Natural ways to help lower high cholesterol when diet and exercise aren't enough.High Cholesterol is a symptom of metabolic imbalance. Normal cholesterol ranges - 175 to 275 (Blood Type O people can be in the higher part of the normal range because of the way the body utilizes protein) 208 to 242 is a healthy range, above or below the normal range lets you know that you are becoming seriously imbalanced. What does cholesterol do in our body?
You can have your cholesterol level too low. What happens if your cholesterol level is below 175?
Unhealthy way to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol.
The conventional treatment for high cholesterol usually involves costly statin drugs such as Lipitor or Zocor which reduce LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. However, statin drugs can cause a variety of side effects including:
Anyone taking statins, red rice yeast or prescription drugs for high cholesterol should be on daily supplement of coenzyme Q10 ( CoQ10 ) 60 to 90 mg daily. Statins inhibit the body’s production of this coenzyme along with lowering cholesterol. CoQ10 is needed for the function of muscles, including the heart muscle, the antioxidant is for normal cardiac function. Natural and healthy way to lower "bad" LDL cholesterol.
Nature's Sunshine Red Yeast Rice. Red rice yeast extract is a source of naturally occurring statins that provides a mix of the compounds rather than a single one from the pharmaceutical statins. The complex mixture interacts with the body more smoothly and is less likely to cause toxicity. Therefore the Red rice yeast extract works as well as the pharmaceutical for high cholesterol and has a lower incidence of side effects like muscle pain. One active ingredient in red rice yeast extract, monacolin K, is the active component of the FDA approved statin Mevacor. Some information on red yeast rice... It has been used for centuries, some sources report its use as far back as the Tang Dynasty, A.D. 800 in Chinese cuisine and as a medicinal food to promote blood circulation. Red yeast rice is naturally produced by fermenting rice with red yeast (Monascus purpureus). Today’s diet is missing the natural processes in our foods. The finished product contains important substances known as monacolins which have the ability to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase -an enzyme responsible for cholesterol synthesis in the liver. HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors help regulate the body’s cholesterol production and increase the liver’s removal of LDL cholesterol from the blood. Numerous studies have confirmed that red yeast rice demonstrates a direct inhibitory effect on HMG-CoA reductase activity and cholesterol synthesis. Red yeast rice also contains sterols (beta-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, sapogenin), isoflavones, monounsaturated fatty acids and trace elements that likely assist in lowering serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. 
In fact, red yeast rice has been shown to significantly decrease total cholesterol levels in hyperlipidemic (elevated blood fats) subjects and has proved to be a cost-saving cholesterol-lowering product. A systematic review was conducted involving 4 randomized clinical trials on the lipid-lowering effects of red yeast rice in patients with hyperlipidemia. In all studies, there are statistically significant reductions in total serum cholesterol. HDL is regarded as the "good" cholesterol because it helps clean up excess blood fats. LDL is called the "bad" cholesterol because it accumulates inside arteries, narrowing the arteries and slowing or blocking blood flow. Obstructing blood flow causes tissue death and can trigger heart attacks and strokes. That is why LDL is associated with a higher risk of heart disease. It is important to note that low HDL cholesterol levels are actually the most important predictor of heart disease in individuals over 70 years of age. When HDL levels drop below 35 mg/dL, the risk for heart disease becomes 2 ˝ times greater. Since as many heart attacks strike people with total cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dL as those with levels higher than 300 mg/dL, the National Institutes of Health, along with leading researchers recommend maintaining HDL levels above 35 mg/dL. In fact, HDL levels of 60 mg/dL or more actually help to lower your risk for heart disease, for every 1% increase in HDL cholesterol, and an individual’s risk for heart attack drops 3-4%.
In one of the reviewed clinical trials, 324 hypercholesterolemic adults (those having abnormally high cholesterol levels) taking red yeast rice (1.2 grams daily) for 8 weeks exhibited an average reduction of 22.7% in total cholesterol levels and 30.9% in LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, triglycerides dropped 34.1% while serum HDL levels increased 19.9%. Thus researchers concluded that red yeast rice was a highly effective dietary supplement for correcting high cholesterol and elevated triglycerides. Another study conducted at UCLA School of Medicine evaluated the lipid-lowering effects of red yeast rice separate from the effects of diet alone. A total of 65 hypercholesterolemic adults who were not being treated with lipid-lowering drugs were given red yeast rice (2.4 grams daily). After 8 weeks, total cholesterol concentrations had decreased significantly. In addition, LDL cholesterol levels and the total triacylglycerol (triglycerides) were lower. Furthermore, no adverse effects were seen with the red yeast rice. LDL Cholesterol acts as a carrier for various antioxidants increasing antioxidant intake when reducing cholesterol is also considered beneficial. Antioxidants are needed for healthy cells. No toxicity was demonstrated in animals or elevations of liver enzymes or renal (kidney) impairment in humans. Red yeast rice is not recommended during pregnancy or nursing or for women planning to become pregnant in the near future. Those individuals who are at risk for liver or kidney disease should consult their health care provider. High cholesterol levels should be checked regularly. What can you do for cholesterol?
