Living with PCOS: Different ways to Treat PCOS | Zyla Health

 Neha was left completely shocked by her PCOS diagnosis. She had been struggling with stress at work, poor sleep and weight gain when she started experiencing irregular periods. She thought the delay was due to stress. However, she was still worried.

After 3 months of missed periods, she visited her gynecologist with her concerns. After a round of investigations, she was given a PCOS diagnosis. She was only 27 years old, and here she was, diagnosed with a chronic condition that she might have to deal with for the rest of her life.

She knew that she needed to change the way she had been living her life, and take better care of her health. But how would she even begin to do that? There was a lot of information on ways to treat PCOS, almost too much information!

Does this sound familiar to you? Have you also been in the same boat as Neha with absolutely no idea of where to even begin? Well, you have come to the right place. In the blog post, we are going to talk about the emotional, physical and mental effects of living with PCOS, including some helpful tips for coping with PCOS.

But before we do that, let’s look at what exactly is PCOS?

PCOS takes a toll on your mental and physical health.

What is PCOS?

PCOS stands for polycystic ovarian syndrome. PCOS is a hormonal disorder that mainly affects the way the ovaries work.

It has a strong association with obesity and insulin resistance. Reduced insulin sensitivity and increased insulin levels in the blood lead to:

• An excess of oestrogen that gets converted to high levels of testosterone (male hormone).
• Excess levels of Luteinizing hormone (LH). Elevated LH levels prevent the rupture of follicles (fluid filled sacs in the ovary that contain eggs). As a result, the egg does not get released from the follicle.
• These unruptured cysts stay on the surface of the ovary to cause polycystic ovaries.

PCOS Symptoms

The three main PCOS symptoms are-

• Irregular periods- Irregular periods or no periods at all. This is the most common sign.
• Excessive hair growth (hirsutism)- High levels of male hormones (androgen) in women, leads to signs of excess male pattern body hair (hirsutism).
• Polycystic ovaries- Due to hormonal imbalances, the follicles (fluid-filled sacs) in the ovary fail to release the egg every month, and these unruptured follicles form the “cysts” on the ovaries.

If you are looking for a holistic program that provides 24*7 personalised care for PCOS, then look no further. Feel free to reach out to us on the Zyla app or visit our website-Zyla.in.

Other PCOS symptoms include-

• Difficulty getting pregnant
• Hair loss or thinning of hair
• Skin conditions like- acne, acanthosis nigricans (darkening and velvety appearance of skin), oily skin etc
• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Weight gain

Let’s discuss some of them in detail…

Did you know?

Worldwide PCOS affects 6 to 10% of women — making it the most common endocrine disorder in women of childbearing age.

Living with PCOS

Living with PCOS is an ongoing battle. Neha can confirm this! PCOS makes it hard for her to lose weight, and most days, the PCOS symptoms made everything an uphill climb. Some of the issues that women with PCOS face are:

1. LOSING WEIGHT IS A STRUGGLE

• Insulin resistance leads to increased insulin in the blood which pushes the body into fat storage mode.
• Higher insulin levels also lead to an increased appetite.

No wonder, one of the PCOS symptoms is weight gain.

2. SLEEPING DISTURBANCES

• One of the PCOS symptoms is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) which can impact the quality of sleep and lead to daytime sleepiness.
• Decreased production of progesterone in PCOS can lead to sleep disturbances.

3. FATIGUE

• The hormonal imbalances in PCOS can also cause fatigue.
• Sometimes women with PCOS can experience menorrhagia — or excessive bleeding leading to iron deficiency anaemia. It is quite common for women with PCOS and anaemia to feel fatigued.

4. STRUGGLES WITH FERTILITY

Fertility struggles are quite common for women with PCOS. While many options like medications and IVF can help with conception, the emotional and financial burden of having to deal with infertility can definitely take a toll on women with a PCOS diagnosis.

5. MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES

Research shows that PCOS is associated with an increased risk of:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Bipolar disorder
• Obsessive compulsive disorder

Reading this section can really feel like the odds are totally stacked against you. Facing difficulties in losing weight, fertility issues, battling fatigue and mental health issues as a result of PCOS diagnosis, definitely adds up the emotional cost of living with PCOS.

