Taming Your Cholesterol
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
Updated: 20 hours ago
A Look at Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a wax-like substance in your body. You know how bad it is, but you do need some to produce various hormones, make vitamin D, build healthy cell membranes, and make bile acids for digestion. But there is a fine line. Too much cholesterol can not only harm but can kill you.
If you have never been told you have high cholesterol, you want to control it before it starts. If you have high cholesterol, you need to take care of it. You don't want much of this stuff floating around in your vessels. You really, really don't.
An important note: Although only 11% of adults have very high total cholesterol, more than half of U.S. adults have some form of dyslipidemia. LDL abnormalities alone affect nearly 100 million people. This includes high cholesterol, high LDL, high triglycerides, low HDL, and others. (1) (2)
All of these potentially lay the groundwork for heart disease and stroke.
If you are in your 30s (or older), you should get your cholesterol checked - especially if you have a family history, have loved red meat or pork all your life, eat a lot of fried foods, dabble in alcohol a "bit", have a lot of belly fat, or have been sedentary for a period of time. All of these are risk factors for high cholesterol.
Let's briefly look at cholesterol levels. Your primary care provider would order a standard cholesterol panel that looks at LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. LDL and triglycerides are the particles that contribute to plaque buildup inside your blood vessels, raising the risk of heart attack and stroke. These numbers are healthiest when they’re in the normal or low range.
HDL is the “good” cholesterol. Its job is to carry cholesterol away from your arteries and back to the liver, where it can be broken down and removed. Higher HDL generally means better protection.
Some people struggle with cholesterol because of genetics. Others develop issues through diet, weight, inactivity, smoking, or other lifestyle factors. No matter the cause, keeping your cholesterol in a healthy range is one of the most important things you can do for your heart and blood vessels.
Left unchecked, cholesterol buildup and atherosclerosis can narrow blood flow, weaken vessel walls, and set the stage for heart attacks, strokes, and other serious complications. Taming your cholesterol and managing your numbers early—and consistently—helps protect your heart in the long term.
I have met so many people who have high cholesterol and/or triglycerides and do not want to take statins, do not like them, or cannot tolerate them due to muscle aches and pains. I cannot stress enough how important it is to manage your cholesterol. It lines your blood vessels with plaque that can sometimes break off and travel to critical areas like the heart, lungs, and brain — or block vessels entirely, preventing blood from circulating where it needs to go. If you develop body aches and pains from your cholesterol medication (typically statins), speak to a healthcare provider about alternatives and consider trying CoQ10 — it may help with these side effects. Don't just stop your medication without discussing it with your provider first!
Otherwise, try these measures in conjunction with your medications (if you take statins or fibrates) — work with your PCP to see if your cholesterol is coming down. Some of these may help, but keep this in mind: if your cholesterol is genetic, it is harder to control with diet and supplements alone.
Foods to Tame-or Manage-Your Cholesterol
LDL‑Lowering Foods
Oats/oat bran — ↓ LDL (beta‑glucan fiber)
Barley — ↓ LDL
Beans/legumes — ↓ LDL
Flaxseed/chia seeds — ↓ LDL
Soy protein — ↓ LDL
Dark leafy greens — ↓ LDL (bind bile acids)
Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios) — ↓ LDL, ↑ HDL
Olive oil — ↓ LDL, ↑ HDL
Avocado — ↓ LDL, ↑ HDL
Plant sterols — ↓ LDL (block cholesterol absorption)
Vegetable oils (canola, corn, soybean)
Nuts
Seeds (sunflower, sesame)
Whole grains (wheat germ, bran)
Legumes
Avocados
Fruits & vegetables (small amounts)
Green tea — ↓ LDL (catechins)
Berries — ↓ LDL (polyphenols/flavonols)
Cruciferous vegetables — ↓ LDL (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts)
Dark chocolate — ↓ LDL (cocoa flavonols; low‑sugar)
Red Yeast Rice — ↓ LDL
Triglyceride‑Lowering Foods
Fatty fish (EPA/DHA) — ↓ triglycerides, ↑ HDL (salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, trout, tuna, anchovies)
High‑fiber foods — ↓ triglycerides (vegetables, legumes, whole grains)
Low‑added‑sugar fruits — ↓ triglycerides (berries, apples, citrus)
Nuts — ↓ triglycerides
Green tea — ↓ triglycerides
Flaxseed/chia seeds — ↓ triglycerides
HDL‑Increasing Foods
Olive oil — ↑ HDL
Nuts — ↑ HDL
Avocado — ↑ HDL
Fatty fish — ↑ HDL
Soy — ↑ HDL
Dark chocolate (70% and above)— ↑ HDL
Plaque‑Reducing / Artery‑Protective Foods
Berries — antioxidants reduce arterial stiffness
Grapes, apples, plums, raspberries, blueberries — polyphenols improve vessel function
Cruciferous vegetables — protect blood vessels.
