It’s long been known that exercise raises protective HDL cholesterol. But according to a 2009 study involving nearly 9,000 sedentary adults, it also lowers LDL cholesterol, especially in women. Your goal should be a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. For optimal results, add two to three sessions of resistance training.
UCLA researchers found that when postmenopausal women followed this diet and exercise regimen for just two weeks, they had significant improvements in HDL and LDL cholesterol, blood sugar, and body mass index—and a 45 percent drop in C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation) to boot.
Lower Cholesterol, Suppress Inflammation…
In place of drugs, we prescribe nutritional supplements. For tackling cholesterol, we recommend plant sterols, substantial increases in fiber, and, perhaps most important, niacin.
Unlike statins, niacin not only lowers LDL cholesterol but also elevates HDL, a feat no drug is able to accomplish. In fact, a Pfizer drug aimed at increasing HDL was scrapped in 2007 after it was found to worsen heart problems and increase risk of death. But the niacin story gets even better. Results from a recent clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine proved that this supplement actually reverses blockages in the carotid arteries!
For its broad cardiovascular benefits, we also recommend high doses of fish oil. EPA and DHA, fish oil’s primary omega-3 fatty acids, reduce inflammation, lower blood lipids (especially triglycerides), improve blood viscosity, normalize heart rhythms, and protect against sudden cardiac death. Name one drug that can do even a fraction of that!
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