However, we are here to reassure you that with the right strategies and lifestyle changes, you can definitely conquer these challenges that PCOS throws at you.

Now let’s look at some dietary pointers as one of a few tips for coping with PCOS that can benefit you if you struggle with losing weight with PCOS!

Ways to treat PCOS: Diet tips for the management of PCOS

While there is no cure for PCOS, diet and lifestyle changes can help you effectively deal with the symptoms that come with PCOS.

Some dietary changes for the management of PCOS include:

1. INCREASE FIBRE INTAKE

Increasing the fibre in your diet by including oats, fruits and vegetables, etc. can help reduce the blood sugar spikes and also keep you satisfied for a longer time.

2. COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES

Replacing carbohydrates like refined flour (maida) and it’s products with complex carbohydrates like chapati, brown rice, quinoa, oats can moderate blood sugar spikes and therefore reduce insulin levels.

3. HIGH PROTEIN DIET

In a study on women with PCOS diagnosis, it was found that eating a high protein diet (40% protein) can lead to increased weight loss. Since high protein diets are more filling, it also leads to less eating and more weight loss.

Add nuts, dals, dairy products, chicken, eggs and oily fish etc to your diet.

4. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET

Research shows that patients with a PCOS diagnosis on an anti-inflammatory diet for 3 months have lost 7% of their body weight and showed significant improvements in cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Eating foods like apples, broccoli, beans, blueberries, raspberries, oily fish, walnuts (akhrot), ginger (adrak), turmeric (haldi), and garlic (lehsun) can reduce inflammation.

Foods with sugar and refined carbohydrates, on the other hand, increase inflammation.

5. CUTTING OUT FULL-FAT DAIRY

Avoid taking full-fat dairy products and stick to low-fat products like toned, double toned or skimmed milk and milk products. Introducing nut milk like almond milk can also help you deal with PCOS.

6. CUTTING OUT SUGAR

Sugar as you already know, can increase inflammation and also cause blood sugar spikes leading to increased insulin in the body.

Cutting out sugar is an extremely effective lifestyle change for PCOS treatment. Avoid baked goods, packaged sweets, toffees, sodas and ice cream. Dark chocolate can be an occasional sweet treat to help with cravings.

If you are looking for personalised nutritional guidance for PCOS, reach out to our nutrition experts at Zyla.in. Feel free to reach out to us on the Zyla app or visit our website- Zyla.in.

Now that we know what foods to eat, let’s look at other lifestyle changes that are important in PCOS!

Ways to treat PCOS: Lifestyle changes for the management of PCOS

While there is no absolute PCOS cure, lifestyle changes for the management of PCOS include measures to reduce weight, combat stress and measures for improved sleep.

1. EXERCISE

Regular exercise helps in two ways! It helps with weight loss, and can also help with the hormonal imbalance that is a part of a PCOS diagnosis. So what kind of exercise should you do? Well, the best exercise is one that you will do regularly and enjoy doing it.

Let’s look at some exercise options:

a. Aerobic exercise

Walking, jogging, running and swimming are some aerobic exercises that can help improve your cardiovascular fitness and burn calories. These exercises also improve your body’s response to insulin, so try to do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day.

b. Resistance training

Strength/ resistance training helps strengthen muscles and bones and prevents osteoporosis later in life. However, for women with a PCOS diagnosis, resistance training can also help increase insulin sensitivity and promote weight loss.

For further reading, read our blog on the top 10 benefits of physical activity.

2. SLEEP

Lack of sleep can impact more than just your energy levels. It can lead to:

• Weight gain
• Increased inflammation in the body
• Increased insulin resistance

Sleep becomes even more important for women with a PCOS diagnosis. It is recommended to get 8 hours of sleep every night consistently. Some tips for better sleep include-

1. Sleep every day at the same time.
2. Try to get 30 minutes of sunlight exposure every day.
3. Make sure you turn off all the lights and keep any screens away at bedtime.
4. Avoid scrolling through your phone at bedtime and opt for relaxing self-care routines like journaling, listening to music, etc.
5. If you are unable to sleep, avoid tossing and turning in bed. Get up and read a book or listen to a podcast and return to bed only when you are ready to sleep.
6. Invest in a good pillow and a comfortable mattress.
7. Make sure your room’s temperature is comfortable and you are wearing comfortable loose clothing to sleep.

