FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

Can Cholesterol drugs lower your sex drive?

(Keywords: FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL, Bernard Preston, apple diet, Erectile dysfunction, Eggplant recipes, oats, garbanzo beans)

"I have taken statins to lower my cholesterol. Decreased libido was one of the many side effects I experienced. As things happen gradually, I hadn't fully taken note of how my normal nighttime erections had virtually ceased.

I figured my lack of sexual interest was due to getting older. My wife felt I wasn't as interested in her anymore.

During the first week after I stopped the statin, I had a sexual awakening like I was a teenager again. I didn't realise how far I had deteriorated until my libido came roaring back!"

Statins like Lipitor and Lovastatin do contribute to sexual difficulties, and research confirms it. An article in "Drug Safety" July 1, 2009, concludes:

" Despite some methodological limitations, the present study suggests that statins may induce or worsen ED in accordance with other data."

Drug Safety: Statins and Erectile dysfunction...

People's Pharmacy: Do Cholesterol drugs sap sex drive?

This comes as no surprise as most hormones have a high cholesterol component, so drugs reducing cholesterol are likely to interfere with normal hormone production. It remains unexplained but this probably is also the underlying cause of a higher rate of violent death in persons taking statins, than those using natural methods to lower their cholesterol.

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CHOLESTEROL - a personal journey of discovery

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

• Give up your love of animal fat, OR

• Accept that foods that lower cholesterol are a non-option.

Taking statins may be the third option for you, but I refuse to start down that road. My sexuality, and a host of other factors are too important to me...

And so began my personal search for a healthy blood cholesterol profile, without denying my love of food. And without swallowing pills to lower cholesterol.

For me it's not been difficult. I continue to pig out on butter and mutton (in the Netherlands, personally I don't like the beef and pork - as someone South African born, I've been spoilt rotten there) and rich Dutch cheeses. But I've added foods that lower cholesterol to our mutton stew, so that I can continue to indulge myself! And my cholesterol is "dangerously low"! I'm joking of course, but it's well within normal limits. 164 mg/dL (4.2 mmol/L). Anything below 200 is good.

BERNIE'S SEVEN CHOLESTEROL PRIORITIES

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

APPLE DIET

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

It's no old wives' tale that an apple-a-day-keeps-the-doctor-away. Research confirms that eating 2-3 apples per day (including the apple skins) reduces the toxic LDL in the blood by 10%. To some extent this is probably true of all fruit. EAT MORE FRUIT. APPLE DIET ...



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FATTY FISH

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

There is now overwhelming evidence that the omega-3 oils in fatty fish have a healthy effect on your LDL cholesterol (Low density), that which has a dangerous effect on blood vessels, whilst not lowering the healthy friendly High density HDLs.

Mackerel, salmon, herring... even mussels, extremely high in antioxidants that prevent cancer, which get some bad press have less than half the cholesterol of red meat that's been trimmed of all fat. We recommend recipes for mussels highly, but do use only fresh mussels... RECIPES FOR MUSSELS ...

WAYS TO COOK SALMON ...

MACKEREL RECIPES ...




"Nature is relentless and unchangeable, and it is indifferent as to whether its hidden reasons and actions are understandable to man or not."

Galileo (16th century)




What does the research have to say?

Ann Intern Med (August 3, 2010).

Researchers divided 307 seriously obese people with an average BMI of 36 into two groups who followed two quite different diets:

1. Low-fat diet

2. Low-carb diet

Both groups lost a similar amount of weight: 18kg over two years. But... in every other respect the low-carb group did better: lower blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides levels, and most important a raised beneficial cholesterol, HDL, astonishingly 23% better.








EGGPLANT RECIPES

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

Formerly, the consequences of raised cholesterol were not understood but now the hidden benefits and actions of many foods are well understood, and behoves us to take note... or else, nature is unforgiving.

The eggplant / aubergine / brinjal fruit has dramatic cholesterol-lowering properties. Researchers in Brazil are trying to develop an extract to make into a drug, but isn't it more sensible to indulge in delicious eggplant recipes ...? EGGPLANT RECIPES ...

More aubergine recipes ...

BABA GHANOUSH ... my favourite eggplant recipe, made in ten minutes.






CHOLESTEROL AND ALCOHOL

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

The good news is that a glass of red wine a day reduces blood cholesterol. However, if you're a non-drinker, I wouldn't start with red wine. There are dangers associated with alcohol, just as there are with cholesterol. CHOLESTEROL ALCOHOL ...



EXERCISE AND CHOLESTEROL

And cholesterol is of course also reduced by exercise. Considering walking benefits is surely a better option than risking Erectile Dysfunction. Walking has 10 000 benefits, but which of us thought it would save men from the most awful of afflictions, loss of libido. A bicycle, the swimming pool... choose something. It'll help your back too, reduced the chance of osteoporosis, less depression... incredible benefits of exercise. EXERCISE AND CHOLESTEROL ...

WALKING BENEFITS ...



OATS every day!

Oats is listed high up there amongst those foods proven to lower cholesterol. If you love butter like I do, then you really have no option. Oats, I have it every day, like my back exercises, I NEVER miss.




HUMMUS

Hummus is relatively high in healthy fat because of the olive oil and sesame paste but, because of its high soluble fibre and sterols content, it's listed up there with the other super foods that lower cholesterol. No need to worry about the calories in hummus, and if you do, then make it yourself, and use less olive oil. It only takes 4 minutes to make... of course, preparing the garbanzo beans (chickpeas) takes a little longer!

The garbanzo bean is the most popular legume in the whole world. It's no coincidence, and we too should be eating them regularly. They are a dirt cheap form of protein. CALORIES IN HUMMUS ...

FAT

But get most of your fat from:

• Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel.

• Two fruits: the olive and the avocado.

• Nuts, and especially the Walnut.

• Crushed linseed.

These are the foods that are high in Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids and Omega-3. These are the fats that will save your life.

HIGH CHOLESTEROL?

FOODS THAT LOWER CHOLESTEROL

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