Lower Cholesterol Levels with Lifestyle Changes
Cholesterol issues, if not hereditary, are certainly associated with poor dietary and lifestyle habits.
Remove the main cause of high cholesterol by switching to healthy food. Avoid fatty foods and fried foods. Butter, cream, clarified butter (ghee), and cheese can raise cholesterol levels – keep their consumption to a minimum. Processed foods such as white flour, pastries, biscuits, and even ice cream tend to increase LDL cholesterol -- so do non-vegetarian foods such as meat and poultry. Consume milk and milk products in moderation, as they too are responsible for high cholesterol. Oatmeal and whole grain cereals such as brown rice and whole wheat flour help reduce LDL and help you feel fuller because of fiber and complex carbohydrates in them.
Studies have shown that 30 minutes of physical activity, five days a week, can help lower LDL and improve HDL cholesterol. But the more exercise the better for cholesterol! If you are into vigorous exercise such as jogging, even 20 minutes of exercise, three times a week is sufficient. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. House work such as cleaning and gardening too, count as cardiovascular activities to reduce cholesterol.
Chronic stress raises blood pressure and increases the risk of plaque formation due to cholesterol build up. In a research paper published in the Lancet, Paul J Rosch confirmed that ‘stress has a far greater effect on cholesterol and coronary disease than fat intake’. Reduce your stress levels with relaxation therapies, meditation, and breathing exercises. Padmasana and salabhasana are two examples of many yogasanas that help lower cholesterol levels.
Lose weight, especially belly fat, if you are obese or overweight. Obesity increases the risk of high cholesterol and diabetes.
Quit smoking and if you drink, do so in moderation. The American Heart Association warns that ‘smoking lowers HDL cholesterol and increases the tendency for blood to clot’. If you drink, restrict your intake to 1 to 2 drinks per day if you are a man and 1 drink per day if you are a woman.
Certain home remedies may prove beneficial in lowering cholesterol:
- Boost HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol by regularly consuming juice from half a raw onion.
- Boil 10 pieces of 2.5 cm long cinnamon sticks in 5 cups of water. Add a tablespoon of honey and drink this when it is hot.
- Blend 5 to 6 large cloves of garlic in one-and-a-half cups of water at room temperature. Drink a tablespoon every night before going to bed.
- Take half a cup juice each of garlic, lemon, ginger and apple cider. Boil till it is reduced to 1 cup. Store it in the fridge. Take 1 tsp of the liquid with 1 tsp of honey once every 3 days in the morning for a week. After a week, increase the dose to once every 2 days.
- Blend a few curry leaves in 2 cups of buttermilk and drink it first thing in the morning for 2 weeks. It helps lower cholesterol and reduces blood sugar as well.
Please note that home remedies are unsubstantiated by research studies. Don’t try a remedy if you are allergic to the ingredients present in it. Some ingredients may react with the medication you may be taking, so consult your health care provider before using any of it
Thanks for u r guidance over cholesterol.... my main question is how can I improve my HDL ..... its very low...... 26. I'm 42 years old rakesh thakar
Thanks for such a good article . I would like to add Flaxseeds[Alasi in hindi] to the above mention list of food to reduce cholesterol. Not many people know about flax seeds. Flax seeds(Alasi in hindi) are also good source of Omega 3 acid and helps to reduce cholesterol . Flax seeds are a rich source of the valuable omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid, alpha linolenic acid. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential in your diet. Like vitamins, they can't be made in your body and must come from foods or supplements. By increasing your omega-3 fatty-acid intake, you will produce a healthier ratio of these prostaglandins (hormone-like substances) in your body. Flax seeds have become more and more popular in recent years, due to their health-protective properties. Most notably, reducing the risk of heart disease, as well as the prevention of some cancers. Flax seeds are a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid. This is the plant-derived type of omega-3 fats, which has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol, as well as triglycerides levels. Flax seeds also contain both insoluble and soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is thought to aid in lowering cholesterol, by preventing the absorption of cholesterol within the body. Flax seeds are a valuable addition to your diet, to help decrease your risk of heart disease. Probably the most important and widely studied benefit of the omega-3 fatty acids is for the cardiovascular system. Lipid profiles, electrical conduction in the heart, platelet function, even blood pressure are optimized by omega-3 fatty acid intake. We should consume it daily . It is number one nutrition food item .Search online for more health benefit details of flax seed. You can buy it from nearby store or online and it is quite cheap as compare to other healthy items like almonds(more healthy and tasty mamra badam(almonds) is more expensive than California badam) and roasted flax seeds better in test than other natural food items which reduce cholesterol like Garlic, Oat,onions etc. Finally , it is up to you decide best suitable combination for your health.
Recent research on Coronary Artery disease [heart disease] indicated the overall cholesterol to be within normal range in close to 60% of the cases. So high cholesterol by itself does not predispose to CAD. Other factors like life style diet and activity level are equally important.
My LDL is 144 and HDL is 30 mg/dl. what are the consequences especially heart Further my SGOT is 169 and SGPT is 106 iu/l and am a sugar patient Kindly provide me the consultancy on the consequences omyhealth
I'd like to inform you about this product i recently discovered that is helping me a lot in my vegan diet and cholesterol problem. This is Olive an olive tree leaves’ water infusion.
Hey Manuel, it's really great news! I will also try it once in a while to keep my cholesterol levels in check.