Acupuncture for Cholesterol Management
By: Diane Joswick, L.Ac., MSOM
This is a great time to take charge of your heart health and look at ways to lower cholesterol!
One out of every two men and one out of every three women will develop heart disease sometime in their life. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States and about 1.25 million heart attacks occur each year in the United States.
Research has clearly shown that lowering cholesterol can reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Whether you have heart disease already or want to prevent it, you can reduce your risk for having a heart attack by lowering your cholesterol level.
The American Heart Association says it’s important to pay attention to exercise, and a proper diet that is low on foods that contain cholesterol and saturated fats. That means eating better and improving lifestyle. Speak to your health care providers to make sure your cholesterol is being monitored and find out how acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help you stay healthy
Acupuncture can help reduce high cholesterol:
More than 30 million Americans have high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), a known risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. While non-drug interventions are available, medication is often the first line of treatment. However, even when medication is necessary, acupuncture can enhance its effectiveness in reducing cholesterol levels.
A recent study by H. Jin et al. offers compelling evidence. In this study, 90 patients with chronic high cholesterol (average age 59, average duration of hyperlipidemia eight years) were treated with 10 mg of atorvastatin daily. Half of the patients also received acupuncture once a day for six days, followed by a one-day break, repeating this cycle for a total of eight courses.
Each acupuncture session lasted 30 minutes, with needle retention and specific manipulations applied to key acupuncture points: Bu manipulation for ST 36, Xie for PC 6 and ST 40, and Ping Bu Ping Xie for CV 12 and ST 25.
Patients were evaluated at baseline and after each treatment cycle. Those who received acupuncture in addition to the medication showed greater improvements in total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and homocysteine (all decreased), as well as nitrogen monoxide, vascular endothelial growth factor, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) (all increased), compared to the group receiving only medication. The overall treatment effectiveness rate was significantly higher in the acupuncture group.
Causes of High Cholesterol
Three nutrients in your diet make LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels rise:
* Saturated fat, a type of fat found mostly in foods that come from animals
* Trans fat, found mostly in foods made with hydrogenated oils and fats such as stick margarine,
* Cholesterol, which comes only from animal products.
Learn how to read a food label – Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.
The Yin and Yang of Cholesterol Hyperlipidemia:
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), elevated blood lipids can result from two primary metabolic patterns: yin excess and yang excess. In yin-excess patterns, high cholesterol is due to an accumulation of sterol lipids, which manifests as elevated blood lipid levels.
On the other hand, yang-excess patterns occur when the body is yin-deficient and struggling to maintain normal blood-lipid levels in an effort to preserve homeostasis. People with yang patterns often face more serious health risks, such as increased oxidation, leading to conditions like heart disease, stroke, cancer, or multiple sclerosis (MS).
More than 30 million Americans have high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia), a known risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. While non-drug interventions are available, medication is often the first line of treatment. However, even when medication is necessary, acupuncture can enhance its effectiveness in reducing cholesterol levels.
A recent study by H. Jin et al. offers compelling evidence. In this study, 90 patients with chronic high cholesterol (average age 59, average duration of hyperlipidemia eight years) were treated with 10 mg of atorvastatin daily. Half of the patients also received acupuncture once a day for six days, followed by a one-day break, repeating this cycle for a total of eight courses.
Each acupuncture session lasted 30 minutes, with needle retention and specific manipulations applied to key acupuncture points: Bu manipulation for ST 36, Xie for PC 6 and ST 40, and Ping Bu Ping Xie for CV 12 and ST 25.
Patients were evaluated at baseline and after each treatment cycle. Those who received acupuncture in addition to the medication showed greater improvements in total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and homocysteine (all decreased), as well as nitrogen monoxide, vascular endothelial growth factor, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) (all increased), compared to the group receiving only medication. The overall treatment effectiveness rate was significantly higher in the acupuncture group.
Your Cholesterol Level
You can have high cholesterol and not realize it. Most of the 65 million Americans with high cholesterol have no symptoms. So it’s important to have your blood cholesterol levels checked. All adults age 20 and older should have their cholesterol levels checked at least once every 5 years. If you have elevated cholesterol, you’ll need to have it tested more often.
Setting your Goal
The main goal in treating high cholesterol is to lower your LDL level. Studies have proven that lowering LDL can prevent heart attacks and reduce deaths from heart disease in both men and women.
Total Cholesterol
Less that 200 mg/dL – Desirable
200-239 mg/dL – Borderline high
240 mg/dL and above – High
LDL Cholesterol
Less than 100 mg/dL – Optimal (ideal)
100-129 mg/dL – Near optimal/ above optimal
130-159 mg/dL – Borderline high
160-189 mg/dL – High
190 mg/dL and above – Very high
HDL Cholesterol
Less than 100 mg/dL – Optimal (ideal)
100-129 mg/dL – Near optimal/ above optimal
130-159 mg/dL – Borderline high
160-189 mg/dL – High
190 mg/dL and above – Very high
Health Tips for High Cholesterol
* Increase you intake of fiber-rich foods such as oatmeal, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes (beans, soybeans).
* Soy products help lower cholesterol levels due to their isoflavone content.
* Include garlic, onions, avocados, salmon, almonds and walnuts in your diet.
* Omega-3 oils such as flax seed oil and fish oil helps lower cholesterol.
* Copper and chromium are minerals that have been shown to lower cholesterol levels.