For further reading to improve your sleep, read our blog on the 3 reasons you are not sleeping and tips for better sleep.

3. STRESS MANAGEMENT

Increased stress levels can affect our health in multiple ways :

• We don’t even realise it but our body releases cortisol (stress hormone) under times of stress which can affect immunity, lead to increased weight and also increase male hormone levels.
• Women with a PCOS diagnosis have an increased stress response which lends itself to obesity.
• It contributes to lack of sleep and in turn, lead to increased insulin resistance.
• It can also worsen mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.

It is no surprise then that stress reduction is key in the management of PCOS. Some ways for stress management include:

a. Yin yoga or restorative yoga

Yoga has been shown to help reduce the levels of stress hormones and their effect on the body. It can also help to calm the mind, body and even regulate hormones.

b. Meditation practices

Starting and ending your day with meditation and mindfulness can help regulate stress and also reduce inflammation. It also helps in managing conditions like anxiety and depression.

c. Physical exercise

Boosts endorphins and reduces stress, while also helping with weight loss. So try to get at least 30 minutes of brisk exercise in your day to reap the dual benefits!

For further reading on stress management, read our blog on the importance of living in the present moment consciously.

If you are looking for a holistic approach for the management of PCOS, you can reach out to us at Zyla.in to provide you with the right guidance. Feel free to reach out to us on the Zyla app or visit our website-Zyla.in.

Now that we’ve looked at the lifestyle measures required, let’s look at some of the medications and supplements that can ease the PCOS symptoms!

Ways to treat PCOS: Medications for PCOS treatment

Obviously, lifestyle management is important! But sometimes the PCOS symptoms have to be managed with the help of certain medications and supplements.

One important thing to note is that you must make lifestyle changes if even you’re taking medicine or not. Medicines can treat PCOS symptoms but without lifestyle modifications, they can’t work in a long term.

Now let’s look at some of the medications for PCOS treatment:

1. COMBINATION OF BIRTH CONTROL PILLS

Birth control pills containing a combination of oestrogen and progestin can regulate hormone levels and reduce the androgens. It can also help reduce excess hair growth and acne symptoms.

2. CLOMIPHENE

Clomiphene is a drug that is given to women who are looking to conceive and have a PCOS diagnosis. It is an anti-estrogen medication used for PCOS treatment, which ensures that the release of the egg from the follicle occurs, thereby ensuring conception.

This is usually prescribed on the advice of your gynaecologist after a complete health workup.

3. METFORMIN

Metformin is an oral anti-diabetic drug that also helps in regulating insulin resistance and weight loss. Metformin can also slow the development of Type 2 Diabetes if you are pre-diabetic.

4. SPIRONOLACTONE

Helps to reduce the effect of androgens on the skin, especially acne.

Now let’s take a look at some of the commonly used supplements for PCOS treatment!

1. MYO-INOSITOL AND D-CHIRO-INOSITOL

Inositol helps with the cell signalling of insulin and reduces insulin resistance. It also helps to normalise periods and improve egg quality for fertility. Furthermore, it regulates hormone levels and also helps with weight loss.

It is being researched extensively as a PCOS treatment option.

2. N-ACETYL-CYSTEINE

This is an ant-oxidant that reduces insulin resistance and normalises the menstrual cycle.

3. VITAMIN D

Vitamin D boosts immunity, regulates mood and also normalises the menstrual cycle. It also regulates the insulin levels in the blood.

4. OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

Omega-3 fatty acids improve the insulin resistance score in PCOS, reduce testosterone and inflammatory markers and also help support weight loss.

While there are many medication options and supplements available for PCOS treatment, we caution you against self-medicating. Before starting any medication or supplement, please schedule a consultation with your doctor in order to ensure that you are following a regimen that is appropriate for you.

Conclusion

We know that living with a PCOS diagnosis certainly has its challenges. From difficulty losing weight to fatigue and increased risk of anxiety and depression, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is much more than just a metabolic disorder. It affects the way women look, the way they feel about themselves and even their fertility.

