Understanding Hyperlipidemia and Herbal Products that Help Overcome It
Sabtu, 05 Oktober 2019
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High levels of fat or lipids in the blood can cause a person to experience hyperlipidemia, which includes high cholesterol and high triglycerides. This condition is generally not accompanied by symptoms, however, for those of you who don't live a healthy lifestyle and rarely exercise, this disease is worth watching out for.
To confirm the hyperlipidemic condition, a blood test called a lipid profile or lipid panel examination must be performed. Through this examination, it can be known as cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood.
What is hyperlipidemia and its causes
Hyperlipidemia means high levels of lipids or fats in the blood, which consists of triglycerides and cholesterol. Cholesterol is further divided into two, namely good cholesterol (HDL-High Density Lipoprotein) and bad cholesterol (LDL-Low Density Lipoprotein).
Triglycerides mainly come from extra calories obtained from foods such as dairy products, fructose, and alcohol. Meanwhile, cholesterol can be produced by the liver but also obtained from foods that contain fat. like cheese, eggs, and meat.
Someone said to have high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) if the total amount of cholesterol is more than 200 mg / dL. The amount of triglycerides is also said to be high if the level in the blood exceeds 200 mg / dL.
People who are overweight, consume lots of fatty foods, consume alcohol, and rarely exercise, have a higher risk for developing hyperlipidemia.
Supplements for Hyperlipidemia
Taking supplements can be one way to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. Some herbal medicines that can function as supplements to help reduce cholesterol levels include:
Barley
Based on a study, Barley was able to be one of the supplements to reduce total cholesterol levels. Also, Barley can reduce levels of bad cholesterol or LDL in the blood.
Spinach
A study found that spinach extract has the potential to act as an antioxidant and can be useful to help relieve hyperlipidemia. However, this potential still needs to be further investigated in humans to be able to clearly know the benefits.
Pineapple
The content of bromelain in pineapple is known to have many uses. One of them is its ability to break down cholesterol in the blood and prevent clogging of blood vessels due to cholesterol plaque.
Artichoke extract
Artichoke extracts obtained from leaves, stems, or roots are often used for various treatments including reducing cholesterol levels.
Fish oil
Consumption of fish oil containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), namely omega 3 (EPA and DHA), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), namely omega 6 and omega 9, if balanced with healthy lifestyle changes, can be overcome hyperlipidemia because it can reduce levels of triglyceride fat in the blood.
Read: Be Careful, Less Fiber Can Bring Disease
Green Tea Extract
A study shows that green tea can reduce bad cholesterol levels and raise good cholesterol levels. This may be because the polyphenol content found in green tea can prevent cholesterol from being absorbed by the intestine while helping to get rid of it.
Although there are studies that have shown the efficacy of these natural ingredients to help lower cholesterol levels, further research is still needed on how they work, their effectiveness, and their safety level.
Change Lifestyle
Seeing the risk factors for hyperlipidemia, then another way that can be done to prevent and overcome this disease is to change your lifestyle to be healthier.
These lifestyle changes can be made by:
Limit fatty foods
Reducing the consumption of fatty foods, especially foods that contain saturated fat and trans fat. Some types of foods that should be limited include fried foods, fatty red meat, sausages, smoked meats, ice cream, chocolate, butter, potato chips, popcorn, biscuit cakes, and various fast foods.
Eat healthy food
Eat foods that are rich in fiber, such as various types of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and fish. Then also limit the consumption of foods and drinks that contain sugar so that cholesterol levels in the blood can go down to 10%.
Doing exercise regularly
At least take about 40 minutes to exercise, 3 to 4 times a week, can reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Control your weight
Being overweight or obese tends to be able to increase cholesterol levels in the blood. Therefore, it is recommended to lose weight so that cholesterol levels in the blood can be controlled properly.
Quit smoking
Smoking also seems to affect the amount of cholesterol in the blood. Avoid it and stop smoking so that the risk of hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol can be minimized.
Applying a healthy lifestyle and taking supplements may be a step to overcome hyperlipidemia. However, if this method cannot also overcome the hyperlipidemia suffered, your doctor may recommend cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statin drugs, such as simvastatin, or cholestyramine and beta-sitosterol, so that cholesterol can be controlled properly. Also, you should also use supplements through a doctor's consultation.
