Natural Solutions for High Cholesterol: Effective Home Remedies

My cholesterol was high enough that my doctor wanted to put me on 40mg of Zorcor (?). She told me that it would make every muscle in my body ache and recommended CoQ10 for relieving that. I told her that if it was taking that kind of toll on my body it was hurting me. She said, "The risk of not taking it is worse than the risk if you do."

It's a long story how I stumbled upon Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth, but I found a study done on 60 people (which is a very tiny study) that said that people who took 1 heaping Tablespoon of Diatomaceous Earth in water one time a day had their cholesterol halved in 30 days and within normal limits in 60. I told the doctor I wanted to do an experiment for three weeks. She agreed.

In those three weeks what I discovered is that it doesn't taste as bad if you use more water. Initially I had about 1/4 cup of water (the thought being it would be quicker to get down) and now use about 3/4 cup, take a heaping tablespoon of the stuff and dissolve it and chug it down. I'm totally serious here, I tried everything to get the taste out of my mouth...rinsing with water, my coffee etc. The best thing is to take a mouthful (just a sip) of Muscato wine. Takes the taste right away. I have a little bottle that I use.

Within three weeks my Cholesterol dropped from 310 to 240. It is now within normal limits. I've spread the word and several of my friends have had the same result. To buy it, if you have an animal feed store nearby, you can get a 20lb bag of the stuff for about $10...a lifetime supply :) I don't recommend the Organic kind sold on Amazon. First, its super expensive compared to the farm store. Second, two people I know had larve come out of them (bug worms) and when they switched to my kind they didn't. The Larve won't hurt you, but YUCK. So just get regular FOOD GRADE (that's important) Diatomaceous earth.

I am happy to report that 6 months on a plant-based diet has done wonders for my husband's cholesterol.

In July, my husband's doctor was concerned because his cholesterol (specifically, the "bad cholesterol") was elevated AND his calcium cardiac test revealed significant blockages in all of the main arteries in his heart. My husband has a bad heart history in his family.

His doctor said, "I can write you a prescription for statins or you can go vegan, gluten free, sugar free." The doctor said that would be the diet that could potentially reduce the plaque in his arteries.

So, my meat and potatoes husband went gf, sf, vegan. (He didn't have to give up potatoes! ) This is about how I eat anyway, due to Alpha Gal Syndrome. It was more motivating to make interesting meals for more than just myself.

Anyway, labs this week were the proof in the pudding!

In six months, his total cholesterol went from 182 to 122!

In six months, his LDL went from 121 to 65!

I am very proud of him.

We did not repeat the calcium cardiac score yet due to the significant amount of radiation exposure with that, but these numbers plus the other health benefits are motivating him to stay on this diet.

Some other things to note, which may have helped to improve his numbers -

He eats oatmeal every day for breakfast. Oatmeal is supposed to be good for cholesterol.

He eats raw baby carrots with guacamole or hummus with his lunch 5 days a week. Carrots are supposed to be good for cholesterol.

He uses a monkfruit sweetener in his coffee. He also uses oatmilk as a cream alternative.

My primary oil to use is olive oil. We also use some plant butter.

I make so many lentil recipes, his potassium is actually a tad elevated. (Lentils are a good source of potassium! )

I have made many, many recipes from a food blog - minimalist baker. They have been a lifesaver - fast recipes with not a ton of ingredients - and delicious. She even has a df, gf biscuit recipe that is amazing.

My husband's blood pressure is doing much better on this diet and he has been able to cut his blood pressure med in half and still has better readings than he did 6 months ago on the full dose! He may be able to get off this med completely.

He does eat fish and chicken and bread once in a while, mostly when we go out and he does partake in celebratory meals like weddings and holidays - he just tries to be moderate with portion sizes.

Oh, and he lost 50 pounds total without any effort beyond the effort of staying on the diet!

I am thankful for his perseverance. I want him to be around a long time. :)

~Mama to Many~

Quantifiable evidence of the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar for improving lipid panel plus dissolving calcium deposits.

I am prone to making calcium deposits on arteries and organs.