It was hard for Neha to come to terms with the fact that there is no PCOS cure. But being an incredibly strong woman, she consulted a nutritionist, evaluated her options and settled on the right regimen for lifestyle including yoga, exercise, supplements and medications.

It is important to choose the right regimen for you — one that works well with your lifestyle and that you can be consistent with. Consistent lifestyle changes along with stress management and weight loss can help reduce the PCOS symptoms, regulate your menstrual cycle and even improve your fertility.

We urge you to consult your doctor, include these tips in your life and start taking care of your health today!

If you’re seeking help to improve your health and want to better manage your PCOS, you can download the Zyla app or visit our website Zyla.in and check out the Ova women’s health program which is tailored specifically for PCOS.

Zyla has a team of 50+ medical experts who can provide personalised treatment through a holistic approach. Start your health journey today!

Stay strong! Stay healthy!

Connect with us:

1. Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/2o19OzE to watch videos on health and health-related conditions.
2. Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zylaova/ and https://www.facebook.com/zylahealth
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For more information, you can visit us

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How to Lower Cholesterol: Proven Ways That Work | Zyla Health

 When you think of the word cholesterol, it is quite common to immediately think of how bad it is for the body and how to lower cholesterol levels. A lot of health sources also recommend foods that lower cholesterol for better health but how reliable are they?

The term ‘cholesterol’ has had a negative association for a long time. People often associate cholesterol with dangerous diseases and most commonly heart attacks.

While it is true that high levels of certain types of cholesterol and triglycerides are a risk for many diseases, at normal levels — cholesterol and triglyceride are necessary for our body’s day to day functioning!

It is clear that there is a lot more to cholesterol than we are aware of! So let’s take a closer look at what cholesterol is. We are also going to look at what reduces cholesterol quickly — Foods that lower cholesterol as well as other lifestyle measures.

What is cholesterol?

Scientifically, Cholesterol is an organic fat-like compound in our body that is produced by the liver. At normal levels, cholesterol is required for the day-to-day functioning of the cells of our body:

• It is used by the cells in making the outer cell membranes and keeps these membranes flexible and functional. The cell membrane made up of cholesterol — allows our cells to change shape, remain stable and durable.
• It is used by cells in the cell signalling process which allows the exchange of substances between the cells.
• It is also utilised by the body in making several hormones like oestrogen and testosterone.
• It is utilised by the body to make Vitamin D and bile acids.

The liver makes as much cholesterol as the body needs but the diet that we consume brings in the additional cholesterol in our body.

Animal products like egg yolks, meat and cheese also contain cholesterol. For most people consuming products containing dietary cholesterol has little effect on the blood cholesterol levels. So what leads to high cholesterol levels? Let’s read some more and find out!

“Good” and “bad” cholesterol

The cholesterol produced by the liver uses a vehicle called lipoproteins to travel through the body. These are compounds made of fat and protein and are produced by the liver to carry the cholesterol to and from the cells of the body.

• LDL cholesterol or Low-Density Lipoprotein carries the cholesterol throughout the body. It is also known as ‘Bad Cholesterol’ as it sticks to the walls of arteries (blood vessels) which can lead to narrowing of the blood vessels over time, leading to heart attacks and strokes.
• HDL cholesterol or High-Density Lipoprotein carries the unused cholesterol back to the liver so that it can be removed from the body. This process is called Reverse Cholesterol Transport and it protects the arteries from being clogged by fat deposition. HDL is known as the “good” cholesterol.

The good news is that even if you have high LDL levels you can control them with slight lifestyle modifications and dietary management.

Looking for complete nutritional support and 24/7 personalised care? Zyla.in can provide you with the right guidance. Feel free to reach out to us on the Zyla app or visit our website-Zyla.in.

Are you interested in finding out about the 5 causes of high cholesterol? Read our blog to find out more!

Have you wondered how weight can affect your cholesterol levels? This is a very important part of understanding how to improve your cholesterol levels! Let’s take a look at how these two factors affect each other…

How to lower cholesterol levels by losing weight?

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), it is possible for people to have high cholesterol levels irrespective of their weight. But being overweight or obese can increase the risk of having high cholesterol levels as it increases the LDL levels in the body and reduces the HDL.

