If you have high cholesterol, you are also at higher risk for heart disease, strokes and other heart problems. The good news is you can control the risk by practising a healthy lifestyle!
Cholesterol is a dense, fatty substance found in every cell of your body. This naturally occurring substance made by the liver requires by the body for the proper function but in a minimum level.
If you want to lower cholesterol, diet is the answer. Ditch out extra buttered popcorn or oily junk food and consider adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet. But, if you are already eating plenty of the healthy foods that lower cholesterol naturally, keeps up the good work! If you haven’t, it’s not too late to make some simple changes.
1. Go vegetarian
Did you know that people following a vegetarian diet have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels? If becoming a vegetarian is quite hard for you, consider going vegan for at least 3 to 6 months to lower the cholesterol levels. Increase the amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables in order to supply the body with a wide range of vitamin, minerals and antioxidants which will eventually lower the cholesterol levels. Remember to consult a nutritionist for a balanced vegetarian diet plan.
2. Stay active
Working out should be a main key part of your get-healthy strategy. A simple yet moderate activity on a daily basis can reduce the cholesterol level by almost 10% to 20%. It is not necessary to be a gym rat in order to lower cholesterol. Walking is one of the simple exercises that can help reduce the heart disease risk. Apart from walking, you may opt for aerobic exercises such as running, cycling and swimming get the heart pumping – reducing the risk of heart diseases. Aim for at least two and a half hours of exercise every week.
3. Live a stress-free life
Did you know that when you’re stressed, your cholesterol can go through the roof? Tension, anxiety, anger, depression and stress release chemicals that constrict the arteries, raising blood pressure levels and increasing the risk of heart attack. Relaxation techniques can help to keep the stress levels under control. Get lost in a good book, meet a friend for coffee, indulge in good jazzy music, practice meditation, or take a yoga mat to put a full stop to your worries. It’ll help keep your cholesterol in check.
4. Say no to trans fats
Studies have shown that saturated fat is one of the main causes of cholesterol. The first thing you need to do in order to lower cholesterol level is by reducing your saturated fat intake. How can you avoid them in the meantime? Switch to low-fat milk and trim off the fat and skin from the meat and poultry. Try to avoid foods like lamb and beef and choose lean meat instead. Red meats (beef, pork and lamb) have more cholesterol and saturated trans fats that may clog the arteries. Avoid fry the food using partially hydrogenated oils such as coconut and mustard oil and choose canola, corn, soybeans and peanut oil instead. Limit the usage of oil during cooking.
5. Shed some pounds
You don’t have to shed a lot of weight in order to lower your cholesterol. The key point here is to maintain a healthy weight in order to lead a healthy life. Losing at least 2 to 5 kilograms can lower the total cholesterol levels significantly. Slowly introduce more healthy activity in your daily routine and stop being a lazybones. Reduce your calories and sugary food intake and you will see a major improvement in your weight.
6. Butt out
In one study, people who stopped smoking saw their good cholesterol High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) rise 5% in one year and decrease the overall risk of coronary artery disease. Note that smoking can do the worse thing to your health as in reducing fertility, dramatically speeds up wrinkles and ageing, icky teeth and body odour. Even one cigarette a day increases heart disease and stroke risk. If you are a non-smoker, but you’re regularly around smokers, remember that breathing second-hand smoke every day can lead to the raise levels of bad cholesterol.
7. Eat fibre rich foods
The soluble fibre found in fruits, whole grains and vegetables are very beneficial for lowering the cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that consuming 15 grams of soluble fibre a day can lower the cholesterol levels by almost 10%. Fibre is also found to decrease the bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol in the blood. Pectin, a kind of soluble fibre found in fruits not only lowers the cholesterol levels but also curbs overeating by slowing the digestive process.
8. Be happy and laugh more
Laughter is the best medicine! It increases HDL and thus minimises the cholesterol level. When you laugh, the blood flow increases and the blood pressure rises; but when you stop laughing, blood pressure drop back to its baseline. This relaxing effect helps bring down blood pressure and generate deeper breathing which in turn sends more oxygenated blood through the body. Check out silly pet videos online, watch funny movies or you can spend more time with your beloved pets.
9. Limit caffeine and gluten intake
Researchers have established a link between cholesterol levels and excess consumption of coffee. For proper health, restrict your daily coffee intake. You also need to control your gluten intake as they lead to obesity and inflammation – the major causes of heart diseases. Even if you eat wheat products, make sure they are whole grains.
10. Get enough sleep
Lack of sleep increases the LDL, or bad cholesterol, contributing to high blood pressure. Have you ever found yourself excessively sleepy during the day? If yes, then there are high possibilities that you may be suffering from high cholesterol. Try to sleep at least eight hours daily and keep all the distractions away to ensure a peaceful sleep. Stop using your smartphone an hour before your bedtime to get deep sleep.
Start now!
Lowering cholesterol naturally is possible with the right healthy habits. Make sure the changes you make are ones you can continue to do. The most important point is, lifestyle changes can help you keep your medication dose low.
References
WebMD.com
MedicalNewsToday.com