On 10/13/17 I had a lipid panel done with borderline results. I also had a stuck bile stone, causing misery and moving towards surgery. I did not change my diet, which is reasonably health conscious but added a daily dose of 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with apple cider to make is deliciously palatable.

In six weeks, in the middle of Qigong class while doing a gentle abdominable exercise, the stone released... dramatically and with great relief. Took my lipid panel again in 3 months with dramatic results, and again six weeks later with a different lab, just to be sure. And one and a half years later after a 6 month total diet derailment due to stress circumstances of a critically ill husband unable to assimilate food, and I undermined myself by eating his food to not waste it.

Here are the numbers. 10/13/17 chol-252, hdl -61, ldl 167,,tri -120 1/8/18 chol-61, hdl 58, ldl-109, tri-89 2-24-18 Chol- 189, hel-71, ldl-100 tri-91, and the backslide: 7/26/19 chol-228, hdl-60, ldl-140, tri-140.

Since that eyeopening setback I am back on track with my daily ACV cocktail. Will test in a separate lab in a couple of months. But this is measured incredible result and setback... Have not been able to get any attention from anyone in the medical profession other that being blown off. I am a believer of ACV. It's inexpensive, accessible and a true threat to the pharmaceutical industry.

In 2019 our family doctor was concerned about my husband's cholesterol. He is not quick to recommend statins and suggested he try fish oil and COQ10.

My husband was very faithful in taking these supplements for a year. He made no other changes to diet, supplements, exercise, etc.

A year later (January 2020) his cholesterol was higher and his LDL was worse! Hmmphh.

So we dropped those supplements. No use taking them or wasting money on them anymore.

I suggested oatmeal. Like, oatmeal for breakfast EVERY day. I eat a lot of oatmeal and my cholesterol has always been on the lower side. And some studies seem to show that oat lowers cholesterol. He was game.

So every morning for the last six months, (at least 13 out of 14 mornings), he and I have had a bowl of oatmeal together. He made no other dietary changes or changes in exercise or supplements.

Sometimes I make steel cut oats in the instant pot with dried cranberries and coconut flakes. Sometimes I made quick oats on the stovetop and add fresh fruit like oatmeal or peaches. I add a little salt and maple syrup. I put a little butter in his and a little plant butter in mine.

Six months and about 175 bowls of oatmeal later, he had labs done again.

His total cholesterol dropped from 198 to 182. (An 8% drop! )

His LDL went from 140 to 121. (Still higher than desired but a 13% drop! )

His LDL/HDL ratio is back in the "normal" range.

We will continue our breakfast for oatmeal routine. Perhaps over time there will be more improvement. I will let you know!

~Mama to Many~

I'm a nurse and I don't claim to know everything, but I am more educated in medical practices than the general public. I actually promote natural alternatives to patients and encourage people to modify their diets and lifestyle in an effort to reduce dependence on pharmaceutical drugs.

In fact, my cholesterol lab results just returned high and I'm on this site perusing all the anecdotal evidence suggesting ACV and Red Yeast Rice reduces cholesterol. I plan to test this myself and run my labs in 6 weeks.

Why? Because even though I'm a nurse, my goal is not to put everyone, including myself, on drugs! Not all of us have succumbed to the pressure of Big Pharma. :)

i want to reply to the cholesterol problem. I think that we who have a high cholesterol numbers, process lipids differently. The reason I think that, is because at 23 I got a severe case of psoriasis. I found in DAVIS book (Let's Get Well) her cure was "lecithin", which I took 3 1,000 mg, 3x a day.

Within a month, my psoriasis was down to 50% ( my body was 75% covered). Then I went to the lecithin granules. 1 Tablespoon 3x a day. The point to all of this is I took lecithin for 30 years daily, and never got over 180 cholesterol number.

Also, her cure for high cholesterol was lecithin, among other things. The lecithin after 6 months got rid of the psoriasis, but I kept taking it to keep from getting it back, because as soon as soon as I lowered the dose it would start appearing again.

I read an article that said soy lecithin was bad, because of the hormones and that the soy was GMO, so I stopped it. I was getting into coconut oil. I started the oil pulling, and also took a TBL a day to ingest. And what do you know? My cholesterol went up to 230 ......so after some research, I did stop ingesting coconut oil. My cholesterol went back down to 180.