How does this work?

• As learnt before, we know the liver produces LDL in the body. However, when we consume excess fats in the diet, the liver increases the production of LDL to maintain a balance of fats.
• When a person is obese or overweight, this process of adjustment of LDL production does not work and it leads to high LDL and other cholesterol levels.
• Obesity often leads to inflammation which decreases the body’s normal response to the fat consumed in the diet.

Thus it is advised to reduce weight if you are obese or overweight.

So how to improve your cholesterol levels?

Reducing even 5–10% of your body weight can help lower levels of LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol levels.

Are you also worried about your high triglyceride levels? Read our blog on 5 home remedies for high triglycerides for some tips on managing your high levels!

Now that we know what cholesterol is, and how increased weight affects it, let us read further to find out about how exercise affects cholesterol levels…

How to lower cholesterol levels with exercise?

Do you know that even when you are climbing stairs or doing household chores, you are actually exercising?

Exercise is a great way to take care of your cardiovascular health- increase those much-needed HDL levels and decrease LDL levels in the body. It helps you tackle obesity and keeps your body weight balanced.

Exercising even for 30 minutes, 5–6 days in a week helps get your lipid levels in range.

It doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you opt for, you can start by going for a short walk and gradually increase your intensity and duration. Even activities like gardening, dancing etc qualify as exercises.

So make sure you start somewhere and opt for any one of the outdoor hobbies you like and make it a part of your routine. What’s better than exercising and enjoying it at the same time, Win-Win!

Are you wondering how to incorporate exercise and dietary lifestyle changes into your routine? Reach out to us at Zyla.in. We have an excellent team of nutrition experts and physiotherapists who work with our medical team to provide holistic care. Feel free to reach out to us on the Zyla app or visit our website- Zyla.in.

Your diet can affect your body in both positive and negative ways. Let’s learn about some of the foods which can help us to lower the cholesterol levels.

How to lower cholesterol using fiber?

Did you know that all you might need is a simple bowl of oatmeal to keep your cholesterol in check?

There are definitely foods that lower cholesterol! Foods that are rich in fibre, particularly soluble fibre, are beneficial for keeping your lipid levels and even your blood glucose levels in check. Soluble fiber is a type of naturally occurring fiber that can dissolve in water in the gut.

The bacteria that lives in the gut, which helps in good digestion, needs this soluble fiber for nourishment. These good bacterias, also known as probiotics, helps lower cholesterol levels like LDL, VLDL and triglycerides.

Not only that, soluble fibre makes you feel full and thus reduces the chances of midday snacking which increases cholesterol levels. Soluble fibre is found in foods like — beans, sprouts, peas, lentils, fruit, psyllium husk and whole grains including oats.

If you take 5–10 grams of soluble fiber in a day, you can lower your LDL cholesterol. To summarise — One of the foods that lower cholesterol is soluble fiber!

For more information on how fiber can lower cholesterol, help diabetics etc- Read our blog on Fiber can fix your Diabetes, Cholesterol and Constipation!

You might already know that even oils have an effect on our cholesterol levels, let’s learn about some healthy oil substitutes that is one of the foods that lowers cholesterol!

How to lower cholesterol using healthy oil substitutes?

People often tend to cut back on every source of fat when diagnosed with high cholesterol levels. But fats are needed by our body for energy and to transport the much needed vitamins A, D, E and K.

While it is true that every oil and butter contains fat, some of these oils are healthy for your heart. So rather than giving up oil completely, you can switch to heart-healthy oils!

Now, you must be thinking which are the heart-healthy oils? Well, let me explain you in detail. There are 3 different types of fats and oils: unsaturated fats, saturated fats and trans fat.

1. UNSATURATED FATS

• These fats are always liquid at room temperature.
• Including them in your diet will help in increasing HDL and reducing LDL.
• They have anti-inflammatory properties, vitamin E and can manage diabetes and blood pressure levels and benefit in improving skin and slowing the ageing process.
• Unsaturated fats consist of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) like sunflower oil, soybean oil, fish oil and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) like olive oil, canola oil and mustard oil.
• PUFA is further divided into omega-3 fatty acids like fish, flax seeds, walnuts and omega-6 fatty acids like soybean oil, walnuts, sunflower oil, almonds, cashews.

