"How to reduce cholesterol naturally" is fast becoming one of the most searched questions. The answer being sought by the ever growing number of people suffering from coronary heart disease, brought on by the ignorance of eating foods filled with trans fats and saturated fat, without enough fresh fruit and vegetables to balance their effect.

The answer lies in part to those wonderful medicinal plants we know as herbs. There are several herbs that are a proven, safe and effective treatment for lowering cholesterol.

Herbs are truly one of nature’s gifts to mankind.

Herbs are an effective way in treating many human illnesses without using medication. According to the Indian Ayurvedic healing principle, the human body has a mechanism which can heal itself by achieving a level of equilibrium. Some people believe that with herbal medicine you can achieve the optimum level of health and at the same time heal many of the seemingly incurable diseases in the world.

Only a few people are aware that cholesterol is not really bad for our bodies. It is, in fact one of the most important compounds present in our system. Cholesterol is usually found in bile acids, nerve insulators and sex hormones. It is responsible for protecting the red corpuscles as well as the muscle membranes, transporting fat within the body, and serves as one of the defense mechanisms within the body.

There are two kinds of cholesterol, the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol, and the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol, although neither are really good nor bad, except when they are out of balance.

The HDL removes cholesterol by transporting it from the tissues to a point where it can be excreted. There are many available drugs on the market which can help reduce the levels of LDL which transports the cholesterol into the tissues in the body. However, many people are still cautious about taking such medicines because of the side effects. There are some drugs that cause pain and discomfort. This in turn affects one’s daily life and activities.

This is one reason why the majority of the people with high levels of cholesterol do turn to alternative remedies, while another is because it is more affordable than the medication available at the drug stores.

Below are 3 of the best herbal medicines that will help you lower your LDL cholesterol levels.

Garlic: This amazing food/herb has phytochemicals which are said to have similar effects to that of statin drugs. Statin drugs are known for their ability to lower cholesterol levels. However, the good thing about garlic compared to statin drugs is that garlic does not have any side effects. In addition, garlic also decreases the potential for blood clot formation which helps in preventing heart attacks.

Although doctors still debate the ability of garlic to lower the level of LDL cholesterol in the body, there are many published studies that prove that the allicin present in garlic is effective in balancing cholesterol levels. The allicin has an affinity with thiol compounds which are responsible for synthesizing body cholesterol, to help keep levels lower.

Cinnamon: has been proven to improve glucose metabolism and control the lipid levels at the same time. It also makes the body more receptive to insulin which is the hormone responsible for regulating fat metabolism. Although it has many health benefits, it is still important to be careful not to take huge amounts of cinnamon. Be sensible and the rewards will be evident. In order to maximize the health benefits of cinnamon, a suggestion is to grind it and then either sprinkle it on your coffee or use it as a tea. Cinnamon capsules are also available from your local health food store.

Cayenne pepper: or red pepper is probably one of the oldest traditional medicines known to man. It was known in the past to promote good functioning circulation, digestion and nervous system. Many researchers have shown that cayenne can prevent an increase in serum and liver cholesterol. It can also improve fat metabolism in the body.

There are numerous natural ways to normalize cholesterol levels, and if enough people take the time to practice these effective regimes, and spread the word about their effectiveness, then hopefully in the not too distant future, society will not have the need to know how to reduce cholesterol, naturally or otherwise.

In the future our diets and lifestyles will be in sync with our bodies and our mental attitude. We will each have regained the responsibility for our own lives, and we will not be leaving it to our doctors to give us a quick fix only after things have gone wrong!