What are the Primary Methods of Cholesterol Control?
Cholesterol is a major portion of a person's risk factor for developing heart disease. As such, cholesterol control is an important part of maintaining good health. How does a person go about controlling cholesterol to maintain good health?
The primary method of cholesterol control is making fundamental changes in diet and adding exercise to one's daily routine. Diet changes include lowering the intake of fats, especially saturated fats, and increasing the amount of fiber in the diet. Reducing fats has the effect of lowering the triglycerides (fats) in the blood. Increasing the amount of fiber has several health benefits.
In some cases, diet and exercise changes do not do enough in the way of cholesterol control. When this is the case, a doctor will normally prescribe cholesterol lowering medications to aid with the situation. The most common form of cholesterol lowering medications is a class of drugs known as statins. Statins work by blocking the production of cholesterol within the liver. As most of the cholesterol found in the blood stream is made within the body, this has a significant effect on cholesterol levels. However, there are some negative side effects associated with taking statins, including liver damage.
There are also some dietary supplements and herbs that could be used in place of medications, to help control cholesterol. While these supplements do not work as quickly as medications, they are generally not as prone to producing side effects that are harmful. Many people prefer to try herbal supplements in order to control cholesterol before trying the medications a doctor prescribes.
In order to control cholesterol, diet and exercise changes are essential no matter what else is tried. Herbal supplements can help in many cases along with these changes to diet and exercise. If these fail, medications are available to lower cholesterol and maintain control over the ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol in the blood.