Natural Health: How can I reduce my cholesterol?

Eating two apples a day can lower cholesterol by as much as 16%

There’s a history of high cholesterol on both sides of my family. My LDL level had increased at my last blood test, even though I’m careful with my diet. I’m in my late 30s and generally in good health. Is there a remedy to keep my cholesterol under control?

Watching your diet is essential, but you may need additional support.

Doctors used to focus on reducing LDL (low-density lipoprotein) levels until they discovered that raising HDL (high-density lipoprotein) levels, alongside LDL reduction, was more beneficial. The HDL cholesterol helps to clean the blood vessels, removing excess LDL cholesterol so it can be processed in the liver.

The best way to maintain a good HDL-to-LDL cholesterol ratio and minimise your risk of heart problems is to cut down or eliminate fatty dairy products and meat, avoid highly processed and refined food, and stay active to regulate your weight. A little exercise daily is far more effective than sporadic bouts of well-intentioned mega-workouts.

Vitamin C is a great nutrient to help with cholesterol, so get 3,000mg daily in 500mg increments. Eating oily fish or taking an essential fatty acid supplement improves HDL (‘good’) cholesterol levels and decreases LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol levels.

Psyllium husks, pictured, can also lower cholesterol by 10%. Take one or two tablespoons mixed well in a large glass of water, or apple juice, daily and drink it immediately.

Apples, particularly the skins, contain the bioflavonoid quercetin, which is why eating two apples a day can lower cholesterol by as much as 16%.

Even people who lead an otherwise healthy lifestyle are at increased risk of heart problems if they do not deal with stress. Yoga, Qi gong, and meditation are common choices, but simply taking time out and doing things that make you feel happy will reduce stress.

My mum, who is in her 80s, often gets indigestion after eating dinner. She no longer eats beef, which helps. I’ve heard about digestive enzymes. Are they advisable for her age group?

You are correct that our levels of digestive enzymes decrease rapidly as we age, leading to digestion and nutrient-absorption issues. Digestive enzymes are recommended for this age group—just make sure that your mother starts with a low dose and slowly increases to the full recommended dose.

Food combining, where foods are eaten according to their digestion time, can also solve indigestion issues.  Combining foods with similar digestion times helps with proper nutrient utilisation and assimilation.

Proteins need an acidic environment for digestion and carbohydrates and fats are broken down efficiently in alkaline conditions. A meal requiring acid and alkali enzymes can compromise the digestive process.

The most straightforward workaround is for your mother to alternate her meals so that sometimes she eats her vegetables with starchy carbs (such as potato or rice) and other times she eats vegetables with some meat.

Fruits are digested quickly, which means they ferment while sitting in the stomach, waiting for slow-digesting foods to leave. The fermatation can result in flatulence and indigestion. Eating fruit separately from other foods is best, ideally on an empty stomach.

It is also wise to limit fruit consumption to only one or two different fruits at a time and always eat melons alone.

It is not always possible to eat in such a restricted or regimented manner, but keeping these suggestions in mind, as guidelines rather than strict rules, should help reduce the likelihood of indigestion issues.

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• NOTE: The information contained in this column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.