We all know that high cholesterol is bad for your heart, thus bad for your overall health. However, not many know how to effectively reduce the high level of cholesterol in their blood. A better understanding of what cholesterol is and what high cholesterol level means can help us control our cholesterol.
What Is Cholesterol
Cholesterol is fat-like substance that is produced by your liver. Cholesterol aids in many important physiological functions like maintaining healthy cell walls, making Vitamin D and making hormones (estrogen and testosterone) to name a few. The basic thing is that our bodies need cholesterol to function properly; however, too much of it can cause serious problems.
Too much of Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also called bad cholesterol, is linked to heart disease and heart attack. High cholesterol level is also highly risky for smokers and those with high blood pressure. So it is very important to know how to reduce one’s cholesterol level to reduce the risk of heart disease and heart attack.
If your blood cholesterol reading is 200-219 ml/dl, it is bordering on the high side. You should take immediate steps to reduce it. Blood cholesterol reading of 220 ml/dl or higher is very high and needs immediate medical attention.
Reduce Intake Of Cholesterol Rich Foods
One of the main causes of high cholesterol level is what we eat. Eating too much of meat, eggs, and dairy products can lead to a high cholesterol level. In order to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet, you need to make some changes.
• Do not eat more than 3 egg yolks per week; however, you can eat as many egg whites as you want.
• Eat lean meat. Instead of eating high-fat prepared meats like sausage and luncheon meat, you can eat lean turkey or chicken.
• Eating fish atleast twice weekly helps prevent heart disease.
• Drink low-fat milk and consume only low-fat dairy products.
Starch And Dietary Fiber
Eating foods that are rich in starch and dietary fiber is a good way to reduce high cholesterol level. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds are rich in starch and fiber. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are rich in carbohydrate and low in calories; therefore, eating them reduces the cholesterol level.
According to doctors and nutritionists, dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber, helps reduce high cholesterol level by sweeping it out of the body before it gets into your bloodstream. Oat bran, beans, peas, rice bran, citrus fruits and psyllium seeds are rich in soluble fiber.
Exercise To Lower Cholesterol
Exercising also helps. It reduces cholesterol level by
• Increasing the amount of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) in your blood and simultaneously reducing LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).
• Reducing your weight which in turn brings down your cholesterol level.
• Improve circulation in your body. This helps in clearing away clots in your blood vessels. This further leads to improvement in the heart’s functioning.
It is recommended that you should exercise atleast 30 minutes preferably seven days a week. Aerobic activities such as brisk walking, jogging, biking and swimming, are good for conditioning your heart and improving circulation.
Weight Control
If you are overweight and have high cholesterol level, you should work on reducing your weight to bring down your cholesterol level. However, you should remember that losing weight is hard. And that is why it is recommended that you make a slow beginning and keep at it. Also remember that if you are considering dieting for reducing weight, it could be a dangerous option. Making a few changes in your eating habits and exercising regularly are the two main ingredients of every weight control formula.
Drugs
Statins, a group of powerful drugs, is often used to bring down cholesterol level. Statins are safe and with mild side effects. Zetia is the latest drug in the market to help lower cholesterol level. However, before taking any medication it is best to consult a doctor.
It is very important to lower your high cholesterol level because your life depends on it. Remember that if you have good health you have everything.