#4: Seeds (Sesame Seeds)

Other Seeds High in Copper (%DV per ounce): Sunflower Seeds (26%), Pumpkin & Squash Seeds (19%), Flaxseeds (17%), and Watermelon Seeds (10%).

#5: Nuts (Cashew Nuts)

Other Nuts High in Copper (%DV per ounce): Hazelnuts (25%), Brazil Nuts (24%), Walnuts (22%), Pine Nuts (19%), Pistachio Nuts (18%), Pecan Nuts (17%) and Almonds (14%).

#6: Beans (Chickpeas, Cooked)

Other Pulses High in Copper (%DV per cup, cooked): Soybeans (35%), Adzuki Beans (34%), Kidney Beans and White Beans (26%).

#7: Dried Fruit (Prunes)

Other Dried Fruit High in Copper (%DV per 1/2 cup): Dried Apricots and Currants (17%), Dried Peaches (16%), Raisins (15%), and Dried Figs (11%).

#8: Avocados

#9: Goat Cheese (Soft)

An ounce of hard goat cheese contains (9%) DV.

#10: Fermented Soy Foods (Tempeh)

Other Fermented Soy Foods High in Copper (%DV per cup): Miso (58%), and Fermented Tofu (16%).

Other food items in Dr. Axe's top 10 sources of copper are: Dark chocolate - 1 square: 0.9 mg (45% DV)

Blackstrap molasses - 2 tsp: 0.28 mg (14% DV) Asparagus - 1 cup: 0.25 (12% DV) Turnip greens - 1 cup, cooked: 0.36 (18% DV)

They say the Tagalog translation for these are either "puting singkamas" or "pulang singkamas," depending on the color of the root or the bulb. But they're really not singkamas as we know it in Pinas. Well, they're turnips. LOL! We sometimes call them jicama or Mexican turnip or yam bean in the U.S. I guess jicama is what the Hispanics call singkamas.

Dosage: For maintenance, a low dosage of copper is best when in a combination of with other trace minerals.

Therapeutic dosages range from 5 ml – 15 ml 1-3x per day of colloidal copper to .5 – 3 mg per day of dietary copper.

The RDA for copper is 900 mcg/day. The Daily Value is 2 mg.

Oats (Oatmeal & Oat Bran) Oats are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, vitamin Bs, calcium, and a soluble fiber called beta glucans. These beta glucans work by interfering with the absorption and production of cholesterol. Studies show that if you eat a cup of oatmeal every day, you can reduce your cholesterol level by an average of 10%. Furthermore, a Chicago cardiologist, Dr. Michael Davidson, adds that one-third of patients who ate more oats were spared from taking an anti-cholesterol drug. It’s no wonder that the US FDA approved the claim that oat products can reduce the risk of heart disease.

Nuts WHY: No-salt almonds and walnuts are filled with unsaturated fats (the good fat), vitamin E, magnesium, and fiber. Hence, nuts are good for the heart, blood vessels, and skin. A handful of nuts a day (1.5 ounces or less) is enough to enjoy their health benefits.

Beans (includes monggo beans) WHY: Beans are high in protein, vitamin B, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and fiber. According to a study conducted by University of Kentucky authority Dr. James Anderson, eating a cup of cooked beans daily can reduce your cholesterol levels by as much as 20%. All types of beans are healthy, including black beans, kidney beans, soybeans, and even canned baked beans. They’re cheap, easy to cook, and rich in protein.

Pomegranate

Pomegranates are 60% better than other juices at preventing the formation of plaque-forming oxidized LDL (the bad cholesterol) in the arteries, and has been shown to reduce build-up of plaque by up to 30% in a pilot study of 19 elderly patients with atherosclerosis.

Research indicates that the high level of antioxidants found in pomegranate juice is effective in combating free radicals that may cause a number of afflictions, including heart disease, stroke, hypertension, premature aging, Alzheimer's disease and even cancer. Pomes have beneficial effects on heart disease, hemorrhoids, fertility and blood pressure - among other things. Research published this year suggests that the fruit may be effective at fighting both breast and skin cancer. New research has found that one glass of pomegranate juice a day could improve blood flow to the heart by more than a third. The fruit's antioxidant properties prevent bad cholesterol from forming, which keeps the arteries clear and reduces the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes. A separate study found that drinking pomegranate juice regularly can also dramatically reduce the size of atherosclerosis lesions, which narrow the arteries and cause heart failure.

A single pomegranate, provides approximately 40% of an adult's recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, and is a rich source of folic acid and vitamins A and E. Pomegranate fruit contains high levels of flavonoids - a type of antioxidant - which are exceptionally effective at neutralizing cancer-causing free radicals.

Spanish Plum (Spondias Purpurea or Commonly Known as Sineguelas) The Sineguelas is rich in vitamin C and ascorbic acid. It is best known for keeping your immune system healthy and strong. Perhaps the most well-known benefit of this fruit is its ability to neutralize disease-causing oxygen radicals in the body. These radicals are carcinogenic and can cause a lot of cell destruction and damage to the internal organs. The particular nutrients present in plums can neutralize the superoxide anion radicals, which can damage fats and neurons in the brain. It has high amount of vitamin C & can also prevent oxidized cholesterol from building up on the arteries and hardening them, leading to arteriosclerosis.

Important Reminder: Seeds are reported to be poisonous.

SOURCES:

1. Willie T. Ong, M. (2018). Top 10 heart-friendly foods. philstar.com. Retrieved 4 February 2018, from http://www.philstar.com/health-and-family/711912/top-10-heart-friendly-foods

2. Top 10 Foods Highest in Copper. (2017). myfooddata. Retrieved 11 February 2018, from https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/high-copper-foods.php

3. Top 10 Copper Rich Foods - DrAxe.com. (2018). Dr. Axe. Retrieved 11 February 2018, from https://draxe.com/top-10-copper-rich-foods/