So many people are prescribed cholesterol-lowering medications to lower their cholesterol and decrease their risk of heart disease. But who really wants to take drugs that can cause different side effects if you can avoid it, right? Natural methods to reduce cholesterol are still the best and safest way to get those numbers down.

You probably already know about some of the methods you can apply, such as exercise, diet modification and weight loss. Well, let's look at some not so common natural ways to lower cholesterol that you may not have heard of before.

1. Red Wine

Though not exactly conclusive yet, many people have touted the benefits of red wine in lowering the risk of heart disease. It seems that this potent drink has been shown to increase HDL (good cholesterol) level and stop the formation of LDL (bad cholesterol).

There are also some studies that red wine may help reduce damage to the body's blood vessels, and help prevent the formation of blood clots. In fact, people from the Mediterranean region who drank red wine routinely seem to have lower rates of heart problems.

Grape skins and seeds contain Resveratrol and Flavonoids, which are antioxidants that have a lot of health benefits. So drinking red wine may be one of the natural methods to reduce cholesterol you should try. But remember to always drink in moderation - the American Heart Association recommends a maximum of one to two glasses of alcoholic beverages in a day.

2. Orange juice

Studies have shown that drinking a glass or two of orange juice at breakfast daily can help get those numbers down. It seems Vitamin C helps in the elimination of cholesterol from the blood, as it aids in the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids, which are then excreted from the body. There have been studies that the orange juice has been able to lower LDL and total cholesterol levels by more than 10 percent, but drinking regular juice did not.

Of course, remember to use fresh oranges or other fresh orange juice options, not those artificially flavored juices out there.

3. Black Tea

There have been ongoing studies that drinking three to five cups of black tea a day can help lower cholesterol levels. It is rich in antioxidants that can help strengthen your blood vessels and prevent the occurrence of heart disease.

The problem with black tea, however, is the fact that it contains around 4% caffeine, so it can be rather addictive and too much of it can cause side effects due to caffeine overload, such as headache, nervousness and dizziness. So if you want to try this natural method to lower cholesterol, make sure to stop at five cups a day and remember to drink water as well.

So there you have it - three not so common natural methods to reduce cholesterol. You may be interested in trying out these techniques to get those cholesterol numbers down and keep your heart healthy.

To learn more effective natural methods to reduce cholesterol, don't forget to visit http://www.lowercholesterolbydiet.com/. And make sure to sign up for our mini course so you can easily get started on getting your numbers down.

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