I cannot take fish oil either. It makes me bruise all over my body legs and arms, and these bruises last for months. But that's why I think that some people have a disordered lipid system. I think that people with psoriasis do not process fat or lipids properly, or that the lipids we ingest are not the right kind. I do know that there is clean organic lecithin at the vitamin stores.

Ok, here's my story. I'm a 49 yr old male who exercises 3x a week. I'm eat oatmeal for breakfast and turkey on whole wheat for lunch everyday. I eat a normal dinner. And don't eat sweets. I have always had a hard time keeping my cholesterol in check. Guess it's hereditary. I recently had my blood work back in Nov 2010. My numbers were : total cholesterol 226, HDL 156 and LDL 52. My doctor want to put me in a statin because my HDL kep going higher each year.

I searched on the internet for natural ways to lower cholesterol and found that apple cider vinegar was a cure to lower it. I went for my new blood work and told the PA that I was drinking AVC to lower my cholesteral. She gave me a smirk like I was wasting my time trying this.

Just got back my new bloodwork results and here they are: total 186 , HDL 126 and LDL 42. The nurse who read me my results suggested that I still consider statin medication since I will still over the HDL guideline of 100. I told her that I would pass.. So in 4 months my cholesteral dropped significantly. I drink Trader Joe's organic ACV. And I also added Bob Mill's flaxseed to my oatmeal in the morning. My advice is try and fix your "ailments" naturally before you start to take medication prescribe by your doctor who is getting kickbacks from drug companies.

Happy to report that ACV has helped to lower my total cholesterol. In Dec 15, my total was 288. As of Feb 2 2016 it is 226. I've been taking 2 T of ACV and fish oil every night before bed. In another month I will go for a check up to see HDL and LDL results! So excited that I won't be relying on statins!

I have been drinking Apple Cider Vinegar with water for two years. I drink it throughout the day to control blood sugar. Although it works for me to lower my blood sugar (look up studies), it does absolutely nothing for my cholesterol. I am vegan... on 75% healthy fat diet with veggies. My cholesterol is through the roof with the exception of HDL. Although high fat low carbs works for most in substantially lowering cholesterol and lowering weight, for a small group it actually substantially raises it.

ON the advice of my naturopath doctor, I have switched to a fat free low carb diet which my body evidently needed because for the first time in two years I am losing weight. I also am drinking lemon water with organic cayenne pepper every morning. All numbers dramatically reduced.

High Cholesterol is hereditary for me. My overrall cholesterol was 272 in Sept 2012. I started drinking ACV in Jan 2013, I did labs in March it went down to 214. All I can say is no more statins for me.

A popular search is for remedies that can lower high cholesterol.

Diatomaceous Earth is very effective at lowering high cholesterol. Even at lower dosing, but a tablespoon per day dosing is quite effective and fairly fast. This allows you to completely avoid the statins which are well established to create new health problems.

Chris Chung...I'm not really sure why you think coconut oil in particular creates bad or excessive cholesterol in the body. That is not true in my own experience with using virgin coconut oil. Indeed, the research that you actually quoted in your last post certainly does not conclude that VCO causes hypertension, hyperlipidemia or hypercholestemia in their results section. Here is the link to the research you quoted in your last post:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5855206/

In the Results section of that research it says the following:

"LDL-C concentrations were significantly increased on butter compared with coconut oil (+0.42,95% CI 0.19 to 0.65 mmol/L, P<0.0001) and with olive oil (+0.38,95% CI 0.16 to 0.60 mmol/L, P<0.0001), with no differences in change of LDL-C in coconut oil compared with olive oil (−0.04,95% CI −0.27 to 0.19 mmol/L, P=0.74). Coconut oil significantly increased HDL-C compared with butter (+0.18,95% CI 0.06 to 0.30 mmol/L) or olive oil (+0.16,95% CI 0.03 to 0.28 mmol/L). Butter significantly increased TC/HDL-C ratio and non-HDL-C compared with coconut oil but coconut oil did not significantly differ from olive oil for TC/HDL-C and non-HDL-C. There were no significant differences in changes in weight, BMI, central adiposity, fasting blood glucose, systolic or diastolic blood pressure among any of the three intervention groups."

