How do i lower cholesterol without medication

Q: Can high cholesterol be cured without medication?

You can begin to reduce your bad LDL cholesterol naturally by making a few simple changes in your diet. If your cholesterol is creeping upward, your doctor has probably told you that diet and exercise—the traditional cornerstones of heart health—could help to bring it down.

5 tips to help reduce cholesterol and risk of heart disease

Unless you have been diagnosed with heart disease, medication doesn’t have to be your first choice for lowering high blood cholesterol. Simple lifestyle and nutritional changes can decrease your cholesterol — a high risk factor for heart disease.

Table of Contents Show

5 tips to help reduce cholesterol and risk of heart disease
5 tips to help reduce cholesterol and risk of heart disease
5 tips to help lower cholesterol without medication
Ways to lower your cholesterol
Eat less fatty food
Exercise more
Stop smoking
Cut down on alcohol
What is the fastest way to lower cholesterol without medication?
What reduces cholesterol quickly naturally?
How can I lower my cholesterol in 30 days without medication?
Can high cholesterol be cured without medication?

“I tell patients that they need to start somewhere,” says Brian Kim, MD, a family medicine physician at Scripps Coastal Medical Center Hillcrest.

“As you adopt lifestyle changes, you may be able to prevent the need for cholesterol-lowering statin medication. If you do still need to take medicine to get your cholesterol back on track, you might be able to lower your dose and the chance of side effects.”

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that the liver produces and performs many important functions in your body. Too much cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease, however.

Cholesterol comes from two sources. Your body naturally produces all the cholesterol it needs and circulates it through the blood. Cholesterol also is found in animal-based foods, including red meat and dairy products, that are high in saturated and trans fats. When you eat a lot of these foods, your liver produces more cholesterol than the body needs.

LDL cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein, is considered the “bad” cholesterol that can clog your arteries. HDL cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein, is the “good” cholesterol that helps remove LDL cholesterol and protects the arteries.

5 tips to help lower cholesterol without medication

Follow these five tips to help lower your cholesterol naturally.

1. Cut the saturated fat

Saturated fats found in beef and full-fat dairy foods can increase LDL cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease.

“Reduce your intake of butter, cheese, red meat and dark poultry. These products are loaded with saturated fat, which raises cholesterol,” Dr. Kim says.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the majority of fats in your diet should be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated, better known as the good fats. They can be found in nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil.

2. Eat more produce

“The closer you can get to being a vegetarian the better. Eating fruits and vegetables helps keep your appetite in check and has a protective effect against coronary heart disease.”

In other words, eating more fruits and veggies can help you live longer. Plant-based diets are full of heart healthy ingredients.

3. Consume soluble fiber

Soluble fiber can help remove LDL or bad cholesterol from your bloodstream. It can also help with your digestive health. Beans, oat cereals, prunes, beans, flaxseeds, barley, legumes, apples, citrus fruits, brussels sprouts, apricots and broccoli are all good sources.

4. Add fatty fish to the menu

Certain types of fish, such as wild salmon and sardines, are full of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower triglyceride levels, a type of fat that comes from foods, and reduce blood pressure. “Aim to incorporate fish high in omega-3 fats into your diet two times a week,“ says Dr. Kim. “Be mindful of how you prepare it, skipping rich sauces that could be full of saturated fat.”

Salmon and sardines are considered heart healthy fish to eat, so are trout, catfish, canned light tuna and tilapia. Make sure the fish you eat is low in mercury.

5. Reduce stress

In addition to regular exercise or physical activity and getting enough sleep, Dr. Kim recommends exploring other ways to reduce stress, including meditation.

“Chronic stress exposes your body to persistently elevated levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol, which can increase inflammation in the body and indirectly raise blood cholesterol levels,” Dr. Kim says. “To truly adopt a comprehensive program that will lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease, finding healthy ways to cope with stress is imperative.”

When to seek medical advice

If you are worried about your cholesterol level, have a thoughtful conversation with your primary care doctor about your overall risk for heart disease and develop a comprehensive program that promotes heart health.

Ways to lower your cholesterol

Eat less fatty food

To reduce your cholesterol, try to cut down on fatty food, especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat.

You can still have foods that contain a healthier type of fat called unsaturated fat.

Check labels on food to see what type of fat it has in it.

Try to eat more:

oily fish, like mackerel and salmon
brown rice, wholegrain bread and wholewheat pasta
nuts and seeds
fruits and vegetables

Try to eat less:

meat pies, sausages and fatty meat
butter, lard and ghee
cream and hard cheese, like cheddar
cakes and biscuits
food that contains coconut oil or palm oil

Exercise more

Aim to do at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise a week.

Some good things to try when starting out include:

walking – try to walk fast enough so your heart starts beating faster
swimming
cycling

Try a few different exercises to find something you like doing. You're more likely to keep doing it if you enjoy it.

Stop smoking

Smoking can raise your cholesterol and make you more likely to have serious problems like heart attacks, strokes and cancer.

If you want to stop smoking, you can get help and support from:

your GP
the NHS Stop Smoking Service – your GP can refer you or you can ring the helpline on 0300 123 1044 (England only)

They can give you useful tips and advice about ways to stop cravings.

Cut down on alcohol

Try to:

avoid drinking more than 14 units of alcohol a week
have several drink-free days each week
avoid drinking lots of alcohol in a short time (binge drinking)

Ask your GP for help and advice if you're struggling to cut down.

Page last reviewed: 13 July 2022
Next review due: 13 July 2025

What is the fastest way to lower cholesterol without medication?

People can naturally lower their cholesterol levels by adopting dietary and lifestyle changes. This can include changing the types of fats they eat, consuming soluble fiber, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, maintaining healthy body weight, limiting alcohol intake, and getting enough good-quality sleep.

What reduces cholesterol quickly naturally?

Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your LDL cholesterol.

How can I lower my cholesterol in 30 days without medication?

Reducing the amount of saturated fats (red meat and full-fat dairy products) and trans fats (store-bought cookies, crackers and cakes) in your diet may help reduce the "bad" cholesterol.

Can high cholesterol be cured without medication?

You can begin to reduce your "bad" LDL cholesterol naturally by making a few simple changes in your diet. If your cholesterol is creeping upward, your doctor has probably told you that diet and exercise—the traditional cornerstones of heart health—could help to bring it down.