SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – 40 percent of Americans over age 20 have high cholesterol and there are natural ways to lower it.
If your cholesterol is not too high, experts at the Berkley Wellness Letter recommend you try plant stanols and sterols to lower it. These compounds found in plants look like cholesterol so they interfere with the absorption of the cholesterol in your gastrointestinal tract.
2,000 milligrams a day can lower LDL, “bad” cholesterol, by 9 to 20 percent. The American Heart Association has recommended foods like some margarines and orange juice that have added sterols and stanols . You can search brands online. You can also buy supplements with stanols and sterols.
The FDA allows labels on foods and supplements to claim they reduce the risk of heart disease.
But never treat your high cholesterol on your own. Always discuss your options with your doctor.