I also do not believe that LDL or HDL cholestrol is necessarily bad for you in high amounts. I have never believed in allopathic medicine's "saturated fats are bad for you" theory. I have always preferred Dr Linus Pauling's Unified Theory of Cardiovascular Disease because it's much more honest, logical and makes more sense.

Virgin coconut oil(VCO) helped me to lose at least 20 lbs in weight five years ago(I was overweight at the time) and during that period my blood pressure always remained at a constant 70/110. I am currently taking VCO on a daily basis for covid-19 prevention because, from the research, VCO(lauric acid) kills all lipid coated viruses(covid-19 is a lipid coated virus) -- in the same way as aspirin or BHT. VCO is cheap where I live(Philippines) and my wife and I both also use it for our skin and hair. I also supplement VCO on a regular basis as a preventative against Altzheimer's Disease(I'm over 70 yo). Been using VCO like this for about 14 years with no complaints and no ill effects.

Here's some more research on the usefulness of VCO from the coconut.com website:

https://coconutoil.com/coconut-oil-research/

Define "healthy fat".

Any form of Seed oil is not healthy and will not do good things for human health...especially genetically modified rapeseed (poisonous) oil known to all as "Canola" --- Can (canadian) o (oil) la (low acid). Look up what "acid" is in it at "low levels" and see why no bugs or animals will eat this stuff...only humans consume a food with it.

Also, the oils eaten even if "healthy" (let us define "healthy" for now as fruit oils: Avocado, Coconut, Olive, etc.) are also toxic if rancid (very common). Consuming rancid oils in any form causes systemic inflammation...which is the real cause of modern degenerative diseases that don't exist in native peoples who eat native diets free of modern refined and long term stored foods. This constant inflammation causes elevated cholesterol as the body produces about 80-90% of cholesterol for repairs to the damaged tissues (This is why people like vegans who eat "0" cholesterol can still have extremely high blood cholesterol levels.

Additionally, refined sugars in concentration (so called "healthy" Agave syrup...LOL) regardless of form also lead to degenerative inflammatory conditions...go figure...wow, eating a diet that includes refined foods leads to unhealthy bodies...shock me some more, please, maybe tell me the answer is to go to an MD and get drugs to treat the symptoms of the diseases you are causing yourself??? YEP, that is just what happens in western civilization...no personal attention to the causes...

Please note: Your diet is the cause of diseases that are easily avoidable, stop trying to resolve issues by treating symptoms and begin to learn how to treat your body. It knows what to do to heal and balance if you stop causing it trouble with the things you put into it and the way you treat it.

Blessings to All and may you find power in knowledge. :)

Everyone is unique and reacts differently with remedies. I cannot take Virgin Coconut oil. It makes my hair, scalp, skin oily and itchy. I stick with cold pressed Olive Oil. I have High Cholesterol, my HDL is fine, but the LDL is high. High Cholestrol runs in my family, I tried, diet, exercise, supplements like Red Yeast rice, Policosanol, none worked. I was reading about Cholesterol. Sometimes you have to fix your liver, gallbladder and your gut. Sometimes there are other factors involved, like insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, inflammation, dysbiosis or microbial imbalances, stress, allergies. A bulging stomach tells me I have fat accumulation. Every part of the body has to work together. So I am working on my gut, digestion, liver and gallbladder bile. My doc told me I have gallbladder sludge and my liver is producing too much cholesterol. I have to rid myself of the sugar and bad carbs too for my pre-diabetes and insulin resistance. Any ideas. The Fenugreek Powder and Amla powder is helping my pre-diabetes blood sugar numbers. I am taking Milk Thistle and Swedish bitters for the liver and gallbladder. It is just knowing how much to take. Any other suggestions for gallbladder and liver?

2 Suggestions for high cholesterol : Sunflower Lecithin ( any good health food store)

Niacin, do some research, Dr.s know about niacin but prefer to write scripts .

High cholesterol is not a problem. The problem lies in the ratios of LDL to HDL.

I gave up bread, rice, and potatoes before I had a heart cath last year - dropped twelve pounds in 3.5 weeks doing nothing else.

