Before you battle cholesterol

Q: At my last physical, I had an LDL cholesterol reading of 142. My doctor wants to put me on a statin drug but I really don't want to go down that path. Are there any alternatives?

JVW: It's important to take your LDL cholesterol level into consideration with your other levels, such as your HDL ("good") cholesterol level, your triglycerides, and your C-reactive protein level.

If everything points to a real need to lower your cholesterol, there are some natural steps you can take. First, pay attention to lifestyle factors that can raise your good and lower your bad cholesterol levels, such as getting enough exercise and eating a diet that is low in carbohydrates and completely free of refined sugar. I also recommend incorporating niacin, chromium, and essential fatty acids into your nutrition plan as well. Since your levels are borderline, these simple steps might be enough to do the trick.

If not, one natural remedy that appears to work just as well as statins in most cases -- without the negative side effects -- is policosanol. I wrote a lengthy article on policosanol in the January 2002 Nutrition & Healing newsletter. Subscribers can look up for free in the on-line archives by visiting www.wrightnewsletter.com. What are...endorphins?

Endorphins are hormones produced by the pituitary gland that regulates pain.

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