Q. I am trying to get my cholesterol down and reduce my risk of heart attack. My cholesterol is 266, HDL 72 and LDL 177. I know the ratio is good but would like the numbers to be lower. I've heard that wine is beneficial, but I don't tolerate it well. Would grape juice do any good?

A. Your lipid ratio is excellent (3.7). To calculate this ratio, divide total cholesterol by HDL. Any number lower than 4.5 is considered good.

Grape juice probably won't lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol, which is a little high. But grape juice, like red wine, seems to have some cardiac benefit. New research suggests that purple grape juice helps protect LDL cholesterol from being oxidized. Oxidation is part of the process that leads to heart disease.

If you added pectin to your grape juice (for example, 1 tablespoon Certo to 8 ounces grape juice), you would have an arthritis home remedy that could also help lower cholesterol. Pectin is a soluble fiber derived from the cell walls of plants.

King Features Syndicate