High Cholesterol in the blood is a very common health problem among men and women these days. In people who do not do any physical work, this is more. Especially, after the age of 45, it is advisable to check the cholesterol in the blood. High Cholesterol can narrow down the blood vessels especially the coronary arteries which supply blood to the heart muscles.
Ayurveda looks at Cholesterol   as a manifestation of “Kapha Dosha”, one of the three Doshas which keeps the body in a state of equilibrium. The other two Doshas are “Vatha” and “Pitha”. The Cholesterol is a result of slow and incomplete digestion at Gastro-intestinal level as well as at tissue level.
As per Ayurvedic parlance   Cholesterol is a product of Mandagni (weak digestion); so Ayurveda advises in this condition,   a diet that can improve the functions of Agni (Digestive juice) and that does not attribute to further assimilation of Kapha in the system.
The preventive and curative measures for Cholesterol in Ayurveda can be brought down to the following three categories

• The Life style changes.
• The diet
• The processed Preparations from the natural sources (or Medicines).

The Life Style Changes :

1. Do not sleep in the day. Even if one feels very sleepy due to some reason, sleep for a while in a sitting position. Day time Sleep in lying position increases Kapha in the body;   but sleep in sitting position, does not.

2. Walk for a while, if one walks 2 to 3 Kms a day   on fast pace with both hands swinging that will burn-down the Kapha in the body.

3. Dry Massage : Dry massage with powder of Thribhala + Roasted and powdered Horse gram in an upward   direction on the body for a period of 45 minutes to   1 hour is very useful. This can be done by a Professional Masseur.

Diet :

• Take a glass of buttermilk – mixed with some small onion chopped into small pieces every day after food.

• Add small onion Chopped and mixed with lemon juice and take as a side dish along with your food.

• Add garlic roasted or as a chutney at lunch time.

• Take one of the meals with wheat or rice Product.   The other with fresh fruits   and the third meal with cooked vegetables.

Medicines :
The following medicines are useful as a dietary supplement in the initial stages of Cholesterol. One can choose one or two of the following as per the availability of the materials around you for daily use. These are simple and extremely safe herbs that grows around you or seen in the wild.

1. Boreahvia diffusa (Punarnava) is a weed seen all over the country. Take 60 gms of its roots, clean well and chop it into small two inch pieces and crush it   slightly so that when it is boiled with water the juice inside the root can ooze easily to the water.   Add one liter of water to this 60 gms of Root and boil it to reduce to 250 ml.   After that filter this decoction and remove the roots. Reduce this 250 ml. of extracted decoction at low fire to 120 ml and take 60 ml. in the morning empty   stomach and the balance 60 ml. in the evening around 6 ‘O’ clock empty stomach.

The above is the process to make any herbal decoction for daily use. Once you know how to make this, it is as simple as or as difficult as making a cup of black tea. Please try it.

2. Drumstick leaves are available every where. Take   about 100 gms of fresh drumstick leaves; make a decoction as told above (add one litre water and reduce to 120 ml.) and take 60 ml in the morning and 60 ml. in the evening with one teaspoon of powder of dry ginger and one table spoon of honey.

3. Take fresh ginger paste; 5 gms add enough honey to make it   palatable and   take it in the morning after breakfast.

4. Take one tablespoon full of Thribhaladi Choornam (available in the market) mixed with one table spoon of honey at bed time followed by warm water.

5. Tinospora Cordifolia (Gud bhel or Guduchi) : This plant   grows every where in India. Take 30 gms of this in small pieces   and crush.   Add to it 30 gms of Tribulus Teriesting (Gokshura – Gokhru) a kind of thorny plant seen all over the fields, etc.

Make a decoction of both of these together as   referred above and take 60 ml. in the morning and 60 ml. in the evening. A perceivable   result should be seen within 41 days of following these advices.