How to lower the cholesterol and triglyceride levels naturally? In India, Ayurveda provides several natural remedies to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. The most important thing about these Ayurvedic home remedies is that they are completely natural and do not have any side effects.
These home remedies are easy to prepare at home and cost-effective if you can properly follow the simple instructions given below. Here is how you can start using them to prevent high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Why is High Cholesterol and Triglyceride a Problem?
High cholesterol is a risk factor for many life-threatening diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. High triglyceride levels are also associated with some of these same chronic health conditions. In fact, high LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) (bad) cholesterol is one of the most common risk factors for coronary heart disease.
[What Does Your Cholesterol Ratio Say?]
Therefore, it is important to have a low level of cholesterol and triglycerides to live a healthy life. Fortunately, plenty of Ayurvedic treatments to manage cholesterol can be used at home. If you want your diet plan to be successful, here are four ayurvedic diet tips to help you reach your goals.
How Can Ayurveda Help in Reducing the Cholesterol Levels?
The ancient Indian practice of Ayurveda is an excellent way to bring balance back into our lives by looking at all aspects of our health, not just symptoms. The principles of Ayurveda, an ancient system of medicine and holistic healing, is based on a deep understanding that the human body has the innate ability to heal itself if given proper support.
Treatments such as massage therapy, herbal supplements, yoga, or ayurvedic diet tips can be helpful for those who want to manage their cholesterol and triglycerides levels naturally. In addition, Ayurvedic herbs and spices may also be beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels. For example, garlic has been found to have properties that reduce LDL (low-density lipoprotein) while increasing HDL (high-density lipoprotein).
Other traditional ayurvedic treatments for cholesterol include ginger root and pippali fruit which act as natural antioxidant agents. Turmeric, cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamom pods, and coriander powder are other Ayurveda herbs and spices that may help manage your triglyceride level.
#1. Diet Changes
It is important to consume foods high in antioxidants, vitamins A and E, and omega-3 fatty acids and avoid refined sugars, hydrogenated oils, and trans fats.
Ayurveda follows a way of life that does not include extremes or excessive activity. An Ayurvedic diet should have foods from each dosha (elements).
When balancing cholesterol levels, it is recommended to follow an ayurvedic diet rich in raw vegetables and fruits like papaya, mangoes, strawberries, etc.
[ Healthy Food Swaps for A Low Cholesterol Diet ]
#2. Ayurvedic Massage
Ayurvedic massages like pizhichil, tharpanam, and Thai yoga massage are especially helpful in lowering cholesterol levels.
Pizhichil is a type of Ayurvedic body massage where oil is applied to the feet, and then it is massaged up through the legs towards the pelvis.
Tharpanam includes hot oil massage on specific areas of the body as well as stretching.
Thai Yoga Massage techniques focus on different energy channels throughout the body rather than working only on one area at a time. It helps in increasing blood circulation, removal of toxins, and provides relief from stress.
#3. Practice Yoga
Consuming too much alcohol or red meat can lead to elevated triglyceride levels in the blood. Regular exercise helps lower triglyceride levels because it increases insulin sensitivity and leads to weight loss.
[ The Connection Between Yoga and Ayurveda ]
These two factors result in decreased fat production, healthier liver function, increased muscle tone, and improved heart health. Besides these things, yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation have also been found to regulate cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
There are many simple yogic exercises that you can do with relative ease at any point during the day without having to go out of your way. Some postures involve inverted poses such as shoulder stand, headstand, or lotus posture, wherein more pressure will be put on the abdominal organs, helping them function better.
Ayurvedic Tips to Regulate Cholesterol
In Ayurveda, an individual's diet is important for maintaining good health and keeping a healthy body weight. Here are some Ayurvedic tips on how you can manage your cholesterol:
- Drink plenty of water. Drinking water forces your liver and kidneys to flush out excess fats from the bloodstream.
- Eat a healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruits, grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and herbs. Avoid meats, sugars, and foods with saturated fat or trans fat. Limit intake of fried foods. [Indian Sattvic Diet Plan for Weight Loss]
- Practice regular exercise like walking at least 30 minutes every day as well as do yoga postures such as a downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), standing forward bend (Pashchima Uttanasana), and cow pose (Bitilasana). These exercises help keep elevated levels of triglycerides under control.
- Add garlic to your meals or chew 2 cloves of garlic in the morning. Garlic is said to have anti-bacterial properties, which help eliminate toxins from the system.
- Cinnamon is a fantastic spice that when added to food regulates helps regulate the sugar levels in the body by regulating insulin production and glucose metabolism in cells, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce arthritic pain and inflammatory bowel diseases.
- Take half a teaspoon of trikatu (dry ginger, long pepper, and black pepper) with honey before meals.
- Take turmeric milk daily after dinner. Turmeric is known to manage levels of LDL or bad cholesterol while increasing HDL or good cholesterol in the bloodstream. It is effective in treating certain types of cancer as well as reducing inflammation due to arthritis and other conditions.
- Adding a dash of asafoetida powder while cooking is also essential. Asafoetida also helps reduce LDL cholesterol and is thought to be effective in preventing gallstones. Add tiny amounts of cumin to food boosts the benefits of using asafoetida.
- Some people who want to limit their salt intake should consider adding cumin, coriander, and cardamom when they cook instead of adding salt. The whole spices will lose their flavor after being cooked for too long, so add them to the cooking at the right time.
Conclusion
Ayurvedic home remedies include eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, and avoiding fried and fatty foods. An Ayurveda practitioner can also prescribe additional treatments such as herbal pills or oils to help manage your triglyceride levels.
Start by adding more nutrient-dense food to your diet. Adopt ayurvedic home remedies for managing triglycerides, such as drinking ginger. You can also take these herbal medicines in capsule form: Black pepper, Boswellia, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and turmeric. Avoid eating too many foods with saturated fat because it will raise lipids in the blood.