Dyslipidemia Treatment

Cholesterol is a highly misunderstood entity as it has a bad reputation and a penchant for messing up with heart health. Do you know that cholesterol and its metabolites are quite useful to the body? Cholesterol is a sterol compound obtained through food and fat metabolism. Its primary functions are to maintain the structure of cell membranes, participate in cell repair, synthesize estrogen and bile, and help in the production of vitamin D. In the body, cholesterol is formed in the liver and stored all over the body. It is divided into three considering functions- High-Density Lipoproteins (HDL), Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL), and triglycerides. HDL is said to be the ‘good cholesterol’ as it sends cholesterol particles directly to the liver and helps avoid its build-up in the arteries. Contrastingly, LDL loads cholesterol molecules directly into the arteries, causing the narrowing of the blood vessel lumen and that is why it is referred to ‘bad cholesterol’. Triglycerides constitute the surplus and unused fat that are stored in different sites under the skin. Having more HDL is rewarding while elevated LDL increases the risk of various metabolic abnormalities. If you have high LDL levels or very low HDL levels in the blood, you might be suffering from hypercholesterolemia.

Hypercholesterolemia is a product of urban living and genetic factors. The modern-day diet that includes fast foods, high sugar, and junk play a crucial role in elevating the bad cholesterol levels in the blood. Hypercholesterolemia can rarely be familial, due to the passage of mutated LDL receptor genes. It can also be secondary to disorders like diabetes, obesity, alcoholism, hypothyroidism, and the effects of certain medications.

According to Ayurveda, it is a disease caused by vitiated medas dhatu associated with kapha dosha. The use of atisnigdha (excessively oily), atimadhura (high sugar) food, divaswapna (day sleep), avyayama (reduced exercise), etc are cited as the reasons for medo roga. These factors weaken the digestive fire and hamper digestion, leading to the formation of ama (toxins) in the body. Medo roga can also be hereditary (beeja dosha) or associated with other pathological conditions like prameha.

Signs and Symptoms

Hypercholesterolemia is not a disease, but an alarming pathological condition that can affect different systems of the body. By itself it is asymptomatic, but alarms raise when it influences circulation. Persistently high cholesterol levels can cause fat deposition in the artery walls, narrowing the arterial lumen. This can cascade into a series of troubles that can even lead to death.

Some of them are-

Dizziness and blackouts
Cardiac arrest due to arterial obstruction and ischemia
Extreme fatigue
Difficulty performing simple tasks
Perspiration
Poor digestion
shallow breathing
Cholesterol deposition in various body parts such as eyelids and fingers
Mental confusion
Sensory loss (such as visual impairment)
Stroke

Ayurveda Treatment for Hypercholesterolemia

In Dyslipidemia ayurveda treatment, hypercholesterolemia is considered a medo roga, a disease in medas dhatu. It is one of the 7 tissues mentioned by ancient scholars, which is responsible for nourishment and lubrication of the body. It can be vitiated by metabolic toxins namely ama and the medas along with ama damage a lot of underlying structures. The usual site of medo dhatu is vapavahana (abdominal cavity in this context). Normal functions of medo dhatu are snehana (moistening/nourishing), swedana (sweating- as sweat is the byproduct of medo dhatuparinama), asthi pushti (lubrication of bones and joints), and dridatva (compactness). Due to impaired agni (digestive fire), improper dhatu parinama (transition from one dhatu to another—pertaining to all 7 dhatus), vata vitiation, and obstruction of medovaha srotas (channels that carry cholesterol), the medo dhatu tends to vitiate. The symptoms caused by faulty medas are termed medo roga.

Premonitory symptoms of medo roga- these symptoms occur during the initial phase of dosha manifestation. For medo roga, they are- alasya (laziness), tantra (stupor), atinidra (excess sleep), bad odor from the body, feeling of heaviness, etc.
Acharya Charaka has mentioned 8 points as the clinical presentation of medo roga, which are- ayurhrasa (reduced longevity), early aging, troubled sexual intercourse, fatigue, foul smell of the body, increased sweating, excess hunger, and unquenchable thirst.

Our Approach

Dyslipidemia treatment aims to achieve the management of pain by breaking the pathogenesis of the disease, thereby correcting the root cause and arresting further progression of dyslipidemia management.

Apollo AyurVAID is a pristine institution that bears the virtue of Ayurveda. Our doctors, skilled and proficient in their field, are here to help you, by providing you with comfort and reassurance. Special attention is given here to the management of lifestyle disorders such as hypercholesterolemia and associated conditions. The focus is not on reducing the gravity of the health condition, but on its complete eradication. In-depth assessment of the condition, precise diagnosis, thorough samprapti vighatana (breaking the disease pathway), properly planned prakriti-oriented treatment, quality procedures, safe and hygienic environment, etc are our peculiarities. We offer you complete care and cure for the conditions that ail you.

We are:-

First NABH-accredited Ayurveda hospital in India
The winner of the esteemed National Award for Best Ayurvedic Centre of the year 2017 from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Industry’s best customer satisfaction score of 92%, rated by our clients

Our Outcome

The basic principles in the management of hypercholesterolemia can be grouped into 5:-

Nidana parivarjana (avoiding the cause)
Apatarpana
Shodhana
Shamana
Following pathya

Prevention is the first step towards healthy living, and it is the essence of Nidana parivarjana. One should be keen enough to observe the factors that cause medo roga and stay away from them. For example, improper food habits, untimely eating, binge-eating, stress eating, dependence on junk foods, lack of exercise, etc have to be avoided.

As medo roga are the diseases caused by over-nourishment, cutting off the nourishment is the key. This is apatarpana chikitsa. Procedures like fasting, emesis, exercise, sudation, bloodletting, preferring dry and light foods over oily ones, etc can do the job.

Shodhana chikitsa or the application of panchakarma procedures for eliminating excess kapha and medas should be considered. Shamana chikitsa is the use of internal medicines for pacifying the same. The medicines processed with drugs that have kapha-alleviating, medas dissolving, and scraping action are favored.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is hypercholesterolemia the same as hyperlipidemia?

No. Hypercholesterolemia is the increase of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the bloodstream while hyperlipidemia is the increased state of any or all lipoproteins such as LDL, HDL, and triglycerides.

2. Why is prevention so important in hypercholesterolemia?

Hypercholesterolemia can remain asymptomatic for a long time. It will be too late when the symptoms start, and the recovery will be difficult. It can affect multiple systems in no time and may even lead to paralysis or death. Therefore, thorough monitoring of blood cholesterol levels in fixed intervals is important to avoid health complications. Following dinacharya (daily routine), ritucharya (seasonal regimen), and timely shodhana (purificatory) therapies will help you stay healthy and keep cholesterol at bay.

3. How does a properly planned diet save cholesterol levels?

The key to managing cholesterol is to lower LDL levels and increase HDL quantities. A part of the cholesterol we get is from our diet. Choosing the right food positively influences the blood cholesterol level. Extra virgin olive oil, whole grains like rice bran, brown rice, and oats, pulses like black beans and kidney beans, soups of lentils and kale, and fruits with high fiber content such as apple and pear, will help lower the cholesterol levels and increase the metabolism of fat.

Dyslipidemia Treatment