A high level of cholesterol can be very serious without showing many signs. It is usually silent and can still result in heart disease and stroke. The good part is that… Often, you can handle it without using medication. Lots of people are amazed to learn that changing their lifestyle habits can naturally and effectively lower their cholesterol.
Looking for something gentler or prefer a natural solution? You’ll learn here how to help yourself in effective, science-based ways.
1. Know What You Have to Deal With
You don’t have to see cholesterol only as a problem. To work correctly, your body relies on fiber. But usually, there are two types: low-density lipoproteins—also called bad cholesterol—and high-density lipoproteins—the type known as good cholesterol.
If there is too much LDL, clogged arteries may result, but HDL helps your body get rid of cholesterol. Improving your health comes from raising HDL and lowering LDL.
2. Look at your meals and think about how you fill your plate.
The foods you consume can raise or lower your cholesterol. The good thing is, you have the power to greatly improve your health.
Make sure to eat foods that come from plants. Adding vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and whole grains to your meals helps remove cholesterol from your system. Specifically, soluble fiber has a spongy effect, absorbing cholesterol and getting rid of it as your digestive system works.
Oats, apples, beans and barley have a lot of soluble fiber and can easily be eaten with your meals.
3. Stay Away from All Trans Fats
Having high cholesterol commonly results from eating foods high in trans fats. Many packaged and processed foods have them and they work against your heart by increasing poor cholesterol and decreasing good cholesterol.
If you see the phrase “partially hydrogenated oils” in the ingredients on a package, it means trans fats are being used. It’s even healthier to stay away from processed foods and cook for yourself, allowing you to add only the ingredients you like.
4. Eat More Healthier Fats
All types of fats aren’t necessarily harmful to your body. Being aware of this, we understand that healthy fats can even improve cholesterol levels. Swap saturated fats in your diet such as butter and red meat, for unsaturated fats in avocados, olive oil and fatty fish.
If you choose salmon, mackerel or sardines, you benefit from the omega-3 fatty acids they contain which help decrease your triglycerides and limit inflammation.
A small number of almonds or walnuts is also a good way to snack for heart health.
5. Get Moving and Reduce Sitting
Moving your body often can help your cholesterol levels. As you continue, it gradually increases good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol. You only need to get Moderate aerobic exercise for 30 minutes a day to begin seeing great benefits.
Activities such as walking quickly, cycling, dancing or gardening may be all you need to see benefits. Sticking with it over time is very important. Shoot for working out five times a week and make your exercise sessions enjoyable to keep at it for months.
6. Lose those extra pounds.
Additional weight in your abdominal area, especially, may increase your cholesterol and make heart disease more likely to occur. It’s amazing how much better our lives can get even with small turnarounds.
Five to 10 percent weight loss may greatly lower your LDL and total cholesterol numbers. Eat with attention, drink lots of water and reduce your intake of sugary items.
Try to see this as changing your overall diet, not only dieting.
7. Stop Smoking and Try Not to Drink a Lot
Smoking hurts blood vessels and makes it simpler for cholesterol to collect in your arteries. It also leads to a drop in your HDL (good) cholesterol. Stopping smoking allows cholesterol to drop, helps lower blood pressure and benefits your body almost right away.
Alcohol can increase HDL slightly, but having too much can do much more harm than it can do good. Consume less than one drink if you’re a woman and only two if you are a man in a day.
8. Take Care of Your Stress
High stress levels may raise your cholesterol. You might select less healthy meals, miss your gym time or overindulge on food when you’re stressed. Chronic stress can cause hormone shifts that are not good for your heart.
You could reduce your stress by practicing deep breathing, meditating, journaling or being outside. Exercising for just five minutes each day can make a big difference.
9. Pay Attention to How You Are Doing
Pay attention to your reports regularly. When you make changes to what you eat and your lifestyle, don’t forget to revisit your doctor to see how your cholesterol is being affected.
Noticing your gains can push you and help you check that you are achieving your goals. Feel free to seek out explanations and ask your doctor for regular blood tests. Understanding your body always helps as you travel your health journey.
Final Thoughts
Cholesterol levels can be managed without taking medication and it is strong medicine. You can naturally support your heart health by being careful with your choices every day.
Keep in mind, you don’t have to be perfect. Point is, we’re always moving forward. Eating right, taking a walk or choosing something healthy each day makes you healthier over time. Go slowly at first, keep up with it and you’ll feel better sooner.
