Skip The Lipitor

How I lowered my cholesterol 40 points without drugs

The closest I come to trafficking in conspiracy theories is looking askance at Big Pharma pushing drugs for everything. I know, they've produced some outstanding wonder drugs that have saved millions, and I am grateful for that. But are there really that many kids who need Ritalin, or adults who need all that stuff they constantly advertise on TV? Are Lipitor and other cholesterol-lowering drugs always the best answer?

I went to get extra life insurance a few years ago, and found that high cholesterol raises your rates. Mine was around 230. The military docs had been scolding me about it for years, but it didn't hit home until it hit me in the wallet, so I decided to do something about it. I ended up bringing my cholesterol down to around 185.

The doctor told me to try fiber supplements before going the drug route, which sounded good to me. They are safe to take everyday and your body gets used to them in a few weeks. Additionally, I consulted with various friends of mine who were also combating high cholesterol and heard what their doctors had to say.

I collected all this information and went to town. Unfortunately, I took a very unscientific approach, so I don't know which particular action caused the change or if it was all of them combined that did the trick. I have dropped the fiber supplements, so I'll see at the next checkup what that did to my numbers.

Here's what worked for me:
- Fiber Choice fiber supplements
- Omega-3 fatty acids via fish oil gel caps and ground up flax seed
- More chicken, less beef
- More fresh vegetables, less meat
- Oatmeal for breakfast with cinnamon, fruit and ground flax seed
- Low-fat yogurt with whole grain cereal, fruit, cinnamon and ground flax seed for breakfast.

I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, so take my very anecdotal case with a grain of salt (but not too much, salt contributes to high blood pressure!) My point is that we should try natural remedies and diet changes before reaching for the drugs.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol/CL00002
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol-levels/CL00001