Both nontreponemal tests, Rapid Plasma Reagin test (RPR) and Venereal Disease Laboratory test (VDRL), are not definitive tests for syphilis and may have a false positive result due to other medical conditions such as viral infections (measles, hepatitis), pregnancy, and some autoimmune diseases.
Dr. Crandall recommends the following steps to lower cholesterol without drugs: 1. Change your diet. A plant-based diet, which includes large amounts of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, along with meat substitutes like beans, lowers cholesterol naturally. 2. Take a plant sterols supplement.
Except for your morning wheat bran, no food is more fiber-rich than beans. And beans are especially high in cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. Eating a cup of any type of beans a dayâparticularly kidney, navy, pinto, black, chickpea, or butter beansâcan lower cholesterol by as much as 10% in 6 weeks.. Soy: The Smart, Delicious Alternative. Reducing saturated fat is the single most important dietary change you can make to cut blood cholesterol. Used as a replacement for meat and cheese, soy foods help your heart by slashing the amount of saturated fat that you eat.