Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Cholesterol plays an important role in building and maintaining healthy cells that the body needs. The body makes its own cholesterol, but cholesterol levels can increase when we eat certain foods. Because of this, healthcare professionals warn that too much cholesterol can harm the body.

There are two types of cholesterol: High-density lipoprotein (HDL), known as “good” cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as “bad” cholesterol.

Too much cholesterol can raise your risk of heart disease and heart attacks, and medicines are available to reduce this risk. According to Dr. Romit Bhattacharya, a cardiologist at Mass General Brigham, the best way to lower your cholesterol is to eat less sugar, saturated fat, and cholesterol itself. These three things are building blocks for your body to make cholesterol.

You can start lowering your cholesterol naturally by making dietary changes that support better heart health, such as:

1. Eat heart-healthy foods

Cut back on saturated fats. Eating too much saturated fat can raise your bad cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found mostly in such foods as:

Dr. Leslie Cho, a preventive cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, recommends choosing foods with no more than 4 grams of saturated fat per serving.

“Saturated fat should account for less than 6% of your daily caloric intake,” Dr. Cho said. That works out to about 13 grams (about 2.5 to 3 teaspoons) a day if you’re taking in 2,000 calories.

2. Eliminate trans fats

Trans fats are harmful fats that raise the bad cholesterol, lower the good cholesterol, and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Trans fats are primarily found in processed foods, such as stick margarine, baked goods, fried chicken, frozen foods, potato chips, and deep-fried fast foods.

“Trans fats have a very negative impact on the body,” Dr. Cho warns. “Not only do they worsen your cholesterol, but they also increase your markers of inflammation.” This can lead to inflamed blood vessels, a risk factor for heart attacks.

3. Choose healthy fats

Not all fats are unhealthy. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are considered healthy fats. These fats, also known as unsaturated fats, can be found in foods such as:

Nuts, like walnuts and almonds, are also a good source of healthy fats.

4. Eat more soluble fiber or take fiber supplements

Soluble fiber lowers cholesterol because it prevents your body from absorbing some of it into your bloodstream. Apples, beans, pears, and other foods are rich in fiber. What’s more, fiber lets your body know when you’re full, so that you don’t overeat.

5. Eat more vegetables

Vegetables may be healthy, but many people avoid them as much as possible. What they may not realize is that most vegetables have no cholesterol or fat and are rich in fiber. If vegetables aren’t your favorite foods, Dr. Bhattacharya has an idea: Treat your vegetables like you treat your meat.

“Do you pick out your vegetables carefully and look for the freshest ones? Do you marinate them in something? Do you have a preferred way to cook or season them?” Dr. Bhattacharya says that how you experience your food—seeing, feeling, smelling, and getting ready to eat—really affects how much you enjoy it.

Besides your diet, there are lifestyle changes you can make to lower your cholesterol naturally, such as:

1. Exercise on most days of the week and increase your physical activity

As long as your doctor approves, health professionals recommend starting your exercise routine with just 5 minutes of your favorite exercise a day. Choose something that you enjoy, and you’ll be more likely to keep it up. You can work your way up to at least 30 minutes five days a week, with an activity such as taking a brisk walk during lunch. When it comes to vigorous aerobic activity, such as running or fast cycling, do it for at least 25 minutes three days a week.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention recommend making physical activity a part of each day. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator, park farther away, walk to the store, or do jumping jacks during commercials. Also, take short walk breaks throughout the day. Do more standing activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and yard work.

2. Maintain a healthy weight

Even a small amount of extra weight can raise your cholesterol levels.
“If you lose even a small amount of weight, your HDL will go up and your LDL will come down,” Dr. Cho says. “Losing five to 10 pounds can lower your total cholesterol by 5% to 10%.”

3. Drink alcohol in moderation

For women, drinking alcohol in moderation means up to one drink a day, and up to two drinks a day for men. Drinking too much alcohol can cause \ serious health issues, including high blood pressure, heart failure, and stroke.

4. Quit Smoking

Smoking raises your bad cholesterol and lowers your good cholesterol. It also increases your risk of a heart attack, stroke, or sudden cardiac death.
According to the Mayo Clinic:

• Within three months of quitting, your blood flow and lung function begin to improve.

• Within one year of quitting, your risk of heart disease is cut in half compared with someone who still smokes.

5. Reduce Your Stress Levels

When people are under stress, it’s common for them to smoke, drink, or eat to relieve stress. Stress can have a subtle impact on your cholesterol levels, often by making it harder to eat well, get enough exercise, or break bad habits like smoking.

“Stress harms your cardiac health,” Dr. Cho says. “Stress makes your body release a hormone that raises your blood pressure, your heart rate, and your likelihood of a heart attack or stroke.”

Find the stress relievers that are best for you, whether it’s meditation, yoga, or simply turning off your phone. A little stress relief can go a long way.

It Takes Time to Lower Cholesterol

Some people see their cholesterol levels improve within three to six months of starting changes. However, everyone is different, and many factors influence your cholesterol levels, including your genes.

“If high cholesterol runs in your family, it might be harder to reach healthy cholesterol levels through habit changes alone,” Dr. Cho said.

You May Benefit From Medication

If your cholesterol remains high despite lifestyle changes, your doctor might recommend medication, especially if you have existing risk factors for heart disease. Even if you have to take medication, it’s important to keep up the lifestyle changes that promote a healthier heart and longer life.

“A cholesterol-lowering journey is also a heart-health journey,” Dr. Cho said. “And it’s one that’s well worth your time and effort.”

Source Links:

https://www.health.com/lower-cholesterol-naturally-8350243
https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/10-foods-to-lower-cholesterol
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-lower-cholesterol
https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/prevention/index.html