Olive oil & olives — reduce oxidative stress
Nuts — support arterial lining.
Fatty fish — reduce inflammation & plaque progression
Whole grains — improve vascular health
Legumes — improve lipid profile.
Low‑fat dairy — supports cardiometabolic health.
Probiotic‑rich foods — improve lipid absorption & inflammation (yogurt, kefir, fermented foods)
Foods to Avoid if You Have High Cholesterol
Try to avoid these as much as possible. They can be packed with cholesterol! Fried foods, fatty or processed meats, full‑fat dairy, pastries with trans fats, refined carbs, added sugars, tropical oils, fast‑food items, and excess alcohol, as these raise LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
Supplements to Help You Manage Cholesterol
*Omega‑3 Fatty Acids (EPA/DHA – Fish Oil)
Benefits: Lowers triglycerides; reduces inflammation; supports plaque stability
*Magnesium (Citrate or Glycinate)
Benefits: May help reduce triglycerides slightly and slightly increase HDL (especially in those who are magnesium deficient).
*Plant Sterols / Stanols
From Food:
Some foods naturally contain high amounts of sterols: Vegetable oils (canola, corn, soybean, sunflower), nuts (almonds, pistachios, walnuts), seeds (sesame, sunflower),
whole grains (wheat germ, bran), and legumes (beans, lentils, peas). Moderate sources include avocados, fresh fruits (small amounts), and vegetables (small amounts)
From Supplements:
Benefits: These supplements reduce LDL cholesterol by 5–15% at 2 g/day (*) as mentioned in cholesterol‑management guidelines, Mayo Clinic; British Heart Foundation; NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
Some over-the-Counter products containing sterols and stanols include: -Nature Made CholestOff Plus is a plant sterol supplement. It is a top pick of ConsumerLabs (a very reputable third-party testing agency). If you would like to support this site and also receive a shipping discount, please order here.
-Flora ProActi Spreads, which is a margarine-like vegetable spread made from sterols
-Benacol is a soft spread margarine-like product made with stanols.
Sterols or stanols are natural compounds that help lower LDL cholesterol. National Lipid
Association (NLA) recommends that 2 grams/day of plant sterols or plant stanols can lower LDL by 8–10%. They specifically cite fortified foods (like Benecol and Flora ProActiv) and supplements (like CholestOff) as effective sources.
Red yeast rice is particularly helpful in managing cholesterol. It is made from a fungus/mold that has the same molecular make-up as lovastatin - a "statin" drug used to lower cholesterol (the prescription is Mevacor, to be precise). The FDA has strict labeling requirements for red yeast rice because, unlike the prescribed product, many over-the- counter supplements contain unreliable amounts of lovastatin, so a person really does not know what they are taking or how it will affect them in terms of cholesterol benefit and side effects. Moreover, some supplements contain citrinin, a toxic byproduct of the mold/fungus responsible for producing lovastatin.
Benefits: Lowers LDL 15–25% (contains monacolin K).
Evidence: Comparable to low‑dose statins, NCCIH; Mayo Clinic; FDA Consumer Safety Update.
*Beetroot
Benefits: Boosts nitric oxide, decreases vessel stiffness, and improves blood vessel dilation, thereby lowering blood pressure.
Evidence: NIH, BJN, AHA
Benefits: Improves LDL, triglycerides, blood sugar, and inflammation.
Evidence: Multiple RCTs (Frontiers in Pharmacology), Cleveland Clinic, NIH, botanical monographs.
*Vitamin K2 (MK‑7)
Benefits: Helps regulate calcium in the blood vessels, which is important: Arterial calcification is dangerous - it makes arteries stiff, narrow, and unable to deliver enough blood and oxygen, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. Evidence: Rotterdam Study + small RCTs, NIH ODS; Mayo Clinic.
Benefits: Modest reductions in blood pressure and LDL; may slow plaque progression. Evidence: Cochrane Review; small RCTs, NCCIH; Mayo Clinic.
Benefits: Supports cardiovascular health; deficiency increases cardiovascular risk— evidence: VITAL Trial (NEJM), NIH ODS; Mayo Clinic.
Hawthorn
Benefits: May mildly reduce cholesterol and also supports circulation and cardiac output; Improves exercise tolerance and symptoms in mild heart failure.
Evidence: Cochrane Review, NCCIH; Mayo Clinic.
