Naturally Lower Cholesterol with Alternative Medicine
High cholesterol can be treated by a variety of western medical approaches, such as statin drugs, but there are often serious unwanted side effects and unclear benefits. Traditional Chinese Medicine offers a safe, natural alternative that can be used in conjunction with regular checkups to manage your cholesterol levels.
Chinese herbs can help you lower cholesterol naturally without the use of pharmaceuticals. If you are already on cholesterol lowering drugs, you have the option to address the root causes of your high cholesterol naturally. This may lead to being able to reduce or eliminate taking cholesterol lowering drugs if you work with your doctor while being treated by us.
In Chinese medicine, I like to class high cholesterol in the following 3 stages, each stage presents slightly differently and we use slightly different herbs to address high cholesterol depending on your case.
High cholesterol can be treated by a variety of western medical approaches, such as statin drugs, but there are often serious unwanted side effects and unclear benefits. Traditional Chinese Medicine offers a safe, natural alternative that can be used in conjunction with regular checkups to manage your cholesterol levels.
Chinese herbs can help you lower cholesterol naturally without the use of pharmaceuticals. If you are already on cholesterol lowering drugs, you have the option to address the root causes of your high cholesterol naturally. This may lead to being able to reduce or eliminate taking cholesterol lowering drugs if you work with your doctor while being treated by us.
In Chinese medicine, I like to class high cholesterol in the following 3 stages, each stage presents slightly differently and we use slightly different herbs to address high cholesterol depending on your case.
Three Stages of High Cholesterol
Mildy High Cholesterol: Stage 1 is Dampness
Your cholesterol is starting to creep up, and you may have slight to moderate weight gain. You are concerned, but not enough to change your diet or start taking drugs for it. In Chinese Medicine we consider this stage an excess of dampness.
Moderately High Cholesterol - Stage 2 is Phlegm
Your cholesterol is definitely too high, and you have gained a lot of weight or already are carrying a significant weight gain. Your doctor wants you on statins and you either are taking them, or are considering it. In Chinese Medicine, at this stage the excess dampness has thickened and turned into "phlegm".
Severely High Cholesterol - Stage 3 is Blood Stasis
You have high cholesterol, and are probably taking a statin or other drug to control it, but you have not changed anything to address the root cause, you are just treating the symptoms. When excessive amounts of cholesterol are present in the body, they may deposit on the inside lining of arteries, leading to a number of coronary heart disorders and/or fatty liver, or other cardiovascular disease. This is what we call "blood stasis" in Chinese Medicine.
Your cholesterol is starting to creep up, and you may have slight to moderate weight gain. You are concerned, but not enough to change your diet or start taking drugs for it. In Chinese Medicine we consider this stage an excess of dampness.
Moderately High Cholesterol - Stage 2 is Phlegm
Your cholesterol is definitely too high, and you have gained a lot of weight or already are carrying a significant weight gain. Your doctor wants you on statins and you either are taking them, or are considering it. In Chinese Medicine, at this stage the excess dampness has thickened and turned into "phlegm".
Severely High Cholesterol - Stage 3 is Blood Stasis
You have high cholesterol, and are probably taking a statin or other drug to control it, but you have not changed anything to address the root cause, you are just treating the symptoms. When excessive amounts of cholesterol are present in the body, they may deposit on the inside lining of arteries, leading to a number of coronary heart disorders and/or fatty liver, or other cardiovascular disease. This is what we call "blood stasis" in Chinese Medicine.
Chinese Herbs to Lower Cholesterol
There is science to back up the the efficacy of Chinese herbs in treating high cholesterol. You can check out the abstract on one research study of the herbs listed below here.
Shan Zha
Shan zha (hawthorn fruit), treats high cholesterol as well as hypertension (high blood pressure), coronary artery disorders, and angina. It improves blood circulation and promotes the digestion of red meat and greasy, fatty foods.
Jue Ming Zi
Jue ming zi (cassia seed), reduces high cholesterol and atherosclerosis. It has a diuretic effect and lowers blood pressure. Studies show that 98 percent of subjects with high cholesterol were within normal range after six weeks of treatment with jue ming zi.
Ze Xie
Ze xie (Oriental water plantain rhizome) is good for dampness and phlegm because it has a diuretic effect, regulating water circulation and reducing edema. It lowers cholesterol, reduces arteriosclerosis and treats fatty liver. Ze xie may also help lower blood pressure and reduce dizziness and vertigo.
Dan Shen
Dan Shen (salvia m) removes blood stasis and promotes blood circulation, as well as relieving pain and restlessness. Dan Shen is widely used to treat patients with coronary artery disease in China.
Shan zha (hawthorn fruit), treats high cholesterol as well as hypertension (high blood pressure), coronary artery disorders, and angina. It improves blood circulation and promotes the digestion of red meat and greasy, fatty foods.
Jue Ming Zi
Jue ming zi (cassia seed), reduces high cholesterol and atherosclerosis. It has a diuretic effect and lowers blood pressure. Studies show that 98 percent of subjects with high cholesterol were within normal range after six weeks of treatment with jue ming zi.
Ze Xie
Ze xie (Oriental water plantain rhizome) is good for dampness and phlegm because it has a diuretic effect, regulating water circulation and reducing edema. It lowers cholesterol, reduces arteriosclerosis and treats fatty liver. Ze xie may also help lower blood pressure and reduce dizziness and vertigo.
Dan Shen
Dan Shen (salvia m) removes blood stasis and promotes blood circulation, as well as relieving pain and restlessness. Dan Shen is widely used to treat patients with coronary artery disease in China.
Lower Cholesterol Naturally Now - Here's How...
At our clinic in Novato, we combine the 4 herbs mentioned above in a formula that is blended in a base of other herbs that address dampness and phlegm for stages 1 and 2. We use an "extra strength" version of the formula, which has the same key herbs with a slightly different herbal base that has a stronger cardiovascular component to it for patients with Stage 3.
Are you interested in addressing your high cholesterol naturally? Please schedule an appointment at our clinic, Community Acupuncture of Marin, which is conveniently located in central Novato and serves Marin and Sonoma counties. More info? Email us or call (415)250-4009.
Are you interested in addressing your high cholesterol naturally? Please schedule an appointment at our clinic, Community Acupuncture of Marin, which is conveniently located in central Novato and serves Marin and Sonoma counties. More info? Email us or call (415)250-4009.