July 2008, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, a group of researchers from Pennsylvania examined whether an alternative approach to addressing high cholesterol may provide an effective treatment option for patients who are unable or unwilling to take statins. It looks like the combination of red rice yeast and fish oil can be a better choice for high cholesterol and overall cardiovascular health. Researchers from the University of Connecticut, School of Pharmacy, reported in the March 10, 2009 online issue of the Annals of Family Medicine, that eating barley regularly can help lower your high cholesterol and triglycerides naturally. This versatile grain has beta-glucan, which you can also find in psyllium, pectin and guar gum and is the same type of soluble fiber that is found in oats. The report concluded that eating barley works as well as oats.
Cholesterol impacts each of us differently. Your health and medical background should be looked at when determining the right level for you. It is not healthy to have it too low. Fortunately, natural supplements such as red yeast rice have been shown to not only lower total cholesterol but also raise HDL (high-density lipoprotein) good cholesterol levels and lower lipoprotein-a damaging blood fat similar to LDL cholesterol. Individuals with high plasma levels of lipoprotein have a 10 times greater risk for heart disease than individuals with elevated LDL levels. 
Another great Nature's Sunshine product. Cholester-Reg II This is a nutritional supplement created to help manage high cholesterol levels and promote cardiovascular health. Cholester-Reg II contains natural substances that may help lower elevated cholesterol levels, inhibit the production of cholesterol in the liver and prevent blood clots. You will find Artichoke leaves are well-known to stimulate bile flow from the liver, which in turn, helps lower serum cholesterol levels. Also treating hyperlipoproteinemia (excess lipoproteins in the blood), prevention of atherosclerosis (thickening, hardening of the arteries due to buildup of cholesterol and fatty deposits) and coronary heart disease ( a condition involving the heart and coronary arteries characterized by atherosclerotic deposits in the arteries that block blood flow to the heart, causing a heart attack) can slow the oxidation of LDL cholesterol in vitro-oxidation of LDL cholesterol contributes to the forming of plaque deposits in the arteries. Ingredients contained in Cholester-Reg II Phytosterols (naturally occurring plant sterols) have proven cholesterol-lowering benefits and are recommended by the American Heart Association and the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel to help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Phytosterols are poorly absorbed therefore lower cholesterol by interfering with its absorption in the small intestine. Inositol Nicotinate Inositol is a member of the vitamin B-complex. Niacin is vitamin B3. High doses of Niacin is well-known for its effectiveness in reducing cholesterol and triglycerides. Niacin in high doses can cause intense flushing, indigestion and diarrhea. Fortunately, inositol nicotinate can have the same actions as niacin with no adverse effects. It has the ability to inhibit cholesterol production in the liver, increase HDL levels, decrease VLDL, resulting in a reduction in LDL. It also acts as a vasodilator (a substance that causes dilation or opening of blood vessels) to improve micro circulation in patients with Raynaud’s disease, a condition commonly resulting from atherosclerotic deposits in the arteries. Resveratrol, a compound found in grapes and red wine that may help prevent heart disease. It participates in cholesterol metabolism and may help prevent the formation and build-up of plaque deposits in the arteries. Protects against LDL oxidation in vitro and may function as an anti-cancer agent. Policosanol, a proprietary extract derived from sugar cane wax is one of the newest discoveries in the treatment of heart disease risk. It appears to work primarily by inhibiting the liver’s production of cholesterol.
Although most people typically think of high cholesterol as a problem that affects primarily middle-aged men, the surprising fact is that high serum cholesterol is most prevalent among white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Researchers at the University San Diego School of Medicine, UCSD, points out that high cholesterol in those over 75 years of age is protective, rather than harmful and that low cholesterol is a risk factor for heart arrhythmia's (leading cause of death if heart attack occurs). Cholesterol and Mortality, a in-depth study published by The Journal of the American Medical Association, showed that there is no increased overall death associated with high cholesterol after the age of 50. There was however a direct association between low levels (or dropping levels) of cholesterol and increased death. Researchers studies have found a higher increase in lung cancer when total cholesterol levels were maintained below 170 mg/dl. Elevated cholesterol is not associated with hypertension, diabetes or coronary heart disease.
The mortality from heart failure is more than double now than what it was in 1996, even with the lowering of cholesterol from pharmaceutical drugs. Meanwhile, people continue to die every day from heart disease while pharmaceutical companies enrich themselves with the sales of cholesterol-lowering drugs (12 billion dollars annually). If you suffer from high cholesterol, you will not hear about this from your doctor, the media or a pharmaceutical sales rep. Return from High Cholesterol to Nutrition Health Supplements
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