Cholesterol is basically a fatty substance found in your body. Whenever we hear the word “Cholesterol” we directly comprehend “something bad”. Isn’t it? Don’t you search for various ways to lower your cholesterol levels? Actually, Our body needs cholesterol to perform various important functions in our body such as maintaining cell membranes and structures and many more. But the question is why does this cholesterol become bad for your body if it serves many purposes? Well, to explain the answer to this question, we should know there are mainly two types of cholesterol that are:
- LDL cholesterol (Low-Density lipoprotein cholesterol) is also known as BAD cholesterol.
- HDL cholesterol (High-Density lipoprotein cholesterol) is also known as GOOD cholesterol.
The type LDL cholesterol levels up some time and gets stuck to the wall of the arteries and even blocks them. This can cause the risk of heart attack and other coronary artery diseases. The main causes of an increase in the levels of LDL are weight gain, sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, etc. In this blog, we will discuss the effective ways to lower your cholesterol level. If you are already on medications then these changes along can show a positive effect on reducing LDL cholesterol.
There is only the need for some lifestyle changes to lower your cholesterol levels. Here are some of the effective ways by which you can reduce your cholesterol naturally:
1. Eat heart-healthy foods
Start following a heart-healthy diet. There are so many foods that can help you in reducing your cholesterol levels. Adopt a diet that is low in saturated and trans-fat. Packaged foods and deep-fried foods contain Trans-fat. All you have to do is replace the saturated and trans-fat with healthier fats. Now the question arises, what are these healthy fats? Foods that contain unsaturated fats are known as healthy fats. These unsaturated fats are found in the following foods:
- Nuts especially almonds and walnuts
- Fish
- Flaxseeds
- Olive oil
- Avocados
- Sesame seeds
What are the foods to avoid to lower cholesterol?
- Avoid hydrogenated vegetable oils like canola oil, palm oil, margarine, etc.
- Avoid eating packed foods available in market
- Limited consumption of Meat
- Limit intake of butter and cheese
2. Exercise daily
Increasing physical activity can help you in lowering your cholesterol. At least 30 minutes of exercise five days per week and aerobic activity of 15 minutes at least four times a week can be beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels along with weight loss. Exercise can help in reducing LDL cholesterol levels. Although any type of exercise is good for your heart health. It’s a win-win situation.
If you have a sedentary lifestyle and want to reduce cholesterol then you have to start gradually building up the amount of physical activity:
- People aged 18-55 years should do moderate-intensity physical activity at least 2.5 hours per week.
- People ages above 55 years should do 10-15 minutes of moderate-intensity exercises on most days of the week.
Limit your alcohol intake to lower your cholesterol levels
Regular intake of alcohol can increase the level of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, which can lead to the risk of heart diseases. Along with this excessive alcohol intake can lead to other serious health problems like high blood pressure, liver problems, obesity, strokes, etc.
If you drink alcohol, do it in moderation. Do not exceed more than 1 drink per day.
Quit smoking to lower your cholesterol levels
Smoking can increase the levels of LDL and decrease HDL levels. If you are not a regular smoker do not think that you are risk-free. Just say “NO” to smoking.
Even through second-hand smoking i.e., being around regular smokers can increase the risk of a rise in LDL levels. If you are having difficulty quitting smoking, then consult your doctor or any counselor. It just needs some willpower and being aware of your health condition.
3. Avoid intake of trans fat
Trans fats are unsaturated fatty acids that are processed for long-lasting use purpose. All hydrogenated vegetable oils come under the category of trans fat. A high trans-fat diet can raise the levels of LDL in the blood. Some of the foods containing trans-fat are given below:
- Margarine
- Palm oil
- Fried chips
- Some baked products
- Processed foods
Although some dairy products may contain a modest amount of natural trans-fat. Intake in moderate amounts does not increase the LDL levels in the blood.
Replaces foods that contain saturated fatty acids with healthy unsaturated fatty acids i.e., monosaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Some foods in which healthy unsaturated fats are found:
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Olive oil
- Fish
- Seeds like flax seeds, sunflower seeds
- Peanuts
- Avocado
Note: Don’t get fooled by the ingredient list, while buying any food products. If the label states “0 trans-fat”, that doesn’t mean that it has no trans-fat. Sometimes companies round off the amount of even 0.5-0.75 to 0. Instead of this, always check for “partially hydrogenated oils per serving”. Partially hydrogenated oils is the modern term for Trans-fat.
