High cholesterol is a condition in which a gradual increase of cholesterol in the blood with or without underlying pathology.

• SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• CAUSES OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• DIAGNOSIS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• TREATMENTS FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• PROGNOSIS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• COMPLICATIONS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• HIGH CHOLESTEROL  AND AYURVEDA
• NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• HOME REMEDIES FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• YOGA FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL
• RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• Generally no symptoms
• If fatty deposits occur in the body, the following symptoms are manifested;
• Palpitations
• Fatigue
• Pain on weight-bearing joints

CAUSES OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• Family history
• Hormone changes
• Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
• Hypothyroidism
• High cholesterol diet
• Diabetes

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

Due to the above-mentioned causes, there is an accumulation of fatty deposits in the blood vessels that leads to atherosclerotic plaques. These plaques cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

DIAGNOSIS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• BMI – Body mass index
• BMI Categories:

Underweight = <18.5

Normal weight = 18.5–24.9

Overweight = 25–29.9

Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater (risk of high cholesterol)

• Formula:

Weight (kg) / [height (m)]²

• Blood tests – to measure the level of thyroid hormones, blood glucose level etc.

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
• High-density lipoprotein (HDL)
• Total cholesterol
• Triglycerides

TREATMENTS FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• Physical exercise
• Diet modifications
• Statins
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplements 
• Treatment of underlying pathology

PROGNOSIS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• High cholesterol is manageable with life modifications and medications. Untreated high cholesterol leads to complications.

COMPLICATIONS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL     

• Atherosclerosis
• peripheral arterial disease (PAD)
• Stroke
• Heart stack
• Coronary heart disease
• Cardiac arrest

HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND AYURVEDA

• In Ayurveda,high cholesterol is caused due to the ‘medo vridhi’.

NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• Excess consumption of unctuous, heavy, oily food
• Dysfunction of agni
• Lack of vyayama (physical activities)
• Sedentary lifestyle

PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• No premonitory symptoms for high cholesterol 

SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• Improper functioning of jataragni affects medo dhatu agni leads to high cholesterol.

LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• Ksheena – fatigue
• Sthoulya –obesity
• Srama swasa – panting

AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• Symptoms are manageable with Ayurvedic medicines

CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL

AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• Treatment for agni
• Treatment for medovridhi
• Varanadi kashayam
• Triphala guggulu
• Kanchanara guggulu 
• Punarnavarishtam
• Arogyavardhini vati

COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL

Internal administration

• Varanadi kashayam
• Kanchanara guggulu
• Triphala guggulu
• Punarnavarishtam
• Arogyavardhini vati

HOME REMEDIES FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• Exercise regularly
• Take an appropriate quantity of fluids

DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• Avoid food items which produce dosha imbalance like cold and dry food, hard to digest. Because dosha imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
• Consume easily digestible food items
• Avoid more oily foods, junk foods

YOGA FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL

• Nadi Shuddi Pranayam   

The patient needs to be seated in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, with the body relaxed. The patient has to close his one nostril (e.g. left nostril if using the right hand and vice versa) with the thumb and exhale completely through the other nostril. Again, he will have to breathe in deeply through the other nostril while the opposite nostril is still closed with the thumb.                             

• Sarvangasana
• Halasana
• Pashchimottasana
• Suryanamaskara
• Trikonasana
• Chakrasana
• Ushtrasana
• Dhanurasana
• Bhujangasana

RESEARCH PAPERS OF AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

1. The hypolipidemic activity of Ayurvedic medicine, Arogyavardhini vati in Triton WR-1339-induced hyperlipidemic rats: A comparison with fenofibrate

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3821191/#:~:text=Conclusion%3A,increasing%20GSH)%20and%20lipid%20levels.

2.     Hypercholesterolemia and Ayurvedic Medicine: A Case Report

http://www.tihcij.com/Articles/Hypercholesterolemia-and-Ayurvedic-Medicine-A-Case-Report.aspx?id=000282