When faced with the task of reducing cholesterol, you have a choice to go the natural route or go the pharmacological route.
Not every person that has high cholesterol will do well on "statin" drugs (drugs that lower cholesterol).
It helps to know what they are and how they work to make a decision on which route to take to bring the cholesterol levels down to a healthy number.
A statin drug works by keeping the body from producing cholesterol in abundance.
There are certain substances in the blood that makes the cholesterol and the statins will stop this substance from producing in the body.
Certain statins may also help the body to reduce the plaque buildup in the artery walls by reabsorbing it. This build-up can cause heart attacks and strokes.
While statins do help people to lower their cholesterol, they do have their side effects.
If someone has to take a statin and their cholesterol levels drop, they will more than likely have to continue to take them indefinitely.
The side effects include digestive issues and more series are the damage they can do to muscles and the liver.
When a patient takes statins they must be monitored for these series side-effects. Normally a simple blood test yearly or twice a year is all that is required.
Please note that statins may work alone some of the time it is always best, even when taking statins to also alter the lifestyle to include healthy changes and the breaking of unhealthy habits to help the body be as healthy as possible.
Natural means of lowering
cholesterol are obviously better for the body.
The smart choice is always to try to lower it with lifestyle changes
first before seeking pharmacological medications. Here are some methods for naturally lowering
cholesterol:
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