Elevated cholesterol is something I have dealt with since I was ten years old. Not joking. My mom and dad both had high cholesterol and my dad had multiple heart attacks and strokes. So, my parents got my cholesterol checked. When it came back elevated, they were concerned, but the doctor told them that it was likely genetic and left it at that. Fast forward 35 years and my then elevated cholesterol is now considered high. Of course my doctor has talked to me about statins. I, however, have ZERO desire to go on a statin drug, EVER. I’ve read about their link to Alzheimer’s disease, something my mom had, and I prefer not to take any medications that have a link to Alzheimer’s. Period. Thankfully my doctor is fully on board with me working at lowering my cholesterol WITHOUT statins.
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What I Have Tried to Lower Cholesterol…
One thing about me that some may not believe just by looking at me, is that pay attention to what I eat and do not eat too bad. I severely limit my sugar intake (as in, I barely ever have any sugar); I track the food I eat; I don’t drink alcohol; and I limit my carbohydrate intake. Along with eating relatively well, I also workout three to four times a week with a mixture of lifting weights and cardio. Despite that, my cholesterol basically stayed the same. It was frustrating. Then, one day, my husband and I decided to give the Keto diet a try. Within a few months of starting Keto, my triglycerides DRAMATICALLY dropped. Now you may be asking yourself, “why didn’t she stick with Keto?” and the answer is simple…it was too restrictive and I am a much happier person with some carbs!
Supplements to Lower Cholesterol
Since my doctor knows that I would prefer to use natural means to lower my cholesterol, he mentioned two supplements. Either I take Niacin or Red Rice Yeast Extract. I tried the Red Rice Yeast Extract, but I did not like the side effects (gastrointestinal) so I stopped. I will note that my son took this and it did not give him the same issues. So, I have been taking Niacin now for about eight months. Niacin can help lower the LDL cholesterol. I buy the one that does not make you flush. Warning, if you get the one that makes you flush, it’s pretty dramatic. Head tingles, face, chest, arms break out in this prickly red rash. For me personally, I do not like that feeling so I buy the kind that does not do that too you.
Life Extension No Flush Niacin, B3 for Heart Health, Cholesterol & Energy Support, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, 100 Capsules
Nutricost Niacin (Flush-Free) Inositol Hexanicotinate 500mg, 120 Capsules, Vitamin B3
Working on that Gut Health
For almost a year now, I have been working on improving my gut health and let me tell you, it has improved so many areas of my life. I don’t have a gallbladder and while I had to get it removed, removing that thing messed up so many things for me. Let’s just say if I have to go, I need to find a bathroom STAT! Since I started working on my gut health, I no longer tied to a bathroom or searching one out in every single place I go. The Plexus Gut Health System is something I recommend to everyone. The probiotic is fantastic and the BioCleanse is a must to get all that gunk out of your system.
Naturally Boosting My GLP-1 Hormone
The other thing I have incorporated is naturally boosting my GLP-1 hormone. No shots. Just two drinks and two supplements. I started this system about six weeks ago and four weeks ago I began weighing in and taking measurements. In six weeks I have noticed that ALL of my puffiness is gone. That is huge! In the four weeks that I have been measuring and weighing myself, I have lost about 5 lbs and over 16 inches across my body! But my biggest win, in my quest in lowering cholesterol naturally, is the bloodwork results I got this week.
Lowering Cholesterol Naturally
This week I had a bunch of my labs checked. The last time these numbers were checked were in January. Here are my more notable results:
- Total Cholesterol – down 35 points
- Triglycerides – down 56 points
- LDL – down 14 points
- A1C – down 1 point
This is huge! The culmination of everything I have been doing (Niacin, working on gut health, and boosting GLP-1) is helping. According to an article on the National Institute of Health website, researchers are beginning to pinpoint that gut bacteria directly affects cholesterol and heart disease and by improving your gut bacteria, you are lowering your risk of heart disease and can lower your cholesterol (NIH, 2024)! Furthermore, in another article I read, boosting your GLP-1 has, not only positive results on tests like your A1C (like I showed), but also in improving your lipid panel (Goodwin, 2025). For the first time in a long time, I feel like I am on the right path. I am not anti-medications, but I am anti-statins and I do feel that if there are alternatives and you are open to the alternatives, you should try those before taking on a statin and the side effects they have. And, as you can see by my results, lowering cholesterol naturally is a real possibility for me!
I am happy to discuss what I am doing in more depth with anyone. None of this is medical advice, and as I have done, you should talk to your doctor about everything you choose to do for your health. Message me for details. I have a few $20 Plexus vouchers available for those looking to sign up and take charge of their health!
Articles Cited:
Goodwin, Kate. (2025, January 6). Evidence Mounts for Benefit of GLP-1s Against Heart Disease. https://www.biospace.com/drug-development/evidence-mounts-for-benefit-of-glp-1s-against-heart-disease
NIH. (2024, April 16). Gut Bacteria May Reduce Cholesterol and Lower Heart Disease Risk. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/gut-bacteria-may-reduce-cholesterol-lower-heart-disease-risk
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