What is High Cholesterol? High cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia, is due to high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol is a soft, waxy, fat-like substance which is found within the bloodstream and cells in the body. There are also alternative names used to describe high cholesterol; such as, dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia, and lipid disorder.
What causes it? Cholesterol levels rise with age, due to many different factors including hormonal changes, diet, lifestyle choices and general health. High blood cholesterol can run in families so genetic also plays a role.
What are my treatment options? There are two main ways to lower cholesterol, including lifestyle changes such as diet, physical activity, weight management and drug therapy.
Conventional approaches
The most common treatment for elevated cholesterol is statin medication (typically lipitor or crestor). Unfortunately these medications have unpleasant side effects. Muscle pain and muscle weakness are the most common. While these side effects sound ordinary enough, due to the manner in which statin side effects can act in the body they are potentially dangerous side effects of statin use and should be reported to your doctor if they arise. Another is memory loss. Anyone who is taking statin drugs for any reason should be aware of these side effects and their symptoms.
Natural alternative or complimentary options
For some, these medications are necessary. Fortunately for many they are not. Did you know that LDL or the "bad" cholesterol is actually an antioxidant with many important physiological roles within the body? High LDL cholesterol does not give you the whole picture; you also need to know the status of its sub-particles. For more information on the specialized testing that can be done to assess these sub-particles click here. This testing can be done by visiting either of the Naturopathic Doctors at KIH clinic.
Two of the most important natural options for lowering cholesterol if it is indeed a problem, includes dietary councelling and weight management. It's not just about cutting back on foods that contain cholesterol though, it's about eating the right type of foods and decreasubg the bad type of fat and carbohydrates. Many people do not realize that the food they thought was healthy for them, is actually working against them.
Both the Naturopathic Doctors and the Holistic Nutritionist at Kleinburg Integrative Health can assess you to determine whether or not you need to make nutritional changes to your diet and help you to loose weight if needed. Natural supplementation including vitamins, mineral and botanicals have also proven to be very effective in the treatment, management and prevention of this condition.
If you are looking for effective treatments for high cholesterol or cardiovascular disease and live in or near Vaughan, come visit us at KIH clinic. We are located in Kleinburg (Vaughan), Ontario, right in the heart of the Kleinburg village. Fill out the form to the right of this page and we will get right back to you promptly with up-to-date, accurate and useful information on the next best steps in the treatment of your condition/concern.
Resources:
Natural Standard Databases: http://naturalstandard.com.ezproxy.ccnm.edu/databases/conditions/all/condition-highcholesterol.asp