2. SATURATED FATS

• These are thick or solid at room temperature.
• They reduce the risk of multiple heart diseases, cataracts, arthritis and cancer, aid weight loss, weak immunity, poor vision, wound healing, joint pains and diabetes.
• They have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and contain a good amount of vitamin A and E.
• Examples of saturated fats are ghee, coconut oil and homemade butter which you can easily add to your diet in moderation. But make sure to completely avoid processed and salted butter.

3. TRANS FATS

• These are vegetable oils (unsaturated fats) that undergo a process called hydrogenation in which hydrogen gas is added to them, converting them into a more solid form.
• These cause an increase in triglycerides, other bad cholesterol levels, weight gain and a decrease in liver health. These can also lead to the development of cancers. Thus you need to completely avoid them.
• Examples of trans fats are processed, fried and packaged food.

Opting for unsaturated and saturated oils can reduce LDL cholesterol by at least 15% which is equivalent to the effect of low dose lipid-lowering medicine. But it is important to know — you should not consume even those oils in excess and think that it is what reduces cholesterol quickly!

Looking for more tips to improve your diet and health? We have you covered! Read our blog on how a simple balanced diet can help you conquer your health!

Looking for personalised 24*7 care for your chronic conditions? Reach out to us at Zyla.in. We have an excellent team of nutrition experts and physiotherapists who work with our medical team to provide holistic care. Feel free to reach out to us on the Zyla app or visit our website-Zyla.in.

Let us now take a look at trans fats in detail and how it affects the cholesterol levels in our blood!

Role of trans fats

As you already know, trans fats are unhealthy and be avoided as much as possible.

This oil is used commercially as it does not get spoiled easily and gives a taste and flavour to the commercial foods. Even restaurants use such oils in their deep fryers so that they do not have to change their oils repeatedly.

The manufactured form of trans fat is found in many food products like — cakes, cookies and pies, microwave popcorn, frozen pizza, refrigerated dough, such as biscuits and rolls, fried foods like french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken etc.

It is considered so deadly to ingest that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has prohibited the manufacturers and companies from using artificial trans fat in any edible products. But some companies still continue to use these in their food products.

An easy way to be safe from eating such fats is by reading the ingredients of any food product you buy. If a food’s ingredient reads “hydrogenated vegetable oil”, it means it has some trans fats in it.

Even if a food item contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat, it can be dangerous as these trans fats add up quickly.

Still unsure about how to lower cholesterol levels? There are some magic ingredients in your kitchen that are part of the foods that lower cholesterol! Read on to find out more!

How to lower cholesterol levels through herbs and spices?

If you do not already add cinnamon to your coffee or add garlic to flavour your dishes, then start doing it. These little spices have huge benefits. They are not only good for aroma and taste but also are foods that lower cholesterol.

Let’s take a look at some of these beneficial foods that lower cholesterol:

• Cinnamon (dalchini): A spice that is beneficial in lowering cholesterol and triglycerides. It is also a great spice to be used by diabetics as it can add sweetness to your food without leading to any sugar level spikes and can aid weight loss.
• Garlic (lehsun): Garlic prevents abnormal changes of arteries that lead to a heart attack and keeps them flexible. Research shows that if you eat half to 1 clove of garlic daily then you can reduce your cholesterol by 9%.
• Turmeric (haldi): Turmeric contains curcumin and is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It is also loaded with antioxidants which reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in the body.
• Ginger (adrak): Ginger provides a similar benefit and also reduces the risk factor associated with any cardiovascular disease.

To read more about healthy spices and herbs to include in your diet, read our blog on 10 healthy spices and herbs to look out for!

A summary of what to eat or what not to manage cholesterol levels is just what is needed after reading this blog, well here it is!

