Do You Have Any Suggestions for Lowering Stubbornly High LDL and Triglycerides?

I've struggled with high cholesterol problems for years and have tried practically every type of supplement available without much success. My doctor is strongly pushing statins now. Is there anything I might be overlooking?

I'm assuming that you've been diligent when trying the various nutrients that support lowering cholesterol, including niacin and red rice yeast. If you haven't had any luck lowering your cholesterol levels with those, then by all means try a gluten-free diet.

The elimination of wheat (the primary source of gluten) from the diet is probably one of the most powerful techniques you can use to lower cholesterol naturally.

Practically all grains contain gluten, but wheat is one of the most commonly consumed grains found in our food supply—primarily in the form of flour and bread. Cut out the bread and white flour from your diet. (It's not that easy at first.) Depending on your degree of dependency on gluten, you may experience "withdrawal" symptoms such as intense food cravings, irritability, depression, mood swings, fatigue, disorientation, insomnia, and brain "fogginess" for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

Following this initial period, if you're like the majority of individuals, you can expect to experience a long list of benefits. In addition to lower LDL cholesterol, here are a few other commonly reported benefits:

• Fasting blood sugar levels improve
• Triglyceride levels drop
• HDL cholesterol increases
• Bowel problems disappear
• Joint pains subside
• Excess weight begins to fall off
• Energy levels improve
• Headaches subside

There's no downside to eliminating wheat from your diet, with the possible exception of the withdrawal symptoms I mentioned. Stick with the program—if you don't see a significant improvement in your cholesterol levels and overall health in a month or less, I'll be shocked.

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