High cholesterol is a leading cause of heart disease, so it is important to learn how to lower your cholesterol. Heart disease leads to stroke and other serious health problems, so lowering cholesterol dramatically can not only improve your health but your outlook on life as well. If you think that you may have high cholesterol or other heart problems, talk to your doctor. High cholesterol levels affect more than one in three Americans.
Simple lifestyle changes
But even though there are many different ways to lower your cholesterol, there are simple lifestyle changes you could make today that will have a positive impact on your health tomorrow and lower your cholesterol. Here are 10 different ways to lower cholesterol naturally, which include foods that lower high cholesterol, more information on the subject, and healthier eating options. Some of these lifestyle changes are easier than others, so if you feel like you need a little more guidance, talk to your doctor. And if you’re already on a healthy diet plan, or if you just want to make changes to your diet, here are some suggestions for making those lifestyle changes.
Losing weight
Losing weight can be a great way to reduce cholesterol and lead your way to better health. If you are overweight, talk to your doctor about the ways that losing weight can help you lower your risk factors. If you are not overweight, or if you are at a normal weight, another change you can make to your diet can be a healthier diet that includes fewer red meats. Red meats contain high amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol.
Exercise
Triglycerides are a leading cause of heart disease and high blood cholesterol levels, and they are the leading health problem of obese people. Exercise helps strengthen your heart, and also has other health benefits such as to lower your cholesterol. Regular exercise has been shown to help reduce the risk factors of heart disease. Try walking or jogging for half an hour, three times a week. It doesn’t have to be anything difficult, but just doing it is a good start.
Ease up on the eggs and dairy
If you eat too many eggs, you should be concerned. The cholesterol found in eggs increases the risk of heart disease and other health problems. But, many eggs are lower in cholesterol than others. If you want to include eggs in your diet, there are several options. You could choose to add some avocado to your omelet, which is high in healthy monounsaturated oils, or you could choose to use a non-flavored or egg-free yogurt.
If you don’t like eating a lot of red meat and fatty meats, you might want to consider eliminating some types of food foods like cheese, cream cheese, ice cream, and milk to lower your cholesterol. These foods are high in saturated fats. Eating more fish can also be beneficial. Fish contains good fats that can help lower your cholesterol. There are several fish that have low cholesterol and good fat levels; they include salmon, trout, haddock, sardines, and mackerel.
Also on the list of foods to avoid are trans fats. Trans fats are man-made fats made from hydrogen and methane that are commonly found in fast food and some foods like cookies, ready-made meals, and processed cheese. Trans fats increase the LDL or bad cholesterol in your body, which increases your risk of heart disease. A diet with lower LDL can help you reduce your triglycerides, which are another type of cholesterol that can cause heart disease.
Eat healthy food
The foods that lower your cholesterol don’t have to be restricted to just one category of food. You should be adding different kinds of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and grains to your diet to get all the benefits of the various nutrients. If you are not used to eating a wide variety of foods, start with replacing one meal a day with a new variety of foods until you start to find your favorite foods to eat. Changing your dietary cholesterol levels is important for your long-term health. By eating a balanced diet with plenty of protein and fiber, along with avoiding saturated fat, high LDL cholesterol, and trans fats you will keep your blood pressure low, your cholesterol level low, and prevent a variety of other serious health problems including diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.