Supplements To Lower Cholesterol
Some companies sell supplements that they say can lower cholesterol. Researchers have studied many of these supplements, including red yeast rice, flaxseed, and garlic. At this time, there isn’t conclusive evidence that any of them are effective in lowering cholesterol levels. Also, supplements may cause side effects and interactions with medicines. Always check with your health care provider before you take any supplements.
Eating Well + Exercise
For best results with a healthy lifestyle, new research has found that plunging right in with both healthy eating and exercising is the way to go.3
The Stanford University School of Medicine study involved 200 middle-aged Americans, all sedentary and with poor eating habits. Some were told to launch new food and fitness habits at the same time. Others began dieting but waited several months before beginning to exercise. A third group started exercising but didnt change eating habits till several months later.
All the groups received telephone coaching and were followed for one year. The winning group was the one making food and exercise changes together. The people in this group were most likely to meet U.S. guidelines for exercise and healthy eating , and to keep calories from saturated fat at less than 10% of their total intake of calories.
For best results with a healthy lifestyle, new research has found that plunging right in with both healthy eating and exercising is the way to go.3
Natural Remedies To Keep Your Cholesterol In Check
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Cholesterol And Heart Disease
Weve all heard that heart disease is the #1 killer in the United States, but what some dont realize is that our cholesterol levels and how we fuel our bodies is not only a major contributing factor, but something we have control over. Even more scary is the fact that studies have shown the first stages of atherosclerosis begin as early as age 10.
Cholesterol is a type of fat in your blood, and high cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease, the #1 killer in America. It increases your chance of developing heart disease and having a heart attack, as well as raises your risk of stroke. In particular, high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol raise your risk of these conditions. LDL cholesterol is often called bad cholesterol.
Healthy Cholesterol
So what is the normal range for healthy cholesterol?
Ideally a healthy cholesterol for an adult is less than 200 mg/dL
A reading between 200 and 239 mg/dL is considered borderline high A reading 240 mg/dL is considered high
Healthy LDL cholesterol levels should be less than 100 mg/dL
High Cholesterol And Medication
In some instances, individuals absolutely must take prescribed medications to keep their cholesterol in check. However, if you have the option to lower it naturally, why wouldnt you take control of your health?
Natural Dietary Remedies
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Adopt Healthier Cooking Methods
You are what you eat! Along with healthy food, healthy cooking methods also contribute to cutting down cholesterol levels. Natural is the best foot forward! Raw salads and fresh fruit fall in this category. However, when you have to cook, baking, boiling, stewing and roasting are healthy options for food preparation. You must avoid fried items as they directly increase the bad fats in the body like saturated and trans-fat. Using healthy cooking oils, rich in unsaturated fats like rice bran oil, sunflower oil and olive oil is a switch you should make, from traditional but unhealthy alternatives like palm oil.
It Is Important To Have An Optimal Level Of Cholesterol Here Is Why
We have heard that high cholesterol is associated with several health conditions such as heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, varicose veins. But it is not all bad. In fact, cholesterol at optimal levels is required by the body.
What causes high Cholesterol
There are three main causes of high cholesterol
- Leading an Unhealthy Lifestyle :
Eating a diet rich in saturated and trans-fat, not exercising, being overweight/obese or smoking
- Medical Conditions :
Diabetes , Underactive thyroid gland , Kidney or liver problems, Alcohol and medications like steroids, antidepressants
- Genetic or Hereditary :
High cholesterol sometimes runs in the family, it is due to faulty genes and can shoot the cholesterol levels to a risky level.
Lifestyle Changes That Can Help Reduce Cholesterol
Lifestyle changes are very effective in helping reduce cholesterol levels. They are also straightforward and can be made at any age. The key effective lifestyle changes are described below:
1. Eat Heart-Healthy Food:
- Limit saturated fats, avoid trans-fats and consume Unsaturated fats
- Consume foods with unsaturated fat & eat more fibre: Replace white bread and pasta with whole grains. Add plenty of fruits and veggies in daily diet.
Read more: Healthy Fats for a Healthy Heart: How to include them in your diet?
- A quick explanation of different types of fats that are present in ones diet will allow you to understand them and identify the sources
| SATURATED FAT |
4. Lose weight:
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Diet To Keep Your Cholesterol In Check
A few dietary approaches are shown to work:
- Eliminate the consumption of trans fats. Trans fats are artificially created fats found in some vegetable oils , baked goods, and non-organic peanut butters.
- Eat more fiber, specifically soluble fiber. Fiber blocks the absorption of cholesterol from the foods we eat. Foods high in soluble fiber include black beans, lentils, chia seeds, flaxseeds, dried fig, and dried prunes.
- Consume whey protein. Whey supplementation can reduce triglyceride levels.
Cholesterol And Healthy Eating
What we eat has an impact on our cholesterol levels and can help reduce our risk of disease. Try to eat a wide variety of foods from each of the five food groups. Not only does this help to maintain a healthy and interesting diet, but it provides essential nutrients to the body.