4. Maintain healthy body weight
Excess weight or obesity can increase the risk of developing high cholesterol levels. For obese people, reducing weight can be a challenging task. Go gentle with your body. Start with the small changes like giving up soda drinks, sugary beverages, quitting drinking, going for fruits instead of junk food and exercising regularly. If you are craving something sweet, go for fruit juices or whole fruit.
If you will lose weight consistently, you will feel energetic and your cholesterol levels will reduce automatically. You can also engage with any nutritionist or dietician for a sustainable weight loss plan.
5. Try supplements to lower your cholesterol levels
There are so many supplements that are available in the market that promote heart health. You can start taking supplements, only after your doctor approves them. Here are some supplements to consider for reducing cholesterol naturally.
Fish oil
Fish oil is rich in omega-3-fatty acids are good for reducing heart diseases. Tuna and Salmon have the highest levels of omega-3-fatty acids. Intake of fish or fish oil does not affect LDL cholesterol levels but can reduce the triglycerides i.e., a type of fat in the blood that can cause a blood clot.
Note: There are limited studies on the effectiveness of fish oil in reducing cholesterol levels. Although more studies are needed on fish oil’s role in reducing heart-related diseases. Do not take fish oil without a doctor’s prescription as it may cause gas or diarrhea.
Plant sterols
Plant sterols are substances believed to be helping in blocking of absorption cholesterol. Although it is not clear whether it reduces the risk of chronic heart disease but they are considered the foods that reduce cholesterol.
What are the Foods that will help you to lower your cholesterol levels?
“To have accurate cholesterol levels, you don’t have to eat perfectly with calculations”. It’s all about balance. What is balancing? Well, the answer is balancing food choices, cutting down the processed foods, exercising regularly and quitting smoking. Maintaining healthy choices for your body is balancing.
Here we are discussing foods that can help you in reducing cholesterol levels naturally:
1. Beans
Beans are protein-rich foods that can be an excellent replacement for foods containing a high amount of saturated fats. High soluble fibers of beans can help you in lowering LDL levels. You can add beans to your diet by adding them to salads, vegetables, soup, or anything you like.
2. Nuts
Nuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fats. Many researches show that nuts can help in maintaining cholesterol levels naturally without medication. Add them to snacks and smoothies.
3. Olive oil
Plant-based products are a very good source of heart-healthy fats. Olive oil promotes good cardiovascular health. Use olive oil as a replacement for butter or other oils. It is also rich in antioxidants.
4. Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds have phytosterols that help in reducing LDL cholesterol levels. They are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
5. Avocados
Avocados are a great source of nutrients along with heart-healthy unsaturated fats and they can help in improving LDL cholesterol levels, especially for obese people. Use avocados in salads and sandwiches.
6. Oats and barley
The easiest step following lowering your cholesterol is having a bowl of oatmeal. You can add cherries are Bananas for extras. Oats, barley and other whole grains can help in lowering the risk of heart diseases.
However, cholesterol has important functions in the body but if it gets out of control it may cause a high risk of heart attack and stroke. Sometimes the above-mentioned lifestyle changes aren’t enough to reduce cholesterol levels. If these are not working for you, visit your doctor and take the prescribed medications along with these changes. However, lifestyle changes can help you in reducing cholesterol levels naturally with a low dose of medications.
People can naturally control their cholesterol levels without medications through healthy eating and lifestyle changes. To lower your cholesterol levels, maintain healthy choices like exercising regularly and quit smoking. It is very important to control your diet, avoid taking sugary beverages and junk food. Instead of this, go for fruits, vegetables, and nuts. These all are good for reducing cholesterol levels. These healthy choices can be good for your bones, digestive health and mental health along with control and blood pressure levels.
Disclaimer: The above-mentioned content is for general information only. The content should never be used as a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. DeepAdvices do not claim eh responsibility for the same.
