How to lower and reduce cholesterol naturally without drugs or diets

Ever notice how sometimes we tend to make things more difficult than we need to?

I find this is especially true when it comes to our health.

If someone discovers a new "food of the gods" found deep in some far-away tropical jungle believed to help the local tribe members live to be 120 years old with practically zero health problems – that product will fly off the shelves! (Even though it has little-to-nothing to do with the locals longevity.)

Meanwhile, we tend to dismiss and shrug off some of the tried and true techniques because … well … they're just not new and sexy enough.

One of the oldest, yet most effective health tips you'll ever come across is…

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There's been a lot of hype and hoopla surrounding the recent announcement by the FDA about safety changes in labeling for cholesterol-lowering, statin drugs.

At first glance, it seems like a major 'victory' for those of us who have been warning of the dangers and risks of these medications for years.

I say that because the FDA has publicly acknowledged in a news release that unwanted cognitive (brain related) effects and increases in blood sugar levels have been reported with using statin drugs.

Finally!

We've known about the potential serious problem of memory loss while using statin drugs for years now.

So it seems like the FDA is finally recognizing the dangers of using these drugs, right?

I'm not so sure.

First off, they appear to go out of their way to try and mitigate the seriousness of these effects on users.

Regarding the cognitive effects, they add…

These reports generally have not been serious and the patients’ symptoms were reversed by stopping the statin.

I wonder…

Do you think the thousands upon thousands (millions?) of folks who have suffered memory loss and other cognitive dysfunction would agree that it wasn't serious?

Here's another excerpt that just so happens to be the first change mentioned in the release:

The drug labels have been revised to remove the need for routine periodic monitoring of liver enzymes in patients taking statins.

This change scares me and if you're considering one of these drugs … should scare you too.

What's especially troubling on this is the very next line where they say:

FDA now recommends that liver enzyme tests should be performed before starting statin therapy, and as clinically indicated thereafter.

So they still seem to recognize the importance of monitoring liver enzymes for statin users, but apparently the risk isn't high enough to make us aware of it on the labeling.

Anyone else have a problem with that?

Of course, there's another aspect to this story which I haven't seen discussed…

How many doctors will explain and discuss these reported side effects and risks with their patients before sending them out the door with a statin prescription?

That's why I encourage you to do your own research. Get the facts. And find ways how to lower cholesterol naturally before diving headfirst into one of these drugs.

Got a real good question from a subscriber a few days ago.

Here it is:

Hi Colin- Is stuff like ‘benecol’ actually margarine. Cheers

And here's my response…
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Great question!

First off, it doesn’t really matter if Benecol falls into the category of other margarines or not.

What it comes down to is this:

Is Benecol actually healthy for you? Is it a better choice than regular butter?

If you look at the list of ingredients for Benecol, you'll notice it has both partially hydrogenated soybean oil and hydrogenated soybean oil.

Both are trans fats!

Now get this…

Legally, they can still label it as 0 trans fats because it has less than .5 grams per serving.

And just in case you think I’m making this stuff up, this is from their own website FAQ’s:

If this product actually does anything for cholesterol, it’s because of the plant stanols.

But does it make sense to consume a product known to have trans fats just because it has plant stanols?

Why not take a high quality product with plant stanols and other good cholesterol-lowering ingredients … and eat butter instead?

That’s my two cents.

– Colin

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Even though I can't recommend Benecol…

Kudos to them for adding in plant stanols to their product. And for being so open and honest at their website about the inclusion of trans fats.

For more of my thoughts on this topic, you might want to see my article on butter versus margarine.

Ever look into your toilet bowl and wonder if what you're looking at means anything?

C'mon. We've all thought these things, right?

"Hmm, it looks so different today from yesterday. But WHY?"

It probably won't surprise you to hear that you can learn quite a bit about your health by taking a closer look at what your body is excreting.

Specifically, you can learn more about the health of your digestive system.

It was Hippocrates that said “all disease begins in the gut.”

If your digestive system is working properly … you'll have more energy, less disease and ailments, and just feel better.

What does a poorly functioning digestive system mean?

Trouble my friend. Big trouble.

Problems in the ole gut mean you're either already feeling bad or diseased … or heading directly down that path.

That's why all the tips you'll get from me on how to lower cholesterol are not just about helping you get better numbers on your next lipid profile.

Every tips is heart-friendly, liver-friendly, and good for the health of your digestive system as well.

That's why so many people report seeing unexpected benefits with things like diabetes, sex drive, and energy levels once they take care of their cholesterol problem the right way … the natural way.

You see, you're actually taking care of a whole lot more than just your cholesterol. (Pretty cool, huh?)

Anyhoo..

Without further adieu, here's a neat graphic from my friend Kimberly Snyder that should help answer a lot of your curiosity when it comes to interpreting your toilet bowl 'deposits'…

Source:What Your Poop and Pee Mean

I do want to point out one thing here…

I wouldn't necessarily get worked up over a change in your excrement as long as it's temporary.

But if you see something abnormal and it stays that way … it's probably a good idea to get in touch with your doctor pretty quick.

Again, the health of your digestive system isn't something to mess around with or take lightly.

Kapeesh?