How to Lower Bad Cholesterol

Many people have been asking questions on how they can lower or reduce bad cholesterol, and in this post I am going to answer that question for them sincerely. Lifestyle changes can help reduce cholesterol, it can help to keep you off cholesterol-lowering medications or enhance the effect of your medications.

High cholesterol as we all know increases your risk of heart disease and heart attacks. You can improve cholesterol with medication. But if you don’t have money to buy medication then you can follow this healthy lifestyle method I am about to outline in this post so as to reduce or lower bad cholesterol from your system.

They are five healthy lifestyle techniques you must adapt to so as to reduce or lower your bad cholesterol. These five healthy lifestyle techniques are as follows;

Drink Alcohol Only in Moderation

It is advisable to drink alcohol only in moderation, because Moderate use of alcohol has been linked with higher levels of HDL cholesterol, but however, the benefits aren’t strong enough to recommend alcohol for anyone who doesn’t already drink. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Which means, minimize the way you drink alcohol, reduced the number o bottles you take, one bottle of alcohol is enough, don’t take more than one bottle because it may increase your cholesterol level.

For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women of all ages and men older than age 65, and up to two drinks a day for men age 65 and younger. It has been reported by world health organization that too much alcohol can lead to serious health problems, including high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke. So you better prevent yourself from these chronic diseases.

Sometimes, healthy lifestyle changes aren’t enough to lower cholesterol levels. So therefore, you are advise make sure that the changes you make are ones you can continue to do and don’t be disappointed if you don’t see results immediately, continue doing it gradually and hopefully you will see a positive result.

But if your doctor recommends medication to help lower your cholesterol, please take it as prescribed by the doctor, but continue your lifestyle changes which is very important. Lifestyle changes can help you keep your medication dose low and also help to reduce and lower bad cholesterol..

Quit Smoking

You have heard it countless number of time that smokers are reliable to die young, an addicted smoker cannot live up it his expectation, so if you smoke consistently, you are literally destroying your life and also increasing bad cholesterol in your body. So the best option is to quit smoking. If you smoke, stop it. Quitting smoking might improve your HDL cholesterol level. And the benefits don’t end there.

Also within 20 minutes of quitting smoking, your blood pressure and heart rate decrease. Within one year, your risk of heart disease is reduced. Within 15 years, your risk of heart disease is similar to someone who never smoked. But if you still indulge in smoking and you make it a habit or become addicted to it, then you are prone to heart disease, your bad cholesterol level will increased drastically and you may even have heart disease which is incurable. So is better you play wise and safe with your life.

Eat Heart-Healthy Foods

Even if you have years of unhealthy eating under your belt, making a few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health. As we all know that the food we eat affects our life directly or indirectly. You need to choose healthier fats. Saturated fats, found primarily in red meat and dairy products can increase your bad cholesterol. As a rule, you should get less than 7 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat.

Is wise to choose leaner cuts of meat, low-fat dairy and monounsaturated fats which are found in olive and canola oils for healthier options.

Please try and eliminate trans fats. Trans fats is very bad because they affect cholesterol levels by increasing the “bad” cholesterol and lowering the “good” cholesterol. This bad combination increases the risk of heart attacks and heart disease. Trans fats can be found in fried foods and many commercial products, such as cookies, crackers and snack cakes.

You are advice to eat foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids don’t affect LDL cholesterol. They have other heart benefits, such as helping to increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol, reducing your triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood and also reducing blood pressure.

However, some types of fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Other good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include walnuts, almonds and ground flaxseeds.

Lose Weight

Bad cholesterol can be lowered or reduced by losing weight. Losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your weight can improve cholesterol levels. Simply start by evaluating your eating habits and daily routine. Consider your challenges to weight loss and ways to overcome them.

If you eat when you are bored or frustrated, quit the food and take a walk instead. If you pick up fast food for lunch every day, pack something healthier from home. For snacks, munch on carrot sticks or air-popped popcorn instead of potato chips. Don’t eat mindlessly, rather eat with caution.

Exercise on Most Days of the Week and Increase Your Physical Activity

Exercise is very important in our body, as it can improve our overall cholesterol level. Moderate physical activity can help raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol. Train at least 30 minutes of exercise in a day.

Adding physical activity, even in 10-minute intervals several times a day, can help you begin to lose weight. Just be sure that you can keep up the changes you decide to make. Consider walking a long distance, riding your bike to work, swimming, playing football or golf, etc. when you do all this five steps I have outline in this post, you will literally lower and reduce your bad cholesterol. If you love this post and you have learnt something from it, please don’t forget to share it with your friends using the social media widget.