Can alternative medicine treat high cholesterol?
First of all, I think the importance of cholesterol in health has been completely over-stated. While some studies show that high levels of cholesterol appear to be linked with a higher risk of heart disease, others show quite the reverse. Plus, even if cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease, it needs to be taken in the context of any other risk factors. There is some evidence, for instance, the high cholesterol that is ‘inherited’ may not be a problem. The fact that your parents have no heart disease tends to bear this out. Also, if you are not overweight, have normal blood pressure, do not suffer from diabetes, do not smoke and are physically active, then your raised cholesterol is not likely to be so much of a concern. Although people who are found to have a raised cholesterol level are often advised to go on a diet low in saturated fat, such a diet has never been shown to help reduce overall mortality. Personally, I believe saturated fat to be a pretty natural constituent of
