Diet For High Cholesterol

Kapha Pacifying Diet

Unhealthy lifestyle and eating outdoors regularly can increase one's risk of heart disease.  On way to maintain a healthy heart is to increase good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol. Ayurveda has remedies that can help control cholesterol and improve heart health. There are certain diet and herbs that can lower high cholesterol and the ways to control cholesterol.

Kapha

Introduction

Cholesterol is something that body needs to build and maintain cellular health. Technically it is known as a lipid and is the fatty or wax like material that circulates in the blood stream. There are two kinds of cholesterol : 

LDH - Low density lipid . This is the "bad cholesterol" that can cling to arterial walls and create blockages and results in strokes and heart attacks.

HDL - High density lipid  This is "good cholesterol" that actually protects from the heart disease.

We get cholesterol from our foods, but our bodies can also make it too. Hence this leads to high levels of cholesterol in the arteries.

Your doctor will diagnose you with cholesterol if the level of LDL cholesterol or total cholesterol

in your blood is too high. High cholesterol (Hypercholesteromia)  can be inherited. However a sedentary lifestyle and bad food habits often lead to this health condition. A healthy lifestyle, which includes eating a healthy diet and regular exercise, can help reduce high cholesterol.

Ayurveda believes that people with high cholesterol should focus on dietary guidelines which will promote health and balance the overall fat metabolism  in the body. Hence Ayurveda recommends following a kapha pacifying diet to help lower high cholesterol.

It si claimed that kapha dosha, which is envolved in fat metabolism, helps in controlling body weight, growth and lubrication for joints and lungs. Kapha dosha, one of the three bodily principles, is also essential for the  for the formation of all the seven  tissues- nutritive fluid, bones, blood,fat, muscle, marrow and reproductive tissues.

Kapha Pacifying Diet : Ayurveda tips for reducing high cholesterol

Basically, a kapha pacifying diet  focuses on foods that are easy to digest. These food are bitter, astringent and pungent in taste. The diet also includes many healthy grains that can help enhance fat metabolism.

Vegetables : Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, fenugreek, mint, mustard leaves, amaranth, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower can help cleanse the bowels, which may prevent bad cholestrol accumulation in the blood. However, veggies like tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cucumbers and zucchini may increase kapha.

Fruits : Fruits such as apples, pears, pomegranate, berries. peaches, grapes, cashew nuts, grapes, figs are considered good for balancing kapha dosha.

Nuts & Seeds : One may include moderate amount of sunflower and pumpkin seeds in a kapha pacifying diet.

Spices & Condiments : All spices are considered good, except salt which increases kapha.

Dairy : Opt for low fat milk,ensuring that it is boiled and consumed warm to make it easier to digest. Avoid taking milk with a full meal or with sour or salty food. Lassi (curd and water drink) and buttermilk are good.

Pulses : All beans are considered good, except black gram.

Sweeteners : Honey is considered good for reducing kapha.

Grains : Most types of grains(minimum one year) , especially barley and millet are said to help in balancing kapha. However it is advisable  to avoid taking too much wheat and rice as they can increase kapha.

Some of the Ayurvedic herbs to lower high cholesterol are :

Garlic : Garlic is the most common herb that is used in Indian cooking and no dishe taste the same without it. Having 2-3 garlic  cloves a day can break down bad cholesterol and free it from the arterial walls.

Coriander : This green herb adds freshness, flavour and colour to any meal. Coriander is a diuretic that will flush out waste and even excess cholesterol.

Tulsi : Tulsi disintegrate cholesterol from the arteries ans washes it from the body.

Guggal or Commiphola wightii : Guggul is sap from the Mukul myrrh tree. There are seven products made  from guggul that helps to reduce cholesterol.

Arjuna or Terminalia arjuna : Arjun's white bark has medicinal properties that dissolves cholesterol from  the arteries. Arjun's bark is made into powder  form and is available in several stores.

Basic Dietary and lifestyle advises includes:

Dietary Restrictions with Portion control

• One should concentrate on taking whole foods like whole grains,  whole fruits and vegetables.
• Inclusion of soluble fiber rich foods- soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of  cholesterol into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber s are found in such foods as complex carbohydrates like red rice whole maize, apples, and pear, grapes and citrus fruits.
• Inclusion of skimmed milk instead of high fat milk.
• Include plant based protein in your diet legumes and pulses in diet.
• Poultry fish and nuts in diet.
• Use naturally occurring cold pressed/ double filtered vegetable oil such as groundnut, mustard, coconut and sesame oil.
• Eat foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids- include Salmon fish, walnut and flaxseeds.
• Use garlic in diet (use judiciously according to your body constitution/ consult physician to asses and advice.)
• Proportion control- concentrate on the cereal : vegetables and pulses serving in your plate 1:3 proportion.
• Include good desi ghee in your diet regularly.

Exercise : 

Exercise can improve cholesterol. Moderate physical activity can help raise  high density lipoprotein (HDL)  cholesterol the' good cholesterol'. If your work involves lot of sitting/ sedentary , add physical activities like 

• Taking stairs if feasible rather lift /elevator.
• Taking relaxing wa;k after lunch/ dinner for 800-1000 steps.
• Take walk during breaks at work/ getting up from work station after every one hour and taking 30 steps  walks and getting hydrated with a cup of hot water.

Maintain the normal weight / B.M.I (Body Mass Index)

• Clean and healthy eating habits.
• Yogasana / inclusion of vigorous physical activity.

Mental Relaxation

Very much neglected in the management of the  hypercholesterimia  is the stress aspect of a person. This is one of the mot powerful key  for better management of the  cholesterol by regular meditation/ yoga nidra / some deep relaxation techniques are highly in indicated.

Simple Herbal Home Remedies

• Use of Triphala churna.
• Asafoetida, cumin added butter milk.
• Madhu Udhaka : Honey with lukeworm water for drinking.
• Including garlic, black pepper ginger, haldi, coriander seeds in regular meals/ hot infusion as herbal drinks.
• Flax seeds.

Don t' s

• Red meat.
• High fat dairy products like milk and its products butter and processed cheese.
• Trans fat containing food like  processed foods, refined oils, fried foods and baked foods.
• Limit sugary foods and beverages.
• Avoid alcohol. 

Some people abruptly  stop statins / lipid lowering drugs  without physicians recommendations which in turn will have  other systemic effect. So kindly consult  your doctor  before stopping/ lowering the dose by your self.

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