The Heart Foundation recommends:
- Plenty of vegetables, fruits and wholegrains.
- A variety of healthy protein sources , legumes , nuts and seeds. Smaller amounts of eggs and lean poultry can also be included in a heart healthy diet. If choosing red meat, make sure it is lean and limit to 1-3 times a week.
- Unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese. Those with high blood cholesterol should choose reduced fat varieties.
- Healthy fat choices nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and their oils for cooking
- Herbs and spices to flavour foods, instead of adding salt.
Also, be mindful on how much you are eating and whether you are filling up on unhealthy foods. Portion sizes have increased over time and many of us are eating more than we need which can lead to obesity and increase our risk of cardiovascular disease.
Ideally, a healthy plate would include servings of ¼ protein, ¼ carbohydrates and ½ vegetables.
Serving size can vary depending on age, gender and specific nutrition needs.
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Keep Your Cholesterol In Check
Bowl of Almonds
Cholesterol is one of those “gotta have it, but dont want to have too much, or the wrong kind” kind of nutrients. Cholesterol is absolutely necessary for the formation of certain hormones and essential for other basic cell functions. It is estimated that Americans daily dietary cholesterol intake is about 300-500 mg, and the oxidized version could account for up to 10 percent of this. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 300mg cholesterol from dietary sources, and also reminds us that the body, particularly the liver, produces its own cholesterol.
Cholesterol from eggs, pasture raised, grass fed meats, and dairy foods, when consumed with a whole foods-based diet, in moderation is not harmful. The oxidized or overcooked, CAFO sourced meat and other products are where we can run into trouble. A study from the Chinese University in Hong Kong isolated oxidized cholesterol in foods and found that it both increases total cholesterol levels and promotes atherosclerosis the hardening of the arteries.
For those watching their cholesterol, choosing meals can be a challenge. Here are some tips to keep you on track and your cholesterol levels health:
Avoid trans fat. Stay away from items that list “partially hydrogenated oil” on the label. Reading all food labels is essential, even if the nutrition facts states 0g trans fats.
Use fresh garlic when cooking. Garlic has been shown to help lower cholesterol levels.
Tactics To Reduce Cholesterol Quickly
For most of us, there’s really no need to pack our medicine cabinets with pills to reduce cholesterol levels. Natural, lifestyle-based strategies have proven extraordinarily effective in reducing cholesterol quickly and permanently.
Get the top 5 food and fitness tips recommended by the doctors, dietitians, exercise experts, and other faculty at the Pritikin Longevity Center. Pritikin has been helping people lower cholesterol levels since 1975.
Did you know that for every 10% drop in your cholesterol level, your heart attack risk drops by 20% to 30%? Theres more good news: Most of us can reduce cholesterol quickly, and without the need for medications. Simple lifestyle strategies can be very powerful.
Thats what several studies on thousands following the Pritikin Program of diet and exercise have found. Within three weeks, people were able to lower their cholesterol levels on average 23%, which translates into a 46% to 69% drop in heart attack risk.1
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How Is Cholesterol Measured
Most people with high cholesterol feel perfectly well and often have no symptoms. The best way to find out if your cholesterol is high is to have a blood test .
Visit your GP to determine whether you need to lower your cholesterol level and what action to take.
GPs can also do a heart health check, that calculates your heart disease and stroke risk.
High Cholesterol: The Silent Killer
What is cholesterol? it is the waxy substance that travels through the bloodstream in our body as a part of two different lipoproteins: low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein . High cholesterol is a silent killer which can lead to severe health complications and thus managing it becomes very important if you want to stay safe.
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Manage Your Stress Levels
Stress is a major cause of heart disease. Our fast-paced lifestyles with a constant effort to do too many things at once is all adding to our ever-increasing stress levels. You must learn to let go and not worry about problems too much. Worrying causes stress, which increases cholesterol levels. Every cloud has a silver lining and the good times are just around the corner! You must adopt a healthy lifestyle, taking recommendations from this post, make wise choices and follow the doctors advice to keep your cholesterol in check. In matters of health, time is of the essence. Act fast to control high cholesterol, or else, it might be fatal!
Other common questions about cholesterol
What Reduces Cholesterol Quickly?
If you looking for ideas on how to reduce cholesterol quickly, the first thing that you can do is maintaining a balanced diet. Eating more food products rich in Omega-3, fibre and monosaturated fats is one way how to reduce blood cholesterol in the body. Altering your lifestyle-related habits like quitting smoking, avoiding the consumption of alcohol, following a strict exercise regime and losing weight are a few tips on how to reduce high cholesterol.
What Is The Best Drink To Lower Cholesterol?
Pomegranate juice is the best drink to reduce cholesterol levels. It is rich in antioxidants that are known to decrease the LDL levels.
How Long Does It Take To Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally?
What Foods Reduce Cholesterol?
