If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol levels, it’s quite probable that your doctor advised that you begin taking statin medications.
However, you may be a person who is opposed to taking these types of prescription medications for various reasons.
If you are one of these people, you will be happy to know there are natural herbs that can help lower cholesterol levels naturally.
Skullcap
A study conducted by Japanese researchers showed that skullcap can help the body reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and also boost the production of HDL (good) cholesterol.
Skullcap benefits the body in many other ways too. For example, it works as a pain reliever because of its analgesic properties. Skullcap helps balance your body’s hormones, while stimulating the release of endorphins (your feel-good hormones).
People who are suffering from nervous disorders can also benefit from taking skullcap, due to its soothing effect on the nervous system, making it useful in preventing seizures and other spasmodic reactions.
Indian Gooseberry
Indian gooseberry is highly praised by traditional Chinese medical practitioners for its natural ‘hypolipidemic’ agent that reduces lipid concentration build-up.
Gugulipid
This herb is native to India and is derived from the resin of the ‘mukul’ tree. Gugulipid is known for its cholesterol lowering properties, and has been used for many years. Its effectiveness in preventing the accumulation of bad LDL cholesterol in the blood has already earned it a high reputation. Many people claim it works just as effectively as statin drugs, but without any negative side effects.
Curcumin
This herb is a member of the ginger family, and just like any other types of ginger, is known for its antioxidant properties. Curcumin is helpful in fighting high cholesterol levels as it prevents the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. The conversion of cholesterol into bile acids is increased and the excretion of bile acids is stimulated by this potent and powerful herb.
Garlic
The potency of garlic in boosting cardiovascular health has been proven time and time again. Cardiologists recommend the use of garlic in improving heart health. Garlic is not only a powerful antioxidant, it is also a very effective blood thinner.
Many medical practitioners promote garlic for its ability to reduce the production of triglycerides, and garlic is also known to work as effectively as mainstream pharmaceutical drugs in lowering blood pressure.
Hawthorn
This herb is used for treating a variety of heart health problems. Hawthorn helps people who are having issues with an irregular heartbeat, chest pain, high or low blood pressure and increased cholesterol levels.
Its active compounds have been shown to help break down fats. Researchers claim that hawthorn plays a key role in lowering low density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol) and triglycerides.
Therefore, the regular intake of hawthorn can significantly help lower a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Natural is Safer
Many of these herbs are found in cholesterol lowering supplements, so if natural treatments are for you, it won’t be too hard to change to a treatment that suits you. Natural herbal supplements are safer than statin medications and don’t give nasty side effects.
