There is a simple method to help lower cholesterol. It's so simple that most people as well as physicians overlook it. This ‘trick' takes advantage of the attempt of the body to rid itself of too much cholesterol.

Because too much cholesterol of the bad kind can harm cells of the body, it actually acts somewhat like a poison. This does make it beneficial for the body to have a mechanism to get rid of the excess.

The liver takes excess cholesterol and secretes it into bile which enters the gall bladder. This bile is then ‘dumped' into food as it exits the stomach and moves into the small intestine. One of two possibilities exists for what happens to this unwanted cholesterol. One is the natural process that helps maintain health. The other subverts normal physiology and ends up with higher cholesterol levels.

The body's natural method involves normal healthy eating, how our body has historically dealt with high cholesterol. When food is eaten and digested, the fiber in the food holds onto the cholesterol. The fiber-cholesterol combo then transits the digestive tract and is removed from the body as part of the feces. This includes cholesterol from the bile as well as the cholesterol found in the food eaten.

The advent of processed food in the 1900's has undermined our normal digestive physiology. Instead of consuming fiber-rich foods which help remove the excess cholesterol, we eat foods in which all or most of the fiber has been removed through mechanical and chemical processing. This includes white rice, pasta, sugar, most breakfast cereals and white and ‘wheat' flour. Without the fiber, the cholesterol in the bile juices is not able to attach and is reabsorbed into the blood.

While the liver is attempting to rid the blood of the bad cholesterol that acts somewhat as a poison in high levels, poor food choices allow this damaging cholesterol to return to the blood. This keeps the blood cholesterol levels high.

Since bile is released into the partially digested food when it leaves the stomach, it is best to ingest some fiber rich food every time you eat, whether a meal or a snack. Vegetables (especially fresh), fruits, whole grains, beans and nuts are great sources of fiber. Commercial fiber products also work, sometimes very well, but are not as enjoyable as eating good quality foods with high fiber.

When choosing breads, make sure the bread is 100% whole grain. Using names such as wheat or multi-grain might have little or no whole grain content. Even cereals should be all or primarily made from whole grains.

Making fiber-rich foods an important part of every snack and meal is a trick that is helpful in achieving and maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. Some specific foods may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, because many of these are fiber rich or contain other chemicals which reduce cholesterol. Great examples are broccoli, tomatoes, pecans, and black beans.

This fiber-every-time-you-eat method should be only a part of your attempts to control cholesterol. These should include exercise, healthy eating, reducing saturated and trans fats, fish oil, and possibly the need for medical care.

Even with a fiber rich diet, medications may be needed if you have high cholesterol levels. But fiber and other healthy ideas might help you avoid the pharmaceutical path. It is always best to work with your physician to assure healthy choices and proper medical care.