General tips on how to lower cholesterol levels

Here are certain lifestyle and health tips:

• Include vegetables, salad bowls, fruit chaats in your diet, it is important that you take 2–3 servings of fruits and 2 servings of salads daily.
• Include nuts and seeds in your diet like 6–8 almonds (badam), 2–3 walnuts (akhrot), handful peanuts (moongphalee), 5–6 cashews (kaju), 5–6 pistachios (pista), 1 tsp flax seeds (alsi), 1 tbsp each of sunflower seeds (surajmukhi ke beej) , pumpkin seeds (kaddu ke beej) and chia seeds. as these increase the good cholesterol (HDL) in your body.
• Use healthy cooking oils like — sunflower, olive, avocado, canola oils etc up to 1 tsp in a meal.
• Add ghee and coconut oil up to 5 ml in a meal and up to 1 tbsp homemade butter in a day.
• Include legumes like chickpeas, lentils, peas and beans like kidney beans in your meals.
• Limit your intake of takeaway and fast foods like pizzas, pastries, chips and fries etc.
• Limit salty foods, processed and salted butter and sweet foods too like cookies, cakes, chips, biscuits.
• Avoid processed meats like salami and sausages.

Zyla provides excellent care and guidance through a 24/7 Zyla app regarding your elevated cholesterol blood tests. Feel free to reach out to us on the Zyla app or visit our website-Zyla.in.

If these ways do not work in bringing down your cholesterol levels then do not stress, there are medications that your doctor may prescribe to help you with your cholesterol. Let’s understand some of them.

How to lower cholesterol levels using medications?

There are many drugs belonging to different classes that might be prescribed by your healthcare provider for high cholesterol. Some of these commonly prescribed drugs are:

1. STATINS

They are usually the first type of drug that your doctor may prescribe to lower LDL levels. Statins also lower triglycerides and raise the HDL levels. Some examples of statins are: Atorvastatin, Rosuvastatin, Simvastatin, Pravastatin, Pitavastatin etc.

2. FIBRATES

Fibrates can be used in combination with statins or can be prescribed alone too. They cut down the production of triglycerides in the body and boost up the HDL levels. Examples of fibrates are: Fenofibrate, Gemfibrozil.

3. BILE ACID SEQUESTRANTS

These drugs work in the intestines and have an effect on the bile acids produced by the liver. Bile acids are rich in cholesterol and produced by the liver for digestion.

These drugs do not allow the absorption of bile back in the blood and thus the level of cholesterol lowers in the blood. Some of these drugs are: Cholestyramine, Colestipol, Colesevelam.

Some rarely prescribed drugs to manage cholesterol levels are:

4. PCSK9 INHIBITORS

These drugs are given to people who cannot manage their cholesterol with lifestyle and statins. These drugs lower your cholesterol levels. Some of these drugs are: Allirocumab, Evolocumab.

5. NIACIN

It is basically a type of vitamin B, also known as nicotinic acid. Adding it with statins lowers your risk of heart disease. It can be obtained through food too like fish, eggs, legumes, dry fruits etc.

6. OMEGA 3-FATTY ACIDS

These are dietary supplements which can be obtained by taking a fish oil capsule or even by including nuts and seeds in diet. Omega 3 fatty acids reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and increase HDL levels.

As we have learnt, managing cholesterol levels helps improve our long term health outcomes.

The answer to “how to lower cholesterol levels?” requires a holistic approach which includes lifestyle modifications and medicines. As sometimes levels are so high that medicine is required and sometimes diet is required even with medicines so that medicinal effects is not affected by a disturbed lifestyle.

Thus, it is important that you adhere to a good diet, exercise and take your medicines on time and regularly. Do not start a medicine on your own and always consult your doctor before starting or stopping a medicine.

If you’re seeking help to improve your health and want to better manage your heart health, you can download the Zyla app or visit our website Zyla.in and check out the Healthy Heart Program which is suitable for you.

Zyla has a team of 50+ medical experts who can provide personalised treatment through a holistic approach. Start your health journey today!

Stay strong! Stay healthy!

Connect with us:

1. Subscribe to our Youtube channel: https://bit.ly/2o19OzE to watch videos on health and health-related conditions.
2. Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zylahealth
3. Find us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zylahealth/
4. Visit our website: https://www.zyla.in/
5. Talk to us on WhatsApp: https://goo.gl/kjofP

For more information, visit us

https://blog.zyla.in/how-to-lower-cholesterol-proven-ways-that-work-zyla-health-ee6a508338ac