Go to YouTube and look up Dr. Pradip Jamnadas. He's got three (over an hour long) videos where he addresses the cholesterol MYTH among others. I'd start with "The Bittersweet Truth" personally, then "Fat Lies", and lastly "Fasting for Survival".

Also, if you've never read it, I'd also suggest "Grain Brain" by Dr. David Perlmutter.

Dear Brigitte,

Seems like some consider an occasional glass of red wine to actually be good for the heart. Personally, I don't think you have to give that up.

Hopefully the Apple Cider Vinegar will work. You might also try adding a bowl of oatmeal to your diet a few times a week for breakfast.

Keep us posted on your progress. I think we have a lot to learn from someone who is 75, eats well, exercises and works full time. Good for you!

~Mama to Many~

Hi!

It's been 10 months since my report on my husband's success with a plant-based diet for his high cholesterol.

Since then, he has introduced a more regular use of chicken and turkey (mostly added to curries! ), an egg here and there, and fish (salmon) a couple of times a month. He drinks a glass of wine with dinner once in a while and has an occasional beer. He is still gluten free and sugar free and eats no dairy or red meat or pork. I would call it a plant-based diet still, but we were not sure what the changes would do to his cholesterol. He still consumes oatmeal and raw carrots most days.

He had bloodwork done last week. His cholesterol is down to 114! HDL is still 65. Doctor was thrilled. His blood pressure is even a bit lower, and he got the go ahead to try going without medication for a while and see what happens.

His decades of ibs-d symptoms are also pretty much gone. I believe dairy was the problem all along.

I also had bloodwork done and my cholesterol is 110. HDL 48. I eat pretty much the same as my husband, minus the beer and wine and carrots. (I don't like beer, wine gives me a headache, and carrots are hard on my jaw.)

Any special diet is easier to do with someone else! When we go to pot lucks I often bring a Massaman Curry and rice, our favorite, and now a favorite of some of our friends.

Happy early Thanksgiving, you all!

~Mama to Many~

I was a previously a skeptic but ACV has reduced my cholesterol.

I am 56 years old and my cholesterol had been getting higher and higher over the years (I also am hypothyroid). My doctor told me to try to reduce my levels or she was going to prescribe statins, which I did not want to take.

I came to the Earth Clinic website and decided to try ACV. I started taking 2 Tbsp. ACV in water just once a day.

In Sept. of 2016, my total cholesterol was 232, HDL 54 and LDL 151. In December of 2016, my total cholesterol was 209, HDL 56 and LDL 130.

So, my overall cholesterol went down 23 points and my LDL went down 21 points in 3 months taking just 2 Tbsp. ACV a day.

My doctor was amazed and told me to just keep doing whatever it was I was doing.

I am going to try mixing it with pure grape juice as some have suggested. It is very hard for me to get the ACV down with just water, which prevents me from taking it as often as I would like.

Your numbers look great to me and as you age, it is important to have higher cholesterol and yours seems perfect. Studies the lower the cholesterol the more chance of death from heart attack. LDL will be kept in blood if fighting infection etc. Do not worry - your levels are fab - bet you outlive your uneducated doctor - read Chris Kresser, Chris Masterjohn or Dr Malcolm Kendrick (book Doctoring Data) Blog: the cause of heart disease :)

Personal experience... tablets are not as effective. Processed loses the goodness and quality. Same goes for food, big time. ACV needs to have the 'mother' like Braggs brand has. You can even make it easily & inexpensively with your own apples. Lots of vids on how to. If you need a little help adjusting to the flavor add it to hot water and add stevia to sweeten (not sugar), and some nice Ceylon cinnamon and it's like a hot apple cider drink. Very pleasant.

If you have high cholesterol and high triglycerides but want to avoid statins, then according to the abstract below, Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth may be a reasonable alternative. It has worked very well for me, but I am taking significantly more than what was used in this study. I did not get the increased HDL cholesterol benefit mentioned in the study, but my LDL and triglycerides stay about in the middle of the normal range with no special diet now.

