What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is something that the body needs to build and maintain cellular health. Technically it is known as a lipid and is a fatty or wax-like material that circulates in the bloodstream.

There are two kinds of cholesterol, and you have probably already heard about them, but they are:

LDL – this is the “bad” cholesterol that can cling to arterial walls and create blockages that result in strokes and heart attacks.

Sources of Cholesterol

People get cholesterol in two ways.

1. The body – mainly the liver – produces varying amounts, usually about 1,000 milligrams a day that is three to four times more cholesterol than you may eat.

2. Various foods – saturated fatty acids are the main culprit in raising blood cholesterol. Trans fats also raise blood cholesterol. But dietary cholesterol also plays a part. Foods from animals (especially egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish, seafood and whole-milk dairy products) contain it. Foods from plants (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds) don’t contain cholesterol.

HDL – this is the good type that is going to actually protect you from heart disease.

Ayurveda has remedies that can help you control cholesterol and improve heart health.

(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Cholesterol

– Alfalfa (Medicago satina)

Alfalfa is effective in treating problems of the arteries. It helps in clearing arteries congested with cholesterol.

– Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna)

Arjuna has been used since centuries in the treatment of heart related problems such as heart attacks. The bark of the arjuna when taken in powder form has beneficial properties. This can dissolve the cholesterol that accumulates in the coronary artery and reduce the possibility of heart attacks.

– Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)

Coriander is a very good diuretic. It makes the kidneys perform their functions of excretion better. Therefore the kidneys flush out the excess unneeded cholesterols from the body.

– Garlic (Allium cepa)

Garlic is very beneficial to people with cholesterol problems that affect the heart. Eating two to three cloves of garlic a day helps to reduce or even completely eliminate the harmful cholesterol in the blood. Garlic can disintegrate the blood cholesterol and hence free up the arteries.

– Guggulu (Commiphora mukul)

This is a traditional Indian herb which has become very popular in the Ayurvedic treatment of cholesterol-related heart problems. It contains guggulsterones which have been proven to reduce the levels of cholesterol on regular use. 25 mg of these guggulsterones are prescribed for intake thrice a day.

– Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum)

Holy basil has the capacity to dissolve the accumulated cholesterol from the arteries into the person’s bloodstream. From here they are eliminated by the kidneys.

(2) Ayurvedic Treatment for Cholesterol

Ayurvedic treatment for high level of cholesterol is to prescribe the various herbs that have properties to reduce the buildup.

One popular herb in Ayurvedic medicine is arjuna. It is prescribed in several forms such as Arjunarishta and Arjuna Ghritam. Other popular medicines are Hridayarnava Rasa and Prabhakara Vati. If the cholesterol amount is very profuse, then Mrigamadasava is prescribed.

Yoga is also very beneficial in proper circulation and elimination of the cholesterol buildup in the body. Some of the useful asanas are:-

a) Ardhamatsyendrasana
b) Shalabhasana
c) Padmasana
d) Vajrasana

(3) Dietary Treatments for Cholesterol

The various dietary regimes which will help you to reduce the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries are as follows:-

– Keep a careful watch on the amount of calories you are consuming. Say no to chocolates, ice creams, red meats and all such foods that can increase the calorie count.

– Sources of fats such as fried foods are to be avoided. Groundnut oil must be strictly prohibited. But fat sources such as cow’s milk, cow’s ghee and cow’s butter are recommended. Buffalo dairy products are to be avoided.

– Consume more fresh vegetables and fruits. Green leafy vegetables are needed since they would provide roughage for the elimination of the waste materials.

– Soy and soy products are very beneficial for the proper utilization of cholesterol.

– Drink lots of water. Water will help to remove the toxic buildup in the arteries.

– Smoking and alcoholism must be avoided as they interfere with the proper utilization of cholesterol in the body.

(4) Home Medications

– Drinking coriander in water everyday helps in the reduction of cholesterol in the body. This regime must be continued for about a month. Then the cholesterol levels must be checked again.

– Boil a glassful of milk with a piece of garlic in it. This will reduce the cholesterol and take care of cardiac pains. It has to be continued for a few days before the method begins to show its effects.

– Have cold hipbaths twice daily. These have been shown to have positive effects in the reduction of cholesterol when taken on a regular basis.

– A simple remedy is to have a single piece of garlic every morning. This takes time to show results, but the results are positive.

– Consume some almonds and walnuts on a daily basis.

If you are looking for Ayruvedic treatments for high cholesterol and/or Hyperlipidemia disease and live in Brampton come visit us at Jot Ayurvedic Centre. We are located in Brampton, Ontario.