5 Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol During the Changing Seasons
Cholesterol is good for the heart, but only in small amounts. However, if you have high cholesterol, there are ways to lower it.
To ensure proper cardiovascular health, one must monitor cholesterol levels. This greasy substance is found in the blood and is beneficial to the body only in small amounts. A normal level of LDL cholesterol is less than 100, while more than 130 means a person has high cholesterol. This can lead to various cardiovascular diseases.
“High levels of LDL cholesterol are harmful, especially to the heart by damaging the coronary arteries (vessels that supply the heart),” says Dr Manish Jajodia, general surgeon, Stanplus, Hyderabad.
Whether or not you use cholesterol-lowering drugs, you can make certain lifestyle changes to lower your blood cholesterol levels.
Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol
- Increase soluble fiber in the diet. Eating soluble fiber can lower cholesterol levels by reducing absorption into the bloodstream. Pears, apples, and beans and oats contain soluble fiber.
- Reduce saturated fats. When consuming fats, look for polyunsaturated fats because saturated fats increase bad (LD) cholesterol.
- Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Although omega-3 fatty acids do not lower cholesterol, they certainly have beneficial cardiovascular effects.
- Exercise for 30 minutes daily to increase good cholesterol (HDL). It protects the heart from heart disease. Lose some weight by adding exercise to your routine.
- Drink in moderation (if necessary). Smoking harms the lungs and heart. Quitting smoking increases good cholesterol (HDL), which protects coronary arteries. Moderate drinking has been linked to higher levels of good cholesterol, but still drinking isn’t recommended. If one must drink, it should be in moderation.