*Psyllium fiber (i.e., Metamucil)
Benefits: Lowers LDL cholesterol; improves overall lipid profile
Evidence: FDA Federal Register
Turmeric/Curcumin
Benefits: Anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant that may help reduce cholesterol; supports vascular health
Evidence: PubMed
Green Tea Extract
Benefits: Green tea is rich in polyphenols that support endothelial (blood vessel) function, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and support healthy cholesterol levels.
Evidence: ScienceDirect
Fenugreek
Benefits: Contains soluble fiber and saponins, which may help reduce cholesterol absorption.
Evidence: Medical News Today
Benefits: Helps improve lipid metabolism, reducing LDL and triglycerides.
Evidence: PubMed
Cardamom
Benefits: May have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may benefit cholesterol.
Evidence: PubMed
Artichoke Extract
Benefits: Modest LDL reduction, improves cholesterol metabolism and vascular endothelial function, and supports vessel dilation, which may help lower blood pressure.
Evidence: British Journal of Nutrition, Hypertension (American Heart Association
journal), and the European Journal of Nutrition
Your Other Options...
A Look at Statins...
Please don't be that mom who comes into my clinic who tells me she has 5 young kids and super high triglycerides and is not doing anything about it!
Statins are medications your healthcare provider typically prescribes when your cholesterol is high and/or your cardiac calcium score shows plaque buildup. While we don't like being on prescription medications, sometimes we need them, and these almost always work. They may not reverse things much, but they can keep things from getting worse! Statins are some of the most researched heart‑health medicines available.
What Statins Do
Statins lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and they also reduce triglycerides to a modest degree. But their biggest benefits go beyond cholesterol.
Why and How Statins Protect the Heart
Statins help:
Reduce vascular inflammation
Improve endothelial function (blood vessel health)
Stabilize plaque so it’s less likely to rupture (when a blood vessel ruptures, a blood clot forms; blood clots cause BIG problems like strokes and heart attacks)
Reduce oxidative stress that damages arteries.
These effects are a major reason statins lower the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Common Statins
Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
Rosuvastatin (Crestor)
Simvastatin (Zocor)
Pravastatin (Pravachol)
Lovastatin (Mevacor / Altoprev)
Fluvastatin (Lescol)
Side Effects from Statins
Some people are very concerned about the side effects or do have side effects from statins. Actually, most people tolerate statins very well, but like any medication, they can cause side effects. Here is a list of potential side effects:
Common Statin Side Effects
These are the ones people notice most often.
Muscle aches or soreness: Usually mild. Often improves with dose adjustment, switching statins, or taking CoQ10.
Fatigue or low energy: Can occur early on; often fades over time.
Digestive issues: Mild nausea, constipation, or stomach upset.
Headache: Typically short‑term.
Less Common Side Effects
These happen in a smaller percentage of people.
Muscle inflammation (myositis): More serious than simple soreness; rare.
Liver enzyme elevation: Usually mild and reversible; monitored with blood tests.
Sleep changes: Some people report vivid dreams or insomnia.
Memory fog or “brain haze”: Uncommon and usually reversible.
Rare but Serious Side Effects
These are uncommon but important for readers to know.
Rhabdomyolysis: Severe muscle breakdown; extremely rare.
Severe liver injury: Very rare; statins are considered safe for the liver overall.
High blood sugar: Small increase in diabetes risk in predisposed individuals.
If you are on statins and feel you are struggling with these side effects, don't just come off your medication unless you are suffering severe side effects. Speak to a healthcare provider. They may do one of several things for example, begin with a lower dose and increase gradually to help your body adjust; change to a different statin; change to taking it at night; check and correct vitamin D levels; add CoQ10; check for interactions with other medications; and check your diet (no grapefruit juice!); or they may even consider very other day dosing. There are plenty of things that can be done.
What About Statins, Alcohol, and Liver Concerns?
Many people worry that taking a statin while drinking alcohol will “overload” the liver. It’s a common fear, but the evidence shows that statins are very safe for the liver, even in people who drink moderately. Most liver issues linked to statins involve mild, temporary changes in liver enzymes — not liver damage.
Alcohol does affect the liver, but the combination of moderate drinking + statins is usually safe. The real concern is heavy or chronic alcohol use, because that already stresses the liver.
Because of potential liver effects, providers often check liver function tests along with cholesterol levels.
Safety Reminder
These supplements can support cardiovascular health, but they do not replace prescribed medications or individualized medical care. Some might also interact with your current medications or other supplements. Always review supplements with your clinician or a pharmacist, especially if you take heart or blood‑thinning medications.
Other Options-
Any Other Options?
You don't want to get to this point...
Angioplasty + Stent Placement - Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) - Atherectomy (using a device to remove plaque)
