When cholesterol levels increase or bad cholesterol (LDL) is high, the use of medicines is often recommended. People take medicine to reduce high cholesterol but in such a situation you do not need medicines immediately. According to the severity of the condition, you can reduce high cholesterol in a natural way and improve heart health.

Following natural methods can be a safe and effective solution to control high cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol), especially when the condition is not extremely serious. Here is how you can know when medicine is needed and when natural treatment will be enough.

Check the lipid profile. There are three conditions in it, based on which it can be decided whether the patient needs medicine or natural treatment is helpful in getting relief.

First, triglycerides, second good cholesterol (HDL) and third the ratio of triglycerides / HDL.

Triglycerides: Should be less than 150 mg/dL.
HDL (Good Cholesterol): Should be more than 40 mg/dL (for men) and more than 50 mg/dL (for women).
LDL (Bad Cholesterol): Should be less than 100 mg/dL.
Importance of Triglycerides / HDL Ratio
If the ratio of triglycerides / HDL is less than 1.5, then your heart health is good and medication is not required. However, if the ratio is more than 1.5, changes in diet and lifestyle are needed.

Changes in diet
In such a situation, increase the intake of omega-3 fatty acids. For this, eat walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, fish (salmon, mackerel).
Consume coconut oil, desi ghee and avocado to fulfill the need of healthy fats.
Fiber-rich foods include oats, oats, brown rice, fruits and green leafy vegetables.

Anti-inflammatory foods:
Consume ginger, garlic, turmeric and black pepper regularly. Green tea and lemon tea can also help reduce inflammation. Avoid processed foods and trans fats.

Physical activity:
Do 30 minutes of exercise daily – walking, yoga or cycling. It is necessary to be active 4-5 days a week. Also reduce excess weight as obesity is a major cause of increasing cholesterol.

Stress management:
Stay stress-free. For this, include yoga in your lifestyle. Meditation and pranayama can also be effective.

When is medicine needed?
When LDL i.e. bad cholesterol is more than 190 mg/dL.
If there is a history of heart disease or if someone in the family has coronary artery disease.
If there is a problem of diabetes or blood pressure.

If cholesterol does not improve even after 3-6 months of natural treatment, consult a doctor.

Note: This article has been prepared on the basis of information received from dietician Loveleen Kaur.

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