Cut Cholesterol, Fish Oil and Red Yeast Rice

According to a recent study, supplements may cut cholesterol as well as medications. Not good news for the drug companies, but great news for consumers.

We found the info published in a recent WebMD newsletter. Here is an excerpt and a link to the full article:

Supplements, Lifestyle Change Work as Well as Cholesterol-Lowering Medications in Small Study

By Kathleen Doheny, WebMD Health News

July 23, 2008 -- Supplements of fish oil and red yeast rice, coupled with lifestyle changes in diet and exercise habits, can reduce cholesterol as much as standard cholesterol-lowering medications known as statins, according to a new study.

But the study's lead author, David J. Becker, MD, a cardiologist at Chestnut Hill Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, emphasizes that the alternative approach is not for everyone.

"Statins remain the primary and best treatment for people with high cholesterol, especially if you have known coronary disease," Becker tells WebMD. The study evaluated only people with high cholesterol who did not yet have coronary disease.

The full article can be viewed here.

Even if you don't take medication to lower your cholesterol level, you can benefit by making better food choices that improve the quality of your life - live well and feel good everyday!