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High cholesterol is a condition that is not limited by race or credo. It affects 60 million Americans and many more millions around the world. Consequently, people find the topic of using herbs to lower cholesterol a highly interesting and important matter. Let us have a look at 5 herbs that are useful in achieving and maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. These herbs are used in many parts of the world. You can take the herbs by themselves, or use a combination of two or more regularly to lower your cholesterol. 1. Guggulipid or Commiphora Mukul - The herb is better known as Guggul, because it comes from the Guggul tree. The Gugul resin extract produces a substance known as Guggulipid, which came into popularity in the 1980s. This substance has the ability to decrease your bad cholesterol (or LDL cholesterol) levels as well as the triglycerides in your body. Guggul can also be used to lower your blood pressure, insulin and fasting blood sugar levels. The herb also contains gugglsterone, which is recognized for its ability to help your body rid itself of cholesterol. 2. Cayenne pepper - Put some zest into your dishes and some power to lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels using cayenne pepper. The hot, hot, hot cayenne pepper comes from Capsicum frutescens and Capsicum baccatum. The fruits of these plants are dried and pulped to produce cayenne pepper powder. Cayenne has many uses that have benefited people for thousands of years. It is a diuretic, antiseptic, analgesic and expectorant. Not only that, it also considerably lowers your cholesterol levels by helping your body process fat and quickly excrete it from the body. You can find cayenne pepper in many forms. You can purchase it in capsule form, as an ointment, oil, cream or dried powder. Aside from treating high cholesterol levels, it is also useful in dealing with toothache, chronic pain and heart disease. 3. Artichoke Leaf or Cynara scolymnus - The cholesterol lowering effect of artichoke leaf has been confirmed by research. The same study showed that a person can lower his cholesterol level by up to 18.5% by taking in 1,800 mg of this herb extract every day for no less than six weeks. The cybarin content of artichoke leaf is responsible for hastening the production of bile in the liver as well as in hastening the excretion of cholesterol through the feces. This herb also contains the antioxidant luteolin which is said to be responsible for lowering the bad cholesterol levels in the bdy. Doctors have been using medications containing cynarin since the early 1950s to help lower cholesterol levels in their patients. 4. Garlic - Garlic is a herb that has a lot of medicinal uses. It can lower the bad or LDL cholesterol levels (by up to 15% provided a person takes a clove of garlic daily) while increasing the good or HDL cholesterol levels. Not only that; it can also reduce the triglyceride and blood pressure levels. This herb has been approved as a high cholesterol remedy in parts of Europe. 5. Alfalfa - When it comes to fighting cholesterol, saponin power rules! Saponin is an effective agent against cholesterol. And with Alfalfa sprouts containing 55% more saponins than other plants, alfafa is an efficient cholesterol-lowering herb. Saponin works by combining itself with cholesterol, thereby preventing the body from absorbing it. Thus, alfalfa fights blood cholesterol by first lowering it directly and then by preventing more cholesterol from being absorbed by the gut. What's more, it is selective in its fight against cholesterol. It fights LDL (bad cholesterol) even as it promotes HDL (good cholesterol). When buying alfalfa extracts, try to ensure that the extracts come from the sprout and not the roots, as the roots have lower saponin content. Using herbs to lower cholesterol is safe and effective. In fact, it may be safer than prescription medications. However, before you take any herbs, consult with your doctor to prevent health complications.
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Additional resources: Find out more about ways to lower cholesterol and also natural herbs that lower cholesterol - just click on the links to the left.
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