Hypercholesterolemia

Diet and Nutrition: (references)

Eat foods high in fiber (significantly lowers cholesterol)
Reduce fat consumption, especially saturated fats (animal products) and oxidized fats like those found in fast food places (french fries and other fried foods)
Eat lots of garlic and onions
Eat complex carbohydrates, e.g., vegetables, beans and brown rice and avoid sucrose and all simple sugars (more important than fat reduction)
Consume more soy protein and less meat
Eat a diet high in cold water fish
Avoid hydrogenated oils and trans-fatty acids - use extra-virgin olive oil instead
Reduce, but don't eliminate alcohol from the diet, e.g., 1 glass of wine per evening
Drink more tea
Avoid milk and other dairy products
Eat more almonds and walnuts

Vitamins and Minerals: (references)

Beta-Carotene: 100,000 I.U.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 30 - 400 mg. TID in divided doses (increase slowly from 200 mg.) Do not use the time released form of niacin for Hypercholesterolemia
Vitamin B5: 600 - 1200 mg.
Vitamin B6: 50 mg.
Folate: 5 - 10 mg.
Vitamin C: 500 mg. TID
Vitamin E: 800 - 1600 I.U.
Selenium: 200 - 300 mcg.
Manganese: 5 - 20 mg.
Zinc: 30 mg. TID
Copper: 2 - 4 mg.
Magnesium (Aspartate form): 500 - 800 mg.
Chromium Aspartate: 200 - 500 mcg. (can use brewers yeast)

Supplements: (references)

Coenzyme Q10: 40 - 120 mg. in divided doses
Bromelain: 500 mg. BID (on an empty stomach)
L-Carnitine: 3 gm.
L-Arginine: 2 - 4 gm. BID
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: 2 - 5 gm. TID
Fiber: 20 - 45 gm. in divided doses accompanied with 12 ounces of water per dose
Garlic: 400 mg.
Red Yeast Rice (Monascus purpureus): 1200 mg. with 50 mg. Coenzyme Q10 2 times a day
EDTA: 2 - 3 gm. by mouth at bedtime

Botanicals: (references)

Formula - Medicago sativa (1), Salvia miltiorrhiza (1), Zingiber officinale (1), Crataegus oxycantha (2), Allium sativum (1), *Curcuma longa (1), Ginkgo biloba (1): take 1/4 tsp. TID

Homeopathic Remedies:

Atheroma:
Atheroma in elderly people:

(For an overview of Homeopathy, click here.)

Other Therapies: (references)

Some form of daily exercise (walking, cycling, yoga, etc.) increases HDL and lowers cholesterol and LDL
Reduce stress
*Rinse dishes very well - detergent dissolves fatty acids in cell membranes

Recommended Labs:

Check for Hypercholesterolemia: Lipid Panel, Apolipoprotein A1, Apolipoprotein B, Cardio CRP, Homocysteine
Rule out diabetes: Fasting Glucose, Fructosamine, Hemoglobin A1c

* The recommended use of this supplement or therapy is based on a physiological mechanism or empirical data and is not necessarily supported by peer-reviewed research studies.