The dosage they used in the study is the smallest I have ever seen mentioned for people. I started out at one heaping tablespoon in a cup of water in the morning and one heaping tablespoon in a cup of water in the evening for a total of two heaping tablespoons of Food Grade DE per day for two weeks. I now take DE only once a day first thing in the morning at one heaping teaspoon and that is my maintenance dose.

The fact that the study got good results with just a total of 750 mg/day divided into to three separate doses throughout the day lets me know that I can probably get by with significantly less DE as a maintenance dose. Compared to other things like ACV, the taste is much more tolerable and mild. The cost is very low if purchased in containers of 20 pounds or more. At my current dose a 20 lb bag will last for many years and costs less than $25 delivered to my door. It's even cheaper if you can get it from a farm supply. Just be sure it is Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth and nothing else. DE is purported to have other health benefits also. Another benefit is that if I go on vacation and forget my DE, no problem as the effects last awhile. In the study they said the benefits were still present after 4 weeks of no DE. Do a little research and see what you think.Here is the abstract and remember to get your doctor's approval and supervision before trying DE.

Art

Eur J Med Res. 1998 Apr 8;3(4):211-5.
Diatomaceous earth lowers blood cholesterol concentrations.
PubMed Abstract

I agree,

My cholesterol was 268 in May 2015. I've been drinking ACV water for several months and I had another doctor's appointment earlier this month and my cholesterol was 208.

I was completely shocked and I will continue to drink ACV water.

Also, I noticed that I have a lot more energy and less pain upon waking in the morning.

Cholesterol: I have been eating oatmeal/porridge for breakfast with honey and Brazil nuts for three months. My total cholesterol has droppped from 251 to 199, my triglycerides from 305 to 72. My HDL is 58 and my LDL is 127. I also take a cove of garlic every day and ACV and honey from time to time. However, the cholesterol drop was as a result of the oatmeal. I'm a 46 year old man, quite thin and do almost no exercise. Hope this helps.

Well this is my first time writing on this site.. My sister turned me on to it.. I'll get right to the point..

6mths(10 /11) ago I was getting chest pains and ignoring them due to they werent very bad but starting more frequent.. my cholestrol was 268-triglycerides was 167-LDL was 160-hdl was 42 glucose avg was about 150 to 220 daily...

I went to the doctor three weeks ago(3/18/ 12).. They thought I had an artery blocked. I did the radio isatope(nuclear) test and everything came back perfect.. My blood pressure was 113/68(im 41yrs old).. I started working out doing interval training(AKA getting my heart rate up and down every 5min from 100 to 135 and back for 1 hour)this alone lowered my sugar every single time... Started the acv (1table spoon 3times a day)cocnut oil(1 tsp 3 times a day).. My new results--sugar avg is now in the low hundreds and even dips into the 90s (amazing considering im hypothyroid and pre diabetic).. My cholestrol as of today (4/15/ 12) total cholestrol is 158 (110 point drop)trygs 104 (63 point drop).. LDL is 101(59 point drop ) hdl 40 (2 point drop but was fine before.. I've only been taking the coconut oil and Apple Cider Vinegar for three weeks.. Amazing!!! Hope this can help someone.. Also.. No chest pains in the last 4 days.. I'm not saying that all this had anything to do with my chest pains nor the doctors but is kinda strange they suddenly stopped.. I'm still keeping up with the doctors just to make sure... Have a great day everyone.. Any people from houston or wherever want to contact me just reply here first and then we will see..

My cholesterol skyrocketed over span of two years. My OBGYN thought it might be because I went off my hormones and put me on low dose plant based hormones Anyhow, the MD told me to get on statins and my ND told me not worry about it because it could just be family genetics. I researched and read Cholesterol Down and simply followed the steps and my cholesterol is back to the low side of the normal range.

1: Eat oatmeal daily I get gluten-free oats.
2: Cut back on eating nuts, eat it in moderation
3: Take Psyllium Fiber or buy them in capsules
4: Eat flaxseeds I sprinkle some on my oats, it's really softened my skin

5: Eat beans
6: Eat apples
7: Take Plant Sterols with your largest meal of the day I take Cholestoff Plus which has been clinically proven to lower cholesterol.
8. Add garlic to your food
10: Exercise we take a quick 30 minute walk daily

Wishing everyone good health.