Garlic Cholesterol Lowering

Lowering cholesterol naturally without the use of drugs is the best way to get your body back in balance. The use of natural methods is less stressful to your body than prescribed medications, in addition to being a cheaper remedy. Unfortunately, there are many myths revolving around this strategy as well as confusing information on the internet, not to mention those that are outdated. With all that being said, it all comes down to one question, “How to reduce cholesterol without medication?”

The two most effective and common methods are:

Regular exercise
A low-cholesterol diet plan

Similar to the recommendations for weight loss, reducing cholesterol demands an equilibrium between regular exercise and a low cholesterol diet plan.

Here are tips for your diet plan:

More fibre: this is one of the best substances that can help you reduce your cholesterol. Although, there are numerous fibre rich foods available in stores, food like bran, oats, psyllium seeds and pectin are preferred. These components form a gel like structure that stops cholesterol excretion more than the required amount for your body. They are also known to decrease high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Become vegetarian: switching to vegetarian diets is seen to be a very effective strategy for lowering cholesterol. It is not necessary for you to go full-time as a short-term plan of a simple 3 to 6 months with an intensive vegetarian diet can radically reduce your cholesterol levels. Vegetables give you the essential minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that will help your body stay healthy.
Say no to sweets: many people rarely realise that eating sugary sweets actually increases cholesterol in your body. Sugar can be very addictive and if you eliminate sugar for a while from your diet, you will find simple foods such as grains and carrots to actually taste sweet.
Strike off caffeine: sadly for coffee addicts, there is a strong link between high cholesterol levels and coffee consumption. People who drink around 6 cups a day have a greater chance of cholesterol problems compared to people who drink 1 or 2 cups per day.
Garlic: garlic is known to have only a mild lowering effect, yet including them in your diet wherever possible can be greatly beneficial. You can also mix it with honey in a spoon and consume daily.
Red wine: red wine has been researched to have properties that can reduce cholesterol levels. However, one must be very careful in not taking more than what is recommended.

Exercises that compliment your diet plan:

There is a huge correlation between a person’s physical activity and their cholesterol level. Exercise has shown to decrease cholesterol drastically and further improve the HDL (good) cholesterol in the body. A regular exercise routine is essential with a complimentary diet plan to help reduce cholesterol significantly. However, one must consider a physician before determining an exercise routine because the intensity of a workout depends upon one’s age and heart functioning. A moderate intensity workout is usually recommended, of which some are:

Running
Jogging
Walking
Cycling
Swimming
Playing

It is believed that stress also plays a major role in a person’s body cholesterol level. This is why it is important to say no to stress and tension at your workplace or at home. Regular relaxation exercises like yoga, meditation, relaxation CDs or reading can keep your stress levels down.

Blood pressure is the measure of pressure exerted by blood on the artery walls, as heart pumps blood in to the arteries to be carried forward to the other vital organs of body. Our heart is always at work, receiving impure blood, purifying it and supplying the other organs of body with pure oxygenated blood.

The circulation of blood from heart to other organs takes place by means of blood vessels called arteries. When blood travels through arteries, it exerts certain pressure on artery walls. The normal blood pressure is around 120/80 mm (millimeters of mercury). When there is an elevation in pressure, it is called high blood pressure or hypertension in medical terminology.

Pre-hypertension readings are around 139/89 mm. BP, beyond 140/90 mm is considered as really high BP. It needs stern timely management, or else it can cause serious damage to heart leading to cardiovascular disorders, heart failure, peripheral artery disease, hardening of artery walls or arteriosclerosis. Consistent high blood pressure may also cause renal failures, brain damage and various other complications.

BP is measured with the help of a pressure cuff, and the upper number or systolic pressure is the pressure of blood on arteries when heart contracts and pumps blood forward in to arteries. The lower number or diastolic pressure indicates the pressure of blood on arteries, when heart relaxes after contraction.

Causes

1. Aging

2. Heredity

3. Stress

4. Tobacco intake

5. Alcohol abuse

6. Obesity

7. High salt intake

8. Lack of exercise

Symptoms of High BP

1. Headache

2. Dizziness

3. Nausea and vomiting

4. Restlessness and irritation

5. Insomnia

6. Nose bleeding

7. Fatigue

8. Shortness of breath

9. Chest pain

Herbal Remedies to Lower High BP

1. Garlic is a major blood pressure herb. The sulphides in garlic bring down elevated pressure. One should consume 2-3 cloves of garlic daily.

2. Hawthorn is a beneficial herb for boosting heart function. It dilates arteries and allows easy coronary blood flow, thereby lowering BP.

3. Withania somnifera or ashwagandha is also an important BP lowering herb.

4. Ginger, another important herb lowers BP by relaxing muscles around blood vessels, toning up blood circulation and reducing cholesterol.

5. Red clover, an herb is known for its blood thinning properties. Thus it lowers blood pressure by allowing smooth flow of blood through arteries.

6. Kelp, a seaweed also lowers BP due to its capacity to thin the blood

7. Cinnamon, a healing herb rich in antioxidants, brings down LDL Cholesterol levels, makes body responsive to insulin and reduces BP.

8. Turmeric is also an effective herb. It contains curcumin, an antioxidant that improves blood circulation and strengthens blood vessels.

9. Olive leaf extracts are useful for checking irregular heart beats and lowering BP.

10. Gingko biloba, another herb, helps in expanding arteries, improving blood flow and supply of blood to the brain.

11. Stresx herbal supplement is another useful natural remedy for lowering high blood pressure and maintaining healthy BP.