Increased Cholesterol and Diet

Hi Dr Rajesh, Greetings from the BVI.

I am having a bit of a problem with my cholesterol level. One test rated me as having a 4.4 risk factor on a scale of 1 - 5.  I believe that you are the best person to consult with on any medical issue. About 14 years of my age, I had an operation in which a part of my colon was removed. One doctor told me that this did affect the elimination of fats.

I don't know anything about these matters. Please advise me soon. -Ishwar Deochand, Virgin Islands (UK).

My Response:

If your Doctors suggest that increased Cholesterol level is due to your Colon Surgery, it only means that your body is not able to throw out excess/ unnecessary fat. Stress is another factor where Fat Metabolism can be disturbed. But, whatever may be the reason for your increased Cholesterol, I have a few suggestions which will help you lower your Cholesterol naturally.

First thing you will need to understand is this Cholesterol. Cholesterol is a chemical name of the fat in which form it is stored/ gets circulated in your body. Circulating fat (also called as Lipid) gets transported in your blood with a Protein bond and together Cholesterol is otherwise known as Lipoprotein (Lipid + Protein). If the density of the Lipoprotein is higher means it takes less space and circulates easily in your blood (it is called Good Cholesterol or High Density Lipoprotein - HDL Cholesterol). If the Density is less, that means it takes more space and 'floats' in Blood (this is called Bad Chelesterol- Low Density/ Very Low Density Lipoprotein- LDL / VLDL Cholesterol).

In diet, if you depend on Red Meat, Eggs, Clarified/ heated Butter and fried food items- that will increase chances of having increased overall Cholesterol or Bad Chelesterol in your system. Increased Cholesterol is the leading cause of High Blood Pressure/ Hypertension, Heart Disease, Strokes and certain types of Cancer. So, it it is wise to limit or altogether remove many of the items I have already mentioned in this paragraph.

If you have recommended six daily servings of fruits and vegetables/ green salad- you can reduce the chances of having increased Cholesterol levels.

Regular dietary usage of fenugreek (methi) seeds and raw Garlic and Onion significantly lower the cholesterol levels.