Modern medical research and scientific advancements have provided numerous bodily conveniences but have also introduced several mental and spiritual issues. Although the discovery of modern medicines has helped alleviate many physical problems, the potential side effects of these drugs have led to additional health issues.
The primary goal of treatment and medication is to keep an individual healthy and well-balanced physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Today, many healthcare providers have adopted a drug-prescribing approach. This is why only a fortunate person can manage their daily routine without taking multiple medications. Ideally, treatment and medication should aim to eliminate diseases, but in our context, while doctors emphasize the use of medicines, they rarely advise on the beneficial and effective use of diet.
According to medical experts, medications function like mechanics, repairing and restoring the functions of bodily organs. In contrast, daily food provides us with energy and is responsible for correcting many common bodily issues, though excessive or inadequate intake of certain nutrients can lead to dangerous and debilitating diseases, such as cholesterol, uric acid, and diabetes.
Experts in nutrition say that consuming a balanced, proportionate, and nutritious diet according to seasonal demands plays a crucial role in maintaining health, youthfulness, and beauty.
It is up to us to decide whether to remain healthy or invite diseases through our food choices. Our diet contains all the essential elements that keep our bodies healthy, while deficiencies or excesses of these elements can lead to dangerous conditions. For example, imbalances in cholesterol levels can lead to serious health issues.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a fatty, soft, and pliable substance essential in specific amounts for maintaining health. However, excessive cholesterol can deposit on the walls of blood vessels (arteries), causing them to narrow and harden. Cholesterol is commonly found in our diet, including fast foods, processed foods, cold drinks, cheese, eggs, meat, liver, brain, trotters, and fried items.
There are two main types of cholesterol: beneficial and harmful. High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is considered beneficial and is essential for the chemical composition and health of human blood. HDL is produced in the liver and small intestine, helping to mature blood and transport excess cholesterol back to the liver, where it is eliminated through bile and stool. HDL helps to protect against harmful cholesterol.
Harmful cholesterol is Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL), which thickens the blood and narrows the arteries, leading to kidney disease, stroke, brain hemorrhage, high blood pressure, and heart disease. For men, an HDL level of 36 to 45 mg is considered appropriate, while for women, it is 40 to 60 mg. It is generally believed that women naturally have higher HDL levels, reducing their risk of heart disease compared to men. Men should not have LDL levels exceeding 130 mg. LDL levels between 130 and 160 mg are treatable and less risky, while levels above 160 mg can lead to severe health issues.
In addition to LDL, Triglycerides are another type of fat that can cause artery narrowing and blood clots. High levels of triglycerides, which contribute to obesity, are dangerous. In a healthy person, triglyceride levels should be between 100 and 150 mg, though levels up to 200 mg can also be acceptable for some.
Dietary Strategies to Manage Cholesterol
Incorporating appropriate amounts of black pepper, carom seeds, jujube, garlic, onions, psyllium, aloe vera, tomatoes, pomegranates, and ginger into your daily diet can significantly help manage cholesterol levels. A mixture of 100 grams each of garlic, ginger, and mint, 10 grams of black pepper, and 10 grams of green chilies, ground into a paste, can be used twice daily in water or yogurt. Consuming one gram of ginger and three to five crushed garlic cloves with half a teaspoon of pure honey and two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar on an empty stomach can also help reduce excess body fats.
Drinking a tea made from one tablespoon of ginger and half a teaspoon of carom seeds boiled in a cup of water yields excellent results. Soaking 7 to 10 jujube fruits and 2 to 3 dried plums in water overnight, straining the water, and drinking it in the morning can also help lower cholesterol.
Cutting an aloe vera leaf, sprinkling it with black salt, and letting it sit in a clean container overnight can be consumed in the morning. Using herbal extracts such as cinnamon, celosia, fennel, comfrey, rose, and rice bran oil, either alone or in combination, on an empty stomach can help manage cholesterol levels. Only one or two extracts should be used at a time. Mixing 50 grams each of dried ginger, pomegranate seeds, mint, and 20 grams of black pepper into a powder and consuming it twice daily with warm water after meals is also beneficial. Adding onion and tomato salad to your lunch is recommended.
Home Remedies for Cholesterol Management
Including raw vegetables, seasonal fruits, fruit juices, and pulses in your daily diet helps manage high cholesterol. It is often observed that patients diligently follow medication and dietary restrictions but neglect exercise and walking, leading to persistent health issues.
Dietary and Lifestyle Recommendations
First and foremost, eliminating the use of table salt is crucial, as it not only hardens the arteries but also narrows blood vessels. Black salt is a better alternative, as it softens arteries and improves blood flow. Avoiding smoking is also necessary, as nicotine in tobacco thickens the blood and increases the risk of several harmful diseases. Similarly, avoiding the use of hydrogenated fats in cooking is advisable, as they harden the arteries and accelerate blood clotting. Although some consider cooking oil safer, the chemicals added during processing can be even more harmful. Using moderate amounts of ghee, olive oil, mustard oil, flaxseed oil, and sesame oil is beneficial.
Consuming pure milk, yogurt, butter, and ghee in moderation is not harmful. Patients with high cholesterol should avoid fast foods, processed foods, meat, eggs, rice, cold drinks, bakery products, cheese, liver, brain, trotters, and heavy foods.
Incorporating vegetables such as bottle gourd, peas, tomatoes, cabbage, moringa flowers, radishes, turnips, carrots, split mung beans, black and white chickpeas, poultry meat, and fish in appropriate amounts is beneficial. Citrus fruits rich in Vitamin C are essential for the body. Citrus fruits include oranges, grapefruits, and lemons. Eating apples, guavas, pomegranates, and papayas with black salt and black pepper, and drinking a mixed juice of carrots, apples, pomegranates, and oranges, is excellent for maintaining health.
Choosing and consuming balanced, proportionate, and nutritious foods, along with a healthy lifestyle, is the key to good health. Exercise and morning walks are the most affordable and effective remedies. Activities like yoga, swimming, cycling, and horseback riding contribute to health maintenance. Exercise stimulates metabolism, enhancing digestion and the body’s ability to process food. Proper digestion supports intestinal health and helps prevent constipation. Regular exercise improves blood circulation, ensuring that oxygen reaches every part of the body. It is essential to exercise or walk during daylight since oxygen intake is linked to sunlight. Exercising at night, due to the lack of oxygen, is less effective as carbon dioxide levels increase and oxygen is insufficient.