Decreasing Cholesterol Without Taking Drugs

Q: I've been working on decreasing my cholesterol and triglyceride levels in my blood. My M.D. is strongly recommending that I start taking drugs to bring this under control. As I've never taken drugs on a regular basis for anything, I really don't want to start now.

Is there anything that you could do to help me?

A: Yes, there is a good chance there is.

As higher than normal levels of triglycerides and cholesterol are both related to increased risk for heart attacks and stroke your other doctor's concern is valid.

You didn't mention what you have done so far to correct this situation. The first step would be to evaluate your current diet. Many people begin by decreasing their fat intake, which is good, but don't begin increasing their fresh vegetables and whole grains (eaten less than 48 hours after grinding and cooking). That second step is vital. It is of course also important to be checked for allergies so that as you are improving your diet it doesn't cause unknown stress on your organs.

Another vital area I would address is the correct use of supplements. I work carefully to determine the precise type and quantities by evaluating the details of your blood tests for deficiencies and excesses. The appropriate type and intensity of exercise is also important to implement. This varies from person to person and I would go over this with you.

The last and probably most important point is to improve the function of your liver. Only approximately twenty percent of the cholesterol in your blood is from diet and the rest is created by the liver. If your liver is congested with fat, or inflamed and swollen it creates abnormal amounts of cholesterol. In most cases the liver function can be improved with a gradient method of specific hands-on treatments and diet changes and supplementation. This last point is usually the difference between succeeding or not.

I recently had a patient who had triglycerides over 500 (normal is 35-180) and a heart risk ratio of 17.4 (normal is around 5 for males, IDEAL is less than 3.1). He was at a very high risk for a heart attack without even being aware of it until we did the blood work at his initial exam. Needless to say we got to work very quickly on the above points. On a recent retest his triglycerides were in the normal range! His heart risk ratio was down to 7.9, which still indicates we have more work to do but obviously much improved!

The most common drugs used in this situation sometimes do bring down the blood cholesterol levels but, as with most drugs, they do nothing to address the underlying problems. What they do is create more work for the liver, as that is the organ that processes drugs.

An unhealthy liver causes or is related to many negative effects in the body. It really is best to handle it as soon as possible.

Call me and let's get started!