How To Keep Your Cholesterol Levels In Check
Being told by a doctor that you have cholesterol problems that need to be managed is not an easy conversation to have. It can fill you with loads of questions and leave you with an impending sense of doom.
How do I manage something like that?
What happens if I slip up?
How is this going to change my home life?
D2G is here to tell you not to worry. Managing your cholesterol is much easier than many people think, and the impact it has on your diet is relatively minimal!
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Why Should I Have A Cholesterol Check
Cholesterol is a fatty substance and is essential for the normal functioning of the body. High cholesterol itself doesnt usually cause any symptoms, but it increases your risk of developing serious health conditions such as heart disease and stroke. If you are concerned about your heart and, in particular, your cholesterol levels, visit us for our cholesterol check service.
How To Keep Your Cholesterol At A Healthy Level
You cant change some risks factors for cholesterol such as your family history or your age. But fortunately, there are ways to prevent high cholesterol and reduce your cholesterol levels if they are too high. At Danvers Family Doctors, we put together this list of five tips for helping you keep your cholesterol in check.
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Add Exercise To Your Daily Routine
Exercise has many heart-healthy benefits including helping you to prevent high cholesterol and heart disease. The good news is that you dont have to be a star athlete to get the benefits of exercise. There are many types of exercises you can dofrom low-impact exercises to aerobic exercisesand all have shown some benefit in keeping your body limber and your cholesterol levels low. If you already have high cholesterol levels, exercise can be very helpful in preventing your cholesterol levels from increasing further.
Tips For Keeping Your Cholesterol In Check In The New Year
Approximately 1 out of 8 Americans have high total cholesterol values. However, not all cholesterol is bad, and there are many ways to manage both your bad and total cholesterol levels without resorting to medication.
At All Day Medical Care Clinic in Gaithersburg, Maryland, our team of medical specialists can test your cholesterol levels, evaluate your overall health, and recommend lifestyle changes that can lower your cholesterol safely and naturally. And if medication is needed, we can help find the right match for your age, weight, and health, so your levels can be lowered with minimal adverse side effects.
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What If My Cholesterol Levels Aren’t Healthy
As your LDL cholesterol gets higher, so does your risk of heart disease. Take these steps to lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of heart disease:
- Eat heart-healthy foods
- Stay at a healthy weight
- If you smoke, quit
- If you have type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, take steps to manage it
- Ask your doctor about taking medicine to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke
How Often Do I Need To Get My Cholesterol Checked
The general recommendation is to get your cholesterol checked every 4 to 6 years. Some people may need to get their cholesterol checked more or less often depending on their risk of heart disease.
For example, high cholesterol can run in families. If someone in your family has high cholesterol or takes medicine to control cholesterol, you might need to get tested more often. Talk to your doctor about whats best for you.
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Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Am I at risk for heart disease?
- How often should I get my cholesterol tested?
- What are my cholesterol levels? What do they mean?
- What lifestyle changes do I need to make to help improve my cholesterol levels and heart health?
- Is there a chance that Ill need cholesterol-lowering medicine?
- What are the risks and benefits of taking this medicine?
Should I Stop Drinking If I Have High Cholesterol
Cutting down on alcohol will help your liver to work better at removing bad cholesterol. It may also improve your heart health in other ways by helping you lose weight and lower your blood pressure.
Our top tips for drinking alcohol are to:
- drink less than 14 units of alcohol a week
- have a few days each week where you dont drink at all
- avoid binge drinking by drinking half what you usually would
- order a small glass of wine or half a pint of beer.
Read more of our advice on alcohol.By making some of these small changes you should see your cholesterol levels go down.
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Here Is A Chutney Recipe That Has The Goodness Of Both Coriander And Garlic:
Ingredients:
Chopped onions and green chillies as per tasteSalt as per taste
Method:
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and add one cup of water to it.
- Heat a pan and pour a ladleful of batter and spread from the centre outwards.
- Add oil along the sides and let it cook.
- Flip it around and cook on the other side until golden brown.
It is advisable to check with your medical practitioner before you change your diet or incorporate any new food.
For latest positive and happy stories on unsung heroes, impact, innovation, inspiration, and more, visit The Better India.
Saturated And Unsaturated Fat
There are 2 main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Eating too many foods high in saturated fat can raise the level of cholesterol in your blood.
Most people in the UK eat too much saturated fat.
Foods high in saturated fat include:
- meat pies
- cakes and biscuits
- foods containing coconut or palm oil
Eating foods that contain unsaturated fat instead of saturated fat can actually help reduce cholesterol levels.
Try to replace foods containing saturated fats with small amounts of foods high in unsaturated fats, such as:
- oily fish such as mackerel and salmon
- nuts such as almonds and cashews
- seeds such as sunflower and pumpkin seeds
- avocados
- vegetable oils and spreads such as rapeseed or vegetable oil, sunflower, olive, corn and walnut oils
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