If you have high cholesterol, first of all, you’re not alone. Secondly, it’s important to know what’s causing your elevated cholesterol levels.
What I’ve noticed with cholesterol is that if it’s elevated but your triglycerides are normal, chances are that stress is the cause. But if your triglycerides are up and your cholesterol is up, you should look at your sugar intake or your thyroid.
Now, there are medications such as statins that can lower your cholesterol, but these won’t help too much if stress is causing your high cholesterol and your triglycerides are normal. Also, cholesterol medication often causes low libido in men.
All that being said, what I have found in practice is that along with limiting your sugar intake, incorporating the following 3 foods into your diet every day can reduce cholesterol levels by as much as 40%.
½ red apple
There are many wonderful antioxidants, but the apple is the best antioxidant. Apples are also rich in dietary fiber, flavonoids, and other nutrients.
One of the things I’ve learned along the way, however, is that fruit can cause a fatty liver. And an article from the American Heart Association in 2011 said that if you have high triglycerides, you might want to back off on fruit. So it’s for those reasons that I recommend just a half of an apple a day.1
You may also be wondering, “why red and not green?” I’ve learned in my studies as a natural health doctor that green apples can stagnate digestion.2 So instead of a green apple, I recommend going for a red apple like a Fuji, honeycrisp, or red delicious.
⅓ cup beet fiber
Fiber is an important for managing your cholesterol levels and heart health, regardless of whether you have elevated triglyceride levels. Beets are high in dietary fiber and other key nutrients that help the heart, liver, and brain.
I recommend 1/3 cup of beet fiber a day. The best sources to get this fiber from are organic raw grated or baked beets.
1 medium carrot
Carrots are also great for the heart and digestion, among other things. They are rich in fiber, beta-carotene, antioxidants, and other vitamins and minerals.
Medium carrots are probably better for you because those small carrots you buy in the store often contain chlorine. Adding a medium carrot to an apple and beet completes Dr. Bob’s ABCs to lower your cholesterol and improve overall health!
About Dr. Bob DeMaria
Bob DeMaria is a chiropractor and natural health doctor with over 40 years of experience helping patients without prescribing drugs. He is the founder of The Drugless Doctors, a chiropractic and nutrition-based practice with locations in Ohio and Florida. Dr. Bob is also the author of 10 Books, including ‘Dr. Bob’s Guide to a Healthy Marriage’. To learn more, visit his website at druglessdoctor.com.
Sources:
1. “Triglycerides: Frequently Asked Questions.” American Heart Association. Heart.org.
2 Sharma, Hari, Rama K. Mishra, & James G. Meade. “The Answer to Cancer: Is Never Giving It a Chance to Start.” (New York, NY: Select Books, 2002).
