Taking care of our body daily can change our quality of life. Even if during some periods we may be not so careful about what we eat, it is never too late to rebuild and reconstruct. Our cells remember everything and they are more powerful in what they do, compared with our minds – that is why many yogis say, “this is not our body.”

Our bodies are created with each bite of food we put inside it, with every breath we take, through every experience we have with the outer environment.

Scientifically speaking, prevention is of the utmost importance, but each moment counts for ‘healing old wounds.’

The holidays are not the best times for our diets! But when the Christmas lights are turned off, we can reset.

‘Bad’ cholesterol and triglycerides come from everything ‘buttery’ like cookies, cakes, and other deserts – and from cheese and red meat. So, reducing all these can help you reduce your bad LDL. It is called bad cholesterol because it collects in the walls of your blood vessels, raising your chances for health problems like a heart attack or stroke. But it is not all bad, because our body – especially our liver – needs some of that. Diet plays an important role in keeping it in shape, although family history and heredity also affect that organ. For example my cousin has had high levels of bad LDL since the age of 10! For some people, medication is inevitable. Stress, smoking, alcohol, and other variables play a huge role also. Checking liver function with blood tests is very important, because it is related to other diseases.

Herbs may help, in combination with a healthy diet. Eating fresh herbs, adding it your daily cooking or drinking them as a tea also works. Garlic is a good example – the herb without borders, considered by many to be a panacea. You can find it everywhere, it is cheap, and fights against infection as an antibiotic, or as a preventative for various diseases. It helps with cardiovascular health, and is good for your nutrition whether it is fresh or not.

Other herbs that are good for cholesterol are acer, olive leaves, almond leaves, rosemary, taraxacum, Fraxinus, Silybum, secale, juniperus, and Betula.

* The above is not medical advice but mere suggestions for improving your diet. Before reach herbal use you should consult your doctor, especially those who have health issues, are pregnant or are under the age of 6.

 Evropi-Sofia Dalampira holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics and an MSc in Botany-Biology.